November Totals

November  278.0
YTD         3248.1

No races this past month!  

and that's all folks...

Last run of November 2012 ,  ended with a 5K lunch run.   2 days of reset then Creemore.

2nd last

2nd last planned run before Creemore.   5K at my usual 6:00 pace done.    Weather this weekend is anything but winter .  It kind of sucks because I was fully prepared to run in the cold.   I have even packed a pair of shorts as an option.   Saturdays start looks like it will be just below freezing and it will continue to warm  throughout the race.  Bad news its going to be wet ,  showers Saturday with rain forcasted on Sunday .... good reason to finish strong, finish early!

Crazy busy day

...but I managed to sneak in a 5K at lunch!

Outside in the snow again.

Headed to Allan Park today for my last longish run before Creemore.   Stopped at Tims for a big breakfast after pick up Grant.  Started running around 09:00 ,  full belly and big Head due to 2 or 3 too many Guinness last night.  Ran in the snow but not breaking trail,  feet remained dry.   Wore the same thing with the exception of the 2nd layer up top.  Today I tried out my Mizuno Mid Weight Breathe Thermal,  a little lighter then yesterday top and a wee bit better for the -2C.    Ran for 2 hours 37 minutes logging around 19Ks ( forgot to turn the Garmin on).   

 

Only 6 more sleeps until Creemore.  

Winter's here time to play!

 Woke up to a winter wonderland.  I was happy that  it snowed because I wanted to try out a few things in advance of next weeks 100 miler.     The Injinji toe socks I have a the low cut ones so I wore another pair of socks over top.    I didn't want to have exposed skin between the Ankle and bottom of the tights.   Both are pretty minimal socks so it worked out pretty good.     Being -2C and snowing I was able to go 2 layers up top.   Base being my favorite cold weather gear the Mizuno Mid Weight Breathe  Thermal with my new Mizuno "WarmlaLite" on top.  On the bottom half it was my Mizuno Tights with some Sugoi wind proof  Underwear ...very important!   Wore my Compression Hat from the 2011 Sulphur Springs 100 miler as well as some North Face Gloves.   After 2 5K indoor runs  the Saucony Xodus 3.0 Gortex  Shoes finally faced the elements.

 Heading out the door I instantly felt the gripping cold.  Its always uncomfortable getting going but when its cold its a whole different experience.   I headed out on my 11.2K trail loop.  The snow was Ankle deep and I didn't see much of my shoes shuffling along at an avg 8:00 pace.     I was slightly overdressed for the conditions  and it didn't take long before the compression cap came off.  The Mizuno tops both have a small zipper that could be adjusted ,  it was amazing how much of a difference exposing just a small amount of neck and upper chest could cool you down.    It was quite windy at times and a ton of snow was coming off the trees plus the occasional squall.  I didn't feel the wind at all.  the layering worked rather well.   Incorporated a few walks here and there to see how I would feel.  On the longer walks I started to get a bit chilled.  I was most comfortable with an easy continuous effort.   Toughest part of next week will be heading out of the start/finish.   I am only going to pause at the 5K Aide Station ,  Gels and Fluids and that's it.   Major solid food will occur every 10.6K at the start/finish.     The double socks and the new shoes worked out very well.   My feet were a little damp from sweat and a bit of snow gathered under the top of the tongue and was melting into the shoe.  There is a very good chance we will see some snow next week but with 30 folks on a 10.8K loop I doubt I will be breaking trail.  

 So I logged 11.3K today in the snow and somewhat cold.  The run was a huge confidence booster ... pretty much have what I need to go long in these sorts of conditions.   One more longer run outdoors tomorrow morning then just some lite 5Ks at lunch M/T/W taking T/F off.    Going to get my gear and food together M/T/W eve then try to do nothing on T/F.     7 more sleeps!

Final Five

Last 5K lunch run of the week today.   Long run planned for Sunday and will also try to get out tomorrow.  Weather is suppose to turn witnery so its a great opportunity to test out some of my new Mizuno gear and also a chance to break in my new again Saucony Xodus Gortex Shoes.    

Lunch Run

4th consecutive 5K lunch Run this week.  

Thoughts are on Creemore

5K at a 6:00 pace today at lunch.      

Creemore T - 9 Sleeps

Lunch Run

Another 5K at a 6:00 pace today.   Didn't really enjoy running on the treadmill as I would far rather be outside but that's just the way it goes sometimes.  

Lunch Run

Its been 2 weeks since I ran indoors!  Logged my usual 5K lunch run at a mostly 6:00 pace today.  

11 more sleeps before the Creemore 100 miler!

Creemore Training Run

Made my way to Ceemore today via Varney to pick up Grant.   We did were out to run the 10.5K loop that the 100 miler will be held on in 2 weeks.   I have been doing lots this past week so the goal was to do a 3-4 hour run.   Had a big breakfast at Tims and arrived in Creemore around 08:40 am.  We were off a half hour later on a beustiful late fall day.  Wore my new Mizuno Tights ,  Mizuno Mid Weight Breathe Thermal Compression Shirt with a Mizuno Warmalite on Top,  Gloves , Compression Bennie, Injji Toes Socks and my Adidas Super Nova Trail Shoes. .  I knew I would be a bit overdressed for the +2C temps and 2K in I took off the Warmalite.    We had Sun a little breeze and temps on the way up to a max of 7C and I was very comfortable.   I regulated my temp mostly by  removing the hat when I was hot and putting it back on when I was cool.

The 10.5K loop was well thought out for a winter 100 miler.  First 2-3 K are flat and fast on a road.  The next couple of Ks were mostly a gentle climb to a trail.  The trail turned back into a road  with about 5K remaining.   There was a long gentle 1K section leading to Airport Road then a couple of K back to the start finish along the River.

Logged 3 loops covering a distance of 31.5K  in 4hrs17min for an avg 8:11 pace.     Race pace will be a 90 minues/loop so I wasnt to far off that mark.    Two weeks from now I am planning on 15+ loops to complete the 100 miles.

Picture ...

 

Wed Nov 14th

 Logged my last run in of my vacation today.  25K done just shy of 3 hours and only a little slower then yesterday at a 7:04 avg pace.   It was hot ,  really hot and no breeze and lot of sun exposure.  Now back to the colder weather ...  looking forward to it!

Tuesday November 13th

No wind ,  no clouds and even warmer temperatures today made for a slower  and shortened Run.    Still managed to slug it out for 1hr48min52sec covering 15.0K at an avg 7:01 pace.  One good thing about running in the heat is that it has slowed the pace down to approaching my Creemore crawl.    One thing that I will have to do is get outside this and next weekend to help acclimatize to the cold again...talk about a contrast.  

Monday November 12 - " I like your style mon"

4th consecutive 20K run done in Run Away Bay Jamaica today.  Slept late and it was  a whole lot hotter today pushing 30C.  Temps and lots of Sunshine made for a tough run today.    Felt like I was going to be sick around 12K,   took on a glass of water at 15K ,  wiped out on the beach at 17K.  The crowing achievement was the finish.  The Aide Station AKA Pool Bar had just opened up when I finished.    I said " I need a glass of Water ,  a few ounces of dark Rum and a Beer.  Not necessarily in that order and I will have one and two done before you finish pouring 3".  The Bar tendered replied " I like your style Mon".   Downed the Water and 3 ounces of Run before he finished pouring the Beer.  Its good to run on Holidays!

Sunday November 11th

 It was a little bit warmer today in Run Away Bay.  Temps ,  high humidity and Sun exposure made for a little slower pace today.   Logged my third consecutive 20K vacation run today at an avg 6:48 pace.

Saturday November 10th

2nd Runaway Bay Run completed....fully expected to see Jimmy Buffet along the way but he didn't show.   The weather cooperated again,  temps in the mid 20's, 80% Humidity but overcast Sky's and a stiff breeze made for bearable running conditions .   Spent quite allot of time sitting at the Lobby Bar last night drinking what ever came my way.   Meet a hard partying young couple from TO who had me drinking something the call "Jolly Rancher" shots.  It wasn't the Beer but probably the Bartenders special drink called " Antonio's Surprise" that had a fair bit to "Tokillyah" in it ....anyhow I had a really big head when I headed out at 7:45 this morning ...   a bit of a rough start I would say.   For some reason I was a bit faster today logging my 20K at an avg 6:22 pace.

3 Days

3 days of not running to get here ...

So I can do this...

Its been 14 days since I took it outside. My last run outside was a chilly wet 6hours spent on the the 2.5K Horror Hill Loop. FInishing HH I had no idea that my next out of doors run would also be on a 2.5K loop also in the rain but it was 20 degrees warmer today making the rain a very very good running partner. I was probably the only one in the place that was happy it was wet. So I logged a comfotable soggy 20.5K at a liesurly 6:46 pace. If the rain presists today I may lace up the shoes again and do another 10K ...love it when I have time on my side :<).

 

Last Mid

Night 7 of 7 ,  no turning back the clocks tonight so I had 1hr15min  of gym time.   Logged a mere 10K at a mostly 5:49 pace.    Going to take it outside after dark on Tuesday .   Don't dare run in the woods during the day this week....   it Deer Gun week!

Horror Hill Pictures

Hard is good

 This morning run was just one of those times when just about everything was working against me.  First I am on mids this week and sleep has been lousy an not nearly enough.   I ate way too much Halloween Chocolate a couple of hours before I ran.   I ended up with indigestion whist I was running then I got it from the other end with some GI issues.   Once running the right foot hurt like hell ,  the right calf acted up after going out too fast , left knee felt stiff  and so on a so forth.  Now being that its the night the clocks go back my 12 hour shift became 13 hours so to erase that extra hour I took a 2hr15min lunch so I could do a 2 hour run.   So I managed the 2 hours ,  pace was all over the place 6:00 to 4:30 and I covered 21.7 tough Ks.  

4am again

Another 4am lunch run ,  7K at a mostly 6:00 pace.

Ron

Lunch Run

Just before 4am I jumped on the treadmill for a 5K run at a 6:00 pace.  

Running into November

Started today's run in October and ended it in November.   Logged 12.5K at a mostly 6:00 pace.