Monday, November 30, 2009

November

Novembers Total Distance = 270.1 km

Last run this month

Very fitting that the last run in November would be a 5K at a 4:55 pace on the treadmill at lunch!

Sunday, November 29, 2009

LSD Sunday


30K at an avg 5:33 pace. A little quicker then last week. Used the same fueling plan , nothing until around 18K then I started eating gummies....yum! Definitely an easier run but I was starting to feel it towards the end and I was slowing a little. Runs through the week have been 5K , M-F. I need to introduce a 10+K run between the weekly LSDs. What I am doing now is more or less maintaining my fitness level BUT.... I am up 5lbs to 175. Not planning on worrying about the extra 5 lbs but come 2010 I am going to watch what I eat and cut down or even stop the Beer.


I was a little over dressed today , wore a long sleeve Tech T under my new Sagoi Jacket , where I goofed a bit was wearing running pants. Temps were just above freezing when I started and were close to 5C when I was done. I wasn't too bad but I could have easily wore shorts. Pretty nice running conditions for late Nov , there was almost no breeze and the Sun was peaking through a haze now and again!


I am working Eve the next couple of weeks so its going to be easy to get some longer runs in through the day!

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Lunch run again

The 4th consecutive lunch run , 5K @ 4:455 pace.

Did the same 5K run on Friday too!!!!!

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Lunch again ....

Another lunch run , 5K at a 4:55 pace! Registered for the Egg Nogg Jog Dec 13. Last year I did the 10.8K in 53:33 , aiming for a sub 50 this year.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Fueled by Gummies


Today's 30K LSd took on two themes , the Weather and Gummie's! Haven't gone this long since the Road2Hope Marathon Nov 1! Weather was just great , temps around 10C , no wind ... hardly a whisper of air movement and Sun... WOW , is this really Nov 22? Headed out with Shorts , Compression T, Saugeen Tri Club Sugoi Running Jacket as well as a Buff. Heading out the door my family was teasing me , my 17 year old daughter said I looked like a Christmas tree! Looked in the mirror and she was right , the green running jacket with the red buff did have a seasonal theme about it! Then my wife mention to my 9 year old son that I was going to get tights...more laughter! Planned a 3 hour or 30K run today. First 7K is straight South on the 2nd , by the time I get to the end I usually can predict hoe the reset of the run was going to go and I was feeling very good! Dropped into the Conservation area and then did a loop around town , past Tim's, past the Beer Store and over the third Dam heading to the arena. Stopped briefly at the Arena , really really really had to go! When I stopped I instantly got soaked with sweat ... I hate stopping but it had to be done. It took a couple of Ks to get comfortable again. When I headed back into the park I was starting to bonk , about 20Ks done ... no gels , 250ml of Gator Aide . Wasn't sweating too much but I suspected a bit of dehydration or I was running out of energy! I had a bag of Gummie Bears so I pulled them out and was really enjoying the munch. About 10 minutes later I started picking up the pace and felt really good! Better then I ever feel in the last 1/3 of the LSD , I was running my fastest Ks of the day. For the last 10Ks I constantly ate Gummies , every half K I popped a couple of more!


SO , big revelation here .... when I was starting to fatigue an slow down it was a feeling of being tired and and O2 deprivation. As soon as I hit the gummies the breathing went back to normal and the pace picked up. Looking back on some of the events I did this summer I now realize that I wasn't fueling enough ...HANDS DOWN.


So it was a great learning day about bring in the carbs and ... I learn so much in these LSDs . I like Gummies and they are allot less $$ then Gels. In the cooler weather I don't need nearly the same amount of electrolytes but the carbs are a must. Here is to many Gummie runs this winter!

Friday, November 20, 2009

Is this really Nov 20???????


Hit the trail again , did 11.3 K at a 5:56 pace ... a full 24 sec/k faster then yesterday. It was unintentionally faster today. It just felt easy and I quickly got lost in my head really forgetting that I was running just enjoying being out there. Shorts again today , 8C a bit of sun and a light breeze. Actually I ended up as little too warm with my new running top. LSD tomorrow ... Sun and 10C , should be a real treat.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Trail Thursday


It may be late November but winter hasn't made an appearance yet so I was able to do my 11.2K trail run this afternoon. It was an easy run with no particular goal other then to get out there. Tried my new running top today , it rocks! Have everything for the upper body when the white stuff does arrive....maybe I will be able to keep running trails for awhile yet!

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Lunch Run

Ditto yesterday , yet another 5K run at a 4:55 pace at lunch! Going to take it outside over the next few days including my first LSD run in awhile.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Running in Cuba

Monday Novmber 9

The evening of Nov 9 I did a little 10.3K Run on the beach of Cayo Santa Clara ending with a couple of laps around the Melia Las Dunas resort. It was a bit of a tough go as I spent the sunny /warm afternoon floating around the pool drinking Buccaneer Beer. After a good Beer Buzz I slept in the pool lounge for about 30 minutes then decided I was sober and it was time to go for a run. The beach was really tough slugging, a couple of Ks in the sand was quiet soft and the foot was sinking 4-5 cm. Did a 3K out and back on the beach doing the last 4K in the resort. It was getting dark, running felt fast on the dimly lit pathways. It was also fairly warm, mid 20’s. When I was satisfied that I was done I was way too hot. Over heating and the affect of a day of way too much Sun and Beer made for a quiet night after dinner!

Tuesday November 10

On Nov 10 I woke at 7am, the Sun was already high kin the sky… I know I was going to be in for a warm on! Logged a very warm 13.6 K on the Garmin. The Island of Santa Clara is about 15K long. Today I headed out on the road that runs down the center of the Island. Usually road running in these sorts of places is not a good idea. Terrible road conditions and a cars have a right away over pedestrian is usually the rule! Santa Clara is different. There are only a few resorts on the Isle and no Cubans live here, it’s a 50km causeway to the mainland. The 3.6K of paved road turned into a gravel road then at 6.5K it turned into a single lane trail. There was another 4K to go before I ran out of Island but it was really hot I and only had one bottle of Gator Aide with me so I had to turn back. Unlike other places there wasn’t much garbage on the road, just allot of tidal swamps and mangrove trees. On the way back the breeze that was in my face was at my back as well as the Sun. It didn’t take long before I started to overheat. I slowed the pace down but I had to start taking walking breaks and ration the remaining Gator Aide. Made it back to the resort but I was really spent , a bit dehydrated and too warm……just not use to running in the heat! It took a few hours for me to shake the affects of the run! Maybe tomorrow I can get up before sunrise and get it in before it gets too hot!

Wednesday November 11

On Nov 11 I didn’t run… tummy upset last night and I know better then to push it when these sorts of upsets occur….impossible to fuel and even more impossible to hydrate! No big deal …it will pass.


Thursday November 12

Feeling better, 16.7k done … a combo beach/resort run. I awoke at 5am this morning thinking about running. At 5:45 I shook the bed and saw first light so that was my cur to hit the beach! It took awhile to get ready, needed more tunes on the MP3 player so it was 6:15 and daylight when I left the room. Headed West on the beach this morning , first 2k had reasonable footing , wasn’t sinking too far but the next 2+Ks sucked. I was sinking 5-10 cm with each step and was running an 8 min pace…may as well have been walking! On the way back to the resort I choose a path that I thought would be more solid but sunk over my ankles in the wet sand … too much. Headed back into the resort after slugging it out for 8K on the beach. The legs were really beat up , it took awhile to pick it up to a 6min pace! While I was heading down the beach they were fogging the resort! I could see a rather large cloud forming a 100 or so meters above where the fogging was going on and could smell it on the beach a half a K away! My first lap of the resort I was about 45 minutes after the fogging and I could distinctly smell the poison. I couldn’t help but think about what it was I was breathing in as I ran! I headed back to the beach for another 2K just to escape the bad air! I finished my last few Ks in the resort but in a section that was more open and I didn’t smell the poison. All and all a reasonable run in a hot humid climate, temps around 25C and at least 80% Humidity mad for a slow go! I enjoy the warm running. It going to be at least 15 weeks before I can run outside in shorts again!

Friday November 13

21.8 K done at a 5:38 pace….today it was perfect running conditions, 24C , swirling wind, sun, and a very dry air mass! Just about as good as it gets for running in Cuba. I was a little tentative starting the day, big Rum day yesterday. Woke up with the Sun at 6:40, a little dry , a little bit of a headache and a little Buzz going…couldn’t still be feeling last nights Rum?????? Started the day with a strong coffee and a couple of small pastries. Was testing the waters to see if I could run and was feeling OK so off I went…still as little buzzed! Decided to go easy on the body and ran a figure 8 route through the resort. One loop was slightly over 2K, perfect. The walk ways were poured concrete with cobblestone stamps; again perfect …every foot fall was slightly different! So off I went, lap after lap after lap . The groundskeepers got quiet a kick out of seeing me pass again and again and again, they were great encouragement and allot of fun! At times I felt hot so I would slow down, then there were times when I was cooled enough to speed up. A rather prefect running day in Cuba. Did 10 Laps then I cut through the swimming pool areas ending my run at the Beer Gardens…. Imagine that! My recovery drinks consisted of a shot of Havana Club Dark Rum straight up then a Mug of Draft followed by a glass of water! What can I say….just another perfect Vacation day in Cuba....off to the pool now!

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Running in Cuba

20K done in a very Tropical Cuba today. Normally its just too hard to go too long when I find myself in a tropical paradise but today was different. Hurricane Ida is 600 km due West of Cayo Santa Marie. The storm is spinning off bands of clouds creating the occasional tropical rain storm. Hi winds and a cool driving rain as well as a pounding surf mad for an absolutely magical run this morning. Started off on the beach heading West with the wind at my back. The pace was a fast 5:30/k and I was running at the top of the surf line keeping my feet dry. 3K down the beach I heard some thunder, there was another K of beach left to explore but it would have to wait for another day. I turned back and headed East, wind and I do mean wind in my face. When I hit the resort we are staying at the threat had passed so I kept going to the other end of the beach. There is about a 6K strip of continuous sand where we are staying. With the heavy rain and occasional wave that I didnt time I had wet feet so I started running I the surf…..fun fun fun. The ocean water cooled my legs but it was also filling my shoes with the powdery white sand. At first I though my shoes shrank or my feet were bigger but I soon realized my toe box was full of sand. Heading back towards the resort there was a real blast of rain at my back with a very strong wind to boot. The cool rain felt great, it was at least 25C and the only reason why I could run was my friend the wind and the rain. I was probably one of very few who was really enjoying the tropical downpour. After 12K on the beach started I turned into out resort, the Melia Las Dunas. It was still raining quiet heavily so I didn’t have any pedestrian traffic to contend with on the paths that wind through the resort. By around the 17K mark the rain had subsided and I occasionally notice a bit of a shadow. It felt like a Ground Hog in March, would seeing shadow mean another 6 days of rain….not so bad if it means being able to run in a tropical paradise. The last few Ks the heat was starting to build up. I wanted to log 20K today so I reduced my pace and took it all in. My thoughts turned to what my reward at the end of my run. I truly have the ultimate aid station, the whole resort! Choose two treats, started with Guava Ice Cream topped with fresh pineapple …an amazing recovery snack when you are starting to over heat. After the Ice Cream I headed to the Beer Gardens where I had a nice frosty mug of draft….yum!

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Last Run Clinic

This evening was the last night for the 5K Run Clinic in Durham. Its sad when a Fall clinic ends ...its just so long until Spring! For the first time I left the Garmin at home , did about 4K around a 5:45 pace. Off to Cuba tomorrow, weather forecast looks favorable for running not sunning... rain and overcast for pretty much the whole week due to tropical storm Ida!

Friday, November 6, 2009

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

October Totals

Ran 263.2 km in October

Includes 3 races...
Run for the Toad 50K
Autumn Colours 10K
Vulture Bait 50K

Back at it

Had allot of delayed muscle pain after the Marathon. Pretty much every muscle in my legs hurt to some degree. I was really surprised , I had run longer much tougher trail runs without this sort of discomfort.

Did a very short easy 4K on the treadmill this morning.

Monday, November 2, 2009

Road to Hope Marathon - Hamilton - Nov 1/09

I did my second ever Road Marathon on Sunday. After 7 Ultras this summer I figured I had the distance thing figured out and have been working on adding some speed. My goal was a 3:30 finish!


Race day weather was about as good as you can get , light breeze and about 4C and cloudy and the expected high was 9C. These conditions were similar to Vulture Bait two weeks before and the Toad a month earlier. I was dressed in shorts , compression shirt , long sleeve tech T as well as my shell.


Race kit pickup was at Confederation Park on Lake Ont. We were bussed to a high school where the race started. Had about an hours wait before the race began. I sat and took it easy contemplating what I was about to do.



The race started at 08:15 , it took a half minute or so to hit the timing mat and there was allot of traffic making it difficult to nail the 4:55 pace . Things thinned out over the next few Ks and I was able to pick it up and then set the cruise control. By 8K I met up with the 3:30 pace Bunny. I was getting a little tired of checking my Garmin so settled into a pack of 20 or so running with the Bunny. I had never done this before and it was a really cool experience running in a group. We were into a light breeze but the group was so tight only the front runners were feeling it. 45 minutes in I did my first Gel . After 10K I was really starting to settled into the pace and the running with the group. 90 minutes in I gelled again , I had consumed one water bottle of heed and was feeling amazing. I really felt strong and was thinking about passing the Bunny but my goal was a 3:30 finish and there was allot of Ks ahead. So I stuck with the group , the running felt effortless ... breathing was relaxed, heart rate was good and I was a comfortable temperature. We passed the half way point a minute or two a head of schedule. At around 22K we headed down the escarpment on what seemed like and endless downhill. At the beginning of the descent I had a small stitch that came and went but I was feeling a bit of pressure in the bowl. The Bunny used the downhill to bank a little time. Passing the 24K mark one of the runners in the pack yelled out " we just did a 4:36 Km" . At that moment my day began to fall apart! At 25K my legs turned to stone , I couldn't believe it . My first though was that they were cold but this didn't happen in the two Ultras ran in similar conditions. Suddenly I was falling off pace , the legs were getting heavier and the Bunny was off in the distance and I was being passed like I was standing still. I ran the 27th and 28th K a minute off my planned pace. At 29K I stopped at a porta potty , tried to relive myself but nothing happened. Stopped again at another porta potty at 31.5 K and this time things were moving, what was going out had the same consistency as what was going in....I knew the day was over this point. I was pretty sure that the gels, heed and water I had been consuming were not being processed. This was definitely the hardest I have ever hit the wall, it felt more like the wall fell on me! I managed to run the next couple of Ks around a 6 minute pace but things were getting worse and I started walking at 34.2K. Over the last 7 K I walked 9 times for a total distance of about 2.65 km , when I did managed to pick it up the most I could do was a 6:00 pace.





So I finished in just under 4 hours with a chip time of 3:58:15 456 out of 813 finishers. The folks finishing around 3:30 placed in the top 200 so I watched 250 people pass me in the final 16K ... not fun!





So , what happened? I ran the first 42.2 of Vulture Bait 50K at a 6:00 pace ( I subscribe to a 1 minute difference between road and trail ) . Maybe the Toad 50K , Vulture Bait 50K and then Road to Hope was too much in 4 weeks! The weekend between the Vulture Bait and the Road to Hope I did a 10K park path ( almost trial) in 44:50. I pretty sure that it was all due to tummy trouble. I didn't exactly do my usual day before the race diet. 20 hours before I ran I had lunch at a popular burger place .... the meal that feels like a lump in the stomach after you eat it! At the time I though I may regret my choice and boy was I ever correct.





In spite of my problems I was an great day to be running. Coming in the last 4 K along Lake Ontario the Sun was shinning , it was 10C and there was so many people out cheering us on. A local school set up a cheering station and there was a live band! The course was amazingly flat with the exception of a long gentle downhill when you drop down the escarpment. If you are looking for a PB or a BQ this is the place. I really look forward to doing this one again next year!





So my "distance season" is over for this year. I wont be doing any Ultras or Marathons until April of 2010. I am going to keep my mileage up , 200-300K /month with a weekly long run. I am going to do heart rate and strength training through the end of 2009 then in January I am going to reintroduce the tempo runs. As winter gives way to spring I am going to stretch the long runs out to 40K.