Intended on running but did 2 5K walks instead. I checked my heart rate at the end of this mornings walk a 12:00 pace / 8 kmh yielded a HR of 77 BPM...surprisingly low! Long run at BV planned for Tuesday ... a must do. Need a long one ahead of the Tobermory Trail 42.2 in a couple of weeks.
Working nights again this week. I noticed a trend where by my Heart Rate Variability often dropped to 0 during my night shift. This is an indication that the body is under stress. Usually this week I run most shifts. This week I changed it up Mid 1 , no gym, Mid 2,3 and 4 a 3K walk was done and this morning on Mid 5 I did a 5K run slowing it down to a 7:30 pace. HRV has been normal this week. Wish I could say the same for my sleep!
Felt like running Monday and Tuesday even Wednesday. Went to the Gym on my meal break and wasnt feeling it so I did a 3K walk.
5 X 8.4K laps at 5:30 am on a Sunday morning in Waterloo and it was a wrap on the Endur 2026 adventure. I wasn't really sure how things would glo I just knew I would get it done. Crossed the finish line in 4:55:54 an average of 7:01 / km or 8.6 KPH. I am pretty sure all my splits were slighlty under and hour. The first 3 laps I kept the HR in the 120's. Laps 4 and 5 the HR was in the high 130's low 140's. It really felt like a repeat of the 2024 Marathon crossing the finish line in 4:56:57.
My 2026 combined time was 19:36:09 compared to 2024 19:23:42, 2023 18:15:20, 2022 18:56:19, 2019 16:57:11, 2018 16:59:12, 2017 16:22:07.
2nd last stage completed in 1:00:46 a 6:04 pace. Beat 2024 time by 2 seconds, 1:00:48. Held the HR to the high 130's through the first 5K then let it climb into the 140's the second half. The start was a little tentative as a result of running all week but it came around a few laps in and I put forth a moderately hard effort...no walk in the park!
Stage 5 at Baden didn't disappoint, 1,000m vertical more or less 20 hill repeats. Its a 2.6K loop done 10 times. I thought I had a good hydration plan until things got allot harder doing the 8th lap. I was 3 hours into the run and had only consumed 1.5L of water , I was 0.6L behind. It was getting warm as the race progressed heading out on the 9th loop I upped the water intake and took an extra S cap. Consumed a GU and an S Cap at the start of laps 3,5,7 and 9. The 10th lap was a tiny bit better crossing the finish line in 3:54:49 a couple of minutes faster then my 2024 finish. So an OK day, felt harder then it should have been then again nothing has been easy...that why I do it.
17.8 at the start , 27 at the end...should have run faster and finished sooner!
Stage 4 went better then anticipated , it was a 4K look done 4 times. First loop was a little rough however things smoothed out quickly and I just had a dun laps 2,3 and 4. Walked the uphills and ran super fast on the down! Temps were s wee bit arm but felt better the Mondays Stage 2. Hydrated with water from the AS , no fuel. Finished in 1:56:01 A 7:12 pace a wee bit better then I thought.
30K stage 3 done in 3:49:34. It was 6 5K loops, total elevation came in somewhere around 600m, felt like a wee bit of climbing! Wasn't into the first loop at all , ran super slow. About half way through the second loop I felt more into it and by third it was trail business as usual. Watched the HR through the run , high 120s, lots of 130s and the occasional 140+. I wasn't able to reel in the pace very well in stage 1 and 2 more or less running my 6:30ish pace. I was really looking forward to a lazy 30K trail run and that is what I did.
A bit of a tough slug with better then expected results. The temps were low 20's but the humidity was super high and there was no breeze. The Sport and Ultimate were combined , it was a mixed field going out. It was super having everyone on the course. The only detriment was the chase wasn't there...it usually moves me along a wee bit quicker. It was a 2 hour cutoff , 8 Min pace required. After yesterdays half I had no doubts about getting it down.
Finished in 1:37:12 good for an average 6:29 pace/9.3 kmh. All the treadmill work done over the past few weeks has been at a 6:30 pace. I tried to pull back again but I couldn't...super odd turning out 6:30 ish Ks.
And so it begins!
Stage 1 is in the books , 21.1 km in 2:22:01sec 6:44/K pace...I'll take it!
2024 2:16:41
2023 2:14:14
2022 2:25:51
2019 1:59:50
2018 2:03:12
2017 1:59:05
In 2017 I was 56, 2026 I am 65...
I wasnt feeling super ready I havent been logging many ks missing a few long runs. Over the past couple of months I upped my almost daily runs on meal breaks from a 7:30 pace to a 6:30 pace. The longest I held the 6:30 pace was for 10K a couple of times a few weeks ago.
When I headed out today my naturally achieved pace was 6:36 ish I would say a moderate effort. First two laps were solid grabbing a gel and a cup of water going through the aide station. HR was mostly in the 130's , sustainable for me. On the third a final lap the HR climbed into the 140's. Normally no big deal I could push into the 150's in the last K or two however there are anther 6 races to go this week so I pulled it back a bit. The weather was perfect , mid teens to start low twenties to end. There was a bit of sun exposure so I was feeling a bit warm on the last lap.
So it was a good start a bit of a "I can do this" confidence booster. The field is small around 30 Ultimate's and I am the oldest...how did that happen!
5K @ 6:30 pace again today on my lunch break. Felt good just getting board running treadmill. It will eb good to take it outside next week!
A bit of a blow out , 4K with a GI break then a 1K walk.
Fridays 10K was hot and I dehydrated...sure slowed me down making the effort way more unpleasant then it should have been.
Looking at it this way. Getting the dumb stuff out of the way ahead of Endure next week. Admittedly it does play with your head!
Friday July 31 it was 4.8K on the backyard trail with Dax followed by a very warm 10.1K McCormick loop.
4 day weekend coming up , last day in the office today. Logged one more 5K@6:30 pace. Looking forward to a break from the treadmill.
Tired from the 12s on the weekend Was going to run at lunch but I wasn't feeling the love so I did a 3K walk. If the weather holds out when I am home at 4 I may get a backyard trail run in.
Worked 12's on the weekend. Both Sat and Sun I got into the Gym and ran 11K on the treadmill on my meal break.
Sat - 11K, 10K @6:30 pace followed by a 1K cool down walk.
Sun - 11K again 9K@6:30 then 1K@6:00 followed by a 1K cool down.
Tuesday , planned a BV loop bailed due to T Storms ended up with a little 5K trail run around the hood cut short by T Storms
Wednesday, 6K on the road at Sauble , not the day managed a K @ 6:20 pace the rest was a blowout but I got it done.
Thursday , 4.8K on the backyard trail ...100% A OK, will admit I was motivated with a much overdue hammock session afterwards.
Friday , back to work...5K on the treadmill at a 6:30 pace, also A OK.
Mid 5 , got busy didn't make it to the gym.
Mid 6, 8K....5K run @ 6:30 pace with the last K @ 6:00 pace followed by a 3K walk
Mid 7 , 6K walk.
Back for another round of nights. Logged 5K this morning and yesterday both at a 6:30 pace.
4.8K on the backyard and a fantastic , somewhat over due hammock session afterwards. Not suffering any effects after the race the day before.
Returned to Blue for another crack at the Summit 700 1/2
Had fun running initially with Raj, Carson and Robin. Lost Robin a few K in and then Raj after a few more. Carson hung in there and finished with me. It was a decent time , more or less like the BV run just a bit more elevation and it was a wee bit warm, not crazy but warm.
Was third in the 60-69 age group , easier to do now the field I complete in is becoming allot less populated .
5K @ 6:30 pace this evening on my meal break.
Did a short trip to Baffin Island. Intended on running but it was only 3C hiked instead.
Intended on running yesterday however I was busy at work and didn't take a break. Today I logged a 6K @ 6:30 pace.
Weighed in , was surprised ... 174 lbs.
W and T the 24th and 25th it was a 5K on the treadmill at 7:00 pace.
Friday , 3K walk ahead of the " Long Run Saturday"
Sat and Sun ... no run, no time and I was OK with that. Knees were a bit weird after heavy lifting the week before.
Monday June 29 , back to work logging a 5K at my next pace goal , 6:30! Al was A OK , felt fluid , easy start and no complaint from the knees.
5K @ 7:00 pace again today on my meal break.
Did a repeat of Monday logging another 4.8K on the backyard trail after work. Recovery was a float in the pool with a cold one.
Monday June 15 - 21K at BV with Grant , Raj and Patrick. Around the usual 4 hour mark. Weather was fantastic for mid June started around 09:00 am @ 8C ending around 13:00 15C.
Friday June 19 - 6.4 K on the backyard trail followed by a hammock session. Still coolish temps in the mid teens at 16:00.
Sunday June 21 - 9.6K at Sauble - Looped 2nd Ave and the beech working on some faster pacing on a flat hard surface followed by a slower pace back on the beach then repeat. Started super rough walking the fist K...suffering the effects of loading the knees doing Firewood for two days during the week. Once I got moving I picked up the pace , checked the watch it was a 6:15 ish pace held it for a K or so then backed down. Did it again after a beach return and logged a K at 5:50 pace. Gradually working toward 10K @ 6:00 pace without too much effort.
Monday June 22 - TWO runs, 5K @ 7:00 pace on the treadmill at work over my meal break then right after work at 16:30 a 4.8 backyard trail run followed by a recovery float in the pool.
+
Time to start running a bit faster. New go to treadmill pace is 7:00. By July I want to be doing 5Ks at 6:00 pace then by the end of the month 10Ks at 6:00 pace. The Endur race is coming up in August...need to get moving faster.
Logged 9K today , mostly 7:00 pace.
Mid 2 3K walk
Mid 3 3K walk
Mid 4 3K walk
Mid 5 5K run @ 7:30 pace
Mid 6 5K walk
Mid 7 No gym visit , slept.
Did the Mansfield race again this year. Raj and Patrick joined me for another crack at it. Great weather , fantastic course and good company summed up the day. We we slow by design! An hour in we had on covered 5K averaging a 12:00 pace... yes we were actually running albeit a little soo slow. The half way cutoff was at 13:00 , 5 hours after the race start. At the pace we were going we were in danger of getting pulled off course. Between 5 and 12 K we pulled some 8:00 Ks putting enough time in the bank. Our 25K time was around 4hrs23min. The guys were moving well the whole 50K , it was slow but steady so no death march. The second half was all about getting it done. We wrapped somewhere around 9 hours definitely my slowest 50K ever but it didn't matter. We hung out for an hour after the race having a cold beer and talking to Robin. On the way home we stopped at the "Burger Bus" on Airport Road that the Honeywood turn off...best burger I had in some time.
