December and 2016 Totals

December -   312 km
YTD 2015 total - 3,346.7 km

Ran 24 times in Dec
4 X Track at the Y = 157 km
15 X Treadmill at Work = 119 km
3 X Trail = 15.4 km
1 X Road = 10.3 km
1 X Tractor Trail =10.3 km  

I am happy with the December numbers the month was geared towards building volume and getting ready for the 8 Hour R4K Jan 9.     With the Sulphur 100 miler 5 months away I will need to keep the volume up and will be turning to the Y to get the long ones in Jan, Feb and March then April May take the long ones outside.   The prep for Sulpur will set me up to the rest of the Ultra Season.  

2016 ... bring it on!  

2015 races ...

Last Run of 2015 - A fitting end to another year of going long.

  Its pretty cool ending the year running a Marathon yesterday logging 43K on the track at the Owen Sound Y.   This wraps up the Y Runs until late Jan...8 hour R4K is in 9 days ,  I am ready and excited to run the first Ultra of 2016.    I thought I was going to have some company on the track yesterday but Grant bailed at the last minute and Patrick decided to go to Blue instead.   It would have been super easy to bail on the Run as I was a little hung over and had some GI issues ...I wasn't expecting much and saw it as a good training opportunity.   Other then getting to the Y I really didn't feel all that bad when I got going.   13K in a funny thing happened.  HR had been hanging in the mid 120 to 130 bpm ...  glanced at the HR and it was suddenly 141 bpm...WTF?   That usually doesn't get there until a few hours into an LSD.   I continued to watch it climb ,  142,  143 then I decided to walk and it was 144 and not changing...WTF!!!!   Looking a little closer at my Garmin I realized that there was a colon between the 1 and the 44 ... it was 1:44 pm LOL darn old eyes!   After 5K I stopped every K for water for a total of 2.5 litres during the Run .   Did 3 S Caps and gels at 20, 27 and 34K.   Figured the HR would be different but it made squat difference.  Last week and yesterday run were within 1 minute of each other and looking at the average Heart Rate both days it was 133 bpm.   Took an unplanned walk break around 37K when Rose showed up to tell me he was delayed due to Beer drinking at Blue!    Made up for the walk by running from 40 to 41K then I did my traditional 2K walk at the end.  I cannot stress enough the value of a good cool down.  

Run Around the Hood

Missed yesterdays planned 10K ... doesn't happen very often but I left it too late the weather was somewhat miserable besides I really don't take enough rest days especially with R4K looming and well I have done my homework!   Logged a little 5.1ker just to " get my run on " today.   Was debating about tomorrows planned 48K LSD on the track tomorrow and decided to do what I did lat week but with fuel ....brilliant idea !!!!!!

Late Sunday

 Almost didn't get out the door yesterday but I am glad I managed to fit one in at the end of the day logging a 10.3K Run on the back roads and tractor trails of West Grey.   It was fun to throw the lights on and run in the dark,  I was wearing my blue tooth speaker in my back pack blasting the tunes into the night.   I felt pretty goo with a little bit of quad pain from Wednesdays Run and Fridays Gardening.  

Trail Saturday

 Its been awhile since I ran trail.   I logged a lazy little 5.2K run around the backyard trail and neighbors properties.   I had planned 2 rest days after the Y run ... first day was restful but not so much Christmas.  Spent the afternoon "Gardening" getting rid of a Raspberry ( Weed ) patch and transplanting Norway Spruce Trees.   I had originally intend on a 10K today but decided I needed more rest so I cut it short.   I may repeat today again tomorrow if I am still feeling it.  

Hello Wall

43Ks  at a mostly 6:00 pace done on the track at the Owen Sound Y yesterday.    The picture tells the story ...

 With the exception of a bathroom break around 7K I did a constant run.   All the little spikes in HR and Pace are a result of stopping just about every  K for a few seconds to drink water...micro breaks I would say.   I as going to do Gels at 20, 27 and 34Ks but as I went along I decided to skip them and see how that would affect my Run.   I did bring in 2.5 Liters of Water and did 4 S Caps but ZERO calories.    The HR was in the high 120's for the first 90 minutes the slowly climbed through the 130's in the next 90 minutes settling in the low to mid 140's in the last hour.    Running on empty meant for a little higher HR and it felt a little bit harder then usual but not terribly bad.    As I usually do at then end I did a 3K walk ... long cool downs make for great recovery vs just stopping.  

 Had a restless sleep last night and feel a little tired and a tiny bit achey today but otherwise fine.   Going to take a couple of days of reset hopefullly taking it to the trails Sat, Sun , Mon before a rest day Tues then a return to Owen Sound Y on Wed for a planned 48K Run on the Track.    R4K 8 Hour is just around the corner Jan 10.  

Lunch Run

5K lunch run today on my meal break.   Rest day tomorrow then long run at the Y the following day.