Indifferent Run

Indifferent run today , didn't care if I did , didn't care if I didn't so I just did 5K at a 5:30 pace to just do it!

Skiing tonight at Blue.... fresh snow, South Lodge is open , Pasta Bar with some Red Wine for Dinner.

STWM Video

STWM Video , Grant Mat and I pass by at the 2:42 mark.





Grant Matt and myself pass by at the 2:42 mark.

Lunch Run

Better run today , logged 7.5K at a mostly much slower 5:30 pace.

Tempo Tuesday

What a difference a day makes! Yesterday it was run for ever, today it was when will it be over. Managed to log 10K , 1K ramp up to a 4:30 pace then it was 7K at a 4:30 pace then a 2K cool down. Starting the run I felt tired after a stress filled night and 2 gravol to get to sleep... groin was tender too. 3K in I got that insulin spike feeling. I had a few too many yogurt covered almonds .. I think there was a ton of sugar in the "Yogurt" coating. Sort of ran through the bad feeling at around 6K then it felt a little more OK. Pulled the plug at 8K ramping down 0.3 kmh every 100m until I got to a 6:00 pace.

Feeling great ...

I expected that it would be tough getting the miles in over Christmas and I was right. The Skiing on Xmas Eve and Xmas Day really agreed with me. Legs and core felt great doing today's lunch run. Logged 9.8K mostly at a 5:00 pace.

Santa came early

Got an early gift thanks to Mother Nature. Just a skiff of snow and a solidly frozen ground made it an easy choice to hit the trail for today's run. Logged 11.3K at an avg 6:44 pace. Was running on fresh legs today, full 48 hours off! Yesterday I was going to hit the gym at lunch but when I was leaving for work I spilled some tomato sauce on my gym stuff....went back to the house to swap clothes but ended up leaving the shorts behind.....just the way it goes sometimes but the rest day was long over due. 2nd gift of the day will be an evening at Blue ...heading out this afternoon.

Run after work

Worked through lunch today. Left a 3:15 in Lieu of lunch and headed to the gym but the treadmill was in use so I headed home. Thought about taking it outside but jumped on the treadmill instead. Set off to do 12-14 K and ended up logging 18K. First 5K was spent ramping up from a 6:00 pace to a 5:00 pace the I did 10K at a 5:00 pace and then a 3K real gradual cool down. Entertained myself by watching "U2 360 at the Rose Bowl" ... it was very cool.

Slower today

Slowed it down at lunch , 6K done at a mostly 5:30 pace.

Tempo Tuesday

8K logged at lunch. 7K at a 4:30 pace followwed by a 1K cool down.

I should have just ate lunch

What was suppose to be an easy recovery run after yesterday turned out to be rather unpleasant. At first the groin ached. After I got up to speed I started to cough then had to walk it off . Getting back on pace the new shoes were really pushing back and I was feeling it in my left knee...potential problem for sure. 3K in it was a GI issue ... pressure from the abundance of fiber yesterday. Called it a day a 4.7K . Tempo run tomorrow.

Longer better faster

21K logged on the treadmill today. Been wanting to do this run for awhile now. The first 15K was at a 5:00 pace, cranked it up to a 4:30 pace for the 16th and 17th then back to a 5:00 pace through 20K then a 1K cool down.

Broke in some new shoes. Picked up the Asics Gell 3010 road shoes this week. There a mid stability shoe, probably a good idea. The shoes is was more solid then the Sauconys I have been running in. Really felt the shoe pushing back on the take off. Ended up with a blister on the toe next to the little one on both feet...weird! I think the shoes will be very good on the treadmill over the next few winter months.

Outside again

Planned on doing an indoor run today but the Sunshine was calling me to the great outdoors. It was a bit on the cool side at -7C. I had just washed all my really good cold weather gear so it was plan B. Wore a fleece line running shirt , Saugoi Firewall jacket and a pair of Adidas "Clima Proof" running pants. Was a bit on the too warm side with cold hands. Was considering going longer but opted to turn around 6K in and head back. Logged a total of 11.8K at around an avg 6:00 pace ..... good enough.

OK one more

11.3K done once again on the trails under a light snow fall. Ran the loop one more time just because I could!!!!! Legs are now toast ..done done done! Dragged a Christmas tree about a K from the back of the property this morning. That little exercise may have contributed to my jelly legs today. Then again , the Muck, the Wet Snow and generally pretty slippery conditions added exponentially to the effort required to cover the distance.

Windy and Wet Trail

Shorts and a compression shirt were all it took to face the 11C, overcast and windy weather today. Hit the trial for what I suspect is the last time for 2011 and logged 14.8K at a leisurely 7:00 pace.

Cold , wet and a wee bit slippery

OK , its Dec and I am running trails .... no complaints. Started off around 4C , overcast and very damp. There was just a small amount of slushy snow here and there but it hardly caused my feet to get wet, at first. 3K in it started to rain , 4K in it was quite heavy. I thought about calling it a day at 4K but I was up to temp and was reasonably comfortable. Completed my 11.4K trail loop , very wet at the end but satisfied that I got it done. The whole run took extra energy to complete. Legs were still a bit tired from the weekend but I am 90% recovered. Longer and probably inside tomorrow.

Recovery Run #2

Attn ...there has been a 48 hour delay!!!

Sunday after the Nog Jog ... no pain felt great
Monday T+24 , small pain in the outside shin just above ankle ... no big deal.
Tuesday+48, OK what gives ...lots of little muscle pain through the legs

Muscle pain use to be more instantaneous , now its occurs 48 hours out!

Toady's Lunch Run was better in terms of feeling more natural, muscle pain didn't come into play at all. Completed 5K at a mostly 5:30 pace.

Lunch Run

5K recovery run at a mostly 5:30 pace. Suffering a bit after yesterdays race, sore throat from gulping so much cold dry air and a bit of muscle pain in the front lower outside shin.

Egg Nogg Jog - Dec 11, 2011 - PB and 2nd in AG

Having run the Nogg Jog the past three consecutive years I had a pretty good idea how to run this race. The plan was pretty simple , blast off and take advantage of the very generous 2K downhill right off the start , make it through the 5K or so of gaining back the elevation then go like stink of the last 4K with a very fast final downhill at the finish. I really mused over the race plan as well as what to wear in the days leading up to the race. I even publicly announced that I “Wouldn’t over dress”. Sleep was very restless the night before, that’s usually a good sign. I dreamed that I was running an Ultra through an urban setting. All the usual OUS characters were in the race. The thing that was quite unusual was that twice I woke up and when I fell back asleep I went right back into the same dream. Shook the bed at 5:00 am, hit the hot tub had breakfast then I was off at 07:15 a m stopping in Varney to pick up Grant. We made it to Terra Cotta with time to spare so I drove the course…dry and snow free! The temperature was -5C but it was forecasted to rise above freezing. The Sun was out and there was very little breeze making it feel allot warmer then it was. Finalized my race attire and ended up with Shorts, Mizuno Breath Thermo Long Sleeve Compression Shirt , Gloves and my Compression Toque from the Sulphur Springs 100 miler. I brought my Mizuno Ascend 6 trail shoes but opted for my Saucony Paramount 2’s , a great road shoe but a wee bit miled out. Stayed in the Car with the heat cranked until 12 minutes before the race then headed to the start line.

Seeded myself in the second row. Race start is Gun time and I planned on blasting off so I didn’t want to be weaving my way through traffic. When the gun went off so did I …my first K was the fastest ever in any race I have ever done doing it in 3min34 seconds. The next K was a little slower and was done in 3min41 seconds. It was a little unusually to be 2K into the race and still have RMer Robbie-T still insight. 2K in is also where the climb begins and I was about to switch gears. There was about 20 out in front of me and I fully expected in the next few K to be the one being passed but another 20 or so and I wasn’t disappointed. Starting the climb I was a little worried because I was totally winded , legs were great and wanted to go but I just couldn’t get enough 02! The next few Ks were a fairly gentle climb with a few rollers thrown in and were done in 4min57sec, 4min52sec and 4min51sec. 5K in I was still totally winded and was still struggling to get enough air. There is about a half K flat section at 5K just before a steep but short climb. Backed down the pace a bit and for the first time that I started I felt like I had a wee bit of O2 to spare although I was still breathing very heavy. The hill at 5.5K was tough and slow but I managed to get past it logging my slowest K of the day 5min36sec. There was one more climb to go , not as steep but once concurred it was more or less flat to downhill to the finish. Covered the 7th K and final hill in 5min1sec. OK , now it was show time , after 5K of watching my average pace climb it was time to head it the other way. I quickly fell into a comfortably fast pace that seemed to settle out around a 4:20 pace. Breathing was heavy but manageable , I was running at probably 98% of my 02 capacity. Logged the 8th , 9th and 10th Ks in 4:36, 4:21 and 4:15. The final half K or so was a really steep downhill to the finish, one last opportunity to push back the average pace. Garmin said I covered the last 696 meters at an average 3:46 pace a very fitting way end the race just like it began.

The surprise of the day was my time. My goal was to cover the 10.8K in under 50 minutes. When I crossed the finish I tripped the clock at 48min24sec, a PB by 90 seconds beating my 2009 time by 80 seconds and 2min35sec better then my 2010 effort.

The official results stated that I covered the 10.8K in 48min24secs for an average pace of 4mins29sec/K. I placed 46th out of 609 entrants 39th out of 227 Men and 2 out of 39 in my AG 50-54 years.

I received a $20.00 gift certificate to a local running store that just so happed to have a table at the event. I quickly turned my wind fall into 10 packets of Gu Gel. I also won a much needed and very nice door prize … a pair of Sunglasses. It was a fantastic way to wrap up a truly amazing year of running. My only trepidation is how high I set the bar for next year’s Nogg Jog !

Lunch Run

Legs felt heavy after yesterdays Tempo Run. Did 5K mostly at a 5:30 pace. Tomorrow ...working 12 hours days , no Running before the Nogg Jog Sunday.

Tempo Thrusday

7K run at lunch today , 6K at a 4:30 pace followed by a 1K cool down.

Tough LSD

Last night between running the 15 year olds to Broom ball and picked my 19 year old up from work at 1:00 am I manged to fit in a so so LSD. Logged 20K , 19k at a mostly 5:30 pace then a 1K cool down. The first hour was OK but I was a bit gassy. At 11.5K I had to make a quick bathroom break and then again at 14K. Stopping and starting sucks , much more difficult going straight through but I managed to push on and finish my 2 hour run.
I was going to take it to the trail today but I just didn't make it but that's OK ..need to taper a bit for Sundays Egg Nogg Jog. Will do a tempo run tomorrow at lunch then on Fri slow it down a bit then rest on Saturday.

Another longer lunch run

17K tonight , 16K of it at a 5:30 pace with a 1K cool down.

Things that were so-so

• Ouch, scarfing on the inner thighs... blame my old and should be retired Nike shorts.


• Left foot , blisters to start on bottom of little toe , right side of big toe and right side of bunion. Bandaged them before starting , it helped for a bit but I will soon be popping blisters.


• Bowl pressure , intense at times.

I kept embracing the pain and kept going. Tonight I want to go a full 2 hours at a 5:30 pace but the way I am feeling now I have my doubts but its probably nothing a good days sleep won't cure.

Night Magic

Started at 03:40 am and did a 16K Run. 15K at a 5:30 pace with a 1K cool down. It felt really good to be running this morning and I would have liked to have continued for another hour but I had to get back to work.

In ealry again

Hit the Gym before work again and did a 10K run mostly at a 5:30 pace. It felt pretty good and I really enjoyed my time on the treadmill getting lost in my mind. Weighed in afterwards and I tipped the scaled just a little over 172 lbs around my summer running weight.

4 am and 45 minutes ...what to do!

In spite of the fact that I ran before work I took the opportunity to hit the treadmill 4 hours later on my lunch break. Took it real easy and did a 6K run at a 6:00 pace. It was easy , it as fun and kind of reminded me what its like to go long... nothing like running on tired legs.

Couldn't resist....

I think running your first 100 Mile Race you should have more then a Belt Buckle to remind you of the accomplishment. They knocked 33% off the price of the images so I purchased the following picture.

In early again

Came in early for my night shift and jumped on the treadmill again. Did a 14K run , first 12K at a 5:00 pace , 1K at a 4:30 pace then a 1K cool down. Great way to begin my December Running.

November Totals

Run - 290.8km
YTD- 3116km

There were no races and I only went past 20K on one ocasion. One thing that really made the month was the weather allowing me to remain on the trails.

Last November Run

Had some time to kill before work so I came in an hour early and did my final run of Nov 2011.

Logged 10.8K, 10K at a 5:00 pace followed by an 800m cool down.

Entertaining myself

Entertaining myself was the theme of this mornings run on the treadmill. The Satellite was out due to the snow and I didn't have an Mp3 player so I had to come up with something to amuse myself. Started out around a 6:30 pace and slowly worked my way up to a 4:30 pace at 2.8 K , held it until 3.2K then slowly worked my way back to the 6:30 pace logging a 6K Run. Music would have been better!!!!!!

Lunch Run

Didn't feel like it but I did it and once I got going I enjoyed it despite it being 04:00 am. Little 5K done at a leisurely 5:45 pace.

Comfortably Warm

After last night impromptu treadmill run at midnight I rolled out of bed did my morning routine then by 12:30 I was heading out. 4c, overcast, no wind but really damp. Ended up wearing tights, Thermo Long Sleeve , Shell and Gloves. A few Ks in I was a little on the hot side but as time progress I felt much better. Didn't pay much attention to the pace or the fact hat I was running, just kind of got lost in the Run. Managed to log 11.4 K at a leisurely 6:53 pace. Could have stayed out allot longer but I had other things that I wanted to do today. Mids starting tonight!

Last minute Run

Ok, wasnt going to run but at the last minute I decided to spend teh last hour of Sunday Nov 27 2011 Running. 10K at a mostly 5:30 pace done on the treadmill at home.

Trail Today

Headed out for my 11.4K Trail Loop but half way through I changed course to avoid some Hunters. Logged 11.6K at an average 6:30 pace. It was another great running weather day with temps in the low teens , a bit of Sun and a light breeze.

Funny Day

After three weeks of Eves I find myself less likely to get things done through the day as they keep getting shorter and shorter. It was noon today before I finished Breakfast and the weather was perfect for a run bu one thing after the next prevented me from getting out and enjoying the day. Its not a bad thing because working mids next week having the sleeping patterns skewed will be a benefit. I know that I will have an opportunity to run at work over my meal period so there is always a plan B.

Did a 7K run tonight, almost a full K to get to the 5:00 pace and a half K cool down at the end. Maybe tomorrow I can take it outside and go a little longer.

2nd run today

I have 45 minutes to kill ...#1 thing that pop to mind is its an opportunity to Run. Did a 5K run at a leisurely 5:00 pace. My second Run today.

Wheres the Sun?

OK, it was suppose to be Sunny and 10C today, instead it was foggy, 4C with a breeze. Took it outside anyway ...dressed in my Mizuno Breath Thermo and Shorts and was once again pretty comfortable to e bit hot. Logged 11.4K again at an avg 6:27 pace.

Lunch Run

Slowed it way down and did a 5K at a 5:50 pace at lunch. Legs felt yesterdays speed just a bit. Weather tomorrow is A+++ ...must run trails!

Longer again

This weeks Tempo Run was 9K at a 4:30 pace. 10K logged all together a half K warm up and a half K cool down.

Lunch Run

Third consecutive week of Eves this week. Just finished a laid back 6K run mostly at a 5:30 pace. Tempo Tuesday tomorrow , either 8 or 9 faster Ks .. have to check last weeks blog to be sure. Felt really good tonight , after 13 consecutive days of Running and the longer trail run yesterdays I really thought that the legs would be putty but they were real solid. Did a weight in after the run and I am just a tad under 175lbs. Up a few pounds from the Summer weight but a little liter then last year at this time.

Longer Trail Today

20.7K logged at an avg 6:46 pace. 4C , overcast and a gusty breeze made for a much cooler run then yesterday. I opted for Tights, Mizuno Breath Thermo Long T as well as a Shell.... a little over dressed but not all that bad. At first I felt chilled then a few Ks in I was hot. Never took the Shell off but it was totally unzipped. After the first hour I really settled into a comfortable temperature zone and forgot about the cold or being too hot so I guess I was dressed OK. At the end of the Run I felt really good , lots of pop in the legs still and I really felt like I could keep going for another hour or two!

New threads...

6C, overcast and windy more or less a perfect day to try out my new Mizauno Breath Thermo cold weather running top. I hate the chills and cold sweats that are so common riunning in the winter that I spend way too much time indoors. First impression was really good. Stepping outside into the chilly breeze I felt very comfortable ...no chill at all. Its suprising that a compression fit would be such a good wind block. I was also wearing shorts and thought that the top on its own may be a little too much for today but it was really quite comfortable. 30 minutes in the core was stable and hot and the shirt was doing an amazing job of keeping me comfortable. I had a pretty good sweat on and the shirt was wicking very well. Turning into the wind with a damp short after a long uphill ususlaly brings on a chill but not this shirt, just a slight cold sensation. When it gets below freezing I will add a Shell and I should be good down to around-20C. Next test is going more then a couple of hours in sub zero temps. The run today was amazing. Legs felt lite and everything else was cooperating. Did a very enjoyable 11.4K and a very speedy 6:00 avg trail pace. Tomorrow it will be the same trails just a bit longer , hope to get it to 20+Ks.

Slowing it down

Didn't feel like running at all. So the solution was to go for a Run. To entice myself to go I slowed it down to 6:00 pace. After I got going it was easy and I kinda forgot I was running. Have to treat myself to more slower/longer runs. Logged 5K today...thats it!

Crusing...

11K lunch run , first 10K at a 4:57 pace. It felt natural , it felt easy , its felt like going and going but then I had to go back to work!

Late Lunch Run

Didn't feel like running but did it anyway and as is usual I get into it after a K or two. Slowed it down to a 5:30 pace and did a little longer then I normally do at lunch logging a 6K run.

Tempo Tuesday

Stretched the tempo run out another K tonight, 8K done at a 4:30 pace followed by 1K at a 5:00 paced then a 1K cool down. Logged 10K in total. Next Tuesday its 9K at a 4:30 pace.

Lunch Run

6K done at lunch tonight , mostly at a 5:00 pace.

Back to Beaver Valley

Returned to Beaver Valley today and did a Hoggs - Eugenia and return with Grant and Anne. We logged 14.4K in 2hrs11min. Its not an easy run , both times I did this route the Garmin recorded 1000m change in elevation. If the weather cooperates we may do the Beaver Valley Extension loop 31K next weekend.

Too nice not to run

8C, Sun and a light breeze from the South, just had to take it outside. Last day of Deer Hunting so I went South on the 2nd for 6K , turned around and came back. Logged 12K in 60 minutes for an avg 5:00 pace. Back to Beaver Valley tomorrow.

Yesterday

Took a late lunch last night and hit the treadmill for a 15K Run, 14K at a 5:00 pace followed by a 1K cool down.

Tempo Thursday

Missed "Tempo Tuesday" so why not substitute with "Tempo Thursday". Logged 8K tonight , 7K at a 4:30 pace followed by a 1K cool down.

Lunch Run

After some pretty amazing runs last week then 2 days reset it was back to the treadmill at lunch tonight. Missed yesterdays Tempo Tuesday , felt like I was fighting off a bug ... swollen glands , overwhelming tired feeling and the tell tail hot breath. After the immune system kicked into high gear yesterday I am felling like its passed so it was a 5K at mostly a 5:00 pace this eve.

A little something from Saturdays Run

10 consecutive days

After 10 consecutive days of running I took a day off...running that is. Sundays run, after Saturdays Beaver Valley outing, felt like more effort then usual. So instead of going for a run at lunch I lifted weights. A week ago I started back at the weights again and this time I am going to keep it up. I have a 3 X week at 20 minutes a workout. This should be pretty easy to complete. Finding the time shouldn't be a problem. So now its Tuesday , Tempo Tuesday . Its 01:30 am and I am working until 2:00 am a couple of extra hours. Will do a tempo run tomorrow Eve on lunch.

Shorts in Nov

Yup, managed shorts today and was very comfortable. Sun , light breeze and temps pushing into the mid teens made for a rather pleasant late afternoon run. Logged 14K on the trail in 1hr32min19sec an avg 6:35 pace. Legs were feeling yesterdays Beaver Valley run and I was up at 04:30 am to drive my son to work. Enjoyed the run but defiantly didn't have the same energy level as yesterday. I am working eves this week and the weather forecast is great for running trails but you won't find me in the bush.... M thru Sat its the annual Deer Hunt!!!

Long but not long!

2hrs39min on the trail , Hoggs Falls to Eugenia and return. Total distance was only 15.2K but I was stopping to have fun along the way. Took all kinds of videos and a few pictures , chatted a bit here and there and just enjoyed being on the trail in early November. The weather was fantastic , Sun , light breeze here and there and temps around 7C. The trail is amazing , mostly all runnable. I want to do a Hoggs-Eugeina return without stopping and as fast as I dare! Best effort would be around 90 minutes .....I think!

Going to do a video of my run today .....may have to wait until I have some more time , a good project for when the snow flys.

Like yesterday but cooler

12.3K done, combo of road and trails again. A little slower today , avg 6:13 pace. Weather was sunny , 6C and a bit of a breeze. Same clothing as yesterday except I too the shell off 5K in. At first it was chilly then I became quite comfortable.

Roads n Trails

Lots of different running surfaces in the past 2 days. Last night I did 4.8K on the trails behind Grey Highlands SS, final night of the Run Clinic. Today I started off with the idea of doing my 10K Road Loop and ended up doing 14K instead. Started off the first few Ks on the road going along at a 5:30 pace then decided to add a few extra Ks veering off on to a trail. Got turned around a bit on the trails , it was fun. Ended up about 4K North of Grey 12 on the Baseline. I was a little to hot but OK .... Tights , long sleeve Tech T and an open Shell . Started with a hat due to rain but quickly took it off over heating. Had some light rain but really didn't need the hat and it felt good. Finished off the last few Ks on the Mc Cormick Rd kind of forgetting what I was dong. Vow to take it outside F , S , S going 3+ hours on the trail at least one of those days ...weather looks to be co operating.

October Totals

October - 260.1 km
YTD - 2825.2 km

Includes two races 50K Toad and 42.2K STWM.

Tempo Tuesday

First run in November 2011 was 7K at Lunch. 6K at a 4:30 pace followed by a 1K cool down.

Last run in Oct 2011

It seems fitting that my last run in Oct was a 5K @5:00 pace run at lunch.

Longer lunch run

Lunch runs are the staple of my running diet. Did 16K this eve , 15K at a 5:00 pace followed by a 1K cool down. This was my 2nd time in the Gym today. Did a 20 min weight routine before I started work at 08:00 am. I vow to do the weight routine a 3 time/week . I could really benefit from a little more upper body and core strength.

Lunch Run

12.1K gone at a 5:00 pace, wanted to go longer and due more then a 100 meter cool down but nature called, actually she demanded!

Lunch Run

Didn't log the miles this week while I was off ... LIFE got in the way. You know the kind of things like getting ready for winter and finally renegotiating the phone bill with Bell not to mention the World Series ... WHOA is ME and I say WHOA. But on the realistic side of things I don't have anything particularly long planned in next 6 months. Everything is working OK , groin pain is subsiding but about the worst of it. Left Knee that gave me a scare a year ago only occasionally reminds me to take care. The is the odd little recurring aches and pain are there but I came through the season relatively unscathed. Now looking towards next season I want to do ATB, then Paris 42.2 followed by Sulphur 100 miles again. I won't throw away the long run but its not a priority now and I expect to ramp it back up through Dec....

Oh yeah, the run today... another 5ker at a mostly 5min pace.

Run Clinic

Covered 4.24K at the Flesherton Run Clinic tonight. John and Karen were there. I mentioned to Karen that I didn't run far in the winter being very uncomfortable when I sweat. She seems to have a solution that will make my upper body as comfortable as my lower in in tights. I limit my runs in the cold to 1-1.5 hours doing the 2-3 hour runs on the treadmill. I would be allot better off if I could take the long ones outside.

It was wet and cold but I was Lovin it!

12.9K done on the trial today. Legs felt really lite today , pushed it where I could and never paid the price. It was 6C , Overcast and very damp but almost no breeze. The lack of wind made for some pretty good running conditions. Wore my tights, long sleeve tech T and a Shell over top. It wasn't long before the Shell got tied off ... very comfortable in tights and long sleeve Tech T. I was hesitant to get out on the trail but once i got gong it was really very comfortable. Run clinic in a few hours..... hopefully another 5K today!

2am and its time to Run

14K done this morning. Made it a little more interesting and challenging . First 5K at a 5:30 pace , next 5K 5:00 pace then 3K at a 4:30 pace followed by a 1K cool down.

Its 1am and I am running.

Working mids this week and its not usually a high mileage occasion but I do usually get a 5K run in. Last night I didn't feel like it so I just didn't Run but that leaves me feeling rather guilty wasting an opportunity to Run. Today I had a 5 hour power nap , not nearly enough to work from 8pm to 8am tonight but I have been sleeping rather well all week so missing a little shut eye isn't that big of a deal. So I am at work again , feeling like I don't want to run and its 01:00 am. Feeling guilty not running last night I knew I better not leave it any longer tonight or I would end up passing again! Anyhow I managed to do a very enjoyable 11.5K run at a mostly 5:30 pace. It was one of those moments in Running when it felt easy , natural and like you can go forever . The kind of running moment that is pure bliss... a truly joyous moments on the treadmill.

Running at work

Mids this week , been real busy. Yesterday I almost didn't get to do my lunch run but I managed to get away at 5:30 and did a 5K Run at a 5:30 pace. This morning I did the same 5K run again. Totally got into the run forgetting what I was doing and almost missing my cool down. I have a 2 hour lunch coming up on the weekend so I will be able to do a longish run.

Recovery Run

I was pretty tuckered out after Sundays Race. Still have a little muscle pain but I decided to run before work. Did an easy 8K mostly at a 5:30 pace.

STWM - Oct 16, 2011

Did the STWM Full today, had big expectations after a string of pretty good races but it wasn't meant to be today. In spite of falling short of my goal it was the fastest road Marathon I have run this year. It was never a death march and I really enjoyed the last 10K though the beaches and downtown.

Up at 3:00 am after not a whole lot of sleep I headed out at 4:20 arriving at the Royal York around 06:40 where I met Grant and Matt and picked up my race kit. We hung around the hotel until the last minute and seated ourselves in the Yellow Coral with about 10 minutes to spare.

The three of us started out together but it wasn't long before Matt took off. Grant and I hung in there together for the first half and a bit. Grants pace was a bit aggressive around a 4:53 pace. I kept trying to slow him down but he was just too fast. I fell off pace around the 25K mark, hung in there around a 5:30 pace for a few Ks trying to get something back but it wasn't the day so I down shifted to a comfortable 6:00 trail shuffle that I more or less held for the last 10K. I was disappointed that I couldn't keep up with Grant but I was resigned to avoid the death march. I was reasonably comfortable at 6:00 pace and was really enjoying the crowds through the Beaches and again through the Downtown. With 1 little over a K to go I had to walk for a couple of hundred meters ...had an overwhelming nauseous feeling and I really didn't want to puke in front of the crowds. Cruised in the last K and finished standing up feeling good. I paused for about 5 minutes in then headed to the car and then drove home.

I finished in 3:53:34 , 1290 out of 4869 participants and 1034 out of 2472 Male Finishers. In my AG 50-54 I finished in 107th place.

Splits
10KM 49:29
21KM 1:44:46
30KM 2:34:02
35KM 3:05:05
40KM 3:38:21

Last Run before STWM

One more 5K run at a 5:30 pace before STWM.

Lunch Run ... slowing it down a bit.

5K done at a mostly 5:30 pace...it was easy! One more run between now and STWM , tomorrow the same as today.

Lunch Run

5K today mostly at a 5:00 pace. It was hard at first , groin acted up a bit and I felt tired but I soon found my grove and settled into the Run. A few K in I was suffering from indigestion . Not a great run but I did it. I had a busy day doing fall yard work .... tons of leaves. How I felt tonight means no more physical anything between now and Sunday. Planning 2 more lunch runs this week but at a 5:30 pace.

Taper continues ....

After some tough Running on the Beach in Cuba last week T/W/T/F I took S/S/M off and didn't run until this Eve. I wasn't sure what to expect after all the R&R ( That's Rum and more Rum) last week. Its also been incredibly stressful and busy since our return early Monday morning. Jumped on the treadmill and turned it up to a 5:00 pace and it felt super easy. I chatted with another fellow in the Gym for most of the Run. Did a total of 5K at the Marathon pace then geared down doing a 0.5K cool down. Tomorrow it will be the same as today.

More Running in Cuba

Didn’t run first thing on Thursday, instead I decided to do a mid afternoon outing. Held off to 3 Beers between noon and 2pm then headed the opposite direction on the Beach towards the tip of the Veradaro Peninsula. It was 30+C with high humidity but the strong breeze made it bearable. It was just a little out and back on the beach logging 5K in the sand. When I got back to the resort I did another 1.2 K at my 5:00 Marathon Pace. I then proceeded to the aid station, 3ozs of Dark Havana Club Rum …a Beer and then to wash it all down a glass of Water.

Friday was overcast so I was hoping for some rain or at least a little more bearable running conditions. The Surf was up and this created some very soft sand to run on using up way more energy to shuffle along. I was determined to log at least 13.8K today after yesterdays 6.2 and that is exactly what I did.

So its been 4 runs , just shy of 50K in Cuba this week. I may do another 10K or so run before we leave then rest Monday doing 2x5k lunch runs at my 5:00 Marathon pace then 2X5K lunch runs at a 5:30 pace before a day for rest on Saturday before STWMs Marathon.

Running in Cuba

In Cuba this week for a little break from the ordinary. It’s very hot and humid but that’s the main reason why I am here. The Tropical Weather does make for some challenging Runs. Pace is way slower on the Beach more akin to a trail race. After running the Toad on Saturday I rested Sunday and Monday logging a 10K on the Beach on Tuesday. Wednesday I was feeling a bit better and managed to log a very steamy 19.2K on the Beach. My Gutr Sweat Band wasn’t nearly as affective as at home, I quiet overwhelmed it. I was running with only one bottle of GU2O and was rationing it as the run progressed. If this trip was in the Spring I don’t think I could have managed the heat however after a long hot summer I am kind of use to this stuff…sort of!

Run for the Toad 50K , Oct 1-2011

First and foremost I have reached a blogging landmark....1000th Post!

Did the run for the Toad 50K race today. Wasn't sure how to approach this one today with STWN in 14 days. This week I decided in favour of racing the Toad and I walked away with a Toad PB today finishing the 50K in 5hrs19min55sec placing 64 out of 178 participants.

First two 12.5 laps were a dream , 1hr14min33sec then 1hr14min15sec ...for awhile I was thinking Sub 5 hours. Really felt like I was slowing down in the third lap , half way through my mood changed to "Lets get this lap done so I can get to the last one". Finished the third lap in 1hr20min03sec, I was beginning to slow. Going into the 4th and final lap I had done 4 gels and was drinking enough but felt that I wasn't getting enough calories. Gelled at the start and 4K in at the first aid station washing it down with water, coke and gator aid. I was getting quite fatigued but managed to keep moving along although at a much slower pace. I knew that sub 5 hours was out the window so I was aiming for 5hrs15min. Nearing the end of the loop the Gels and drinks were more or less sitting there and I was feeling rather nauseous but I managed to keep it down and keep going. With 3K to go 5hrs15min was no longer an option so I aimed for a sub 5hrs20min. Crossed the finish at 5hrs19min55sec a course PB by 8min47 seconds set back at the 2009 race, my first Toad 50K.

Next up is STWM in 2 weeks.

Wow

Tomorrow is the Toad 50K. Its dark , damp, cold and I am going to run around the forest for hours on end. I just finished eating a mountain of Pasta and now I am at work trying to stay awake. I am at work until 11:00 pm and the alarm is set for 4:30 am.

Sometimes I really wonder WHY?

September Totals

Posting a couple of days before the end of the month. I am trying and I do mean trying to take two full days off running until I do 50K at the Toad on Saturday. So here is goes.....


September 2011 - 287.4K
YTD 2011 - 2,663.6K

Strangely enough 2 of my 3 LSD runs were on the treadmill and I ran 15 times on the treadmill and 9 times outdoors. This is so different then in previous years but I do see a huge value in the treadmill running and its all about pace. Guess I will find out over the next couple of weeks.

Last year I ran 80K Hali Sept 11 then 42.2 STWM Sept 26 and my my 2010 YTD#s were very similar to Sept 2011 but the monthly total was significantly lower.

September 2010 - 227.1K
YTD Sept 2010 - 2,565.1K

and now I rest

Hit the trail today , originally thinking 11.1K then I did some hill repeats , then I turned left instead of going straight. It was just one of those perfect running days ... almost too warm. Logged 19.5K in 2hrs13min averaging a 6:50 pace. Toad is on Saturday so I figured if I went a little longer today I would be more inclined to rest Thurs / Fir before the 50Ker on Saturday. I feel strong , ready to go long but there is the big ? not going Ultra long since the 90Ker in early August. I have been doing the weekly long runs 30K +/- a few but I have been doing way more speed work on the treadmill then other years getting ready for the STWM. Originally I was planning on cruising the Toad , not any more. Going to try for a 7:00 pace letting slide to 7:30 if needed. Nutrition will be an important ingredient at the Toad. I will have a much better idea where I stand after Saturdays race.

Tempo Tuesday

7K 4:30 pace Tempo run with a 0.5K cooldown for a total of 7.5K logged on the treadmill thsi evening.

Back at it

Great thing about a little 10K is no need for a recovery. Just an ever so slight hint of muscle pain and a wee bit tired today but heck its is Monday! Jumped on the treadmill at lunch and did a 5K run at a mostly 5:00 pace.

Run For Health 10K - Walkerton Ontario - September 25, 2011

Did the Run For Health 10K in Walkerton this morning. The day didn't start so great. I was feeling quite tired not really feeling like running let alone race today. Some of my better race days have started this way so I went through my usual routines arriving at the race an hour before it started. Before I knew it I was running down Grey Rd 4 heading East out of Walkerton. The 1st K of the race was dead flat and I did it in 4min19 seconds , sort of holding back a bit. The next K was a 50m gain in elevation as we left town. I concentrated on keeping the breathing in check and didn't bother to check pace and managed to complete the climb in 5mins4seconds much better then I expected. In the third K there was a couple of out and backs before we headed North out of town. I concentrated on picked up the pace and recovering my breathing finishing the third one in 4min31 seconds. Going into the 4th K I looked at my Garmin for the first time and saw an average 4:36 pace. My goal today was to get it under 45minutes so I had a little work to do but with what goes up comes down so I felt confident that I would be successful. The 4th K was pretty flat and I completed it in 4min30sec knocking the avg pace back to 4:35 ...heading int he right direction. The 5th K finished with a small climb and I logged a slightly faster time finishing it in 4:27. With a 5K race to go I was starting to feel pretty hot as we turned West heading back towards town. I was slowly closing on another fellow that was fading a bit. When I passed him he challenged me for 20 or so meters before giving up the position. Following this guy for a bit hurt me a little and I logged a 4:32K. With 4K to go , 4:35 avg on the Garmin I knew it was time to dig a little harder and pick it up. I didn't want to get to the final K and have to make up all the time on 50 meter drop in elevation. It was getting really hot at this point but still manageable. I finished the 7th K in 4min20 sec and the avg pace had ticked down to 4:33. I finally felt like I was on track and continued to push hard logging 4min19sec and 4min21sec in the 8th and 9th K. Going into the lst K the avg pace had ticked down well under my minimum 4:30 and I knew I was going to achieve my goal. After dropping back into town we headed West on Grey Rd 4 again for the last few hundred meters. I was closing in on a fellow about 10 meters in front and started to make a push but then I felt really nauseous so I decided I wanted to finish the race standing up instead of down on all 4s so I backed off and cruised in finishing my last K in 3min52sec.

I finished the 10K in 44min14sec finishing 10th out of 53 participants, 9th out of 24 Men and 3rd in the 50+ AG. There was a cute moment when I received my 3 in AG Metal. The Announcer declared that he was going to take up running because I looked like I was 25 years old!

3rd consecutive lousy LSD

I kind of had a feeling today's LSD would be a little tough and I wasn't disappointed. Tried to go yesterday but I couldn't get the afternoon off work. Today the weather is rainy , cooler and dark. I was going to head out the door and hit the trail for 20 or so K then finish off on the treadmill. Heading out the door I had some GI issues that said stay home. So I grabbed a couple of fans , cranked the home theater , laid out Gels and 3 bottles of water. If I wasn't going to take it outside then I would at least practice gelling on my Marathon Schedule. The first half of the run was miserable , had to make a couple of emergency bathroom breaks...something didn't agree with me. Gelled at 7K , 11K and felt like shit at 13k, almost called it a day after starting again and again. Managed to get it back together and started to move along again, gelled at 15K then did 4 eload caps at 17K the another gel at 19K.... washed them down with plenty of water! Logged 20K in the first 2 hours , not great. I was feeling reasonable and with the calories I had been taking I managed to pick it up to a 5:00 pace . I was planning on going an hour at that pace and felt like I had lots of get up and go but 2hrs30min 26K logged I decided to call it a day and then walked a k to cool down logging a total of 27K in 2hrs40min.

More Lunch

Tried to book the afternoon off to go for a long run but it didn't work out. No big deal the weather has changed a bit , it was sunny but is now overcast now. So I did a 5K lunch Run at a 5:00 pace. Long run on the books for tomorrow.

Run Clinic last night

2nd night of the Fleshertron Run Clinic last night . A few new faces and 1 returning. Headed out on the trails behind Grey Highlands then looped around town logging a 4.4K run.

Lunch Run

5K , 5:00 pace at lunch today , run clinic tonight.

Tempo Tuesday

7.5K logged today , 7K of it at my 4:30 tempo pace. Running faster wasnt all that more taxing O2 wise but boy oh boy talke about turning up the heat!!!! 5K the usual way + run clinic tomorrow then LSD on Friday.

Lunch Run

Back to 8 hour shifts , 5K done at a mostly 5:00 pace.

The prep continues....

Another Marathon pace run today , this time I cover 1/3 of the Full distance logging 14.5 K , 14K at a 5:00 pace followed by a 0.5K cool down. Physically its easy , mentally it can be a little tough. Short one tomorrow at the same pace then its Tempo Tuesday, planned 7K at a 4:30 pace.

12.5K today

Working 12 hour days today. Managed a 12.5 K run , one hour at a 5:00 pace followed by a a 5:00 cooldown.

Running on empty

Been delaying this weeks long run. It took a couple of days to turn around after working nights and there has been allot on the go so the long one got shelved. I am running out of days off and tomorrow was filling fast so I managed to do an unexpected long one today. The weather was really lousy. I returned from Owen Sound at noon and was thinking of taking it outside but the 6C and wind driven rain sucked so I decided to dust off the treadmill. I started thinking I would go for and hour or so then first thing tomorrow I would get the long one in. An hour into the run the more I thought about things tomorrow the less likely it would be to get the long one in so I decided to keep going. So I held my 5:30 pace through 2 hours then without nutrition or hydration I was starting to slow. Paused the treadmill for a minute and grabbed an Ice Cold Bottle of GU2O .... it was heaven. Geared it back to a 6:00 pace for the last hour and with my cool down I managed 30K in 3hrs. Got it done!!!!!!

Run Clinic

As short 2.6K jaunt with the Flesherton Run Clinic last night. There was only 3 participants but it was still a ton of fun. Look forward to the next 7 weeks.

Trail Today, Run Clinic Tonight

Haven't recovered from mids very well so this was the first Run since the early hours run on Monday morning. Long one is still on the books for Thurs or Fri. I was thinking about doing it today but with the first Run Clinic in Flesherton tonight I thought I should delay a day or two. Managed to take it out on the trail with fresh legs today. Breezed through 11.1K at an avg 6:30 pace. The run was exactly what I need to get back on course today!

Last run of the +3 theme

17K done at my 5:00 Marathon pace. Mentally it was tough to get going , physically it was relatively easy but the cumulative affect of the +3 theme was starting to take its tole and that's a good thing. I am off now until Saturday , wanted to do the long one on Tues ...around 36K BUT the weather is warm and humid where Wed/Thur/Fri is much cooler and dryer. I have the first night of the Fall Run Clinic on Wed. which is my preference for going long. One thing I do know is that toady is turnaround day so no more running until Tues.

+3 Day 3

14.4K done , 14k at my 5:00 Marathon Pace. Tomorrow its 17K at the same pace.

Perfect Weather, Chasing Turkeys and Long Shadows

It was too nice not to take it outside this evening. I was able to keep to my +3 theme completing and 11.4K trail run. It was a 6:30 pace , much slower then my planned run but you can't beat the workout! I wasn't far into my run when some Turkeys on the trail took off in front of me sticking to the trail ...chased them for a few hundred meters. The sun was getting low in the West and the Shadows were getting long, Fall is near. Thought lots about everyone running Haliburtoon this weekend. I really wished I could be there but I am working through the weekend. Now that I have my run in today I will do some core and upper body work.

+3

First night of +3 , 8K done at a 5:00 pace. Tomorrow its 11K!

5@5@5

5k at a 5:00 pace at 5:00 am this morning. Next 4 night at work its going to be a +3 theme....Fri 8K, Sat 11K, Sun 14K and finally Monday 17K all at a 5:00 pace. Weather permitting Tuesday will be an LSD...maybe 5:30 pace , maybe 6:00 pace being that I am recovering from working nights.

5 at 4

5K done at 04:00 am , lunch run. Didn't feel the least little bit like going for a run so I rewarded myself by running a slower 5:30 pace just to get it done. Aug 28 I tuckered myself out running a fast 1/2 , a week and a day later it was a tough 30.6K LSD. Recovery from both runs was and is slow and working nights adds yet another stress. I will try to go longer and a little faster tomorrow if I sleep well today.

LSD Run

LSD, it was labour day and it was slow and distant but it wasn't fun. First cool running day in months, 10-12C with a strong N NW wind and misty rain here and there. Wore shorts , long sleeve tech T and tied off my Shell around my waist just in case! Heading South 5K on the 2nd the wind was at my back and there was no cooling and I was quickly over heating ...yup 12C and I was done! Heading West on the Edges Rd it was better with a strong breeze off my right shoulder , cooled down crossing Hwy 6 and heading to to the 2nd of Bentick. Once again heading South for nearly 6K wind at my back getting too hot. Gelled at 15K going up Hutton Hill. Headed East on the Trailer Park Rd heading towards the Beer Store in Durham. Going North on Hwy 6 it was a full blown head on into some really cool wind. Running North up Garfaxa or Hwy 6 its all a gradual uphill , hitting the conservation area it continues to climb until I hit the 2nd then there is a half K of flat before another gradual climb. Going up the 2nd was miserable , strong wind then a driving mist. I had Gelled in the park but it never felt like it kicked in and about 5K to go there was a pain in the stomach ... suspected I didn't do enough water with the Gel! Last 5K was running on empty , slow and low on Glycogen I was burning body mass and slowing down. Caught aw bit of a chill the last 5K , hat on hat off hat on. Finished and grabbed a beer and hit the hot tub very glad to be done. Managed 30.6K at an avg 6:00 pace ...it was slog today but I got it done.

Steamy Trail

HHH for sure today , mangaed a trail run/walk covering 11.6K today.

First Sept Run

Temps were hovering around 20C with lots of humidity and no Sun so it was a pretty good day to take it outside. Did a 17.8K gravel road/tractor trail run at an avg 5:59 pace. It felt good today , a little hot with the nearly 100% humidity but overall pretty decent conditions.

August Totals

August - 285.6K
YTD - 2376.2K

Two races, 90K at the Dirty Girls and 21.1 Bayshore Half

Treadmill - 10 Runs
Outdoors - 10 Runs
Total - 20 Runs

Lunch Run and so much more ...

Tried to run yesterday but it just wasn't to be. It was awkward and well I just didn't feel like it, I tried and gave up. I should have rested on Monday after Sundays 1/2 but I did a Trail Run instead. Probably would have been better to rest a couple of days but I didn't and I should know better because I have done this before. Tonight at lunch it started a little rough but it qucikly became fluid and natural so I managed a 5K mostly at a 5:00 pace....good enough for the last run of August 2011 ... and now on to the totals!

Recovery Trail

I didn't think I would be running today after yesterdays half but I wasn't feeling too bad so I decided to take it to the trail! Did an easy 11.2K run averaging a 7:10 pace.

Bayshore 1/2

Just finished my my 4th 1/2 Marathon and it was a very successfully day, a little over 5 minutes better then last year.

The weather couldn't have been better for an August race. Temps in the high teens , a strong N NW Breeze and some lite thin cloud were a welcome relief. It was confident that I would beat last years 1hr45minXX time but wasn't sure by how much, stretch goal was to get it under 1hr40min. Didn't seed myself at the start very well and got caught up in traffic so it was a bit of a slow start. The race plan was to go out at around or slightly under a 5:00 pace banking a little time before the 2K long hill climbing somewhere between 80 and 100 meters. Going into the hill at 8K my avg pace was 4:50 which was around where I wanted to be. I didn't look at the Garmin while climbing concentrating on my breathing and stride to make it to the top without the wheels falling off. At 11K I checked and I had dropped to an avg 4:56 pace so I was in a much better position then last year and was feeling quite ready to run faster again. With 10K to go I tried to run the remaining race like it was well a 10K race. After the long climb we headed along the top of the escarpment running a relatively flat 4K. I was averaging around 4:38.K in this section and the avg pace was slowly counting down. The wind was at our back when I picked up the pace and the sun was shining a little brighter then before and I could feel the heat coming on. Passing the 15K mark we turned into the wind and a small climb. The breeze was brisk and it really helped to cool things down and I was able to more or less maintain the same pace. 6K to go I was confident that I would be under 1:45 and was really beginning to think that breaking 1:40 would be a real possibility. This helped me to keep pushing and K after K that went by I was doing the math and I knew that I just had to maintain as close to a 4:30 K as I could. 16, 17 , 18 and 19 ks were done in 4:38, 4:45, 4:43, and 4:45. The changes in pace were primarily due to some ups and downs but with 2K to go I felt confident that breaking 1:40 was still a possibility. The 2nd last K was on a n old railway line , gentle downhill all the way to the bay... a gift for sure. Pushed hard the final K but it wasn't agreeing with me. I was beginning to rethink not drinking anything or doing any gels but I stuck with my race plan and pushed on. I saw the clock with a few hundred meters to go 1:39:40 I gave it an honest effort but crossed a few seconds after the 1:40. Just prior to crossing the timing Matt I stated to dry heave , once across I was down on all 4s dry heaved for 30 seconds or so then I was fine! I forgot to turn the Garmin off and it ticked away for 59 seconds after I stopped!!!!! Last 857 meters were done in 3min38secs.

My chip time was 1hr40min03 seconds finishing 25th out of 118 participants, 22nd out of 59 men and 3rd out of 8 in the 50-59 ag. Avg race pace for the 21.1 was 4min45sec/K.

Marathon Quest-Week 9

Week #9
I much appreciate the weekly Marathon Quest Emails. I am not following a program instead running a series of Ultras from 50K to 100miles. It works well for the mind set and endurance but I don't do as well as I could in the speed department. I am trying to incorporate a bit of the program into my weekly running. I have been doing the long one , the tempo runs and generally a pretty decent volume. The one thing I have been missing is the intervals but I think that the rolling hills that I am constantly running make up for that short fall.

Last year’s STWM and Marathon Quest were my ticket to my first Boston and I really want to BQ again. I have been blogging every run since 2007 and I often look back on what I was doing l right or wrong to try to recreate those magical days. Last year I injured my left Knee at ITT mid August. It was a sharp pain that would come on 5-10 minutes into a run. At first I thought it was just something that I could run through but it was persistent, painful and darn right scary. I figured that I really messed something up and it wasn’t going to go away without intervention. It’s funny but the very thing I was afraid of was the leading contributor to my SWTM BQ. Looking back at 2010 my volume dropped off big time in the weeks leading up to STWM. Two weeks before the race I did 50 Miles at Haliburton. Got to the half way point Ok but coming back the pain came on every downhill and I ended up walking all the hills and there were allot of them. My 10 hour goal quickly became trying to get it done in under 12 hours. With STWM looming the goal of running Boston the year I turned 50 seem like a pipe dream.

Last year was STWM magical from start to finish. Being a part of the Marathon Quest was a big factor in my BQ that day. I remember running into a rough patch and thinking to myself that as a “Quester” I didn’t wasn’t to be the poster child “ how not to prepare for Marathon”.

So once again I will be looking for a little magic in “Hog Town” in October. Originally I was thinking of racing the Toad but now I have decided it will be my last LSD Run. I will do a few shorter runs at my race pace leading up to the STWM and make sure I am rested and ready for the big day. Will my plan work or will I blow up? I will just have to wait for race day and if I am not successful , no big deal, Road to Hope is only a couple of weeks away!

Oh yeah , the knee… dropped the LSDs in Nov/Dec had Bronchitis in Jan and didn’t run for a month. Knee was OK after that ...PHEW!

Last lunch run before the Bayshore 1/2

Going to take Friday and Saturday off Running in prep for Sundays 1/2. The 5:00 cruise is set and I am hoping to shave that down in the 2nd half of the race.....

5K done today at my 5:00 pace.

Lunch again....

5K the usual way!

Longer Tempo Tuesday

Stretched out the Tempo run today, 7K at a 4:30 pace followed by a 1K cool down.

Lunch Run

5K mostly at a 5:00 pace today at lunch.

Feeling yesterdays effort a bit , had trouble sleeping due to muscle aches and things are hurting just a bit here and there. Once I got going I felt fantastic , tempo run tomorrow.

Reflected a bit on yesterdays run. Two limiting factors occurred and twice they were overcome . The easy one to overcome was nutrition...gel and go! Heat was the other one , I was at the mercy of Mother Nature and what a roller coaster ride she provided it was OK the cold then real hot then real cold then sorta cold but OK!

Longer and faster LSD Sunday

Logged 30.5K today, the weather cooperated and I managed to avg a 5:33 pace with a more or less constant run. Weather started dry and overcast. 5K in heading West on the Edges Rd I could see rain over Hanover heading my way. Watched it for awhile it it was tracking in a NW direction and there was no lightening so I figured I was OK. Caught a bit of wind and rain 9K in heading South on the 2nd of Bentick. The temps dropped and the rain made for a fantastic cool down so I was able to maintain my pace. Crossed HWY 4 heading up Hutton hill about 12K in and did my first Gel and washed it down with my first water of teh day. Another 3K South I was South of the storm and it was Sunny , Humid and HOT. By the time I was 17K in heading into Durham I was beginning to overheat and it was getting tougher to keep pace. In Durham I headed North on HWY 6 back into the tail end of the storm that I out ran. It was dark , windy and started to rain. Temps felt like they dropped 1oC. Last week I stopped in Durham for 30 minutes, this week I planned on a constant run so I breezed through the downtown. Heading into the Conservation Area I Gelled again and and dropped to 6:00 +Ks. Its a climb out of Durham and I was a little overheated exposed to the Sun heading into town so I really slowed sown logging 6:12, 6:09 and 5:59 ks through the park. Briefly stopped at 22.5K when my wife Carrie drove by when I turned North on the 2nd. She got out saying that she was worried about me being out in the storm , I told her that I was South of the weather cursing the heat! Anne drove by at the same time on her way back from doing a Du today...she is going to do Owen Sound next week. I had 8K to go and the sever weather had passed so I declined a ride home ...later I would find out that this wasn't such a good idea! Managed to really pick it up the final 8K , the cooler temps and carbs I took in a few Ks ago we kicking in so I more or less managed a mostly 5:30 pace all the way up the 2nd. Stopped the Garmin with 500m to go and walked the last bit. The legs felt OK running but they were burning when I was walking. As soon as I got home I grabbed a Beer and jumped in the hot tub for an hour. Legs were achy but after I massed them I was fine. Next weekend its only going to be a 21.1 but its a race and I am going to run it at Marathon or better pace..... there is a big hill climbing the escarpment at the 8K mark! Love the course , going to try to get to the top at an avg 5:00 pace then open up for the final 10K.

Lunch Run

5K the same way as yesterday... but getting even easier!

I really really really really like how a 5min pace feels. This is the speed at which I feel like I am "Running" , not just shuffling along.

Same as yesterday ...

5K lunch run again , it was harder to get to the Gym but the Run felt easier today .

Lunch Staple

5K at mostly a 5:00 pace at lunch today.

Temp Tuesday

7K done at lunch , 6K at a 4:30 pace , 300m 5:15 pace, 300m 6:00 pace then a 400m walk at a 11:30 pace.

Back at it at Lunch

Throw out the idea of a rest day today! Want to do a tempo run tomorrow so I thought I would benefit from a 5:00 pace run at lunch today and that's what I more or less did for 5K!

Mixing it up again....

Today I did a longer faster road run. I really enjoy the tempo , with the exception of the ups and downs then constant pace is very relaxing. Wasn't sure how far or how fast or even where I would end up when I started but I did commit to running 20K non stop. Headed South on the 2nd to the Edges Rd, West crossing HWY 6 when South on the 2nd of Bentick. Crossed over hwy 4 going up Hutton hill then continued South until I got to the Durham Trailer Park Rd heading East into town. I was going to reward myself with a freezy when I got to town , as I approached the 6 and 4 intersection I was a little short of 20K si I ended up detouring across the middle dam then past the police station. Th weather was OK , 22C humid as all be with a variable breeze... not stellar but allot better then what I have been running in. Paused the Garmnin and sat down, first 20K done at an avg 5:54 pace. I towelled off, did a Gel and washed it down with some water before getting my frozen treat. Ate my goodies and watched the world go be before heading out after my nearly 30 minute break. It was really hard to get going again , I knew the 11+K run home would be a bit slower but again I decided to run everything no matter what! Headed through the park then North in the 2nd. Passing Michael Schmidt's farm it 5K to home and I can see my destination. Was a little slower but better then I thought. I was starting to feel my lack of calories and hydration and was really beginning to slow down. With 2.5K remaining my wife drove by , she was heading to Eckharts to meet someone to pick up some fresh Chickens. She wasn't feeling too good suffering from a Migraine and asked me to drive ...I didn't mind cutting it short logging a total of 28.2K in 2hrs50min at an avg 6:02 pace.

When I got home I ate and ate and ate then watched the last 1/2 of the Jays game. My legs we real achey , never get that with the trail runs. I really have to do more road " speed work" and more importantly constant longer runs around 3 hours in duration. The Bayshore 1/2 is in 2 weeks so I am also going to throw in some treadmill work but after today I think I will make tomorrow a rest day.

Lovin it!

Had to make a trip to Eugenia yesterday so it was a great opportunity to run some Bruce Trail in Beaver Valley. Parked at Hogs Falls and hit the trail heading towards Eugenia Falls. I didn't have much time so it was 30 minutes out and then 30 minutes back. The trail was great , totally runnable , lots of hills and as pretty as it gets. I did a total of 8.1K at an average 7:26 pace. I know want to run from Hoggs Falls to Eugenia without walking any hills ....a cool new self challenge! Beaver Valley is a 20-30 minute drive from home but after running yesterday I need to make that trip more often.

"Track Workout"

Finally made it out tot the Saugeen Tri Club's weekly "Track Workout". It was fun getting out with everyone and meeting some new runners. From JDSS we took off on the Hanover Trail to the Hill behind the Hospital/Grave Yard and did some hill repeats. On the way back to JDSS we did some 15 seconds fartleks.. A very effective 8K workout.

Back at it ...

Haven't run since DG last weekend, nasty blisters on 4 toes , a bit of shin muscle pain and a general lethargic feeling has kept me off the trail this week. Yesterday I had a few hours to kill in Toronto so I went for a very long walk through the city. This mornings cool temps, pleasant breeze and sunshine were calling me back to the trail. Just got in from a rather pleasant 11.2K trail run done at an average 6:54 pace.

Dirty Girls 24 Hour Trail Race

Returned for my 4th consecutive Dirty Girls. This is one of my favorite events of the year and it just keeps getting better. Format was slightly different with 12 hour event starting at 08:00 pm. Doing the 24 hour event the past couple of years it got rather lonely out there so I was quiet looking forward to the extra company.

The day started good and early at 04:15 am. I had coffee in the hot tub but skipped the usual breakfast in favour of a bowl of cereal. Grant picked me up at 06:00 am and we arrived at the race at 07:00 am. In the past being an hour before race start meant you could get a prime parking spot adjacent the course but that wasn't the case this year. Dianne the RD is always tweaking with the event and this year was no different , there was a new start finish line that was really cool and a DJ playing tunes.

The 6 and 12 hour race started at 08:00. My race plan was simply to do as many 90 minute laps as I could. The temperatures and humidity were already high and it was expected to rise to the low 30's in the afternoon with an overnight low around 20 and continuing humid, unfortunately the weather man was right. The first 3 laps were done pretty much as planned. I was pleasantly surprised to have Diane the RD join me. This was the first time she had run her race and was doing the 24 hour event. Dianne and I more or less had the same race plan and she decided to hang out behind me preventing her from going out too fast. This served her well because she had a fantastic day. There was bit of a shower on the third lap that provided some relief from the building heat but when the sun came back out it was brutally hot . Heading out on the 4th lap things were starting to become rather difficult. Although I was eating and drinking constantly I was becoming dehydrated and bloating . The body wasn't processing what I was eating so I more of less walked the first few Ks of the loop. Cooling down a bit as well as getting the heart rate and berating down really improved things and before the 5K aide station and I was moving along quiet well again. The 5th loop was mostly running and and walking anything that resembles a hill but I was slowing down doing the loop closer to 2 hours then the planned 90 minutes. Had to do more walking in the 6th loop always trying to recover then run again. In one of the walk breaks I stopped sweating and was a little freaked out thinking heat stroke. I tried running again to see what would happen and I quickly broke out in a per fuse sweat .... I was relieved. The 6th loop was by far the warmest time of the day , no one was in much of a hurry and everyone I talked to was doing allot of walking and praying for nightfall and cooler temps. Thing were getting really really tough for me in the 7th loop. When I tried to run I had allot of pain in my still bloated stomach and I was extremely nauseous. I walked the entire first half of this loop and it seemed to take for ever to get to the aide station. I was beginning to question how long I could continue and was concerned that Dave and Alaina my pacers would have a very short night. I was also trying to figure out where I stood in relation to last years 24 hour race but the mind wasn't working so well. Later I learned that that last year buy 8:30 pm I had completed 8 laps and compared to 7 this year. Mathematically I knew I could do another 5 laps in 11.5 hours with a brisk walk so I was still optimistic that I could reach my 120km goal. Realistically I was hoping to get a lap in with each of may pacers. I headed out on the 8th loop with Alaina , the trail and pacing were new to her and she was quiet excited to be out there. I was super happy to have her along. I explained to her the problems I was having with my stomach and told her that we would be mostly walking to the 5K Aide station. The last half of the loop we started to run a bit here and there and finished the loop with a solid 1K downhill to the Start / Finish. Headed out with Dave around 11:00 for the 9th loop. Like Alania this was a first for Dave. Things were really starting to deteriorate for me and walking wasn't making things any better. My feet were really starting to burn . It felt like I had worn as layer of skin off both feet. The legs joined the party , off and on through out the day I had a bit of burning but now that was turning to pain. The stomach was worse then ever and I had more of less stopped taking in fluids and absolutely no solid food. I was no longer sweating but skin was burning hot. I was no longer having fun and around 3K into the loop I decided that I was going to stop at 90K. Dave was really encouraging me to go on but I think he could see that I was quickly getting worse. At the 5K aide station I had two glasses of Ginger Ale hoping it would help out. I was still slowing down and I could only run very short distances and decided to no longer try to run just walk it home. I felt badly for Dave and Alaina that I wasn't going to be able to head back out again and I hoped they weren't disappointed. Dianne caught up with me with a few Ks to go. She told me that she had a real rough patch and almost didn't leave the start / finish , at the 5K aide station she was done but Char was there and wouldn't let her quit. Char gave her a 5 hour energy drink and she lit up like someone had ignited a afterburner. I was quite humbled when Dianne thanked me for the advice and pacing earlier as she flew by me while I was crawling home. The first discomfort of the day was a bit of burning in my legs on the third loop. Mentioning this to Dianne she said she had the same and was a bit worried. I told her not to give it any thought because other things would hurt more and you would forget about the legs! As she was flying by me pumped on the rocket fuel she was rhyming off the "round robin" of pain! The 9th loop took somewhere around 3 hours. To get to 120km before the 08:00 am finish was no longer possible with a walk so it made it easier to the the Marshall I was done. I also asked the Marshall not to tell anyone because I didn't want anyone trying to get me to continue... I was done.

Sitting down never felt so good. It was only a few minutes before I began to freeze so I quickly cleaned up with Wet Wipes then through on some layers of clean clothes on. I apologized to Alaina and Dave again, I really felt bad that I couldn't get them back out . I drank and bottle of Water and took 3 Advil and continued to sit. About an hour after stopping my stomach was gurgling and making all kinds of nosies as it came back to life. It started to rain so I jumped in Grants truck and fell asleep sitting up.

Dave was stirring before 07:00 am , Grant and Anne were running the 12 hour night event and were still out on the course. It was a new distance for both of them and Anne stopped at the 5K Aide station and Grant was still on the course. I am pretty sure they did 65 and 70K in the 12 hour. It was fun watching the last of the 12 and 24 hour runners coming in. Unlike past years the place was buzzing with activity. There was lots of folks around feeling more like a race start then the end.

I ended up logging 90K in somewhere around 17-18 hours. I didn't have a hard time stopping when I did but I was feeling a little disappointed when I watched the everyone finishing up in the morning. I felt that I had handled the heat about as well as I could and concluded that I should probably avoid doing longer then a 50K Ultra when its really hot , with the exception of the Dirty Girls next year...of course!

Trail Tuesday

A much more humid trail run today 25C and no wind made for a much warmer run. My friends the deer flys were back in full force, many many more then yesterday. Did a little longer , 15.2K at about the same pace as yesterday 7:21 but it was allot more of an effort. Want to do a little longer tomorrow then rest Thursday and Friday before this weekends 24 hour race.

Trail Monday

Perfect Summer afternoon for a trail run, 29C, dry air and a strong breeze and the pesky deer flys laid off. Did an 11.1K run at an avg 7:18 pace.