Thursday, July 31, 2014

July 2014 Totals

July        310.5 km
YTD   1,997.3 km


And here is the breakdown

Total Runs = 30
# of reset days = 5

Treadmill   -   40.0 km
Road         -  77.5 km
Trail          -  193.0 km


I did one race the 50 km Creemore Vertical Challenge.   Was registered for the North Face 50 miler but had to skip it for personal reasons.   Of the 193.0 km on the trail 117.5 km were Run  in my backyard on the Trail I built last Summer.   That works out to 141 laps of my 833 meter loop!  

Lunch Run

Back to work today!   5K done on my meal break.   And thats a wrap for July.

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Paradise

10k looping my trail this morning then it was Chainsaw time.   Finished clearing a small area of Cedar bush in prep for a new fire pit.  Dug out the pit and found about a foot of top soil on top of gravel.  At the top of the gravel there was evidence of a fire.  I read that around 1900 the forest around here was burned to create ashes that were used for ferterlizer.  I also have a suspicion that the land I was clearing was once farmed.   So I came to four possible reasons for the ash and coals a foot under the top soil.

1. Ancient forest fire not too long after the glaciers receded.
2. Around 1850 when the land was settled part of the "clearing of the land involved burning and the ash / coals made it a foot under when the land was cultivated.
3.  It was a result of the burn around 1900 and the reminents maded it a foot under when the land was cultivated.
4.  Someone else had a campfire in the exact same spot as I decided too.

Now what does this have to do with a running blog?  The answer is the fire pit is part of the trail I have been developing and running on this Summer.

Little Trail

Took Sunday off enjoying the hot weather.   Did a little 5km trail run yesterday .  Didn't want to spend any more time running wanting to do some other activities.  

Saturday, July 26, 2014

APK

Hit the Allan Park Trails with Grant today.  Good weather ,  nasty deer flies....do not wear black!  They were all over Grants black shirt but stayed away from my fluorescent lime!   We were running a    5.1K loop.  Felt like I needed some carbs after the 4th loop so we refuelled with an ice cold Beer before we did lap 5  logging a total of  25.5ks.  

Friday, July 25, 2014

Little longer today

 Been awhile since I logged an LSD.   I have been running just about every day ,  trail ,  tractor trail and back roads.    Headed N on the 2nd ,  E on the Holland Glenelg Towline then S on the Baseline until the 6th SR then rejoined the second for the final leg.   16.3 K logged today ... almost constant run.  About 9K in the right Knee  had a bit of shooting pain here and there .  Walked for a bit then returned running with a slightly shorter stride and a little more of a flat footed landing.  Deer fly's were nasty again particularly along the 6th side road.

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Little Trail

7.5K  on the trail before dinner tonight.  Not too hot ,  not too cool ,  just right although the Mosquitoes wee terrible when I stopped.

Running not blogging!

12.5 ks on the trail Tues on a 30C day.  Took it easy with the odd break here and there and really enjoyed looping in the Forest.

10 ks in the Forest last night as it was getting dark.    Nearly 20C cooler...long sleeve tech T avoiding the chilled forearms.


Monday, July 21, 2014

Melting Monday

10.2 k McCormick loop done at the heat of the day today.  Deer flys were awful .  Wore a hat with a towel underneath down over my shoulders to keep the pesky critters away.  Made for a rather warm outing hat and towel and all!

Interesting warm up

After an unplanned reset day Saturday I decided to hit the trail looping 12 laps / 10K.   Before I ran I loaded  about 1.5K of Maple Fire Wood in my Trailer.   I managed to get the trailer backed up failry close to where the tree was laying in the forest but you can never be close enough when it comes to moving fire wood from the forest floor.  When I was done I was drenched in sweat ... I sat down,  dried off and cooled down with a bottle of cold water before I proceeded to Run.   The run was OK after the over the top warm up.  I was thinking of going longer then 10K but I was really looking forward to the Blue afterwards and besides any day I can log 10K is good,  any day I can log 10K on the trail is all the better.

Friday, July 18, 2014

One more

2nd run today , another 5K on my meal break this Eve.  

Trail Time vs Talk Time

5K looping this afternoon before work.   Was going to go longer but my neighbor Ernie who owns the adjacent 37 acre property was up so it was talk not run!

Thursday, July 17, 2014

2nd 5K today

This time it was a 5K on the treadmill during my meal break this eve.  

Small Trail

Spent the morning hanging off the end of a chain saw.  Blocked a big ass tree then loaded about 1,500 lbs of Wood into my trailer.    Had a bit of time before work so I managed 6 laps on my trail loop for a total of 5K today.

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Night Cap

2nd run today a little 5K at a mostly 5:30 pace this eve on my meal break ...  Go Leafs Go!

Same as yesterday but with a shirt on.

Logged another 10.2 K run the same as yesterday.  Temps were a wee bit cooler at 14C and not so much Sun so I wore a shirt for the first time in awhile.... the Deer Fly's were a little disappointed when lunch arrived in a wrapper!

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Cool Running

18C and a stiff breeze and an intermittent Sun made for a rather pleasant run today.   Was going to head out around 11:30 am but it was raining and dark.  Checked the  weather radar and it looked like it it was going to clear up around noon and thats what it did.    Headed up the 2nd and back down the baseline logging 10.2K.   The sky had really cleared off so I grabbed a Corona and jumped in the pool!  

Monday, July 14, 2014

Lunch Run

First and only run today.  5K classic lunch run this eve...it was easy!

Night Trail

 Back at it last night after a couple of rest days.  Waited until dark to head out to the back of the property.   Started off with full lighting.  It was needed in the woods but not in the more open areas.  Its tough adjusting from darkish to light conditions.   I decided to do 12 loops,  10 kms.  I was guessing which lap the Solar Patio Lanterns would turn on ,  it was lap 7.    Last couple of  loops were in the dark.   My trails are dark ,  the ground is dark .  Its very clear in the day what is trail and but not so much in the dark.  Slowing it down and paying close attention to the footfalls were the key.    Afterwards I enjoyed a couple of beers lying in the Hammock under my glowing Patio Lanterns watching the Moon Rise.

Thursday, July 10, 2014

And again ...

Lots of Ks this week with 2 or 3 days off after today.   Logged another 10.2 K back road run today ,  up the 2nd back down the baseline.

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

2nd run 3rd day

Took my meal break near the end of my shift tonight and logged another 5K Run at a mostly 5:30 pace.  

Trail Today

Was thinking about repeating Monday and Tuesdays Run but had the brilliant idea to hot the Trail instead.  Logged 12 laps / 10K on my backyard loop.   Toughest part was only having one beer in the Hammock afterwards.. had to go to work at 4pm!  

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Again

2nd run 2nd consecutive day of doing so.  Logged a classic 5K run on my late meal break this eve.

Wet and then wild!

10.2k same route as yesterday.  Light rain at first then a downpour .  Haven't ran in that kind of rain since the Dirty Girls 48 in 2012.  Roads turned into rivers and puddles into ponds.   I wasn't overly concerned about lightning cause I wasn't hearing any thunder then with a half K to go it was a flash bang fairly close and moving towards me. Turned on the after burners booted home and made it to the porch for one hell of a flash crack bang some where's around my property.  Lightening is a big threat living on the side of a big ass glacial morain.   Had a blast in the wet it made for a much quicker pace.   The weather has passed so it's time for a cold brew in the hot tub.

Monday, July 7, 2014

2nd run

6 hours into the eve at work I needed to get away for a break so I hit the Gym for my classic "lunch run" logging 5K at a mostly 5:30 pace.   I really do prefer to run outside!  

Mixing it up

10.2 k backroad and tractor trails....up the 2nd and back down the baseline.  Have a little delayed muscle pain after Saturdays race.

Sunday, July 6, 2014

Looping Recovery...just want to run!

12.5 K on the trail today.  Nice temps and a stiff breeze the best kind of July weather.  Did 10 K jumped in my Hammock had a bottle of water and and a beer then felt like doing amother 2.5 K before returning to the hammock,  tunes and more beer.  Feeling like Creemore was weeks ago.  Either I am doing something right or perhaps I should have ran faster yesterday.

Creemore Vertical Challange - July 5, 2014

 Its always a fun run and it always leaves me a bit bewildered why I cant run this one just a little bit faster?     Logged a 6:26 finish in the 50k race yesterday satisfied at how the run went.  Fueling,  Hydration and Electrolytes were just about bag on.   Could have used a few more calories but when have I ever written a race report that didn't contain that statement.

 Grant picked me up at 6:00 am and we arrived around 7:00 am.  Fun times post race chatting with all our Ultra Peeps and the weather was  perfect.    Low humidity ,  a clear sky and comfortable temps we  very welcome.    The race started at 08:00 am and it was the usual fast start along the river trail.   Things quickly began to thin out as we hit the road gently climbing to the first aide station.   Logged the first 5K at some wheres around a 6:30 avg pace.    This was my 6th consecutive CVC 50ker so I know this course better the just about any other in the OUS series.    Passing the first aide station we have a nice K or 2 of shaded trail with no monster climbs.  Coming out of the trail we hit " Hill 1".   Not that steep and easily  runnable on fresh legs but I decided to walk  and that I did all the way to the aide station at the top.   Picked it up again after the aide station especially on the forested trail loop.  Knew I would be running all the way to the bottom of the steep little trail section that joined the two roads nearing the third  aide station.     Now there was a little flat section leading up to 3rd as but then a big ass gentle long drop to the bottom of the escarpment where we then begin the climb to the base of "O2".  Plan was to run to the base of the "02" and thats what I did.   First time walking  up the steep guy was a breeze and I soon found  myself past AS 3 and climbing "Top Hill".   Running along the top of the escarpment on the gravel road the was a huge cool dry breeze.   After coming across the top we drop through a farmers field the into Valley.   With the exception of a couple of small climbs the last 5K of the loop is more or less all downhill to the start/finish.     Crossed the Matt with the clock striking 3 hours.   Not  having the Garmin ( battery is only good for a few hours now)  I was expecting around 2:45 ish .    My very loose race goal was somewhere just under 6 hours ,   did that once back in 2009 logging 5hrs46 min but I was running much faster then and the weather that day was a actually cool for July.      Heading out for loop 2 I felt pretty good.   Temperatures were begging to rise here and there  and that cool morning breeze had a bit of a warm feel to it now.     I pretty much ran the second loop the same way as the first but I was moving  a bit slower.    I had the Garmin on on the second loop to try to push me along a bit and after posting 3 hours in the first I was thinking maybe 6:15 which would be my second fastest CVC ever.    Walking " Hill 1" I was just under a 10 minute pace ... great walking speed!    Everything was pretty much routine until "O2".... the climb this time was much slower and I paused for a moment a couple of times as I was starting to see "stars"...the hill lives up to it name.  Even the Garmin couldn't hack "O2" ,  looked at the watch and it was dead,  no "low battery" just dead and I couldn't revive it.      Grant and another fellow were a minute or two out in front of me.  It was great seeing them there and it kept me moving well the last 8K or so.    Tripped the clock at 6:26 ...  added 1:00 /km to my pace on the second loop but  overall had a pretty good run.  

Previous results ...

2009 5:46
2010 6:43
2011 6:25
2012 6:29
2013 6:36
2014 6:26

 Immediately after I finished I was seeing stars again,   grabbed a Beer and sat for 5 or 10 minutes then when I felt like I could move without passing out I grabbed another beer,  a slice of pizza and made my way to the river.    Fun times sitting in the river chatting to everyone ... its the best part of the day.     Even won a  draw prize and I was so so luck that there was some Maple Syrup left.    Writing the Blog today , Sunday the day after I feel great!   Had a solid 10 hour sleep woke up without any muscle aches a bit hungry mind you.   So I am off to do some looping on my trail this morning!   Oh and the Garmin 305 is officially retired.... it power up on the charger but has ZERO battery life ,  another casualty of the infamous "O2".  


Thursday, July 3, 2014

Cooler evening plus looking at my " Looping " numbers.

 Another night of looping yesterday, 10K logged again.   Much much cooler ,  low 20s and breezy so it was easy to naturally pick up  the pace !  

Looking at my Garmin "looping" data.

I have more or less come to the conclusion that  6 loops = 5K .  Wanted to make sure the numbers were accurate so every 6 laps I have been resting the Garmin to try to get a " good average" both distance and elevation.  Distance is pretty consistent , elevation not so.   So with 6 sets of data  I throw out the top and bottom number then average it out
 .....

6 Loops = 5.06 km
6 Loops =  +/-  323 meters
Max Elevation = 415 Meters Above Sea Level
Min Elevation = 385 Meters Above Sea Level

There is almost nothing flat about my loop.  I am either going up or down rarely flat.   It would take much to make it a 1K loop increasing the Max Elevation to between 430 and 450 meters above seal level.  I already find the existing loop to have plenty of gentle elevation making it deceptively challenging.  

June 2014 Totals

June -   274.8 km
YTD- 1686.8 km

One race the 50 km Niagara Ultra.  

Melting Monday

Been busy, no time to blog!   Monday ,  the last day of June 2014 I once again headed to my loop and logged a rather warm 10K Run.   Starting to feel like I am acclimatizing to the warmer weather and really rather enjoy running in the heat.   Just like the previous day I stopped at 5K for a few minutes downing a bottle of water then carried on for the another 6 loops.