July Totals

July - 300.0 km
YTD - 2090.6 km

Thanks Darek... it was a midnight thing!!!

Last Run for August 2011

Didn't really feel into to it but as is usual I gave it a shot. Jumped on the treadmill at lunch and let my body decide its happy place. Found that a 6min pace felt good today so I went with it. Felt like an hour would be about right but cut it short after 42 min. Ended up logging 7.5K.

Speed at Lunch

12.2K done mostly at a 5:00 pace. Been a while since I went that far at that pace. Hope to stretch it out a bit and do the same tomorrow.

Steamy Trail

You know its going to be a warm one when you start to sweat tying your shoes up. It was only 23C but nearing 100% humidity with no breeze. Th heat as a little overwhelming for the first few K but once I settled into my trail shuffle it wasn't too bad. Deer flys were not so bad , only a few here and there ...maybe we have turned the corner on this pesky bug. Managed 11.2K at a blistering 7:32 pace.

Lunch Run

Working mids this week , no good time to run the past few days and when I was at work forget it ... way to tired and way too busy! I planned in a trail run this eve , the only problem was I didn't wake up until 8:30 pm .... d'oh! So I am now officially turned around on nights and found a wee bit of time to sneak into the gym for a 5K run at a 5:30 pace. I feel better now.

Back on the trail

After a weeks absence I was back on the trail again. The weather , the body and the bugs cooperated and made for a pleasant 11.2K trail run. Pace was as fast as its been on the trial averaging a blistering 6:30 pace.

Running on Broadway

Was in NY again, this time I made a point of running on Broadway , that's Main St Saratoga Springs. After not running for a couple of days I figured I would have lots of energy but that wasn't so. I overslept getting close to 9hours of sleep. The beer and pizza the night before took it toll. Temps were comfortable but getting warmer and it was bright and sunny. Managed to do exactly 10K and a 6:00 pace in 60 minutes.

Broadway - Saratoga Springs NY -July 24 2011 10:00 am

Its 1am, its 26C....what gives?

Did a repeat night run this morning. It was 7-8C warmer then last night but there was a breeze that made a huge difference. Headed down the second again not really sure how long I would go. Yesterday the legs didn't want to carry me , today it was different. There is no doubt that the heat would come into play so I treated it more like a trail run aiming for a 7min pace ... slow and steady! Made it to the end of the second , about 8K and decided to loop through Durham. It was near 02:00 am and the town was very sleepy. I was surprised because I figured there would be lost of restless folks with the warm night. I only had 1 bottle of Gator Aide with me and intended on refilling with water at the conservation area but I still had half a bottle left so I was OK. Heading back up the 2nd I felt great but decided to walk the "3 Hills" then pick it up again after. Often in races when the walks start I find it hard to get going again so the hill routine was great practice, bedsides it was an amazing night to be out. Half a moon illuminated the way very well , I could have got away without a head lamp. When I got home at 3:10 am I stripped down and jumped in the pool then I cracked open a beer and fired up the BBQ for a Steak and Mushroom snack before going to bed at 4:45 am.

Ran for 2hrs44mins covering 22.9K for an avg 7:12 pace.

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Night Run

Yesterday when I got up mid morning I took the Dog out as usual and instantly got attacked by Deer Flys ....no way was I going to run! Instead I head out after working Eves at 01:00 am. Kept it simple going straight South on the 2nd. Heading out I wasn't sure how far I would go but I was thinking long. It was an amazing Summer night 19C with lots of humidity and no breeze what so ever. It didnt take long to heat up but it also didn't take long to realize that the legs didn't have much pop to them. I thought that I was recovered from TLC 56K 4 days ago but just because there isn't any pain and mentally you are ready to go long doesn't mean the body is going to cooperate! Anyhow 7K in , a K before town I turned around and headed back. I walked the three hills .... really didn't care because it was neat being out at night. I was watching aircraft overhead and the stars and a an almost too close encounter with a Skunk.

So I managed 14K at a staggering 7:22 pace. If I don't work lat tonight I may do the same tonight.

Trail ...Love+Hate

Thought about what I was going to do today ...trial or maybe road but trail won. It had rained and the temps were a little cooler. Headed out at 9:16 am , just in time for the Sun to make an appearance. There was no breeze and the forest was dripping wet . It was , steamy...really steamy but it was the right place to be . No on a not so fun note this was buy far the worst day for deer flys . Without exaggeration I was killing at least 1 deer fly every minute. Today they were biting and it hurt. I had a buff on so they couldn't borough in my hair but I was running shirt free which was a mistake.

In spite of the very unpleasant insects I managed an 11.3K run at an avg 6:54 pace.

The Limberlost Challenge 56K Ultra - July 16,2011

Did my second 56K Limberlost Challenge yesterday.

Made the 3hour drive on race day , the morning started early with the alarm going off at 03:00 am. I didn't eat at home hitting Tims in Orillia for breakfast at 5:00am and again in Huntsville at 06:30am. Arrived at the race shortly before 07:00 leaving over an hour to prepare.

The race started at 08:00 , cool morning temperatures and a nice breeze made for a rather pleasant beginning but I really wondered how long it would last. There was a total of 3 aide stations in the 14K loop. I made a point of stopping at the very first one downing a couple of glasses of Heed. I finished the first loop in 1hr51 minutes feeling fantastic. Heading out on the second loop I decided to go shirt free, it felt allot cooler and I remained that was the rest of the day! On the second loop I started drinking Heed, Water and Coke as well as consume a Gel. I more or less repeated this routine the remainder of the day. I was also carrying water and was drinking between aide stations. 2/3 into the second loop I did my first Eload Zone caps....I was really beginning to sweat and was tasting salt on my lips. Finished the second loop in 1hr49 mins 2 min faster then loop one and I was feeling fantastic although the heat was starting to catch up to me. Heading out on the third loop I noticed a bit of a burning sensation in my legs. It felt like I was slowing but it I was maintaining my pace, it just felt harder. About half way through the 3rd loop you pass through an open gravel pit , it was only couple of hundred meters or less but the heat was overwhelming ... this is the moment where it all changed. The last 20K of the day would be all about managing the resources taking it 1K at a time trying to bring it in in under 8 hours. Finished the 3rd loop in 2hrs feeling extremely fatigued knowing that the next 14K would be a struggle to keep it together. Heading out on the 4th loop I was eating ice, when the ice melted ( it didn't take long in the 30C heat) I drank a baggie of ice water. This really picked me up and I was able to move along at a reasonable pace. I could run the flats and downhills and was walking all of the inclines. Passing the first aide station I loaded up on ice again , Ice and Ice water were the two main things that were keeping me going. With 10K to go I was taking it 1K at a time. I was able to maintain the 10min pace with the run / walk combo and really thought I had a shot at breaking 8hrs. Every K that went by I was checking my Garmins lap time , 10:14, 9:49, 10:03, 10:42, 10:08. I kept doing the math as I past by the distance markers , I knew it would be close but knowing I had a shot at breaking 8hrs really pushed me along. With a few Ks to go the #s were no longer pointing towards a sub 8 , surprisingly enough I didn't give into to it and kept up the lap 4 routine until I finished loop 4 in 2hrs22min.

Finished the race in 8hrs3min26sec an improvement of 18mins over last year. There were a total of 72 runners who started the race of which 53 finished. I came in the 35th overall , 5th /8th in the 50+ AG and 24th/51 men.

and now for some rest

Third trail run of the week done , 14.0K at an avg 7:51 pace. Temps were cooler and there was a nice breeze. I was optimistic that the Deer Flys would let up but I was wrong. Bugs usually don't bother me much but I have had it with these pesky critters. So now its 2 days rest before I do the Limberlost 56K Run on Saturday.

Trail Tues

15.3K/2hr trail run today , started and ended slow but it really didn't matter, just wanted to go for a couple of hours. Not sure why but the heat seemed to bother me more today. Off to the pool with a cold brew for recovery now!

Trail Run ..HOT!

Just finished an 11.2K trail run in the heat. Managed a rather quick 7:00 pace given the conditions. Working Eve M T W and back to days T F before Limberlost on S. Two more similar trail runs then I will give it 2 days reset before the weekend 56Ker.

Saratoga Run

Did a 10K run through Saratoga Springs NY on a warm humid Sunday morning. Headed straight down Grand Ave then did a loop of the downtown then back through Congress Park a return on Grand. Came across a little old lady on the sidewalk , exchanging pleasantries she said "its Sunday, don't forget to prey". It made me think and reflect for a moment. You just never know what you are going to encounter on a run...love the adventure.

Meaford Harbour Run - Saturday July 9, 2011

Did my second ever 5K Race on Saturday. Its been 2 years since I covered the distance and I remember it being a rather miserable experience, " it was the longest short run ever". The time to beat was 22:04 , I felt confident that that would happen aiming for the sub 20 but realistically thinking between 21:00 and 22:00.

Arrived at the Meaford an hour before the start. The race is staged from a pavilion at the harbour with views of Georgian Bay. I didn't do much leading up to race time. I was going to do strides but with temperatures in the low 20s with a humidex I decided staying cool would be better.

The race started on time at 09:00. Heading out fast was easy but I knew it wouldn't be long before it got tough. The race plan was to do as many 4:00 Ks as I could and try to push in the last K. First K was done in 3:54 banking 6 seconds. I was pretty much red lining after the first 4 minutes , breathing and heart rate were pegged. Going into the 2nd K we head through the downtown then east out of town on hwy 26. Around the 2K mark there was a hill, not a big hill but I was really hoping for a flat course ...after all its a "Harbour Run". The second K was done in 4:02 ...the hill was behind me but now I was beyond red lining and was gasping for air. I tried to hang in there completing the 3rd K in 4:12 never catching my breath. With 2K to go my lungs were screaming at me , I just couldn't get enough O2. It was dam frustrating because the legs wanted to carry me . I decided to back off a touch hoping to gather my resources and then push the last K to the finish. In addition to my breathing difficulties I also began to get hot , really hot. I figured that I would be finished before the core heated up but that wasn't the case. Finished the 4th K in 4:37 disappointed that it wouldn't be a sub 20 but confident that I could push the finish getting a PB. I was surprised that I only gave up a few positions when I faded. I could hear others coming up behind me and this really helped me push through the last K. Through the final 500 meters the finish was in site a woman passed me and sighed a " Ohhh", I was sharing her pain I knew what she meant! Managed to pick up the last K finishing in 3:57.

I was done and I was glad, almost puked but managed to keep it together and shook it off quickly. Paused briefly , recovered some O2 then headed to the car for a change of clothes. I didn't stick around for the results. The race was a quick stop on the way to Saratoga Springs NY. where my parents live. I was taking my 15 year old to the Y camp on Lake George. 9 hours of driving was between me and a pitcher of Sam Adams and a Pizza at the " Public House" so I wanted to get going.

Checking the the results I finished in 20:46, a PB by 1min19sec placing 27th out of 220 participants and 2nd out of 21 in my AG. Go figure , an AG placement I wasn't there for what I suspect would have been a medal!

Lunch Run

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

Trail Yestaerday

Temps were cooler and the air was dryer so I hot the tail last night for a little 11.2K trial run at an avg 7:20 pace. The Deer Flys were bad at the start , I thought that they would have let up a bit by now. The legs were a little heavy at first due tot he tempo run at lunch but it only took a K or two to loosen up and I was fine. My trail is getting quite over grown. I some spots the vegetation was up to my shoulders!

Tempo Lunch Run

7K Run done today at lunch , 6K at a 4:30 pace with a 1K cool down.

Lunch Run

Another 5K at lunch , 5;00 pace with a half K at what I hope will be my 5K 4:00 pace.

June Totals

June 279.8 K ... no races!!!

YTD 1790.6

Lunch recovery run

First run since Creemore , 5K done mostly at a 5:00 pace. Feeling really good after Saturdays run , no muscle pain in on Sunday ...today was worse but still very little pain.

Creemore Vertical Challange 50K - July 1, 2011

Yesterday was my 4th consecutive Creemore Race , the 3rd 50K that I have done. I knew it was going to be hot and humid and that it would really slow me down! I managed to do better then last year under tougher conditions so I consider the day to be a success.

The race started an hour earlier this year at 08:00 am. It was already 20C but overcast with not a whole lot of humidity , fairly good conditions to start. My race plan was to run to conditions trying to go out easy but not too fast. I walked the steeper hills and ran the smaller ones. I was really conservative on the downhills. I increased the turnover trying to land mid foot and not breaking. The up hills were more or less the same , short stride with higher turnover and a mid foot strike. I had new Saucony Exodus trail shoes and a different kind of sock, Thorlo Pads. I was really trying not to trash my quads or cause foot problems! The weather cooperated throughout the first loop , it was getting warmer but it didn't factor in too much. Nearing the end of the first loop you go though "Valley". There are a couple of ropes assist ravines that you cross. I knew they were there and I knew to be careful and conservative going though or you would waste a ton of energy! I blew both ravines , almost did a face plant in the stream at the bottom of the second one. I was pissed at myself for being do careless burning off way more energy then required as well as straining my core!!!!! Finished the first loop with around 2hrs45 mins on the Garmin. I was pleased with this time and if mother nature cooperated I really thought I had a crack at a Creemore PB finishing under 5hrs46min. Heading back out for my second loop I felt great, the legs were 100% but the temps were really beginning to climb and the Sun was shinning bright. After running a k or 2 along the mad river you turn onto the highway then a gravel road with full exposure. The long relatively easy climb up the gravel hill was allot warmer then the first time. Walked the steeper part of the hill then ran down to aide station #1. The heat was now really catching up to me. I grabbed a baggie of ice , had a glass of Head, Ginger Ale and Coke and filled up my water bottle with Ice and Water. I was well hydrated, doing enough liquid and gel calories and was increasing the intake of the Eload Zone Caps. All of the important things were managed OK but there was nothing I could do about the heat except slow down. When I was in the shade or going downhill I was still running but when I was exposed it was just too hot and I mostly walk the flats and uphills. With 11K to go there is a gradual climb up a gravel road leading to the hill know as "02". I walked Nearly 2k all the way to the top of O2. Last year I really blew up going up this steep section stopping twice burning more then 5 minutes. This year I was able to make up relatively unscathed so I felt quite positive with 9K remaining. At the top of 02 you turn onto a gravel rd heading to aide station 3 , about 1K of rolling to flat rd. I so wanted to run this but every time I got going I would stop and walk the run. I was frustrated because the legs felt great but it was all about managing the body temperature running in the nearly 30C heat! There was one more big climb to " Top Hill" then you turn onto a flat gravel rd for a K or 2 before beginning the decent back the start. Again , I was fully exposed and tried to run but was too hot. I did however manage a sub 10min walk and felt like I was recovering a bit setting my self up to for a strong finish through "Valley". Turning off the gravel road you run through a farmers field on the North side of the tree line ... shade ...ah beautiful shade. I was able to run though the field into the forest and across the swamp before beginning the short climb that would take me to the long gentle downhill known as "Hill 1" logging a 6min K. Heading into final couple of Ks after descending the last hill you head though an open filed with long grass. You drop for a few hundred meters then climb out before heading into the forest. The temperature in this area was staggering , I wanted to walk but couldn't, it felt like an oven and the only cooling was by slicing through the blast furnace. Heading into the final K the 2 ravine crossing were ahead. It was great to be out of the sun and I was determined to to a better job of the crossings. Made it through much better this time but I was spent. I felt very dizzy and was starting to see stars but the end was near. I managed to recover enough to run to the finish with a Garmin time of 6hrs25min. It felt great to be done, unlike last year I only gave up a few positions in the last 10K. I wasn't the only one suffering. The new shoes and socks were fantastic , no blisters. My legs felt great , no pain at all! After crossing the finish I sat down and elevated my legs. When I sat up I almost passed out and had to remain with my legs elevated for nearly 30 minutes. After a bit of reset , beer , pizza and some ice water I was felt much better and headed home.