(Tri) Marathon Anners

Running and the sleeping baby

2010-09-12T07:22:00.005-04:00

My baby used to be a pretty good sleeper. From 3-5 months, she woke only once during the night for a feed, sometime between 3-5am. She would fall back to sleep again immediately and I could go back to sleep for a few hours. With this type of schedule, I could run after she went to sleep for the night, or early in the morning. Now, at 6 months, she is up several times a night (most likely teething), and it is harder to pick the best time to run. Yes, my DH could attend to her if she wakes up while I am running, but the reality is that my breastfed baby wants her mommy to soothe her. In addition, I find it difficult to enjoy my run if I am worried that she will wake up and need me. Yes, I realize that I have to learn to let it go. It's hard to do as a first-time mommy.

I have only run a few times since my 10k race two weeks ago, and none of the runs have been good. I've been fighting a cold for over a week, and I think it's in my chest now. On a positive note, I am almost back to my pre-pregnancy weight...only 3lbs to go! I registered for the Angus Glen 10k on November 7th. It is good motivation to keep running, but without the added pressure of increasing my distance.

Toronto Women's 10k - Race Report

2010-08-28T22:16:00.003-04:00

This was my first official race since baby anners was born 5 months ago. I've been running about twice a week, with my longest run being 8k. I knew that I wasn't going to break any speed records, but just getting to the finish line would make it a post-partum PB.

I was glad that the race started at 8:00, because it got warm pretty quickly! I left the Garmin at home because I didn't want to put pressure on myself...I just wanted to run. Besides, it was a rare opportunity for baby-free time, so I wasn't in a rush! The race website claims that it is a flat, paved route...HAH! There were definitely hills. The firemen at the water stations made up for it,though! I saw Marlene pass me on her way back (it was an out-and-back course). She looked great, even though she wasn't feeling well! I chatted with her for a minute after the race...nice to finally meet her in person.

Expected result: 1:10
Actual result: 1:05:12

I had a secret goal of beating my first 10k time (5 years ago!), which was 1:04:40. I almost did it! I definitely finished with something left in the tank, though, so if I had worn my Garmin I probably would have pushed a little harder. Meh. I'll just sign up for another race!

Here's my pooch...she was very proud of me :)

It's hot

2010-07-14T21:27:00.003-04:00

I'm not a summer person, especially not a Toronto summer person. I hate the heat, I hate the humidity, I hate feeling sticky all day. Air conditioning is great, but it seems like I either have to freeze or sweat. And yes, I am still whining about it, even though this week is cooler than last week (34C humidex instead of 43C). I ran on the treadmill in my basement the other day, at 10pm, and I could still feel the humidity. I was going to attempt 8k, but I bailed at 5k.

Meh. I guess I will acclimatize. I sure hope that it is not too hot for my race in 6 weeks, though!

We're heading to Vancouver in 2 weeks. I can't wait! Well, aside from being nervous about taking a 4 month-old on the plane, I am looking forward to it. Hopefully there won't be a heat wave like when we were there last year!

The post-partum body

2010-07-09T10:12:00.004-04:00

I've heard many women say that their body shape is completely different after having a baby...bigger bust, wider hips, stubborn baby pouch, etc. Some of my friends advised me not to try on my pre-pregnancy clothes too early after giving birth, because it would be discouraging. Remember, your body has undergone a tremendous change in order to create life, and it will take some time to get back to "normal." In fact, your definition of "normal" may have to change after having a child(ren). Being cognizant of this, I put most of my pre-pregancy clothes away in a box in the basement about halfway into my pregnancy. A few days ago, still about 8 lbs above my pre-pregnancy weight, I pulled the box out.

Shirts? No way in heck I could wear those. Not while I am still nursing, anyway. Pants and shorts that were on the big side before? Yes, I can wear those. Woohoo. Well, woohoo except for the muffin top. Gah. Pant that *just* fit or were a little on the small side before? I can't believe that I used to wear them. It's not just the baby pouch that is the problem, the expanded hips and butt appear to be in the way. Guess I will have to work a little harder on those areas. Mommy and Baby Fitness Classes have been helpful in that department, but I guess I should be doing the butt and abs work more than once a week. I've never been good with doing strength work on my own, though. Perhaps I should dust off the Wii Fit.

Running has been going well. It has been crazy hot this week, with the humidex over 40C. I managed a 7k run last weekend (early in the morning), which was my longest post-partum run to date. I also ran 4k on the treadmill late Wednesday night, with no walk breaks. Yay for continuous running! If I am feeling good, I might go for 8k this weekend.

I hit 5k!

2010-06-25T22:45:00.002-04:00

So, I've been doing these little 2-4k runs, trying to ease my way back into running. It hasn't been easy. In the beginning, I hurt a lot afterward. Sometimes it would be a week before I attempted to run again. My pre-pregnancy easy pace of 7min/km seemed so far away as I struggled to run 8-8:30min/km. It is gradually getting better. My pace is still slow, but I have to remind myself that pace does not matter at this point. All that matters is that I get out there, preferably 3 times a week.

This week, my goal was to run 5k. Although I tried to tell myself that time didn't matter, I was hoping to run it in under 40 min. I set out to run 3k tonight, and was planning to go for 5k on Sunday. I put the baby to bed, handed the monitor to DH, and headed out. It was a great summer night to run...cool and not humid. I felt so good that early in my run, I thought, "hm, maybe I can run 5k now." Then I told myself not to think such ambitious thoughts less than 1k into a run. But, guess what...I did it. I took a few walk breaks in the interest of taking it easy (not so much because I needed them), and completed 5k in 38:36. A far cry from the 26 min 5k I raced a year ago, but I'll take it! This is a milestone, and a great confidence booster.

I recently registered for theToronto Women's 10k, which is at the end of August. I am looking forward to it!

From slow to sloooooooow...

2010-06-04T13:09:00.003-04:00

Hi there! I can't believe that it's been 9 months since my last post!

Baby anners arrived right on her due date, March 17. She is a wonderful baby and is already showing her personality: strong and stubborn, just like her momma!

I had a normal delivery and have recovered well. I was sore for about the first 3 weeks and was limited to short walks. On April 25, we walked the Legacy 5k together as a family. I attempted my first run at 6.5 weeks post-partum. It was slow, somewhat painful, lethargic, and...wonderful. There is something about running that makes me feel free, no matter how slow I am. I ran/walked for 20 minutes, covering only 2km. The next day, I was really, really sore. That was a good warning from my body that I should take things very slowly. Now, 5 weeks later, I am still only running 2-3km, although I am running continuously now and my pace is somewhat better (still much slower than my pre-baby days, though).

I am finding it challenging finding the time and energy to run with a newborn. Since she is too young for the jogging stroller, I have to run early in the morning or in the evening when DH is home. The early morning runs are so not happening when I am up a couple of times a night to feed. Evenings are for eating dinner and spending a little family time together. If a run happens, it happens at 10pm on the treadmill. While I would like to register for a race to give myself a goal, I can't really pressure myself into training with my limited schedule. I am sure that there are supermoms out there who can do it, but I am just not ready.

Having said that, I am hoping to get out to Ottawa in the fall to participate in Ottawa Fall Colours...most likely the 10km.

It's been awhile!

2009-09-06T09:09:00.002-04:00

It has been quite awhile since I last updated. The day after I ran the Wolfe Island 5k, I discovered that a new family member would be joining us in about 8 months. Baby anners is due on March 17, 2010.

I was okay about keeping up my running at first. I ran 5k about 3 times a week. Gradually, I am noticing that I become short of breath more quickly and my legs get tired with (relatively) little exertion. To put it simply, I am slow slow slow. Now I am running 3-4k twice a week and trying to supplement with bike trainer rides and dog walks. Walking still counts, right? :)

I'm hoping that I can keep up with my running (shuffling) for another couple of months, but we'll see how it goes. I will be doing the Run for the Cure on Oct 4, but most likely will walk it with DH and puppy Lily (who is one year old already! Can you believe it??). I am quite excited to participate in this event again, especially with my growing family! (By the way, if you are interested in supporting me, let me know! I haven't been soliciting for pledges at all. I should really get on that...)

Wolfe Island Classic 5k - quick report

2009-07-06T22:38:00.003-04:00

I ran the 5k of the Wolfe Island Classic yesterday. Briefly, I forgot to wear my Garmin and had to run by feel. And so I did...felt like crap the whole way, just like one is supposed to during a 5k race ;). End result: 25:52, 6/40 in AG, 16/137 women. A new PB!

Wolfe Island is a hard course. I don't enjoy the hills. I just go to see the golden retriever kennel at the finish line. My furbaby liked visiting with them too!

A day at the beach

2009-06-27T23:49:00.003-04:00

I've been bugging Cliff to go for an open water swim with me, and since he is now tapering for the Peterborough half iron, he graciously obliged.

I picked up a rental wetsuit from Running Free on Thursday. Because this way my first time wearing a wetsuit, they suggested that I try a sleeveless model, "purely from a comfort perspective." Okay. Since I have heard horror stories from friends trying on wetsuits, I asked DH to come with me to help me squeeze into it. I tried on a large Zoot Women's Fuzion Sleeveless. To my surprise, it went on easily and I hardly needed help at all. Was it too big? I modeled it for the store staff and they said it looked fine. Okay, I guess I'm ready to go! When they asked which event I was doing this weekend, I felt a little strange telling them that I was just going for a practice swim. But really, I didn't mind paying for the rental to have the wetsuit/open water swimming experience. Also, their website says that if you decide to purchase a suit within a year of the rental, they will apply the rental fee to your purchase. Sounds good to me.

I met Cliff at Cherry beach this morning. The water felt really cold when we first waded out! We took our time getting in, then did a short out-and-back around a couple of markers. It was probably about 100m. The first round didn't go very well...I ran out of breath quickly and my face felt numb from cold. I ended up flipping onto my back a few times. This was what happened to me at Lakeside during the race. Cliff was great...he kept an eye on me and kept making sure I was okay. Once we got to the shallow water, I told him what happened and he suggested that I come up for air more frequently if I wasn't feeling comfortable. In the pool, I usually take a breath every 5 strokes, alternating sides. We went for another lap, and this time I took a breath every 2nd stroke. It helped me in terms of not running out of breath, but since I was always breathing to the right, I veered off course...haha!

At the end of the second lap, we made our way back to the beach. It was rocky near the shore and very hard on my feet. When I stood up, my legs felt like jello and I couldn't find my footing on the rocks. I fell over several times. It probably took me 10 minutes just to get out onto the beach...talk about longest transition time ever!

We went for two more laps after that, with the second one being slightly longer. I guess we did about 500m in total. My confidence improved each time, and my swimming became smoother. Slow, but at least I kept myself going.

It would have been very helpful if I had tried that before my give-it-a-tri! Had I known that the cold water would affect me so much, I would have done a better warm-up. The wetsuit also helped a lot. I might have to think about buying my own!

DH came down with me with his bike, so after the swim we biked for about 14k into Tommy Thompson park. Beautiful day for a ride. He kept up with me on the way out, but couldn't keep up on the way back. This gave my evil ego a bit of satisfaction. If DH could have kept up with me on a mountain bike when he is out of shape, I would have been quite discouraged. Apparently, my cycling training has not been all for nothing!

All in all, a great way to spend the morning!

Riding and traffic

2009-06-23T22:56:00.003-04:00

I woke up at 6am on Sunday to head out for my long ride. I covered 30.5km in 1:26, which I was pleased with. My previous longest ride was 25km, and the conditions were windy (by my standards). There wasn't much traffic early on a Sunday, but I still felt some fear riding on the roads. I winced every time a car went by me, even though they didn't come all that close. It seems like most cyclists I know have had a traffic incident at one time or another. I am way too scared to try doing a bike commute (35km for me). I guess avoiding traffic is a good incentive for me to get up early on the weekend to get my long ride done.

Tonight, I headed out for a short 30min ride in my neighbourhood...with hardly any wind, I averaged 23.3kph. I think I'm improving a little.

I'm renting a wetsuit this weekend in anticipation of an open water swim...woohoo.

How can I get faster on the bike?

2009-06-18T21:07:00.000-04:00

First attempt at pushing harder on the bike yesterday...10 min easy, 10 min "hard" effort, 10 min easy. Ended up doing 12.66k in just under 36min (21.3kph). Speed during "tempo" portion was 24kph. Okay, it's a starting point...and it was quite windy out there. Would be nice if I could average around 25kph over 20k during a tri. Then I wouldn't be quite so far behind starting the run :)

New goals

2009-06-13T11:15:00.001-04:00

I thought about my goals as I did my long-ish run this morning (while realizing that I haven't run longer than 5k since Sporting Life...eeek!)

I would like to do a sprint tri at the end of the summer (750m/20k/5k) and go for a sub 2-hr half in the fall. My race times at shorter distances seem to indicate that I can do this...I just need to build my endurance back up.

So, the plan for the summer is:
Swim - work up to 2000m and practice open water swimming (longest swim to date 1250m)
Bike - work up to 2hr and do some "faster" riding during short rides (longest to date is 25k/70min)
Run - work up to 90min until the tri, then 2-2.5 hours until the half (been there, done that, but current comfortable distance is 8-10k)

I'll have to think about scheduling my workouts. I seem to end up trying to do my long swim, bike and run all on the weekend, which is probably not the best idea!

I'm hoping to do some open water swims with Cliff

I'm thinking of either the Milton women's tri on Sept 6 or Wasaga beach on Sept 12. For the half marathon, I'm looking at the Goodlife Toronto half on Oct 18.

I'm looking forward to looking like a hottie this summer with all the training! Haha!

Gotta modify my name...

2009-06-08T22:18:00.002-04:00

...I'm (tri) Marathon Anners now ;)

Lakeside I Give-it-a-tri Race Report

2009-06-07T20:15:00.004-04:00

Lakeside I Give-it-a-tri
300m/10k/2k

Awkward doggy paddle (swim)

This was my first time swimming in open water. I did a short warm-up before the race. Initially, I was shocked by the cool water, but I sucked it up and swam a few meters. Brr. Okay, try again. That was better. I can do this.

Race START! I stayed at the back. I felt unsure and kept lifting my head to check if I was veering off course. I was doing okay until I hit a traffic jam going around the first buoy. Bump. Stop. Doggy paddle. Bump. I commented, “well, this is awkward” which got a few giggles from the ladies around me. Eventually, we got around the buoy, but by that time I had lost my groove and was starting to gasp for air. I kind of fell apart after that, and kept flipping onto my back, splashing around, doing whatever I could to keep moving forward. It was NOT pretty, but I eventually found my way back to shore. Swim time: 9:26, 98th place (3:09/100m).

T1
I felt a little shaky and tired after my bad swim. T1 time: 2:09.

Laboured putt-putt (bike)

The bike course had rolling hills, and I really struggled on the uphills. My legs flailed around helplessly on the downhills (I haven’t tried clipless yet). People on MTBs passed me…GRRR! Bike time: 27:58, 95th place (21.5kph).

T2
I am TIRED! Why the heck did I sign up for this?? T2 time: 1:11.

Familiar territory (run)

Time to drop the hammer! Hmm, why aren’t my legs moving? Why am I out of breath? Oh right, because I laboured so much on the swim and bike! I see a familiar face…it’s my friend, T!! High five! Okay legs, MOVE IT!!! Run time: 12:21, 42nd place (6:11/km)

Final time: 53:04
6/11 age group

I was hoping to finish in closer to 50 minutes, so I’m not very happy with my time. Being sick for the past 2 weeks probably didn’t help my case. But don’t let my negative report fool you; I am happy that I did it! I’m a triathlete!! But since I’m not happy with my time, I might have to do another one!

Eve of my tri debut

2009-06-06T17:48:00.003-04:00

Thank you for the encouragement, everyone! I am about 95% healthy now. I managed to get a short swim and a brick done this week. I'm glad that I did a little dress rehearsal with my tri suit. The only thing that I haven't done is an open water swim. Gulp. Well, no time now. I'm going to have to wing it!

I had a little panic attack this morning as I tried to figure out what I need to bring. It's a 2 hour drive, so I need food. I went shopping today and came home with:

Peanut butter, bread, Clif bars and Gatorade. Hey, DH needs his energy too...he's going the driving and photo taking! I also bought a bib number belt with a little pocket for stuff...very cool. I might have to use this for my running events too.

Then I packed the following items in my bag:

Helmet, water bottle, sunglasses, goggles, hair elastics, towel, extra shirt, sunblock, body glide, socks, Garmin, road ID.

I also packed a change of clothes, an extra towel and an extra pair of goggles.

And this is what I am wearing. Hopefully the water is not too cold.

Oh right, can't forget the bike and runners, too ;) And I will pick up my swim cap and bib when I get there.

This tri stuff is complicated!

Panic time?

2009-05-30T10:29:00.003-04:00

Okay, I am still sick. And starting to panic a little.

I haven't done any workouts in over a week, and I haven't been in the pool in 2 weeks. I have enough experience with running to know that I'll be okay, but I am worried about swimming and biking. My tri is in 8 days! I'm not sure if I will even get a chance to get into the pool before then.

I haven't tried out my tri suit in the pool.

I haven't practiced transitions.

I haven't done any open water swimming.

I don't know when I will be well enough to get a workout done. Currently, any form of exertion beyond a short dog walk causes a coughing fit.

:(

I'm not sure this is going to happen.

Temporarily out of commission

2009-05-26T13:27:00.002-04:00

I'm sick at home with a cold. And bored. So I guess there's nothing much to do but blog!

I started feeling really tired around the middle of last week, then woke up on Saturday with a very sore throat. I've pretty much spent the last three days in bed with congestion and extreme fatigue. I also had a fever for a brief while, so that crushed any hopes of getting a workout in. I did a short run last Thursday, but that's all I've done in the past week. I certainly don't want to go to the pool until my congestion is cleared up...no need to spread my germs around!

I hope that I'm at least well enough to leave the house by tomorrow, though. I am going batty sitting at home doing nothing. I've managed to take Lily out for a few short walks, but I don't have much energy to play with her in the yard. Poor puppy seems confused that Mommy is at home, but won't play with her.

I'm not usually sick for this long. I hope it goes away soon!

First time tri-er nerves

2009-05-16T12:09:00.001-04:00

My tri is coming up in just 3 weeks!!

I am starting off with a super sprint (called a give-it-a-tri at this event). The distance is 300m swim, 10km bike, 2km run. I am not worried about completing the distance. I am nervous about the open water swim and transition. Once that is over, I should be fine. Granted, I am not the fastest on the bike, but I am not out there to win, after all!

Luckily, I have some Running Mania friends who are experienced triathletes, and have done the Lakeside tri. I have asked questions about what to wear, what is the water like, what is the distance from the water to the transition, am I going to be running over rocks, etc. I think that I will try to pick up a tri suit to wear for the race. It seems like the most convenient option, since I can wear it for the entire race. I'm not comfortable with the thought of swimming in my running bra, or worse yet, trying to put one on in transition (do people do that??).

Oh wait. I do have concerns about the bike. What if it rains? I avoid biking in the rain. I am afraid of wiping out on the slippery road. And I still don't know anything about my bike. If anything goes wrong, I wouldn't know how to fix it. I guess this is not such a big deal on a 10k bike course, though...

I hope I can do this!

Where is the speed coming from?

2009-05-08T19:03:00.003-04:00

I keep saying that I haven't been running much. I really haven't. I'm barely cracking 50 km/month these days. I am used to running 100 km/month, or more if I am training for a half or full. But, in the past two weeks I have run faster 5k and 10k times than I did when I was training more and doing speedwork. So, where is the speed coming from?

I am tri training, but I am being lazy about it. Ideally, I should be doing two workouts each of running, biking and swimming every week. I'm only doing four, maybe five workouts per week if I am lucky. Runs up to 10k, biking up to one hour and swimming up to 1200m. I'm also about 5lbs heavier right now than I usually am. So does cross training make me faster?

Well, I am also walking my furbaby twice a day. That's about 40-60min of walking everyday (and I've still gained weight?? hmph!). She's strong and she pulls me down the street. Is that making me faster?

Is it psychological? I didn't expect to be able to run fast, so I just let myself run. Do I run better when there is no pressure? This is the first year since I started running in which I did not set a goal of "I want to run a __km race in __:__ this year."

I don't know. I'm not complaining, but it still baffles me :)

Sporting Life 10k Race Report

2009-05-03T17:06:00.004-04:00

DH and I at the start line.

This race usually falls a week before my spring marathon or half marathon. I've run it once before, but I took it easy and ran with DH (non-runner). I've always wondered what I could do on this fast course.

Today I found out.

Splits:
5:19
5:12
- guy running in front of me in a puffy vest and cargo pants answers phone. "Where am I? I'm running a marathon on Yonge st!"
5:19
5:02
5:18
- that's 5k in 26:12...ummm, that's a 5k PB!
- oh carp, I am screwed for the next 5k!
5:07
5:14
- oh ya, this is the shirt that chafes under my arms. OW!!!
5:31
- who do i think i am trying to run this fast anyways? blech...I feel like vomiting!
5:15
5:11
- i have nothing left! couldn't even accelerate to the finish line like i normally do.

Chip time: 52:30. PB by almost 2 minutes!
Age group: 222/1078

WHAT?? My goal was a PB (sub 54:24) and my secret whisper goal was sub 54:00. I never, never thought that I would do 52:30. I am thrilled, but that's going to be tough to beat next time ;)

I ran my first 10k race 4 years ago in 1:04:40. It feels great to see my progress :)

Race Kit!

2009-05-01T19:53:00.002-04:00

I picked up our Sporting Life 10k race kits today. Nice technical shirt, as always. My doggie decided that she had to get into the picture, of course ;)

I haven't run since my race last sunday...only a 45min bike trainer ride and 1000m swim this morning. I'll get a short run in tonight or tomorrow morning. I'm trying not to pressure myself with a time goal for this race. I guess I will decide on my strategy when I get to the starting line :)

Legacy 5k Race Report

2009-04-26T17:21:00.005-04:00

I ran the Legacy 5k in Markham this morning. It is in my neighbourhood, so I am very familiar with the race route and was close enough to walk to the start line. Can't get better than that!

Since I've been preparing myself to enter the world of triathlon, I haven't been focusing on running faster. No speedwork. I've been running 2-3x per week with a long run of 10k, which is less than I have done in the past. Still, with swimming and cycling as cross-training, I figured that I am still in OK shape. Goal for this race was 27:xx (previous PB was 26:33 from 2007).

Rain. POURING RAIN. It must have made me run faster. Lots of dodging at the beginning (gotta love community races where the kids sprint ahead, only to walk 500m later), but I settled in after about 1km.

Spilts:
5:21
5:16
5:20
5:12
5:00

Chip time: 26:14

The last km was thanks to a kid running ahead of me. He looked to be about 9 years old, and I would NOT let him beat me. So, I sprinted ahead of him.

There were some technical issues with the finish line, so my official time did not show up at first. I e-mailed them with my bib number and time by my Garmin, and they found me and added my official time. Not sure if they have updated all of the finishers now, but I am currently sitting 5/73 in my age group, which I am pretty darned happy about! And, it's a new PB for me :)

Next weekend is Sporting Life!

Thanks for that

2009-04-21T17:13:00.003-04:00

I'm on a business trip and had to do a long run yesterday. It was windy and rainy, so I decided to run on the hotel treadmill. There were two treadmills, both of which had seen better days. I was going to do an hour at an easy pace (8-8.5km). I felt pretty good about 25min into the run, so I bumped up the speed a little. A few minutes later, someone came into the gym and started running on the treadmill beside me. I bumped up the speed again. And again. And again. In fact, I wouldn't let myself stop running until the other person was done. Okay, I am just a little bit silly. But in the end, I ran 10km in 67min...not a bad overall pace, considering that I started out slowly (5mph).

So, to the stranger who was running beside me last night...thanks!

I registered for...

2009-04-19T21:44:00.002-04:00

...my first tri!

I'm going to do the Lakeside Give-it-a-tri on June 7 (300m/10km/2km).

Went to the pool this morning and decided to try a 300m time trial. This was quite a step for me, as I think the longest I have swam without taking a break is 150m. I am embarrassed to say that I cannot keep track of those multi-hand clocks, so I just looked at the regular clock. It went better than I thought. I did panic a bit halfway through and felt like I was running out of breath, so after 200m I swam on my back for a few meters, gathered my breath, and continued with the front crawl. I finished in just under 9min, maybe 8:50 or so. With 7 weeks until my event, I hope that I can improve that time a little.

I started riding outside this week. Three times, in fact! My lack of speed is frustrating, though. I average 20km/h on my rides, without fail. That will definitely put me at the back of the pack in a tri. Anyone out there have cycling tips for me?

Now, how can I continue to work hard on my swimming and biking without letting my running slide??? Training three sports is hard :(

An interesting swim

2009-02-15T22:07:00.002-05:00

I had an interesting swim today. I went to a different pool because they had an evening session. I could not wake up for a morning swim after the Valentine's Day wine *oops*. I'm not sure what most people would consider to be crowded, but there were probably at least 10 people in each of the 3 lanes of the 25m pool. It made me quite uncomfortable...I'm used to only sharing with a few people. Anyway, I started in the "medium" lane with my board...100m of kicking, then I put it to the side and started my front crawl. One of the lifeguards took it away, so I did the rest of my swim without it...! After about 500m of bumping into people and getting frustrated, I moved to the "fast" lane. And continued for another 500m. Yep, 1000m total, in 36ish minutes :) I felt like I had an "aha!" moment today. I was actually swimming somewhat continuously...I still took a little break at the end of most lengths, but only 2-3sec instead of 10-15sec. I felt pretty good! But I don't want to go back for the evening session again. I will have to suck it up and get up early.

So, my week went like this:

Tues - 5.25km easy treadmill run 7:07/km
Wed - 45min trainer ride
Fri - 700m swim, ~30min
Sat - 10k LSD outside :D 6:47/km
Sun - 1000m swim, ~36min

I missed a brick workout, but I feel pretty good about my week. The 10k LSD surprised me a lot...I haven't run more than 5.5k since December, and haven't run outside at all in 2 months. The run felt good, and my pace was pretty decent for an LSD. I think I might have to throw a bit of faster running into my week though...but where? Honestly, I don't know how triathletes can fit all of their workouts in!

A change in focus!

2009-02-14T17:04:00.002-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

Since my last post, I have had a change in focus. One of the discussions on the Running Mania boards had me thinking about trying a tri. Yes, I did think about this last year as well, but my one and only visit to the pool last year was not very encouraging, and I never followed through. The difference this time? I met a Running Mania friend at the pool last week and she coached me a little bit. She is an experienced triathlete who has completed half-ironmans, so she definitely knows what she is talking about! Her tips were very helpful and made me feel more motivated to improve my swimming. And yes, I've actually been to the pool twice on my own since then, and am planning to go again tomorrow!

I think I am aiming for the Milton Women`s Tri on Labour Day. I did the duathlon there last year.

I am excited about my change in focus. I won`t be running as much, but I will be working even harder to train myself in three sports! I think the 10k run that I pulled off today is good evidence of that...I haven`t run longer than 5.5k since December, but have been keeping my fitness level up with biking (on the trainer) and swimming. My 10k today felt great :) And, I have registered for the Sporting Life 10k in May!

Any run is better than no run

2009-01-17T13:50:00.003-05:00

As I was getting my daily dose of the Running Mania forums today, I came across an interesting thread. Someone pointed out a blog post titled Is a Two-Mile Run Worth the Bother?. The post (from my understanding) refers to using short workouts to supplement your mileage without placing too much strain on your body. I know that when I am training for a marathon, I start to adopt the mentality that any run that is less than 5-6km isn't worth the time. Looks like I need to change my way of thinking :)

The post also made me think of the 2-mile workouts that I am currently doing...because that's about all I have been doing lately (still trying to figure out what's going on with my body...and yes I will be going to the doctor soon!). I feel pretty unhappy that I can't handle more than that at this time, but on the bright side, at least I haven't given up. I think that building from a low mileage base is a lot easier than starting over from scratch, no? Thankfully, I am still motivated to exercise...I'm just finding it a little more challenging than usual. It looks like ATB might be a no-go, though, unless things get better fast :(

Oh my aching...

2009-01-07T07:16:00.003-05:00

...fill in the blank. I've only done a couple of mini-runs (15-20mins) in 2009 so far. I'm not sure what's going on with my body, but I have backaches, stomachaches, and just general grossness. It's annoying, because I want to keep going with the good running streak that I had last month. I am glad that I have the trainer though, because an easy spin seems to be easier on my body than a slow jog. At least I am still exercising. I hope that I am back to normal soon. Perhaps I am due for a nice massage :)

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T11:37:00.006-05:00

Happy new year! Here's to a great 2009!

I ran 6.68km yesterday to finish off December with 100.1km -- goal achieved! My 2008 mileage total was 1154.91km. I think that is my lowest mileage total in 3 years, but that's okay. I focused on completing a difficult marathon in the spring, and ran a personal best. I may have slacked off after my ITBS injury, but I never gave up completely, and still ran a strong 10k in the fall. I also took up cycling, which is great cross-training. I even completed my first duathlon. 2008 was definitely a good year :)

I have a feeling that 2009 will be a "take things as they come" year. I have a vague goal of finishing ATB in under 3 hours, but that's about it. I'm not feeling ambitious enough to set any aggressive goals. I might want to try something fun and different; perhaps participate in a triathlon relay or volunteer at a race. I am interested in hearing about other people's goals for 2009...let's hear them!

Lily is a famous puppy!

2008-12-30T08:09:00.001-05:00

Look who has been featured on The Daily Puppy today!

Be sure to click on 11 biscuits for her! :)

Mileage increase

2008-12-29T12:46:00.004-05:00

Setting a December mileage goal has certainly helped me to find my lost mojo. I've logged 82.5km so far this month, so reaching 100km is definitely possible. However, I'm hurting a little bit. Why? Let's look at my training stats:

Aug - 90.48km
Sep - 51.66km
Oct - 71.54km
Nov - 66.23km
Dec - 82.5km (to date)

Boo to that. I like to keep my mileage at around 100km/month, even when I'm not training for a specific event. I've been doing well this month, but my legs are feeling it. "They" say that you shouldn't increase your mileage more than 10% per week. I ran 18km 2 weeks ago, then 32.5km last week. Oops. So today, I am taking a rest day. I might do an easy spin on the trainer, though. Hubby set it up beside the treadmill for me:

Woohoo, now I can do brick workouts all winter long! It feels good to be on my bike again :)

Whether I meet my 100km goal or not, I feel like I am in good shape to start training for Around the Bay. :)

Christmas goodies

2008-12-26T16:46:00.005-05:00

Santa was very good to everyone in my household this year, especially me!

Santa brought me a Kinetic Road Machine bike trainer. I can't wait to try it out! I am waiting for hubby to set me up in the basement with a screen so that I can plug my laptop in and watch DVDs (workouts or movies) while I ride. Although I can tolerate treadmill running for hours, I don't have the same kind of patience for stationary biking. My limit is about 30-40min. However, I guess I've never really spent more than an hour on my bike, even outside. In the meantime, Lily has been using it as her chew toy...(just kidding...we've moved it to her off-limits area!)

I still have to run 31km in the next 5 days to meet my December goal. Doable, but it may be a little painful. My body is not used to that kind of mileage right now. We'll see.

Lily chases her tail - snow version

2008-12-23T15:21:00.005-05:00

Playing in the snow is good cross-training, right?

Random

2008-12-21T22:13:00.006-05:00

Okay, I admit to skipping my LSD this weekend. I'll make an effort to do it tomorrow, really! I kept myself busy playing Guitar Hero World Tour and running around the yard in knee-deep snow with Lily. Actually, I think I strained something...lol :P Lily seems to have picked up a new hobby...

She looks a little skinny because she was having digestive issues for a few days...poor thing. She's back to her normal, goofy self now :)

Update: I did 10.5km on the treadmill Monday morning :)

December running

2008-12-19T21:46:00.005-05:00

I'm on vacation! Work has been stressful lately, so I just haven't had the energy to write. I have been working on a mileage goal for December: 100km. I've run ~46km so far, which isn't bad. I'm not going to kill myself to get to 100km, but I should be close. I've only been running 50-70km per month since completing my spring marathon (!!!), so it already looks like this month will be an improvement. I need to build up my base so that I can train for the Around the Bay 30k :)

We had about 20cm of snow today and are expecting more over the next few days...so outdoor running will likely be out of the question for me. I will stick to the treadmill and chasing Lily around in the yard :). Actually, I've started taking her on walks too, but I don't think I can count her 5-10min walks towards my training mileage...although sometimes I have to jog to keep up with her!

Winter running

2008-11-24T19:26:00.002-05:00

We had about 10cm of snowfall last week, and I went out for my first winter run of the season yesterday. It was -5C outside, and I wore a long-sleeved tech shirt, a Sugoi jacket, my favourite Mizuno tights and regular running socks. I wore gloves at the beginning of my run, but removed them after less than 10min...my hands get hot! The sidewalks in my neighbourhood ranged from completely clear and dry, to icy patches, to uncleared soft snow. I ran for an hour, covering only about 7.5km. Much slower than my usual (already slow) pace.

Many people don't like winter running. I am one of them. I am the type of person who can run on a treadmill for 2-3 hours if required, just to avoid the -25C wind chill and slippery sidewalks. I don't mind the cold so much if the wind chill isn't crazy; I'm more worried about slipping and breaking my neck. When I do venture outside, I have a few rules:

1. Absolutely. Do. Not. Worry about pace. I am out there in the cold, dealing with dicey surfaces, sweating under my layers of clothing. I'm working just as hard as I do in fair weather, even if I'm running slower.

2. If I am still miserable 15-20min into the run, I am allowed to bail and run on the treadmill. Occasionally, I am even allowed to skip the rest of my run and treat myself to a nice hot shower and a mug of hot chocolate.

3. Slushy conditions are no go. I'm not running in cold, soggy socks.

How do you deal with winter running? Do you brave the elements, or brave the monotony of the treadmill? Or do you abandon running for another sport? Discuss :)

Taming the beast...and training

2008-11-17T19:34:00.003-05:00

Some people have told me that raising is puppy is harder than a newborn baby. Puppies are mobile from the start, and they get into everything. They chew, they bark, they pee and poo on the floor. But how can you stay mad when you see this face?

Since we are at work all day and poor Lily is stuck in her crate, I hate putting her in there after I get home. But that means I need to keep an eye on her while I cook and clean and attend to anything else. Running? Forget it. Since hubby is often on the computer taking care of work issues in the evening, I have no choice but to put Lily in her crate while I run on the treadmill. And I feel terrible. I think the longest I have run since we brought her home is 45min. Yes, I actually feel guilty for running, because I am neglecting the puppy!

The guilty feeling will go away, I think. But what about the lack of sleep? My little monster will only stay quiet for 6 hours during the night. Yes, weekends too! That doesn't leave me with much energy to run after working, commuting, taking care of the house and her. *sigh* Eventually, she will be worked into my exercise routine. Not for probably a year though...gotta let her little puppy bones grow first.

Oh, the sacrifices we make for our furry friends! We love her, though...even when she's being a monster :)

My furbaby is home!

2008-11-10T18:49:00.003-05:00

We picked up Lily on Saturday and have had a fun, but exhausting few days with her so far. When will I be able to sleep through the night again?? But it's worth it...look at this face!

All the excitement left me with no energy to run :(. Maybe I'll get on the treadmill for a bit while she's napping tonight.

Why race?

2008-11-04T18:52:00.002-05:00

As I sit here, my race medals are in a heap at the side of my desk, and there are race bibs scattered randomly throughout the house. Race junk (pamphlets, flyers, magazines) are tossed directly into the recycle bin, and I have about 15 Foot Doctor magnets on my fridge. Do I really need any more?

I ran well this past weekend and posted a good time by my own standards. However, I placed 223rd out of 568 runners. Did I ever have any chance of winning? Top ten, even? No. And I knew that. What about the distance? I run 10k every week. Why pay money to do it?

It was actually my father-in-law who asked me these questions when I told him that I had signed up for yet another race. He used to tell me that he wanted to run a half marathon, so I looked for races to suggest to him. However, he ended up running 21k one morning and said, "that's it. I ran the distance. I don't need to sign up for a race."

So why do I race? I don't seem to keep my medals or race bibs like prized possessions. Nor will I ever come close to winning any event...and if I did, it would be because nobody else showed up that day!

- I know that when I have a race bib on and am running with hundreds or thousands of people, I will push myself harder than I ever could in a training run. Case in point last weekend. I never run a sub-5:30/km pace in training, espcially not for 54 minutes. My normal, comfortable running pace is about 7:00/km.

- There is something special about the comradery of a race. Being out there with all of those like-minded insane people is fun. People are generally friendly, supportive, cheery. And so are the friends and family members cheering us on.

- It is funny when I hobble into work the next morning and my co-workers ask "how was your race?" rather than "what happened to you?" They know.

- I might not think much of the medals, but I love the shirts. I never have to buy running shirts. Wonder if some races will start giving out shorts or tights in the future? I could use a few pairs...

- It's just fun. Some people might like to spend money on a round of golf (like my hubby), or going to a show. Running/training are means to maintain my fitness and sanity, but racing is my hobby. And yes, I may have to pay race entry fees and wake up early on Sunday mornings, but don't most hobbies cost time and money?

So, why do you race?

Angus Glen 10k Race Report - Just Run

2008-11-02T18:17:00.003-05:00

I ran an unexpected PB on this course last year, and booked my wedding there a few weeks later. Happy happy memories are what drove me to sign up this year, even though I wasn't in shape (or so I thought). My training over the past few months has been rather dismal, with mileage totals of 51k in September and 71k in October. I also overindulged during my 2 weeks in Hawaii, so I wasn't expecting to run as well as I did last year.

My pre-race prediciton: 58min.

I saw my friend Jill before the race and asked her if she was ready (she was running the HalfM). She shrugged and said, "I'm just going to run."

Just Run. Thanks Jill. That got me through the race.

1k - Everyone was zipping past me. Should I speed up? No no...just run.

2-3k - I saw Jill's hubby just ahead of me. Is that burning in my calves? Shhh, don't worry about it. Just run.

4k - Passed Jill's hubby (he stayed close behind me, though!!)

5-7k - Slight incline. Can I hold my pace? I feel like I'm going to puke. Shhh. Just run.

8-9k - I can't feel my legs. They're numb. Are they still moving? Just go and try not to fall down.

finish - I can see the finish line. Go for it. But I feel like I'm going to pass out. WHAT is that number on the clock?? Are you kidding me???

Official time: 54:47
Chip time: 54:26
Age group: 17/49

I actually ran the whole way, which I have never done in a 10k race...usually I use the aid stations and walk for a few seconds to get my breathing under control. My time for this race last year (and my PB) was 54:24. So, despite my lack of training, I only missed my PB by 2 seconds.

Makes me wonder what I could have done if I had trained...!
I'm starting to like the 10k distance :)

Leading up to the Angus Glen 10k...

2008-10-26T23:37:00.005-04:00

I ran 3 times last week. I wanted to run 4 times, but things happen...especially when you are not in serious training mode!

Tues - 5.3km progression run on the treadmill (increased speed by 0.1 mph every 1-2min, peaking at 7.3mph), 33:00, average pace 6:13/km
Fri - 8.2km easy run outside, 59:30, average pace 7:15/km. Wonderful, glorious run. Very relaxing and felt like I could go forever. I think I was smiling the whole way!
Sun - 10.14km LSD on the treadmill, 1:10, average pace 6:54/km

Total distance: 23.64km

So, I should survive the race next Sunday, but I don't know what kind of pace I will be able to pull off. I'm thinking something around 58-ish minutes. We'll see.

My new baby

2008-10-25T22:33:00.003-04:00

Meet Lily:

Lily is 6.5 weeks old. We get to bring her home in 2 weeks. She's pretty mellow right now, but I will turn her into a runner...when she's ready, of course. Right now, she seems to wander around the room, plopping down in random places for naps :)

Half marathon time vs. Marathon time...a non-scientific observation

2008-10-19T09:21:00.007-04:00

Disclaimer: THIS IS NOT A SERIOUS SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENT! Take this post with a grain of salt ;)

Someone on Running Mania posed the question: how well do our half marathon times predict our full marathon times, and how does experience come into play? So, we posted our race times. As some people started hemming and hawing over what the lists meant, someone asked what it would look like on a graph. Well, I have too much time on my hands, apparently, so I threw the numbers into a spreadsheet:

According to the 47 people who posted their times, the formula for predicting marathon finish time was roughly:
Marathon time (in minutes)= Half marathon time (in minutes)*2.08 + 16min

Now, this cannot be considered as a true marathon time predictor like MacMillan or Riegel of course, because the data is not controlled. In many cases, the half marathon times were not representative of the same relative fitness level as when the marathon was run (the times may have been a few years apart), or the person may have only run one marathon. However, there didn't appear to be any correlation between number of marathons completed and predicted finish time, either.

All I can concluded from this is, if I ever want to run a 4 hour marathon, I had better get a heck of a lot faster in the half marathon ;)

NRR: Tagged - 6 random facts about Anners

2008-10-15T21:00:00.002-04:00

Gosh darn it, Solo Running Chick tagged me ;) Alright, 6 random facts about anners:

1. I eat my cereal dry or with yogurt. Milk in cereal? No thanks!

2. I have a thing for pumpkins. Not eating them. Just looking at them. They're just so round and orange and cheerful-looking...lol! So, now that I live in a house, you can bet that I will buy multiple pumpkins to place on my porch for Halloween :)

3. I'm not scared of spiders. If I see one in the house and have nothing to squish it with, I will pick it up with my bare hands and throw it outside.

4. I AM scared of snakes. Eeeewwww...can't even go near them. I freak out when one slithers by me on the trails (hence, I don't really run trails...lol).

5. Chips are my comfort food. The saltier, the better. I would be so much skinnier if no one had invented potato chips.

6. I met Cliff on Lavalife. So, I'm going to tag him. Yeah, I know I'm supposed to tag 6 people, but I am too lazy :P

NRR: Wedding and honeymoon

2008-10-14T21:05:00.006-04:00

NRR stands for Non-Running Related post :)
Our wedding day was beautiful! Here are a few pics!
Courtesy of Dolce Pics/my Maid of Honour and her hubby:

Courtesy of our photographer Bryan Caporicci:

We had a perfect wedding day and a wonderful honeymoon in Hawaii. We spent 2 weeks hanging out on Oahu, Maui and the Big Island. I did have an ulterior motive for wanting to visit the Big Island at the end of our trip...to watch the Ironman World Championships, of course!

It was amazing being there! We got to Kona in time to see the leaders finish the bike and head out on the run. After watching the first 20 or so competitors come in, we took a break for lunch and eventually made our way to the finish area to see the winners. Such amazing athletes. Not enough to make me want to start training for an Ironman (I guess I would have to try-a-tri first, lol!), but I did come away with renewed enthusiam for running. I registered for the Angus Glen 10k on November 2. I am definitely not expecting to set a PB with my lack of training, but we'll see what I can do. I ran about every other day in Hawaii, but I also put on about 5lbs from all of the honeymoon eating! Delicious food, but I am paying for it now!

Okay, so I guess this post ended up being a little bit running related :)

I'm married!

2008-09-29T23:50:00.003-04:00

Off to the honeymoon in just a few hours (!!! I need to get some sleep!). Will post a few photos eventually. Things have been hectic :). Hopefully I will get a few runs done in Hawaii!

Wedding taper madness?

2008-09-21T20:21:00.003-04:00

I ran 9k today...longest run in awhile. This is both good and bad...good that I can still run for an hour without pooping out, but bad because a 9k LSD isn't up to my usual mileage standards. It is funny how things change...9k would have seemed impossible just 4 years ago!

I'm getting married on Saturday and have started feeling quite antsy. My uber-organized personality has everything lined up and ready to go...no last-minute favour wrapping and program printing for me! This is good, right? Yes and no. I'm off work now, so I may end up having too much time on my hands. And, similar to when I'm tapering for a race and my free time is not filled up with training, I'm spending money! I'm not sure how widespread the idea of "taper shopping" is with the general running population, but it is certainly common in the Running Mania world. No, I didn't really need the expensive aisle runner, dress for my bacherlorette party and the flowers that I ordered to have delivered to my house for the rehearsal dinner. Nor did I need to get a manicure when I am getting another one the day before the wedding. Ladies and gentlemen, I am officially suffering from wedding taper madness. Heck, maybe I'll end up doing an abnormal amount of running this week!!!

A shout out to Marlene who is running her first marathon this coming weekend. You go, girl! Your training has been awesome, and you are so ready to rock this race!!

Wii Fit and Running

2008-09-14T22:33:00.003-04:00

We picked up a Wii Fit a few weeks ago. Being the running snob that I am (haha), at first I thought that it was a little silly. Can you really get a good workout playing a game? But you know what...I've been doing the yoga regularly, and I have noticed that my hips have loosened up. My hips are always tight from running and I have a hard time stretching them. Looks like Wii Fit could be a solution!

Not much training happening right now. I'm just doing short 4-6k runs a few times a week. Ideally, I like to do a weekly long run of at least 10k even when I am not training, but my time and energy on the weekends is limited these days. I might decide to sign up for the 10k event in the Angus Glen Half Marathon in November. It usually sells out in advance though, so I will have to decide soon. I doubt that I will be doing much running during my honeymoon in Hawaii, however!

OWTS Super Sprint Du Race Report

2008-08-31T16:13:00.010-04:00

Race: OWTS Super sprint du (2.5k/10k/2.5k)

I always thought that I would never run ATB, the Vancouver marathon, or do a du/tri. I am 3 for 3 at proving myself wrong this year...haha :)

My running still hasn't been up to snuff since the spring, but I figured that this would be a fun event and I wanted to see what I could do at my current fitness level.

Me and Suzi in the transition

Run #1 - started off with a steep hill. This was a omen of things to come on this course :(. I tried to run semi-aggresively, knowing that I had to save energy for the rest of the race.
Run 1 - 14:06 (5:39/km) 22/54

The steep hill

Transition #1 - I took my time.

Heading out on the bike

Bike - I haven't mastered using the bottle holder...I usually end up dropping the bottle when I try to put it back. So, I wore my fuel belt with 2 small bottles of water. This worked fine on my training rides, but the velcro gave early into the bike and it popped off my waist. I caught it, but had to pull off into a driveway to put it back on (I was fortunate that it happened in a place where I could pull over). I know that I am slow on the bike, but I was quite frustrated that so many people were passing me! I passed a few people on the uphills later, but I got blown past a couple of times on the downhills.

Coming in from the bike

Transition #2 - I got confused and put Suzi on the wrong rack :oops: . At least I remembered to take my helmet off!
T1+bike+T2 - 29:17 (20.5 kph) 34/54

Leaving the transition, on my way for run #2

Run #2 - started off slowly. My legs felt like lead, and that nasty hill was there again. I walked up the hill (but so did everyone else around me) and eventually found my running legs. I started passing people. I ran all the way up evil hill #2 and made a good surge to the finish line!
Run 2 - 15:33 (6:13/km) 22/54

Evil hill #2

Official time 58:55, 26/54 overall, 10/21 in AG

It was fun :D But it was hard work. I felt like I was out there MUCH longer than an hour...kind of felt more like a half marathon effort! I guess it's because I'm not used to biking. I need more practice on that, for sure!

Melanie: Sorry, I didn't see your comment until now! I was kind of avoiding my own blog for the past few weeks :P. I'm sorry to hear about your injury!!!

Can I still do this?

2008-08-11T22:30:00.003-04:00

Training has been a flop lately due to my busy schedule. Here's what happened last week:

Wed - 5.2km run, 34:50, 6:41/km
Fri - 8.5km treadmill run, 1:00, 7:03/km
Sat - 11km bike, 31:00
Mon - 13.3km run, 1:30:11, 6:46/km

Totals: 27km run, 11km bike, and a B+ in neuroanatomy :)

I was hardly home on the weekend (birthday and wedding related events) and did not manage to squeeze in my long run or a longer bike ride. We've also been getting record amounts of rain, which is not helping with the bike training (note to self: time to get an indoor trainer). I was determined to get a long run done, so I went out as soon as I got home from work today. It's a little tough to do a long run at 7pm when you haven't eaten dinner yet, but I got 90 min done. At least I feel somewhat better about getting my mileage up to a decent level for my half in less than 4 weeks. My pace was much better this week, and I felt strong on my runs. Can I still do this half? Probably. It won't be a PB, nor will it be easy, but I think I can push through it.

I haven't registered for the Milton women's tri yet, but I'm pretty sure that I want to give the super sprint duathlon a try. I just hope that it doesn't rain that day, because I would be pretty nervous about riding on slick roads!

I'm back!

2008-08-05T22:14:00.002-04:00

Okay, my exam is over :) Hopefully I can get back to regular training. However, I've been feeling a little off for the past week or so. I've had some pressure in my ears, some dizziness, some headaches. It has made me hesitant to get on my bike, although I did get out for my longest ever ride on the weekend (21k in about an hour). My runs have felt terrible. I've been feeling slow and sluggish, and even had a heavy feeling in my chest the past couple of runs. I went to my doctor and complained about my ears and the dizziness, but she couldn't find anything wrong. I'm hoping that my condition will improve now that the school stress is gone. If not, I am doubtful tht I will be able to finish the Queen City Half upright and smiling :(. I'm definitely not looking at a time goal at this point.

It's also 53 days until my wedding and 2 days until my birthday :)

I hope that I will be able to report some decent workouts at the end of the week!

Shhh, I'm studying...

2008-08-01T23:42:00.003-04:00

Neuroanatomy final on Tuesday...training and blogging have been on the backburner. Will be back soon ;)

I will say that I am considering entering a super sprint duathlon at the end of the month...time for more brick workouts :)

Weekly training summary and what I learned in school last week

2008-07-21T00:27:00.009-04:00

(Picture from becomehealthynow.com)

I'm taking a neuroanatomy course this summer, which is very interesting, but brutally intensive. One of the topics that my professor covered last week is endorphins. Well, not exactly...he was talking about the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. In passing, he mentioned that the pituitary gland releases endorphins, which is what runners get after a certain point at their run when they don't feel pain and feel like they can run forever. I don't know about you, but my endorphin release tends to be short-lived. I usually get it 30-60min into a run, but then it goes away. Sometimes it comes back, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes I just have a completely miserable run devoid of any endorphins. That's kind of like what my running felt like this week, with the exception of the end of my long run.

Week of July 14 - 20:

Tues - 6.8km run with 15min @ tempo (5:55/km), 48:00, 7:03/km average pace
Fri - 15km bike, 47:25
Sat - 4km no Garmin run, 30:00 (approx), 7:30/km
Sun - 15km fast-finish treadmill run, 1:45, 7:00/km average pace
(80min @ ~7:20/km, 25min ramping from 6:15/km to 5:20/km)

Totals: run 25.8km, bike 15km

My two outdoor runs were horrible...as mentioned in a previous post, it was too hot for me and running made me feel like death. My attempt at a tempo run did not go well...I was going to try to hold tempo pace for 20-25min, but I ended up only doing 15min. And not as fast as I wanted to. It was pouring rain today, so I wimped out and did my long run on the treadmill. It felt awful until the endorphins kicked in at 30min, then eventually I felt good enough to try the last 25min at a faster pace. That felt great!

I would have liked to get out for a second bike ride. Hopefully I will get 5 workouts in this week (3 runs, 2 bike rides).

Heat wave

2008-07-18T23:55:00.002-04:00

Smog alert, heat advisory and high humidity are conditions that would make anyone unhappy, but they are brutal for those who participate in outdoor sports. The heat this week has had a very negative impact on my energy level, motivation, and quality of my workouts. My car does not have air conditioning, so by the time I get home from work I feel exhausted from the heat. I don't feel like cooking or eating, much less exercising. I suppose the solution should be to get up early and do my workout before work, but the heat exhaustion seems to carry over and makes it difficult for me to get up early. Even running on the treadmill seems like a chore. I hate making excuses, but it's really tough to get out there sometimes!

Weekly training summary and lessons learned

2008-07-13T12:58:00.002-04:00

My week was nutty. I had work stress and school stress. I wrote my midterm on Thursday, which covered the 14 chapters that we have gone through in the first 2.5 weeks of the course...seriously! Am I really supposed to memorize 14 chapters?? I sacrificed sleep and my workout time to study this week, but I still think that I bombed the exam. Boo. I went for a 30-min massage on Wednesday to get my shoulders and back worked on...my RMT commented that I had "studentitis!"

I was hoping to get a workout done on Thursday after my test, but I was just too exhausted. So, here are my weekend workouts:

Friday: Brick - 15k/46min bike, followed by a 3k/20min treadmill run (run pace 6:40/km)
Saturday: Leisurely bike ride with Tony, 10.36km/37:23
Sunday: 12.25km/1:32 LSD, 7:30/km

Totals: 15.25km run, 25.35km bike

Lessons learned this week:
- I can't expect to train well when I am stressed and doing a lot of work outside of normal work hours. I might think that I can squeeze in a 30 min workout here and there, but when my mind is stressed, my body is tired. I have to be realistic.
- Eating well is so important!! I actually got Tony to cook for me this week, which was a lifesaver...otherwise, I probably would have eaten instant noodles, microwave popcorn and other junk.
- Don't expect your long run to be easy when you biked on back-to-back days before it. Someday, I might reach the point where 10-15km bike rides are easy, but I am not there yet. My long run was definitely a struggle today. The hot weather didn't help, either.

I think that my long runs are on target for building up a good base for the Queen City Half. However, my speed is definitely lacking. I was thinking during my run today that I might want to enter a 10-15k race sometime in August to test out my fitness level. The best opportunity would probably be A Midsummer Night's Run, but we're going to a wedding on that day. I'll have to keep my eyes open for something else.

Do-a-Du?

2008-07-11T13:22:00.003-04:00

I've been very busy this week and didn't manage to get any workouts done. I finally took Suzi out for a spin today. I was really excited to get out on the bike! I rode 15km in about 46 min followed by a 3k run on the treadmill. I love brick workouts...they feel great! I started to wonder today if I can work up the guts to enter a duathlon. I'm not very confident on the bike, my turns are terrible (wide and awkward), and I am slow. My bike pace today was less than 20km/h, which would put me in last place in the bike portion of any race. And, I thought that I was working reasonably hard!

That made me wonder...how fast do people go during a training ride? For running, I know that my training pace on a "normal" run (i.e., not a tempo run or fartlek) is considerably slower than my race pace, but I have no idea if I can go much faster on the bike.

Oh, and I also learned a newbie cyclist lesson today: don't wear loose capris when riding, or they might get caught in the chain. Oops :P

Weekly training summary and 5k race report

2008-07-07T21:23:00.006-04:00

Week of June 30 to July 6

Tues - 6.28km fartlek, 43:22, 6:54/km average
Wed - 13km stationary bike, 35 min
Thurs - 4.25km easy jog, 30:00, 7:03/km
Fri - brick workout: 10.14km ride on Suzi, 33:14 and 2km treadmill run, 12:40, 6:20/km
Sun - 2km warmup, Wolfe Island Classic 5k race, 28:50, 5:46/km

Totals: run 19.53km, bike 23.14km

We went to Kingston on the weekend and stayed with a Running Mania friend. On Sunday morning, we took the 7:15am ferry across to Wolfe Island for the race. It is a 5k and 10k event that has been advertised by my acquaintainces as a hot and hilly race. I was quite worried when I saw the forecast...they were calling for 29degC with the humidity pushing it up to 35degC. Yuck!! It turned out to be warm, but not humid. I would guess that it probably peaked out at 27deg. There were two hills on the 5k course, the second of which turned out to be a barrier for me. My splits:

5:41
5:31
6:23
5:33
5:32

Chip time: 28:50, 10/29 in age group.

OK, but not great. I walked up hill #2, as you can see from my splits. I could have run it, I think, but I just wasn't feeling it. The end result was pretty much what I expected. I am not in peak shape right now, so I wasn't expecting to PB. However, with my cycling cross-training and my almost healed IT band, I figured that I should be good for a sub-30min finish. I was right on target.

The race was photographed by Zoom Photo who take the most awesome shots ever. Here is one that they got of me...bad running form, but I look like I'm flying!

Meet Suzi

2008-07-04T22:28:00.005-04:00

I went to Bayview Cycle today and rescued Suzi. She was about to be crowded with all the big bad 2009 bikes. Suzi was so pretty that I just had to take her home. She is a Trek 7.2FX WSD. I took her for a test ride and she was the perfect match! The price was pretty good too, so I finally got over my bike hesitation and went for it.

On the drive home, I was thinking about the pretty blue colour and decided to name her "Suzushii kaze," which means cool breeze in Japanese. So, it's Suzi for short :)

I did a brick workout today...10k on Suzi followed by a 2k run. My ride was slow, as I was trying to get acquainted with Suzi and I haven't owned a bike since I was...hmm, about 10 years old? So, the 10k ride took me about 33 min. It was quite comfortable though...no sore butt :)

I'm glad that I am not restricted to the stationary bike anymore! It was getting pretty boring!

Pacing speed workouts

2008-07-01T17:55:00.002-04:00

I consider myself to be a newbie to speedwork. I've tried a few different types of workouts:

Fartlek ("speed play"): Random bursts of speed of varying time or distance scattered throughout the run.

Tempo runs (Hal Higdon style): 10-15 min easy running, followed by a continuous buildup to half marathon race pace. Peak speed comes about 2/3 into the run, and is only held for a few minutes. Cool down of 5-10 min easy running.

Tempo runs (as others describe it): 10-15 min easy, up to 40 min of 1/2 marathon race pace, 5-10 min cool down.

Intervals or repeats (I get the two mixed up, but I understand them to be the same): 10-15 min easy followed by 400m or 800m of a certain speed, with about 1.5-2.5 min rests (jog or walk) in between. For 400m intervals, I would run at 5k race pace; for 800m intervals, I would run 10k race pace. Usually I start with 4 intervals at the beginning of my training cycle and add on each week until I get to 10.

I have done 90% of my speed workouts on the treadmill. It is just much easier to keep myself on pace, and I don't have to deal with any terrain changes. I've gone to a track for interval workouts once or twice. If I try to incorporate speedwork into an outdoor run, I find that I have trouble pacing myself.

Take today, for example. I headed out with the intention of doing a fartlek. After about 10 min of easy jogging, I ran some 2-3 min intervals at a faster pace, with 1.5-2 min rest(jog or walk) in between. This is what happened (time, pace):

interval 1 - 2:06, 5:50/km
interval 2 - 2:39, 5:35/km
interval 3 - 2:27, 5:15/km
interval 4 - 2:28, 5:01/km

By the end of the last interval, I was gasping and it kind of screwed up the rest of my run. I could not have done another interval. Obviously, I have some trouble with pacing. It's like I was trying to compete with myself by making each interval faster, rather than keep a steady pace. I think that I should have tried to stay in the 5:15-5:30/km range. My Garmin does not really help me stay on pace, as it seems to lag a bit when I speed up, and I always see that I am running slower than reality (probably another reason why I kept running faster). Perhaps I should pay more attention to my perceived exertion!

Next week, I will attempt to do my tempo run outdoors. We will see what happens with my pace!

Running with no time

2008-06-29T19:19:00.002-04:00

Sometimes I wish that I could run on the treadmill during work meetings! It would sure make my day more efficient! :P

I had a tough week. I was busy, tired, not sleeping well and did I mention busy? I started taking a summer course with classes two afternoons a week, so that takes away two lunch hour opportunities to get a workout in. Evening workout time is being eaten up by studying. The bad thing is that my course (neuroanatomy) is highly time intensive and requires a ridiculous amount of reading to keep up. The good news is that it is only for five weeks, so it will be quick and painful. I think I managed to memorize the 12 cranial nerves today. I'm also at the 3-month countdown to my wedding and my to-do list is scary. Ack! Anyways...back to our regularly scheduled programming.

I didn't manage to get to the gym this week, but I got three runs done:

Tues - 40 min walk
Wed - 5k treadmill run with 12 min @ tempo pace (5:45/km), average pace 6:32/km
Fri - 4.25k/30 min run, HUMID, 7:03/km
Sun - 13k treadmill run, 1:33, 7:09/km

Totals: 22.25 km run, 0k bike, 0k swim

I know, I'm bad...no cross-training this week. I will have to be disciplined if I want to get into the gym or pool on my tight schedule for the next month. I intended to do 15 min at tempo pace during my Wednesday run, but my IT band started bothering me...boooo. Lately, I have found that 1) running fast and 2) running > 60 min irritates my IT band. I went back to my ART doctor on Thurs for some relief. And behold, I was able to run for an hour an a half today! With no walk breaks! I was only going to run for 8-10k, but I was feeling good, so I kept going. I'm hoping that I don't regret it tomorrow...

I went to a couple of bike shops over the weekend and tried out the Trek SU 1.0. I don't know anything about bikes, but it looks good and my friend said that the components are pretty good. I'm still uncertain, though. I guess I'm not serious enough to commit yet. I will keep looking for deals, though!

Weekly training summary: June 16 - 22

2008-06-22T22:25:00.003-04:00

Oops, I didn't get to the pool this week AGAIN :P

Tues - Brick workout: 30 min/12k stationary bike, 10 min/1 mile treadmill run, 6:15/km
Wed - 4.34km/30:00 run, 6:57/km
Sat - 5km/32:23 fartlek, 6:28/km
Sun - 10.15km/1:12:46 LSD, 7:10km

Totals: run 21.09km, bike 12km, swim 0km

Very happy to have my long run back into double digits, though I have to admit that the IT band is a little sore. It`s probably because I ran on back-to-back days, which I told myself I wouldn`t do. I might have to go back and see Dr. ART this week.

The fartlek was quite by accident. I dragged my fiance out for a run with me, thinking that we would jog for about 20min. We`re doing a 5k in two weeks and he hasn`t been exercising at all. However, he does not have the patience for distance running. He always starts off too fast and then has to take frequent (and long) walk breaks. So, I ran fast with him and jogged back and forth while he was taking his long walk breaks :P Believe me, I have tried to teach him about pacing before, but he just wants to run fast!

If I don`t get back to the pool, I`m going to have to add in a second bike workout, I think. I feel like I should cross-train at least twice a week.

Running with fuel

2008-06-16T21:47:00.005-04:00

As promised, here is my review on fuel belts/packs/bottles that I have tried.

Running Room Quick Draw
This is my second water belt of this type. I got it from a Vector cereal promotion a couple of years ago. I'm pretty sure I paid less than $10. It is the same type of belt that the Running Room sells. I believe the bottle holds 600mL. The mesh pocket is big enough for me to carry a gel or two, my cell phone, my keys and some change.
Good: I find it reasonably comfortable. It doesn't move around too much, and the slanted bottle holder makes the bottle easy to grab. Mesh pocket is good for holding limited stuff.
Bad: The bottle has fallen out on me a few times, so I have never worn it during a race. The mesh pocket is not big enough for my Clif bloks when I have my other stuff in there. So, I bought a gel flask to hook onto it.

Running Room gel flask and belt clip
It holds 5 gels and clips onto a belt.
Good: I guess you create less waste by using a flask rather than little packets.
Bad: The gel is hard to squeeze out, the cap gets sticky, and it freezes in the winter. I find it messy, and I end up wasting a lot of gel.

MEC 2-bottle waist pack
I think I bought this a long time ago to use for hiking, but I have also tried using it on a long run. You can fit larger bottles in the holders (say, 700mL). Lots of space in the center pouch to hold stuff.
Good: Holds a lot.
Bad: Holds too much. It bounces and shifts around. Much better suited for hiking than running.

Fuel Belt 6-bottle holder
Holds 6 8oz (250mL) bottles, and a small pouch to carry your keys, change, etc.
Good: Holds lots of water.
Bad: I have a medium, which is supposed to be good for a 28-30" waist. I'm on the high end, and I find it tight. Particularly if I am wearing winter layers. So, if you're going to buy one, buy a size up. I wore it once for a race and it drove me nuts. I was running with Cliff, and I took it off and made him wear it! He also complained that it was tight ;) I also find that having bottles all the way around my waist gets in the way of my swinging arms.
I hate washing the bottles. Yes, they are dishwasher safe, but I'm not convinced that the dishwasher does a great job.

High Sierra hydration pack
I bought this from Costco for about $20. It has a bladder that holds 2L of water, and a separate compartment to put other stuff in. The drinking tube feeds up through one of the shoulder straps.
Good: I think it's good for trail running, when you don't have the option of stopping somewhere to refill your bottle. Once you have the straps and belt adjusted properly, it fits quite well and doesn't move around much. I haven't had problems with leaks.
Bad: No quick access pocket for gels, etc. I tried clipping the gel flask holder on the belt, but the strap is too thin and doesn't hold it well. I find it a pain to clean the bladder and tube. It also makes your back more sweaty!

Running Room MP3 player waist belt
I think this belt is supposed to be used to hold your preferred music player. I bought it for $5 from the bargain bin when I was in Vancouver for the marathon. I hadn't intended on carrying water for the race, and I wanted something with a big enough pouch for my Clif bloks, Sport Beans and cell phone. So, I bought it the day before the race and *gasp* wore it for the marathon without trying it on a test run. And it was great. What a bargain for $5.
Good: The pouch lies flat on your back and does not move around. You can fit a lot of stuff in it.
Bad: It's just a pouch, not a water belt.

I also tried out my handheld Ultimate Direction bottle (picture in a previous post). I'm not sure what I think about it yet. I felt quite awkward with it as I fumbled around trying to find a comfortable grip. I held it in my right hand and it felt strange running with the extra weight, like I was unbalanced. It felt slighly better carrying it with my left hand, but my Garmin got in the way of the bottle holder. I'm willing to give it another try, though; we'll see if the handheld grows on me.

So, it looks like the simple solutions are best for me so far: the RR quick draw for training runs, provided that I can refill the bottle on longer runs, and the RR MP3 player belt for races. I'm still sort of glad that I have lots of different options for my runs, though. Everyone has different preferences. If you don't want to spend money on all these things just to find out what works for you, maybe find out what your friends have and trade gear for a day :)

Weekly training summary

2008-06-15T18:32:00.002-04:00

Okay, I know that I said I would post a fuel belt review, but I wanted to post my weekly log first :)

Tues - 4.23km/30 min run, 7:05/km
Wed - 11.6km/30 min stationary bike
Fri - 5km/37 min run, 7:24/km
Sat - 2.04km/15 min treadmill run to test new shoes, 7:21/km
Sun - 8.1km/59 min run, 7:18/km

Also did some free weights and crunches.

Totals: run 19.37km, bike 11.6km, swim 0km

I didn't make it to the pool this week. I am glad to see that my pace is improving. I ran 8k today in my new shoes and they felt great. I didn't feel my IT band at all. I did feel the heat, however. My legs wanted to go faster, but my body felt heavy and I was panting like a dog. Luckily, I got my run in between thunderstorms...we had one early this afternoon, and I hear another one starting now!

If I can run pain-free for another week, I will start trying some tempo runs :)

New shoes...have I been wearing the wrong type?

2008-06-13T15:38:00.006-04:00

I've gone through four pairs of Asics 2110s and 2 pairs of 2120s in the past couple of years. I bought the first pair at the recommendation of a Running Room staff member. I had been wearing a cushioning shoe at the time, but I had some complaints about pain on the outsides of my feet. After watching me jog around the store, they told me that my feet collapse slightly inward, and therefore recommended a stability shoe. I've had issues over the past year with overly tight calves, pain around my baby toes. I tried a couple of other pairs of stability shoes: Brooks Adrenaline GTS 7 and New Balance 767. I thought they worked okay for me, but then I ended up with an IT band injury. This is not to say that I blame the shoes completely; I know that I am terrible about stretching, and that I may have overtrained, etc. However, I felt that it was time to seek some different advice about shoes.

I went to Running Free today to seek such advice. I explained to the woman working the shoe section that I wanted to try a new model due to my recent injuries. After watching me run, she told me that I run quite evenly, and that I probably just need a cushioning shoe. What?? Have I been wearing the wrong type of shoe for 2-3 years? So, I tried on several brands of cushioning shoes: Asics, Saucony, Adidas and Brooks. The winner: Asics Gel Cumulus 9. I'm going to try them out on my treadmill tomorrow. They felt great in the store, so I sure hope that they are the answer to my shoe woes!

I also bought a new water bottle...a hand-held type. I dislike wearing belts. Let's see if it's any better carrying the bottle in my hand. Next post will be about the different types of water belts and hydration packs that I have tried...stay tuned ;)

Blah days

2008-06-12T18:52:00.002-04:00

I don't feel like I have much energy these days. I'm probably a little stressed out with wedding planning (107 days to go). I feel especially blah when it's very hot outside. Last sunday, after my run in the heat, I took a 3-hour nap! Not a very productive way to spend a Sunday. Even though I am happy to be running again, I am not highly motivated to start half marathon training. I guess that I will keep plugging away. What do you do when you're not feeling motivated?

I've been tagged...

2008-06-08T22:02:00.002-04:00

Okay, Marci has tagged me. I like games, so here we go!

1. How would you describe your running 10 years ago?
I wasn't a runner 10 years ago. I had just finished my 2nd year of university, I had stopped figure skating, and I was getting fatter by the minute!

2. What is your best and worst run/race experience?
I am very competitive. I train for a goal, but in reality, I am not happy if I meet my goal. I have to SMASH my goal in order to make myself happy. That said, I think that my best race was one that I did when I felt that I was undertrained. It was the Angus Glen 10k in November 2007. I was coming off a disappointing Toronto Waterfront half (see below for worst race experience), and I had not trained very much in the time in between. I had been sick on and off leading up to the race as well. As I warmed up, I decided that I would try my best to run the 10k in under an hour. Well, I bolted off the start line and finished in well under 60min...in fact, I ran a personal best of 54:24 :) I had a big smile on my face for at least 2 days after that!

Worst race was the Toronto Waterfront half in 2007. I trained very hard for this race, doing weekly tempo runs and intervals, running 5-6 times a week. It was too aggressive for my fitness level, and I probably burned myself out. On race day, I was on pace for about a 2:03 finish (not far off my 2:00 goal), but I started to get terrible calf cramps at the 18k mark. The constant twitching forced me to slow down to a painful shuffle, and I limped across the finish line in 2:10. I would have been happy with that time a year ago, but after training so hard, it was a huge disappointment.

3. Why do you run?
I love the feeling of doing something that I thought I could never do (i.e. run marathons).
It keeps my body and mind healthy. I'm quite sure that I would be battling depression had I not found my love for this sport.
Because I can.

4. What is the best or worst piece of advice you've been given about running?
Best - You can't PB every race.
Worst - You shouldn't run...you'll ruin your knees and your breasts will sag (unsolicited advice from non-runners).

5. Tell us something surprising about yourself that not many people would know.
I'm supposed to give away my secrets on a public website?? Haha. Okay, let's see. One of my favourite movies is Legally Blonde. Don't ask, it just makes me happy for some reason!

I'm not going to tag 5 people. I'm only going to tag Marlene.

Weekly training summary

2008-06-08T19:01:00.005-04:00

I had a decent training week. But I think that I have gained a couple of pounds, so it is time to pay attention to what I'm eating...oops!

Mon - 4.2km/35 min walk/jog on the treadmill, average pace 8:20/km
Tues - 11km/30 min stationary bike
Thurs - 4.5km/33 min jog outside, 7:23/km
Fri - 600m/30min swim (my first attempt at lane swim)
Sun - 6km/46 min jog in "feels like" 34degC, 7:42/km

Totals: Run 14.7 km, Bike 11 km, Swim 600m

Modest totals, but this was my first ever week of multi-sport training! Today`s 6km run was my longest since the marathon. I actually have a bit of soreness in my hamstring rather than my IT band (I think...it`s actually the back on my leg just above my knee, towards the outside). It wasn`t really my leg that was preventing me from having a good run though...it was the heat! I started off running for 20 min straight, then 10 min, then 5. The heat was just too intense. I suppose I`ll have to run at 6am rather than 9am next time. Or, just stay inside on the treadmill :)

I`m trying not to feel discouraged about my slow running paces, considering that I am just starting to run again. Funny, when I was doing the runs, I was happy just to be running. When I look back at my totals, I feel a little unhappy. I know that I shouldn`t worry about pace for now...

Swimming??

2008-06-06T23:55:00.002-04:00

This pretty much sums up my feelings about swimming:

Yes, I tried to swim today. I bought a Nike swimsuit from Costco for $30 a week ago and went to the pool for lane swim today. I was able to go during the day, so it wasn't too busy. I went to the SLOW lane and bravely tried to do the front crawl that I learned in swimming lessons as an 8-year-old. *Cough cough* *Sputter* That stings! Water up my nose! Okay, keep going. By the time I got to the other end (25m), I was breathing heavily and my arms were sore. Okay, that was just sad. And apparently, I don't like putting my face in the water. I don't like getting water up my nose! I continued, doing mostly backstroke, for about 30min. I had to pause at the end of each length...mostly because I was tired, but also because I had to psyche myself up to get going again. I swam a total of 600m. I didn't enjoy it.

Maybe I am not destined to become a triathlete. Then again, did I really enjoy running at first? No, but I stuck with it and was encouraged by my gradual improvement. If I can drag myself to the pool again, maybe I will do a little better next time.

I am determined to cross-train. Swimming should help to tone my upper body (I need to look good in my strapless wedding dress in 3.5 months...), and cycling should help with my leg strength. I don't have a bike yet, so I am using the stationary bike for now. My current training schedule looks like:

Mon - bike 30 min
Tues - run 30 min
Wed - off
Thurs - run 30 min
Fri - swim 30 min
Sat - run 45 min
Sun - off

The run times will increase as I feel more confident in my IT band. The bike time is limited by my lunchbreak, but the swim time may increase once I get the hang of swimming. If I do end up buying a bike, I will probably throw in a ride on the weekend.

I hope that my new training approach will keep me injury-free!

Getting back at it

2008-06-05T21:40:00.004-04:00

Today's run:

Distance: 4.5km
Time: 33:16
Pace: 7:23/km

That almost resembled a run ;). I've moved up from running 2-and-5's to running 10-and-1's. My IT band is definitely not 100%, but it's also definitely much better than it has been in quite awhile. I am not running on back-to-back days, and I will max out at 5km this week. Hopefully I am being cautious enough!

I am thinking of running the Wolfe Island Classic 5k/10k on July 6, just for fun. I would run the 5k. Who could resist a race that finishes at a golden retriever kennel??

Cramping...how do I fix it?

2008-06-01T13:20:00.006-04:00

I registered for the Queen City Half Marathon! Since I have barely started running again, I am not ready to commit to a time goal yet. I do know one thing though: If I want to continue to improve my race times, I need to figure out how to avoid cramping.

Leg cramps did not become an issue for me until last year. When I ran the 2007 Forest City Half, I started to get calf cramps at about 19km. They annoyed me, but I don't think that they were bad enough to affect my overall time. During the 2007 Toronto Waterfront Half, I was pushing hard for a 2-hr finish and started to cramp badly at 18k...again, in the calves. This time it was bad enough to stop me from running. I walk-jogged the last 3km and hobbled across the finish line 10 minutes later than my goal. This year, I also had cramping issues when I ran the Vancouver Marathon. The cramping started at around 25k, and destroyed any hopes of meeting my goal time.

My Running Mania friends have suggested that my cramping issues may be caused by low electrolytes. I think that they are right. But how can I fix that problem? I have trouble taking in fuel when I run. In warm weather, I might go through about 500 mL of water during a 90-min training run. I can race with water and gel or water and Sport Beans/Clif Bloks, but I run into stomach issues when I try to take in Gatorade. Even the Sport Beans and Clif Bloks start to bother my stomach when I am 3+ hours into the race. Some people have suggested E-load, and I have tried using it on training runs. However, my training runs are not intense enough for me to tell if it is really beneficial. My tempo runs are only 6-7km at most, and I don't seem to hit cramping issues until 18 km or later into a race. I'm not about to try an 18km tempo run just to see if I cramp! I also dislike carrying water bottles during races, so that takes away the option of mixing my own drinks. I could use the capsules, but how do I know how much to take if I don't reach race intensity in my training?

I guess that my next race will be an experiment of sorts. It's too bad that I can't control the temperature and humidity on race day! Don't we all wish that we had that power? ;)

I'm allowed to run!

2008-05-31T01:01:00.003-04:00

Just got back from watching the Sex and the City movie (I really liked it!) and I am tired, so just a quick post to say that I can start running! I had an ART appointment this morning, and I confessed to my chiro that I tried doing a bit a walking/jogging. He seemed to think that as long as I'm not feeling discomfort after my workouts, it should be okay to continue building up my running gradually *insert happy dance here.* So, I'm not going to be doing tempo runs or hill repeats anytime soon, but at least I can jog!

I also bought a swimsuit today. Will I actually drag myself to the pool, or is it just going to sit in my drawer? We shall see!

Medals medals medals

2008-05-28T20:25:00.006-04:00

Want to attract more runners to register for your race? Offer a finisher's medal. Even better, offer a cool finisher's medal. While it may not be the biggest selling point of a race, for some, seeing a cool medal on display at a race expo booth might give them that extra little push to register. Medals were a huge thing for me when I first started racing, but now, I am ashamed to say that I found my medals lying in a pile in my basement. Let's take a look at them, shall we?

10k medals (clockwise from top): HBC run for Canada 2006, MDS Nordion 10k 2007 (Ottawa marathon), Reindeer 10k 2007 (Angus Glen half), Remington 10k 2005 (Mississauga marathon), Sporting Life 10k 2007

Half marathon medals: Chilly half marathon (2006 and 2007), Las Vegas Half 2007, Toronto half 2005, Forest City half 2007 (my favourite), Scotiabank Vancouver half 2005, Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront half 2007, Toronto half 2006

Around the Bay relay and 30k medals. The medals don't change, but the runners keep coming back for more!

Marathon medals: Vancouver 2008 and Mississauga 2006 (looks suspiciously like my 10k medal from the year before!)

I should really figure out a good way to display them rather than leaving them in a pile. Perhaps Random Project Man can help me ;)

Which one do you like the best?

I ran...

2008-05-27T07:25:00.003-04:00

*Insert guilty facial expression here*
My leg has been feeling more or less normal. I've been icing it after my walks and gym workouts, and the exercises that my chiro gave me no longer give me any discomfort in my hip. So, I did a bit a walk/jog on the treadmill yesterday and a short 3k run this morning. The two workouts felt very different. On the treadmill, I felt something on the outside of my knee. It wasn't painful, or even uncomfortable, though I suspect it would have been uncomfortable if I had run any longer than the 2 min intervals I was doing. When I ran outside, I didn't feel any discomfort in my knee, but I felt some tightness in my lower quad. I actually ran most of the 3k (very slowly...I'm talking feet-barely-lifting-off-the-ground slow). My next chiro appointment is on Friday...we'll see if I get scolded!

Grrr

2008-05-24T12:11:00.004-04:00

Beautiful weather out there today. Looking out the window from my home office, I see a runner go by every few minutes. I am so jealous.

Grrr...I want to run!

ETA: I did walk a little over 5km today, so at least I'm still getting out there :)

Good luck, Ottawa race weekend runners!

2008-05-22T23:43:00.002-04:00

This weekend is Ottawa Race Weekend. I went last year to visit a friend and run the 10k. I did not have a good race last year. The course was quite crowded for the first couple of km, and I couldn't settle into my zone. I never got my mental game together, and ended up walking a fair bit en route to one of my worst 10k times. However, I still remember the weekend fondly. I cheered on the marathoners the next day...in the pouring rain...and still had a blast. I wish that I was going back this year, even if just to cheer! Ottawa is a great city, and the energy of Ottawa Race Weekend is fantastic. Someday, I will go back to run the half or the full.

To all my readers who are running this weekend, may you run with wings on your feet! All the best! I hope to read lots of race reports!

Before the start of the 10k event in 2007:

Recovery

2008-05-21T20:26:00.007-04:00

I have spent a lot of $$$ on ART and massage therapy, but I think that it is paying off. My RMT said today that my legs are better (e.g. less knotted and tight) than she has seen in quite awhile. Like my chiropractor, she encouraged me to continue with non-impact cross-training. Okay, so nobody is telling me that I can run yet, but I think I am getting closer! I'm really hoping that I can start running by June so that I can get a good three months of training in before Regina. I was good today and did 30 min on the stationary bike during my lunch hour.

In case any of you are wondering what this ART stuff is, here is a link to some info: Active Release Techniques.

In other news, we got a new toy yesterday. Hopefully I will be able to post some better pictures once I figure out how to use it!

My next race

2008-05-19T18:52:00.002-04:00

I have chosen my next race:

I am planning to do the Queen City Half Marathon in Regina on September 7. Okay, I might be a little crazy to plan on racing 3 weeks before my wedding. However, if I don't choose something to train for, I might get lazy and gain weight...and not be able to fit into my wedding dress ;) Besides, I should be able to leave the preparations in my fiance's hands for just two days, right??

Why did I choose this race?

- it is my goal to run a race in every province. I've only done Ontario and BC so far.
- my sister made me do it! And sharing running with my sister is awesome. We keep each other motivated, and it helps us to stay close despite the fact that we live in different provinces. Thanks K!

I am hopeful that I will be back to running soon and will be able to properly train. My goal time is TBD. I really really want to run under 2 hours, but we'll have to see how well my injury heals up, and if I will be able to do any speedwork.

Having a goal race in mind has cheered me up a little. I have been good this weekend and did not run...a little rollerblading, walking and yardwork only. I have an ART appointment tomorrow...we'll see what the doctor says.

Sad

2008-05-18T22:19:00.003-04:00

My chiropractor told me not to run this weekend, so I've been sad. I was hoping that I would be able to buy a bike so that at least I could cross-train, but no luck. Actually, the weather has been quite windy and rainy, so it hasn't been ideal cycling weather anyways.

I tried out the Trek 4500 mountain bike. I actually wanted to try out the 4300 which is a bit cheaper, but they didn't have the right size for me. It doesn't seem that easy to find an XS or 14" frame...blah for being short. I tried out an entry-level Devinci hybrid bike as well, but I didn't feel very stable on it.

Blah to not finding a bike, blah to the yucky weather and blah to my aching IT band. I really want to work out a training plan for summer races, but I'm not sure how long I'm going to be sidelined for. Instead of enjoying my leisure time, I am feeling lethargic, fat and sad (and really...it's only been 2 weeks since the marathon!). Boo to injuries :(

It's all fun and games until...

2008-05-16T14:54:00.005-04:00

...someone loses a toenail. The Vancouver Marathon (race report) claimed my pinky toenail. Well, not yet...it's black now, so I will be losing it soon. I won't post this picture too big...I don't want to gross anyone out :P According to the 26.2 ways you know you're a real runner, I will soon be real runner according to #10. Last year, the Toronto Waterfront half marathon claimed my baby toenails on both feet! Both times, I was wearing Asics 2120s...coincidence?

Shoe Story

2008-05-14T20:24:00.004-04:00

Top: Asics GT 2120 (both)
Bottom: Brooks Adrenaline GT-7, NB 767

Ah, shoes. Each pair has a story. I ran my 5k PB in the red 2120s. The other pair of 2120s were the ones that I wore for the marathon 10 days ago...and decided that I needed to change my shoe model. My feet hurt! I ran on my treadmill (PaceMaster Gold Elite) all winter in the Brooks...which is why they look so clean, even though they have been well-worn. I ran my 10k PB in the muddy New Balance shoes...and trekked through some spring mud in them as well. I think that it is time to donate some of my runners...I probably have another 2 or 3 pairs in the house somewhere.

I need a new pair of shoes. What brand will it be this time? I am thinking of going back to New Balance, as I seem to be having issues with the Asics that I have been wearing for so long now. Sadly, it appears that Holabird sports does not ship NB shoes to Canada anymore, so I will have to do some bargain hunting on this side of the border. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Gosh, I sure have a lot of time to blog when I'm sidelined from running! ;)

Cross-training? What's that?

2008-05-13T08:42:00.003-04:00

So, I went to my ART provider yesterday to get treatment on my IT band and ask about my knee. The IT band has been irritated for awhile, but the knee issue (same leg) is a new problem. I tried a short run on Saturday and found that my gait was a bit off because of it. Fortunately, my chiropractor seemed to think that the problem was in my very tight quad muscles rather than the knee itself...whew. That is an easier fix. However, he told me to cross-train until my issues heal up. He mentioned biking and swimming...translation please? Yes, I am one of those stubborn people who likes to run and run only. I don't own a bike or a proper swimsuit.

So, how do I choose a bike? Bike scare me. I'm not going to commute with it...riding in traffic scares me. I'm not going to try to race with it. It would be more of a trip-to-the-grocery-store, or Sunday-morning-45-min-ride sort of bike. What do you think? A mountain bike? Hybrid? Maybe something like this?. Or this?. It's pink!

Cheering

2008-05-11T23:23:00.006-04:00

I went out to cheer at the Mississauga Marathon today. Mississauga was my first 10k event in 2005, and my first marathon in 2006. The weather has never been optimal by my memory. It poured rain throughout my 10k, and was very windy throughout my marathon. Today's winds reminded me of the 2006 event. The winds are especially intense down by the water, which is the end part of the course. I felt for the runners. I was freezing cold myself. My hands froze holding up my handmade sign. Are there any lurkers out there who recognize my sign?? Speak up! :)

I enjoy going out to races to cheer. The runners appreciate it, and it is inspiring to see all of the racers. Elite, average and back of the packers, they are all running the same race. To many of them, having the courage to even sign up for the race and get to the start line is an amazing accomplishment. Also, I firmly believe that cheering other racers on brings good karma ;) I saw several friends out on the course today, and plenty of strangers who called out "thank you," smiled, or gave the thumbs up. It was a great way to spend the morning.

Running clothes

2008-05-09T23:25:00.009-04:00

A discussion about running clothes on the Wedding Bells forum got me thinking about, well, running clothes. When I first started to run, I used any cotton shirt and shorts...you know, the kind of clothes you wore for high school phys ed class? On the left is a picture of me at one of my very first running events, the Run for the Cure in October 2004 (wow, I was chubbier back then, too!). That outfit was fine for running 5k. No fuel belt or anything! As I started running longer distances, I began to recognize the merits of wicking fabrics. Cotton shirts and shorts soak up the sweat and become damp, heavy and gross. And yes, chafing. No one likes chafing. Having your skin rubbed raw is not fun. And being the repetitive motion that running is, chafing happens.

On the right is a picture of me running my first half marathon in 2005 (Scotiabank Vancouver half marathon). As you can see, I have advanced from the cotton overload to a moisture-wicking shirt, bicycle shorts and a fanny pack. I think that I carried a couple of gels with me in the fanny pack, as well as my cell phone and ID, etc. I much prefer the bicycle shorts to regular running shorts because my thighs rub together when I run. And that causes chafing...not good. I admire all of those runners out there who have the great legs required to wear the loose running shorts. I'm not bitter, really. I'll just hide in the corner with my bike shorts :)

Now I have all kinds of new criteria to add to my list of demands on running clothes. I rarely buy shirts anymore, because when you enter a lot of races, you tend to collect race shirts, as you can see. I thought that I had more, actually...there are probably a few others kicking around somewhere in the house. Most of the races give out technical shirts now, so I don't need to worry about chafing. However, when the shirt is snug on me, I do get some rubbing on the inside of my upper arms. Body glide solves that problem.

I've been choosing the shorts/capris/tights more carefully now. Running tights can be a challenge for someone who is 5'2". Most of them are much too long, and have zippers at the bottom which makes them difficult to alter. I have a pair of Mizuno tights are are almost the right length. Alternatively, some of the longer capris can pass for full-length tights ;). Actually, the Lululemon "tights" that I wore for the Vancouver marathon are capris. Which brings me to another point: the waistband. I learned from some of my Running Mania friends that Lululemon makes running tights that don't slide down, with waistbands that don't fold over (which would reveal my not-so-attractive tummy bulge which no one needs to see). So, I had to get over my Lululemon trepidation and try out a pair. My gosh! They were right! I LOVE these capris!

I own a couple of running skirts as well. The first one I bought was a Triks skirt, which I can only tolerate wearing for shorter runs (up to maybe 6-7 km). The shorts ride up. However it looks like they have improved the design since I bought mine. I also have a Nike running skirt, which again, is only for short runs.

Zippered pockets in the clothes are always handy to have for keys, change, cell phone, etc. I have a pair of Adidas bike shorts that have a zippered pocket.

Hmm, I feel like going for a run now. This is a good sign. I haven't run since the marathon :)

Post-marathon thoughts

2008-05-07T21:31:00.004-04:00

Q. Am I satisfied with my performance?
A. Yes and no. Yes, because I pushed through to the finish even though I started doubting myself at 17km, and started to suffer cramps at 25km. That is an awfully long time to suffer. No, because I didn't make my goal time of 4:30 and I know that I am capable of it.

Q. So, what happened?
I was sweating profusely by 7km. Things got a little better after that as it clouded over and I caught a breeze, but I think that I didn't take in enough electrolytes. I was trying to stick to the water and Sport Beans/Clif Bloks routine that I had trained with. This worked fine in 4degC weather, but apparently not so well in 14-16degC weather. I didn't start taking in Gatorade until much later in the race, and it was likely too late.

Q. Did I take in enough calories?
A. No. In total, I consumed 1 package of Clif Bloks (200 cal), 2 packages of Sport Beans (200 cal) and some watered down Gatorade. That is not enough when you are running for almost 5 hours. Oh right, and I did take a shot of beer at 32km! But anyways, my stomach could not handle anymore of the sweet stuff. I wonder if I should try salty snacks next time?

Q. Was the course difficult?
A. Yes. While I was running, I didn't really think about it because I have run on courses with very steep hills. However, the problem with this course is that it is never really flat. The constant ups and downs really wear on you. Below is an elevation map of the course according to my Garmin. Sorry for the small size; I couldn't figure out how to export the graph, so I used print screen. After reading some of the reports from other racers, I have the impression that Vancouver is one of Canada's tougher marathon courses. For example, there is a much higher percentage of Boston qualifiers at the Ottawa marathon or Mississauga marathon (which was my first marathon course).

Q. Do I want to try another marathon?
A. If you had asked me at any point during the race, I would have given an emphatic NO. As soon as I crossed the finish line, I was thinking about which race I should do next. You know what they say about us marathoners: "Never again...until the next time."

Q. So, what's next?
A. My legs have loosened up considerably by now, but I probably won't attempt to run until Friday or Saturday. I may decide to enter a 10k or a half marathon this summer, but I certainly won't do another full marathon this year. I'll see how my body recovers and think about which race I want to tackle next.

The race medal

2008-05-06T03:36:00.008-04:00

This is why we run marathons, right? For the bling!

My friend's baby, Sophie, was fascinated by the bling. You can see my finisher's shirt in this pic too. This was the first race that I have been in that handed out the shirts at the finish rather than at the race kit pick-up. Too bad mine is too small on me :(

Photos courtesy of Dolce Pics!

Vancouver marathon race report: The good, bad and ugly

2008-05-04T18:46:00.002-04:00

Me being silly before the race:

I went into this race with a few different goals. My whisper goal: 4:20. My realistic goal: 4:30. My plan C goal: Just finish it faster than my first marathon (4:54).

It was a busy week, and I did my best to stay well fueled and hydrated. Well-rested...maybe not so much. I got maybe 6 hours of sleep the night before the race, which is not too bad.

Did the usual race morning routine: coffee, Clif bar and a banana. Headed down to the lobby to take the 6:15 shuttle to the start line. My Running Mania buddy wanted to head over early, which I was not thrilled about, but that was fine. Happily, we were able to stay inside BC Place until the start of the race, so we didn't have to wait outside in the cold (not too cold...about 6degC).

I decided yesterday that I would go out fast and try to make up some time for slowing down after 30k. I have never done this before. Usually, I start off quite conservatively.

My splits:
5k - 31:23
10k - 30:29
16k (I missed the 15k marker) - 37:05
Half - 2:10:xx
25k - 33:24 (from the 20k mark)
30k - 36:36
35k - 38:20
42.2k - 57:49

Final time: 4:49:42

See how the wheels came off? First half in 2:10, second half in 2:39? Eek! I started having issues at 18k. My legs started to get stiff. I felt the first calf cramp at 25k and began considering a DNF. The cramps continued for the rest of the race, and my legs became increasingly stiff and heavy. It was frustrating. I watched the 4:30 pace bunny go by me. Never did see the 4:45 bunny, though. I really kind of gave up on my time, as my legs just wouldn`t move for me anymore. Surprisingly, my IT band was not an issue during the race...I guess the ART worked

Given that I had issues, I am thrilled with a 4:49 and a PB. But I know that I can do better. Just need to figure out the fueling and cramping thing. Oh, and the course was not easy...lots of up and down, but no major steep hills. However, I don`t think that I would have done much better on a flat course today.

The biggest victory here is that I completed the Vancouver marathon, which, 2 years ago, I swore that I would never do (I thought that it was too hilly and difficult).

Time to recover now and figure out what my next goal will be.

Race gear

2008-05-03T00:21:00.003-04:00

I picked up my race kit today. I hope that 1104 is a lucky number :)
Here is my race gear, sans shoes. I didn't want to put my runners on the bed! (But for those who are interested, they are Asics 2120). I also forgot my waist pouch at my friend's house...oops. I'd better remember to pick it up tomorrow!

Less than 36 hours until the starting line. Time to rest, hydrate and carbo-load!

Race fuel

2008-05-01T17:52:00.004-04:00

I tried a different fueling routine while training for this marathon. I used to train with water and gels. However, I found that on race day I would end up mixing gatorade and gels, which sometimes resulted in gastrointestinal distress. I know very well that gatorade + gel = stomachache, but for some reason the gatorade becomes too tempting, especially towards the end of the race. I also find gels messy, so I wanted to try doing without them. When I ran the Around the Bay 30k at the end of March, I relied on the aid stations for water and carried one package of Clif shot bloks and two packages of Sport Beans. I ended up using only one of each. This seemed to work well. My hunger was curbed and I didn't feel like I was bonking. I will try a similar strategy for the marathon on Sunday. Luckily, they are only calling for a high of 13C on Sunday. Sounds like perfect running weather to me!

Pre-race fueling?

2008-04-30T02:50:00.002-04:00

Water: recommended. Fries: Not so much.
Photo courtesy of Dolce Pics.

Okay, I was going to try to eat "clean" until the marathon, but I am on vacation, after all :)

IT band...will it be an issue?

2008-04-29T01:13:00.003-04:00

Three sessions of ART and my IT band is feeling quite a bit better. Wow. I am so grateful to the people who suggested it to me. Now I just have to hope that it holds up for 42km.

In Vancouver now, on vacation and getting used to the time difference. It usually takes me a few days.

Just a couple of short runs this week, and one more ART session.

Taper mode

2008-04-21T23:38:00.004-04:00

Ooops, I haven't been updating!

Week 15 of training was my highest mileage week at 65km. I did my 32k LSD all over Markham in windy 4 deg weather. It was hilly. Here is the elevation profile of my run:

If that didn't prepare me for Vancouver, nothing will! Then, last weekend it was 24degC...umm, quite the contrast in only a week! I thought that I was going to melt, even in a tank top and a running skirt :(

I am slightly worried because my left IT band has been an issue. It got really stiff on my 32k run after about 22-23k. And it got stiff again today during my run...I cut my planned 19k short at 13k :(

I guess it will be rest, stretching and gentle running until May 4!

Sick :(

2008-03-15T21:11:00.002-04:00

It seems like I can never have 2 solid weeks of training in a row! I've been unusually fatigued this week, and I keep waiting for it to develop into a cold or flu. I feel a little bit of congestion in my chest, but I don't really "look" sick. I get winded walking around and climbing stairs, though :(. It doesn't seem to be getting any better, either. Grrr. I hope I'm not down for much longer. Perhaps I will try to get on the treadmill for a bit tomorrow and see how it feels. Even if I get 20 min done, it's better than nothing. It would be a far cry from the 26-27km I'm supposed to run tomorrow, though!

Halfway to the marathon

2008-03-02T13:32:00.001-05:00

Week 9 summary (cut-back week for the LSD):

Tues - 8x400m hills, 11.27km total, 1:20
Wed - badminton
Thurs - 5k easy, terrible (note to self: don't have a beer with dinner and expect to have a good run afterwards!!!), 36:35
Sat - 6.5k steady, 45:30
Sun - 16k fast finish LSD, with 4k @ 5:55/km towards the end, 1:50

Total: 38.77km

ATB 30k in 4 weeks...what should my time goal be??? Or should I just treat it as a training run?

Half marathon on a treadmill

2008-02-24T22:14:00.004-05:00

I really really really didn't want to do my long run today. I had 13 miles (21km) on the schedule. However, after some encouragement from my Running mania friends, I decided to get on the treadmill with the intention of running for an hour. Just an hour, so that I don't skip the run completely and make training harder for myself this week. Well, I must have turned into the Energizer bunny or something, because I kept going and going... ;). I ended up doing my longest ever treadmill run...an entire half-marathon! I kept the pace slow and I am feeling okay right now...I might be a little sore tomorrow though.

I have 5 weeks left until the ATB 30k race, and I would have been worried if I had missed today's run. Now I feel like I am on my way to being prepared :)

Busy busy busy

2008-02-18T23:59:00.004-05:00

Who trains for a marathon while trying to plan a wedding, anyways?? (see my other blog...lol) Add a full time job to that, and there is not much time for sleep :P

Training is going quite well. I'm on week 8 of Hal Higdon's program, and am happy to say that I have been getting the runs done, for the most part. There are missed runs here and there, but not enough to cause any panic. It will get tougher from here though, as my long runs are starting to be longer than 20k. These runs were quite a physical and mental challenge for me when I was training for my first marathon. Physically, it should be easier this time around. I'm wondering if I will be able to get my mental on.

I have 6 weeks until the Around the Bay 30k in Hamilton. I have never done a 30k race before, and the brutally hilly 2nd half of the course will be great preparation for the Vancouver marathon!

It's 2008!

2008-01-01T20:00:00.000-05:00

A new training cycle has begun ;)

Goal race: Vancouver marathon
Date: May 4, 2008
Time to train: 18 weeks minus 2 days.

I am going to start out with Hal Hidgon's Novice Schedule. I think that my body responds best to running 4x per week, and I want to start off slowly since my mileage has been down the past 2-3 months. I'll probably throw in some tempos and/or intervals at least once every other week to keep myself sharp. My target time for this race is 4:30, which is probably on the conservative side. I just want to enjoy the training and it make through injury-free. I'm hoping that my 2nd marathon will be a better experience than my first!

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-24T22:35:00.000-05:00

Oops, I haven't updated in a very long time :P

I am finished with racing for the year. I accomplished my goal of running a sub-55min 10k at the Angus Glen 10k race in November (54:24). And, I ran my first race outside of Canada...the Las Vegas half marathon on Dec 2 :). Unfortunately, I didn't think that it lived up to all the hype. Oh well...I had a blast in Vegas, and my boyfriend proposed there :D. So, life is good!

I still want to run a sub-2hr half marathon and completed another full marathon. We'll see what 2008 has in store. I've been thinking of doing the BMO Vancouver marathon on May 4, but I haven't been very motivated to train for the past 2-3 months. I definitely ran less than 100 km in Oct and Nov. If I am going to start marathon training, it will have to happen in the next couple of weeks. Is my body up for it? I'm feeling quite burnt out from the 12 races that I completed in 2007!

And in addition to training, I'm going to be busy with wedding planning!

Early deadlines for BMO Vancouver marathon is Dec 31...to sign up, or not to sign up :)

Merry Christmas all!

Rosebud 5k...my first 5k race

2007-07-15T16:35:00.000-04:00

I ran the Rosebud 5k today (part of the Brampton half marathon). Aside from being confused about separate race kit and chip pick-up, it was really a great event. Very well-organized. I can see this event growing quickly.

I was nervous about this race, having never raced a "real" 5k before. I've done Run for the Cure, but I think that the Toronto route is a little short and it is too crowded to run well, anyways. As part of my training for the scotiabank half in September, I do some 400m repeats at 5k race pace. I decided that I should find out what my 5k race pace actually is.

Since there was no mat at the start line, I started pretty close to the front . The first km was flat, the 2nd was uphill. Then some curves and a good long downhill (yay!), with some bumps here and there towards the finish.

My goal time was 27:00. My km splits:

5:15
5:29 (uphill)
5:18
5:21
4:59 :D

My race time was 26:33, which I was thrilled with. But I was even happier when I saw my placement: I came 3rd in my age group and 39th out of 170 runners!!! I've never even come close to placing before! Unfortunately, there were no age group awards for this race :(

The speedwork that I have been doing the past 6 weeks or so is definitely paying off!

Belated update

2007-07-11T18:28:00.000-04:00

Hmm, I haven't posted in a long time. Here's a brief update on my training:

- I am currently training for the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon (Sept 30). My goal time is 2 hours flat. To prepare for it, I am running 5 times per week, which includes two speed workouts (one tempo run, and one interval workout [or hills]). Tempo runs are HARD!

- A little further down the road, I am planning to do the Las Vegas Marathon (Dec 2). Yup, I am actually going to attempt to run 42.2km again...yikes! But Vegas should be a lot of fun. And I inetnd on having a lot of fun :)

- I am doing a 5k race this weekend to test if my speed training is working ;). Will post a report afterwards.

Belated Forest City Shallonge Report

2007-05-23T17:26:00.000-04:00

In brief: I won the shallonge against BJH and ran a personal best half marathon time of 2:06:33. I'm happy with my time, but a little disappointed that I missed 2:05 again.

Anners at 18 km

Long-winded: It hurt the whole way, and I was very surprised that I was able to maintain a 6:00/km pace. I started off at 6:00/km right away, which I don't normally do. I usually like to start conservatively. I took my first walk break between 7 and 8km, when I took my gel. My right shin was killing me (weird, because it's not usually a problem area). I was tired and thought I was DONE. How I kept going, I have no idea. After that, I walked through every water station and sipped some water. I took a 2nd gel around 15-16 km. At about 19.5 km, my right calf started cramping, and I thought, "OH NO, not NOW!!!" I managed to stay upright for the rest of the race and finished with a bit of a sprint.

My splits (according to SportTracks):
5:54
5:58
6:08
6:03
5:47
5:52
5:25
6:21 (long walk/gel break)
5:58
5:50
5:58
5:44
5:55
6:03
6:07
5:47
5:56
5:53
6:16
5:50
5:54
2:11 (0.43 km)

My garmin time was 2:07, so I'm not sure how I ended up with a 2:06:33 chip time. Oh well, I'll take it! 14/40 in my age category, which I was very surprised by, having looked at the previous year's results.

The course: Gorgeous. It was a beautiful sunny day, and part of the course was on bike paths. There were some small hills that kept it interesting. The race was relatively small (560 runners in the half, 228 in the full, plus 10k, 5k and 2.5k runners), and the organization and volunteers were great. I think I could really come to like smaller races.

So now...I haven't yet achieved my goal of breaking 2hrs in the half. Should I go on to do a full this fall, or should I put some serious effort into speedwork and take another shot at a 2hr half? Doing both would be difficult. Hmm...