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.