Today has not been a boring level day. Some ups and some downs, and I felt sort of stressed throughout. I didn't even think or worry about tonight's speedwork, which is a bit unusual for me. Usually long intervals are somewhat intimidating.
Fortunately, the weather was cooperative. It rained most of the day, but stopped in time for the workout, yet stayed overcast. It was still really humid, but relatively cool at 22C, and there was a wind too, that helped.
The first couple of km intervals were a little logey, and then things slowly started to click and move in the right way. The last two were especially good...I was able to keep pushing, but keep things light too. Will have to try to remember how it felt.
4:12
4:09
4:12
4:04
4:02
I'm really happy with it, especially since it's summer. I don't think I've had a long interval workout that's gone this well ever. Must be all those umpteen easy miles kicking in. I might have to watch pace this Sunday with the group; otherwise, I'm going to continue doing my easy runs untimed. Anyway, tonight's total with running there/back/warm up/cool down: 8.24 miles.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
6.92 miles
Another run with the dog. I won't run with him tomorrow, so I figured I should tire him out a bit more today. Mind you, there were a couple of drink stops, plus a couple of minutes or so walking afterwards to let the water go down. Unfortunately, it was sunny and muggy out, so I didn't want to push him too far.
Still, it was a nice run. My legs felt stiff again at the beginning, and I realized that I was pushing myself too much--the beginning of the run was uphill, and then I relaxed and things loosened up. Later on, I was able to pick things up.
Hopefully, I'll be in good shape for tomorrow's speedwork. Haven't looked at the schedule yet. And I definitely hope that the weather's a little cooler and drier, if not overcast.
Still, it was a nice run. My legs felt stiff again at the beginning, and I realized that I was pushing myself too much--the beginning of the run was uphill, and then I relaxed and things loosened up. Later on, I was able to pick things up.
Hopefully, I'll be in good shape for tomorrow's speedwork. Haven't looked at the schedule yet. And I definitely hope that the weather's a little cooler and drier, if not overcast.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Salvaging Monday
Actually, this morning, I felt surprisingly fine for having run umpteen miles yesterday. Usually my quads, especially their lateral sides, betray stiffness or soreness the day after, but I didn't notice anything. Grabbed the dog for a short 20 minute walk, and then I went to work, and then I got a bit upset over another late bus going back. I know it must be hard to run them on schedule; I just wish that they were more frequent. Oh, well, I have just a few more trips and then my work shifts to downtown---woo-hoo! I'll miss my client, but not the bus ride. I just can't tap into it. I'm one of those people who reads, or sometimes works or naps on public transport, with few mishaps, but this route is somehow so non-descript that I panic at least once on every trip out that I've missed my stop. And, truthfully, I have, but there's a string of them close together, so it's not so bad. I think I've gotten off at 3 or 4 different stops. And, yep, I've also gotten sort of lost on the short walk back to the stop after work. Usually I enjoy this sort of detour, and find something interesting in it, but when it's one lawn after another, I zone out. That's probably why I made an extra turn in the first place.
Anyway, this bus issue, and perhaps the thunderstorm, and perhaps slight dehydration (I was on the go a lot) gave me a headache. I don't often get those. I fell asleep on the bus ride back, woke up in time for my stop (no problems downtown!) and the headache started while I was walking home. Fortunately, it started pouring soon after I arrived home, so I had an excuse to delay.
Finally, we set out. We were somewhat in sync and so I was able to concentrate on loosening up. My quads did feel stiff at first, but I went slowly and let things fall into place, rather than push them. After a couple of miles, I felt a good sort of tingling running down my legs, like someone had injected slightly chilled fluid intravenously. I don't get that feeling on every recovery run, but somehow it feels like success.
We walked a few portions, too, namely inclines and/or pavement. Not all pavement--it's hard to avoid--but some. I wanted it to be super easy. No idea of pace, but after the run, my legs felt fresher.
I'm curious to see how I'll feel tomorrow.
5.5 miles.
Anyway, this bus issue, and perhaps the thunderstorm, and perhaps slight dehydration (I was on the go a lot) gave me a headache. I don't often get those. I fell asleep on the bus ride back, woke up in time for my stop (no problems downtown!) and the headache started while I was walking home. Fortunately, it started pouring soon after I arrived home, so I had an excuse to delay.
Finally, we set out. We were somewhat in sync and so I was able to concentrate on loosening up. My quads did feel stiff at first, but I went slowly and let things fall into place, rather than push them. After a couple of miles, I felt a good sort of tingling running down my legs, like someone had injected slightly chilled fluid intravenously. I don't get that feeling on every recovery run, but somehow it feels like success.
We walked a few portions, too, namely inclines and/or pavement. Not all pavement--it's hard to avoid--but some. I wanted it to be super easy. No idea of pace, but after the run, my legs felt fresher.
I'm curious to see how I'll feel tomorrow.
5.5 miles.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
stretching out the long run
Today I ran 20.51 miles, but in a few installments, mainly getting to the start point, running 25 K with the running group, and then jogging home, after a picnic. My running-to-part was about a km shorter than expected, as one of the other runners in the group saw me on the way over and offered me a lift. That was greatly appreciated; my contribution to the picnic was a bit heavy. Plus, it wasn't a really good gut day. I have been eating way too much popcorn...not much, really, but I just can't handle it well. Plus, I ate some chips last night, and it's been a few weeks, I think, since I've had those. It was strange--I was eating them and, all of a sudden, I felt flushed. It was like those things triggered something. So I stopped eating them, went to bed, etc, and woke up to one of those IBS mornings. This made me debate running, but then I figured I could jog a bit to see, and if things were still unsteady, then I could duck in somewhere, maybe, or return home. Well, things settled down, and I was out of the danger zone at least, though my abdomen still hurt and I vaguely felt like I would have to throw up somewhere down the line. This didn't happen, thankfully.
It's been quite a while since I've had a morning like that, I think....strange to think that that used to be normal! At any rate, I'm going to cutback on the popcorn and chips, dole out smaller and smaller portions. That's my favourite sort of junk food so I don't think I can eliminate it completely. I've tried, but then I end up eating a lot when I do let myself have it. Oh, why can't I prefer chocolate? haha. I think I can avoid that particular flavour/brand of chip, though, without too much deprivation.
Anyway, we all met up, confirmed the route, and set off. It's been a while since I've run a long run with a group and I was a little worried that I'd miss the tranquility--or struggle to keep up, to be honest!, but it was a neat atmos. Plus, there are all sorts of other runners out, too, and I talked with a couple of them too. And it was good to get out of my zone for a bit...I figure that probably I've been running my long runs too slowly, but haven't been concerned because it's 1.summer and 2. early in training. I still have 17 weeks to go if I do Philly.
It was a bit hot, and I wasn't sure if there were water fountains along all the route, so I brought a small water bottle. Just something to hold in my hand. That was a bit tiring after a while, and as I write this, I feel sore in my arms and shoulders and nowhere else, really. Just part of training. Still, it was really cool to run a new route without really having to worry about it. I just followed the others.
And the picnic was fabulous! Good food and good times. The running club is a great group of people.
My legs felt fine during the short jog home, though I was going slower than usual. But that was ok. I still have plenty of time to train.
I doubt that the dog is going to get a run today. lol. We'll aim for tomorrow before work.
It's been quite a while since I've had a morning like that, I think....strange to think that that used to be normal! At any rate, I'm going to cutback on the popcorn and chips, dole out smaller and smaller portions. That's my favourite sort of junk food so I don't think I can eliminate it completely. I've tried, but then I end up eating a lot when I do let myself have it. Oh, why can't I prefer chocolate? haha. I think I can avoid that particular flavour/brand of chip, though, without too much deprivation.
Anyway, we all met up, confirmed the route, and set off. It's been a while since I've run a long run with a group and I was a little worried that I'd miss the tranquility--or struggle to keep up, to be honest!, but it was a neat atmos. Plus, there are all sorts of other runners out, too, and I talked with a couple of them too. And it was good to get out of my zone for a bit...I figure that probably I've been running my long runs too slowly, but haven't been concerned because it's 1.summer and 2. early in training. I still have 17 weeks to go if I do Philly.
It was a bit hot, and I wasn't sure if there were water fountains along all the route, so I brought a small water bottle. Just something to hold in my hand. That was a bit tiring after a while, and as I write this, I feel sore in my arms and shoulders and nowhere else, really. Just part of training. Still, it was really cool to run a new route without really having to worry about it. I just followed the others.
And the picnic was fabulous! Good food and good times. The running club is a great group of people.
My legs felt fine during the short jog home, though I was going slower than usual. But that was ok. I still have plenty of time to train.
I doubt that the dog is going to get a run today. lol. We'll aim for tomorrow before work.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Yesterday
I forgot to update.
Yesterday's run was very mellow. It was hot (26C) and somewhat humid and mostly sunny, but I kept things easy and loose and it was fine. I think I did the right thing this summer: put away the Garmin, along with any expectations of pace on easy runs. Yes, some of my easy runs are really more like recovery runs, and sometimes my 'recovery' runs end up being longer and faster in the end, but as long as I continue to go with what honestly feels good and easy with these types of runs, I don't think I can go too wrong.
In fact, I think it has helped me a lot that I've kept the effort quite low...how low? There are often times when I find myself not breathing in rhythm because I don't require that much air. I have briefly skimmed a few articles about Maffetone training and so forth, and it could be that that's what I have going on. However, I think the main benefit simply comes from not pushing myself too much all the time. Last summer, I had ideas of pace for pretty much all my runs, and while I let myself get slower, it probably wasn't enough, and so I was working too hard. Admittedly, I can't blame myself completely: when the temp is above 30, as it often was, it's hard to tell between what's not-so-easy and what's easy because the latter doesn't really exist anymore. By the time it finally got cooler, I was tired, and my fall marathon didn't go as well as planned, although that was partly due to the meal I had the night before.
Anyway, I guess I've been trying to tap into this mellow easy cruising sort of thing since Ottawa race weekend, and I've noticed two things. My easy mellow cruising pace seems to have gotten a bit faster. Not sure how much, but I noticed a few times that I got to certain landmarks a bit more quickly. Not by much, though, and if I start obsessing over it, I'll leave my watch at home, but I seem to be running with less effort at least. And, secondly, I'm more comfortable in hotter weather.
Yesterday, for instance, the humidex was 30 or so, but I needed only three water stops in a 2-ish hr run, and I didn't feel hot. Mind you, I was going very slow, but I stopped only for traffic lights and those 3 water fountains. I was in a zone and didn't notice that it was 'hot'. I felt fine. It could have been 10 degrees cooler. I guess all those long-long runs in hot weather have paid off. Hopefully I can get in a few more, and then reap the rewards when it cools off in the fall. That's a wonderful feeling, running along without umpteen % of my blood diverted from my legs to dermal cooling.
OK, today's jog with the dog, 3.5 miles. There was some walking in that too, I confess. Plus, we went to a park to meet other dogs at one point. He really wanted to play, and did a little, but I'm still hesitant about letting him off-leash. Sometimes when there's only one dog in there, one that he's not interested in, we practice stay-come off-leash. Eventually, I guess, we'll practice with more and more distractions. He's a pro in the house, but he's also very easily distracted. The dog he wanted especially to play with was a young female. My dog is fixed but he's still interested in girls. LOL
Yesterday's run was very mellow. It was hot (26C) and somewhat humid and mostly sunny, but I kept things easy and loose and it was fine. I think I did the right thing this summer: put away the Garmin, along with any expectations of pace on easy runs. Yes, some of my easy runs are really more like recovery runs, and sometimes my 'recovery' runs end up being longer and faster in the end, but as long as I continue to go with what honestly feels good and easy with these types of runs, I don't think I can go too wrong.
In fact, I think it has helped me a lot that I've kept the effort quite low...how low? There are often times when I find myself not breathing in rhythm because I don't require that much air. I have briefly skimmed a few articles about Maffetone training and so forth, and it could be that that's what I have going on. However, I think the main benefit simply comes from not pushing myself too much all the time. Last summer, I had ideas of pace for pretty much all my runs, and while I let myself get slower, it probably wasn't enough, and so I was working too hard. Admittedly, I can't blame myself completely: when the temp is above 30, as it often was, it's hard to tell between what's not-so-easy and what's easy because the latter doesn't really exist anymore. By the time it finally got cooler, I was tired, and my fall marathon didn't go as well as planned, although that was partly due to the meal I had the night before.
Anyway, I guess I've been trying to tap into this mellow easy cruising sort of thing since Ottawa race weekend, and I've noticed two things. My easy mellow cruising pace seems to have gotten a bit faster. Not sure how much, but I noticed a few times that I got to certain landmarks a bit more quickly. Not by much, though, and if I start obsessing over it, I'll leave my watch at home, but I seem to be running with less effort at least. And, secondly, I'm more comfortable in hotter weather.
Yesterday, for instance, the humidex was 30 or so, but I needed only three water stops in a 2-ish hr run, and I didn't feel hot. Mind you, I was going very slow, but I stopped only for traffic lights and those 3 water fountains. I was in a zone and didn't notice that it was 'hot'. I felt fine. It could have been 10 degrees cooler. I guess all those long-long runs in hot weather have paid off. Hopefully I can get in a few more, and then reap the rewards when it cools off in the fall. That's a wonderful feeling, running along without umpteen % of my blood diverted from my legs to dermal cooling.
OK, today's jog with the dog, 3.5 miles. There was some walking in that too, I confess. Plus, we went to a park to meet other dogs at one point. He really wanted to play, and did a little, but I'm still hesitant about letting him off-leash. Sometimes when there's only one dog in there, one that he's not interested in, we practice stay-come off-leash. Eventually, I guess, we'll practice with more and more distractions. He's a pro in the house, but he's also very easily distracted. The dog he wanted especially to play with was a young female. My dog is fixed but he's still interested in girls. LOL
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Maybe my dog reads my blog
I wrote earlier this week about how I don't like running with him because we're often not on the same wavelength, as much as he tries....well, today, we were. I was a bit stiff from yesterday's 5K time trial, so I wanted to go slowly, and he stuck by my side, slowed down when I did, etc, etc...he really did well. And it was pleasantly cool-ish, and overcast, and a bit rainy. We ran along the river, him mostly on grass, for over an hour. The run ended up being 8.3 miles long and it was very relaxing.
Apart from a few other dogs--a habitual gripe of mine. I have just come from an excellent yin yoga class so don't want to bust the mellowness so soon....but it would be ever so nice if people who can't control their dogs with voice commands don't let them loose near a bike/running path. We were nearly stopped because someone's dog barged in our way--I tried to veer, but it was ahead of us and there was only so much room, and it blocked my dog. There are places where dogs can run free (even if not officially sanctioned) and I'll take my dog there sometimes so that he can socialize, sniff butts, etc, though I keep him on leash. And I expect to stop. This wasn't such a place. Oh, well. We also watched a few other dogs hauling their owners towards us, and being hauled out of the way in return....but there was also a cute terrier type dog who was loose, who stayed by his master, and the dogs looked at each other as we passed, and that was it. A nice change from having some oaf edge us off the path, and the owner greet us with that certain dog-owner brand of oblivious gaiety: "oh, hi, don't worry, he's friendly..." Trouble is, I'm not always!! and my dog seems to think that trotting is his job, so he's usually aloof with other dogs when in that mode. There have been times where he's taken one look or one sniff, and then sharply turned his head away and kept going. It cracks me up. One dog owner actually huffed about it, which was even funnier. Anyway, this time, I just shrugged and ran away before I said something stupid.
And that ruined the mellowness of the run, but we kept going, smelling the damp veg and ozone and all, and I started tapping into a better vibe after a while. This is what I'm aiming for this year: zen. Or whatever it's called. Laissez-faire? I used to be so easy-going, and then I got a bit wound up while in Korea for whatever reason, and then Colorado was ok, but the greencard complications weren't, and then we moved South and the tude really got bad. I was totally unprepared for feeling so angry. I'd run it off, and then would cross paths with someone stewing dark grey turmoil or whatever, and so then I would have to run some more... LOL. Work was especially tough, having to care for all those poor kids with broken families, various disorders, etc, and all that drama! That ship sure never had an even keel. I apparently lost my smile after a while, someone told me. Not completely true, but, yes, I stopped smiling as much because maybe, subconciously, it was a magnet for emotional vampirism. And I started watching a LOT of tv.
I decided that I sure as heck couldn't stay there any longer, especially not while my husband was away, and I guess my drifting back here was fulfilling a need to recenter myself. I do feel better. Getting miffed over someone's dog is a small blip to what I used to feel.
Anyway, I'm not sure that recovery runs should be eight miles, and sometimes I'm content with 3 or 4 miles, but sometimes, I just keep loosening up and it feels right to keep going.
Apart from a few other dogs--a habitual gripe of mine. I have just come from an excellent yin yoga class so don't want to bust the mellowness so soon....but it would be ever so nice if people who can't control their dogs with voice commands don't let them loose near a bike/running path. We were nearly stopped because someone's dog barged in our way--I tried to veer, but it was ahead of us and there was only so much room, and it blocked my dog. There are places where dogs can run free (even if not officially sanctioned) and I'll take my dog there sometimes so that he can socialize, sniff butts, etc, though I keep him on leash. And I expect to stop. This wasn't such a place. Oh, well. We also watched a few other dogs hauling their owners towards us, and being hauled out of the way in return....but there was also a cute terrier type dog who was loose, who stayed by his master, and the dogs looked at each other as we passed, and that was it. A nice change from having some oaf edge us off the path, and the owner greet us with that certain dog-owner brand of oblivious gaiety: "oh, hi, don't worry, he's friendly..." Trouble is, I'm not always!! and my dog seems to think that trotting is his job, so he's usually aloof with other dogs when in that mode. There have been times where he's taken one look or one sniff, and then sharply turned his head away and kept going. It cracks me up. One dog owner actually huffed about it, which was even funnier. Anyway, this time, I just shrugged and ran away before I said something stupid.
And that ruined the mellowness of the run, but we kept going, smelling the damp veg and ozone and all, and I started tapping into a better vibe after a while. This is what I'm aiming for this year: zen. Or whatever it's called. Laissez-faire? I used to be so easy-going, and then I got a bit wound up while in Korea for whatever reason, and then Colorado was ok, but the greencard complications weren't, and then we moved South and the tude really got bad. I was totally unprepared for feeling so angry. I'd run it off, and then would cross paths with someone stewing dark grey turmoil or whatever, and so then I would have to run some more... LOL. Work was especially tough, having to care for all those poor kids with broken families, various disorders, etc, and all that drama! That ship sure never had an even keel. I apparently lost my smile after a while, someone told me. Not completely true, but, yes, I stopped smiling as much because maybe, subconciously, it was a magnet for emotional vampirism. And I started watching a LOT of tv.
I decided that I sure as heck couldn't stay there any longer, especially not while my husband was away, and I guess my drifting back here was fulfilling a need to recenter myself. I do feel better. Getting miffed over someone's dog is a small blip to what I used to feel.
Anyway, I'm not sure that recovery runs should be eight miles, and sometimes I'm content with 3 or 4 miles, but sometimes, I just keep loosening up and it feels right to keep going.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Throttling summer
I am not a summer runner. I mean, I continue to run in the summer, but either I'm miserable or going pretty slowly...and sometimes both. The last few summers have been particularly smashing. Summer 2004: I was injured and in monsoon season in Korea getting some sort of weird heat rash...not much running. Summer 2005: I was even more injured so not running at all, but mostly travelling, including several weeks in the Middle East. And then we moved to Colorado and I burnt my lungs up just walking. lol Summer 2006: Virginia. I got heat exhaustion once. That pretty much sums it up, though I did enjoy sprinting in that heat and humidity. Long rest intervals, eh? Summer 2007: Maryland. Slightly less hot and humid than Virginia, but it seemed endless. The temps still hit 32C (not humidex) in mid/late October.
I really didn't want to go through another summer like that. Staying where we'd been living was an option too horrific to contemplate, but I had considered moving to Baltimore because it's one of my favourite cities. Definitely my favourite city so far on the East Coast. We lived there for a month or so, and I liked it. Lots to do, some good places to run (I did a few 3 hour runs there, and didn't get bored), heaps of great food, especially seafood!! And the atmos is great, down to earth. Plus, a friend of ours was trying to rent out a nifty apartment in Federal Hill and I was really really really tempted by that, and by the reasonable rents in general. But that summer! Yes, the murder rate is a consideration, too, but the summer scared me more. So I fled north.
However, my races this year between the Hypo 1/2 and the Hintonburg 5 were all too hot for racing. I'd sweated along, and took a more relaxed approach, pace-wise, to training, and then the Hintonburg race turned out to be a bit cooler, and overcast, and a breakthough.
So, my hopes were kind of high for today's time trial (5K), but at the same time, I wasn't sure if the Hintonburg result was a fluke--the weather certainly seemed to be!--plus I didn't want to take any time off of training. I hoped to do sub 7/mile but wasn't expecting that.
Well, I didn't quite pull that off. But close! The weather turned a bit cool and overcast, which was wonderful considering the sauna earlier in the week. I didn't feel totally in form, but I don't always do before tough workouts/races, so that didn't worry me. The route was along the Canal, and it was decided to run to the far end and race back, which was a bit of a wrench--I'd run to the run club as normal, and was already feeling a bit hot, and I'd already run the route opposite in my mind. But, I jogged down easily with the rest of the group.
My bowels then began to move a bit...this sort of thing, but far worse, was my bane last summer especially. The heat and high exertion make things cranky. There wasn't much I could do except ignore it.
We started and I pretended I felt cold. This is something I've been experimenting with lately. When I feel too hot, I slow down, so I'm trying to convince myself that I feel cool.
Anyway, the first KM was in about 4:16--way too fast!! Soon after, my legs began to feel lactic acidy, just a bit...I didn't intend to slow down, but I did a bit then and there, and then tried my best to hang in there. There were a couple of slightly faster people in front of me, and I managed to hang on. Even threw in a couple of surges when things started getting stiff, and that actually did help. Amazing how that works, and next time, I promise, I'll experiment with digging in a bit more. The other thing that went well was keeping my right shoulder up...running with the dog and holding the leash on that side has gotten me into that bad habit, which in turn makes my right arm stiff, and tends to jam up my right side in general. Anyway, I think the 2nd K mark was 8:40?? not sure, and I missed the 3K mark, but I was getting tired. 4K was in 17:42 or so, I think, a wilt...I tried to pick it up. Then my bowels started to protest again, but not too far from the end, so that couldn't have slowed me down much. I finished in 22:09, an ever-so-slightly faster pace than the Hintonburg race, which was sweet.
The time trial went by pretty quickly. My pacing still needs work, but I'm amazed at how well I've taken to 5Ks. Maybe I'm not running hard enough. The effort is hard, but knowing soon after I've started that I have less than 20 minutes to go makes the pain go away a LOT.
Well, once I got home, I hit the pace calculators big time. 22:09 translates to a chance of BQing at Philly. I've attempted this twice already (not counting my first marathon), and it was crushing to end up about ten minutes too long both times, especially the 2nd. It would suck majorly to fail again, but, hey, I'm uninjured, knock wood, have time to train properly, and have a decent base, a couple of 50+ mile weeks and 3 17-18ish mile runs this past month. And I'm feeling surprisingly fresh still, despite the summer, which maybe, knock wood, is starting to retreat. That is an odd feeling, and I hope I'm not jinxing by explaining it: is that all? Did I actually succeed in beating the heat?
So maybe it's time to try for Boston again.
I really didn't want to go through another summer like that. Staying where we'd been living was an option too horrific to contemplate, but I had considered moving to Baltimore because it's one of my favourite cities. Definitely my favourite city so far on the East Coast. We lived there for a month or so, and I liked it. Lots to do, some good places to run (I did a few 3 hour runs there, and didn't get bored), heaps of great food, especially seafood!! And the atmos is great, down to earth. Plus, a friend of ours was trying to rent out a nifty apartment in Federal Hill and I was really really really tempted by that, and by the reasonable rents in general. But that summer! Yes, the murder rate is a consideration, too, but the summer scared me more. So I fled north.
However, my races this year between the Hypo 1/2 and the Hintonburg 5 were all too hot for racing. I'd sweated along, and took a more relaxed approach, pace-wise, to training, and then the Hintonburg race turned out to be a bit cooler, and overcast, and a breakthough.
So, my hopes were kind of high for today's time trial (5K), but at the same time, I wasn't sure if the Hintonburg result was a fluke--the weather certainly seemed to be!--plus I didn't want to take any time off of training. I hoped to do sub 7/mile but wasn't expecting that.
Well, I didn't quite pull that off. But close! The weather turned a bit cool and overcast, which was wonderful considering the sauna earlier in the week. I didn't feel totally in form, but I don't always do before tough workouts/races, so that didn't worry me. The route was along the Canal, and it was decided to run to the far end and race back, which was a bit of a wrench--I'd run to the run club as normal, and was already feeling a bit hot, and I'd already run the route opposite in my mind. But, I jogged down easily with the rest of the group.
My bowels then began to move a bit...this sort of thing, but far worse, was my bane last summer especially. The heat and high exertion make things cranky. There wasn't much I could do except ignore it.
We started and I pretended I felt cold. This is something I've been experimenting with lately. When I feel too hot, I slow down, so I'm trying to convince myself that I feel cool.
Anyway, the first KM was in about 4:16--way too fast!! Soon after, my legs began to feel lactic acidy, just a bit...I didn't intend to slow down, but I did a bit then and there, and then tried my best to hang in there. There were a couple of slightly faster people in front of me, and I managed to hang on. Even threw in a couple of surges when things started getting stiff, and that actually did help. Amazing how that works, and next time, I promise, I'll experiment with digging in a bit more. The other thing that went well was keeping my right shoulder up...running with the dog and holding the leash on that side has gotten me into that bad habit, which in turn makes my right arm stiff, and tends to jam up my right side in general. Anyway, I think the 2nd K mark was 8:40?? not sure, and I missed the 3K mark, but I was getting tired. 4K was in 17:42 or so, I think, a wilt...I tried to pick it up. Then my bowels started to protest again, but not too far from the end, so that couldn't have slowed me down much. I finished in 22:09, an ever-so-slightly faster pace than the Hintonburg race, which was sweet.
The time trial went by pretty quickly. My pacing still needs work, but I'm amazed at how well I've taken to 5Ks. Maybe I'm not running hard enough. The effort is hard, but knowing soon after I've started that I have less than 20 minutes to go makes the pain go away a LOT.
Well, once I got home, I hit the pace calculators big time. 22:09 translates to a chance of BQing at Philly. I've attempted this twice already (not counting my first marathon), and it was crushing to end up about ten minutes too long both times, especially the 2nd. It would suck majorly to fail again, but, hey, I'm uninjured, knock wood, have time to train properly, and have a decent base, a couple of 50+ mile weeks and 3 17-18ish mile runs this past month. And I'm feeling surprisingly fresh still, despite the summer, which maybe, knock wood, is starting to retreat. That is an odd feeling, and I hope I'm not jinxing by explaining it: is that all? Did I actually succeed in beating the heat?
So maybe it's time to try for Boston again.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
A new leaf
I'm trying to get the dog and I onto a morning exercise schedule: walking and/or running before I go to work. It's been hit or miss, and with a fenced-in backyard that I can just chuck him into, it's easy to miss.
This is somewhat futile as my hours will shift in a week and a half, but it's not a matter of waking up earlier, just waking up and getting out of bed instead of continuing to half-sleep in there for another hour like I've been doing.
It helped, too, that I woke up with another vivid dream, and vivid tune...I couldn't go back to sleep after that. It was a bit horrid. I still have the tune stuck in my head.
So we got up and jogged about 3 miles this morning. It was a mixed success. Yes, we got out there. Unfortunately, my dog wasn't in the mood for the recovery run/dead slow pace I was favouring, so it was an annoying run. He's pretty good, but needs reminders when I'm on a lower gear than him, and that totally blows the relaxation. Not to mention that I don't really like running with him a lot anyway. Even though he rarely pulls, and runs alongside me, I tend to keep the leash arm rigid, and this throws everything out of whack. He needs to run, though, and maybe 2-3 times a week will be enough.
It was good for both of us to get out there, though.
But it was clammy!! Very moist.
This is somewhat futile as my hours will shift in a week and a half, but it's not a matter of waking up earlier, just waking up and getting out of bed instead of continuing to half-sleep in there for another hour like I've been doing.
It helped, too, that I woke up with another vivid dream, and vivid tune...I couldn't go back to sleep after that. It was a bit horrid. I still have the tune stuck in my head.
So we got up and jogged about 3 miles this morning. It was a mixed success. Yes, we got out there. Unfortunately, my dog wasn't in the mood for the recovery run/dead slow pace I was favouring, so it was an annoying run. He's pretty good, but needs reminders when I'm on a lower gear than him, and that totally blows the relaxation. Not to mention that I don't really like running with him a lot anyway. Even though he rarely pulls, and runs alongside me, I tend to keep the leash arm rigid, and this throws everything out of whack. He needs to run, though, and maybe 2-3 times a week will be enough.
It was good for both of us to get out there, though.
But it was clammy!! Very moist.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Needing endorphins
Yes, another post for today...pretend I wrote the last one yesterday.
I forgot the big news, though: my husband has finally made it to the post where he'll spend the rest of the year. Fortunately, the deployment started when he reached Kuwait, about a month ago...at any rate, I'm relieved.
Other than that, today was sort of blah. My job was fine, and it was actually not a stinking hot morning so that was nice too....but I felt sort of tired. Hot humid weather drags me down. Plus, the bus ride home irked me. I made it in time for my bus, theoretically. It was evidently early or vaporized or something, and the one after it was almost 10 minutes late. I can study on the bus easily, but I find it hard to concentrate when I'm waiting for a bus. Oh, well. I could get off my butt and get a bike or a knapsack that I would wear while running. Maybe when it gets cooler.
When I got home, I got a call about another possible job....involving more bus commuting.
This depressed me, so I went for a run. It was just a jog. The first twenty minutes were stiff, and then I settled into autopilot, mulling over all this stuff going on. I wanted to keep things super easy, but caught myself gradually speeding up a few times...however, it was still an easy run (8.54 miles) and I feel a little better now because of it. I will try to keep things shorter tomorrow, though, because I have a time trial on Wednesday.
I forgot the big news, though: my husband has finally made it to the post where he'll spend the rest of the year. Fortunately, the deployment started when he reached Kuwait, about a month ago...at any rate, I'm relieved.
Other than that, today was sort of blah. My job was fine, and it was actually not a stinking hot morning so that was nice too....but I felt sort of tired. Hot humid weather drags me down. Plus, the bus ride home irked me. I made it in time for my bus, theoretically. It was evidently early or vaporized or something, and the one after it was almost 10 minutes late. I can study on the bus easily, but I find it hard to concentrate when I'm waiting for a bus. Oh, well. I could get off my butt and get a bike or a knapsack that I would wear while running. Maybe when it gets cooler.
When I got home, I got a call about another possible job....involving more bus commuting.
This depressed me, so I went for a run. It was just a jog. The first twenty minutes were stiff, and then I settled into autopilot, mulling over all this stuff going on. I wanted to keep things super easy, but caught myself gradually speeding up a few times...however, it was still an easy run (8.54 miles) and I feel a little better now because of it. I will try to keep things shorter tomorrow, though, because I have a time trial on Wednesday.
Who shrunk the mountain?
I decided to go to Montreal this weekend to visit some friends whom I hadn't seen since I fled La Belle Province five years ago. I had had four mostly fun years living and studying in Montreal, but after a while that place, like pretty much any other place, started to irk me, and I needed to see more of the world.
Montreal--specifically, Mont-Royal, was also where I'd first started running. Sort of. I've lived mainly in downtown areas, so running late often meant literally running. Somehow, with age, came experience and forethought, though, and I had gotten out of shape. Eventually, I realized that I was starting to succumb to the family fat genes, and living unhealthily in general, and I had to do something. I lived 2 blocks away from Mont-Royal, so it was the logical choice. Nature, shade, Olmstead trail, etc.
Running was such an exhausting ordeal anyway, particularly when I was starting out, that attempting to do it uphill didn't seem to make matters worse. I have read about the Difference Threshhold and Weber's Law and so forth...I wonder what % of grade would produce a Just Noticeable Difference? My lungs were burning after about a minute or so, no matter what. I knew nothing of running; I can't remember what shoes I wore, even--my method was to run as far as I could, then walk, then resume the run, and so forth, until I was utterly crapped out.
Eventually, my run portions eclipsed 5, 10 minutes, and so forth, and eventually I made it to the horse trough (which is, I believe, 2.5 km up). I had no idea how long the whole trail was, nor what was on top...this, more than anything else, kept me going.
Approximately 2 months or so after beginning to run, I made it to the top. There's a chalet of sorts there, and a great view....and a road up for cars. That was a ridiculous shock. I got to the top, and then saw to my chagrin some poor innocent lady in support hose and a wheelchair and, gradually, many other individuals in similar condition. I'm glad that they were able to enjoy the view too, but I guess at the time I was expecting or hoping for a semi-deserted temple shrouded in mist and enlightenment. But, hey, by that time I could run, and so I ran with that, got injured, resumed running, etc, etc...it's been trying at times, and there have been at least 2 6-8 month breaks from running, due to ITBS, but since then I've had nearly 3 solid years of training and I've come a fair way. It has been a wonderful hobby.
So, about six years later, I wanted to run the mountain again. Return to the fount or, in this case, that horse trough thingy. My starting point was different, though, on the other side of the hill, so I ran for a bit to get to the trail somewhere in the middle, and then jogged down it to the Angel. Seeing that, and the way I used to end, back to my apartment on St. Urbain, gave me quite a jolt of sour nostalgia. It struck me so strongly--I was sucked five years back into the past and that wasn't a nice feeling. I hadn't been unhappy then; I'd enjoyed the grad student/musician life but chose to leave it eventually, and I wouldn't want to return to it. With relief, I turned around and jogged up the hill; with even more relief, I found it easier than I'd remembered, even though I'd been jogging for about an hour already at this point.
It was a simple matter getting to the top. I was in a zone, not pushing myself hard, and there was a cool clammy breeze for much of it, too, and very little sun. It was a little disorientating to realize that I'd forgotten almost all the landmarks along the way. When I had been starting out, my running intervals were so short that I memorized this rock, that tree....now the whole thing blurred and suddenly I was at the top.
It was so easy that I decided to, for the first time, attempt the loop around the top. I believe it is about 4.5 km to the lookout, and then there is another km or so around. The loop started off uphill, which was a surprise, but then I could imagine that there were upteen more ascents, that I had completed only one stage of 5 or so, or whatever...it's nice leaving more ahead to strive for. Curiosity keeps me going as much as anything. Then the path turned downhill and I began to wonder if I was running down the wrong side of the mountain, which was kind of exciting too...but eventually, I returned to the chalet, continued downhill, and eventually made it back to my friends' house, in about 2-ish hours. A nice run. Nice to have finally polished off the mountain after several years.
The following day (Sunday), I managed about 4.5 miles, somewhat slowly. I tried to keep the altitude to a minimum.
I should mention, too, that I had easy runs on Thurs and Fri...about an hour each, just jogging.
Montreal--specifically, Mont-Royal, was also where I'd first started running. Sort of. I've lived mainly in downtown areas, so running late often meant literally running. Somehow, with age, came experience and forethought, though, and I had gotten out of shape. Eventually, I realized that I was starting to succumb to the family fat genes, and living unhealthily in general, and I had to do something. I lived 2 blocks away from Mont-Royal, so it was the logical choice. Nature, shade, Olmstead trail, etc.
Running was such an exhausting ordeal anyway, particularly when I was starting out, that attempting to do it uphill didn't seem to make matters worse. I have read about the Difference Threshhold and Weber's Law and so forth...I wonder what % of grade would produce a Just Noticeable Difference? My lungs were burning after about a minute or so, no matter what. I knew nothing of running; I can't remember what shoes I wore, even--my method was to run as far as I could, then walk, then resume the run, and so forth, until I was utterly crapped out.
Eventually, my run portions eclipsed 5, 10 minutes, and so forth, and eventually I made it to the horse trough (which is, I believe, 2.5 km up). I had no idea how long the whole trail was, nor what was on top...this, more than anything else, kept me going.
Approximately 2 months or so after beginning to run, I made it to the top. There's a chalet of sorts there, and a great view....and a road up for cars. That was a ridiculous shock. I got to the top, and then saw to my chagrin some poor innocent lady in support hose and a wheelchair and, gradually, many other individuals in similar condition. I'm glad that they were able to enjoy the view too, but I guess at the time I was expecting or hoping for a semi-deserted temple shrouded in mist and enlightenment. But, hey, by that time I could run, and so I ran with that, got injured, resumed running, etc, etc...it's been trying at times, and there have been at least 2 6-8 month breaks from running, due to ITBS, but since then I've had nearly 3 solid years of training and I've come a fair way. It has been a wonderful hobby.
So, about six years later, I wanted to run the mountain again. Return to the fount or, in this case, that horse trough thingy. My starting point was different, though, on the other side of the hill, so I ran for a bit to get to the trail somewhere in the middle, and then jogged down it to the Angel. Seeing that, and the way I used to end, back to my apartment on St. Urbain, gave me quite a jolt of sour nostalgia. It struck me so strongly--I was sucked five years back into the past and that wasn't a nice feeling. I hadn't been unhappy then; I'd enjoyed the grad student/musician life but chose to leave it eventually, and I wouldn't want to return to it. With relief, I turned around and jogged up the hill; with even more relief, I found it easier than I'd remembered, even though I'd been jogging for about an hour already at this point.
It was a simple matter getting to the top. I was in a zone, not pushing myself hard, and there was a cool clammy breeze for much of it, too, and very little sun. It was a little disorientating to realize that I'd forgotten almost all the landmarks along the way. When I had been starting out, my running intervals were so short that I memorized this rock, that tree....now the whole thing blurred and suddenly I was at the top.
It was so easy that I decided to, for the first time, attempt the loop around the top. I believe it is about 4.5 km to the lookout, and then there is another km or so around. The loop started off uphill, which was a surprise, but then I could imagine that there were upteen more ascents, that I had completed only one stage of 5 or so, or whatever...it's nice leaving more ahead to strive for. Curiosity keeps me going as much as anything. Then the path turned downhill and I began to wonder if I was running down the wrong side of the mountain, which was kind of exciting too...but eventually, I returned to the chalet, continued downhill, and eventually made it back to my friends' house, in about 2-ish hours. A nice run. Nice to have finally polished off the mountain after several years.
The following day (Sunday), I managed about 4.5 miles, somewhat slowly. I tried to keep the altitude to a minimum.
I should mention, too, that I had easy runs on Thurs and Fri...about an hour each, just jogging.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Swelter
Wasn't that the name of the nasty cook at Gormenghast? Anyway, today might as well have been inside a kitchen. It was hot and humid, and the rain only added to that.
Oh, backtrack--Tuesday, a few easy miles. That's all I squeezed in amidst working a bit, having an eye appointment, and then another interview.
Ok, Wednesday--HOT. Long intervals. I was going to do 5, but after 4, I was cooked. I had eaten dinner a little quickly, so that was starting to play up. Still, I didn't really feel crappy until I did the sprints afterwards...only managed two. My head was a little light. So, I sat in the shade and somehow didn't do the cool down jog. Afterwards, I found out that most of my 5 minute intervals were in the 1.2-1.24 km range, except for the last one, like 1.1. haha
However, while the workout was hard, I think it helped having done the 5K race recently. It was so hot that I somehow was distracted enough to not think of how many intervals I had left to do, nor even how many minutes left in the interval I was on. It all seemed to go by quickly because I was doing only 5 min at a time, and not 20+. Neat how that works. Unfortunately, I didn't have it in me to do the last one. Oh, well.
Oh, backtrack--Tuesday, a few easy miles. That's all I squeezed in amidst working a bit, having an eye appointment, and then another interview.
Ok, Wednesday--HOT. Long intervals. I was going to do 5, but after 4, I was cooked. I had eaten dinner a little quickly, so that was starting to play up. Still, I didn't really feel crappy until I did the sprints afterwards...only managed two. My head was a little light. So, I sat in the shade and somehow didn't do the cool down jog. Afterwards, I found out that most of my 5 minute intervals were in the 1.2-1.24 km range, except for the last one, like 1.1. haha
However, while the workout was hard, I think it helped having done the 5K race recently. It was so hot that I somehow was distracted enough to not think of how many intervals I had left to do, nor even how many minutes left in the interval I was on. It all seemed to go by quickly because I was doing only 5 min at a time, and not 20+. Neat how that works. Unfortunately, I didn't have it in me to do the last one. Oh, well.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Monday Many Things
Among them, the start of a new job. It looks like I'll be temp-ing for a while, but that's cool. I think I'll start another university course in August. Miraculously, my cerebral cortex is kicking butt so far, I think (modestly).
Anyway, it was an easy day and not too hot, so I took the dog and we headed off. This was a surprisingly non-descript run. My legs didn't feel sore at all, maybe because I took the stick to them yesterday, and there really wasn't much happening, and I got into a zone where I forgot I was running. Unfortunately, he did have to take care of business; there were a few pit stops and one drink stop, so the flow got chopped up somewhat. 5.5 miles in total.
Good think I hadn't opened my mail before heading out. But my blog has had such a nice mellow vibe, I think, so I erased a rant just now. Basically, some jumped-up State bot south of Dixie wants us to pay $150 because our car wasn't insured AFTER WE SOLD IT.
Mellow mellow mellow---breathe in deeply, write letter tomorrow.....
Anyway, it was an easy day and not too hot, so I took the dog and we headed off. This was a surprisingly non-descript run. My legs didn't feel sore at all, maybe because I took the stick to them yesterday, and there really wasn't much happening, and I got into a zone where I forgot I was running. Unfortunately, he did have to take care of business; there were a few pit stops and one drink stop, so the flow got chopped up somewhat. 5.5 miles in total.
Good think I hadn't opened my mail before heading out. But my blog has had such a nice mellow vibe, I think, so I erased a rant just now. Basically, some jumped-up State bot south of Dixie wants us to pay $150 because our car wasn't insured AFTER WE SOLD IT.
Mellow mellow mellow---breathe in deeply, write letter tomorrow.....
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Hintonburg serves up a sizzling race
Today was the Hintonburg 5K. How could I pass it up? It was nearby, directed by someone I know virtually through the RunningRoom forum, and had a course which looked fun and flat. Plus, a 5K race is the perfect opportunity to do a tempo run, and so I was able to skip Friday's all on my own in the heat. All I needed was not-too-hot weather, which has been an issue during most of my races this year (pretty much everything after the Hypothermic 1/2 Marathon, actually, which says something about my race climate preferences).
Fortunately, the forecasted drizzle turned up, so I was pleased. Temp was about 23C with a really high humidity, but with the odd spit of rain and wind, it felt cooler. Plus, it was overcast. That helps a lot.
Fortunately, too, my mom decided to come with me...I was going to jog down, but felt a little logey so a lift was too hard to pass up. We got there almost an hour before the start--I was worried about a line up for the race kit pickup--but it all went smoothly and we sat in the car for a bit. Then I warmed up, all of maybe 400M. My legs were a little stiff and it seemed like my form was all whacked up, herding cats, but I figured it was still good enough for a tempo run and I'd felt worse before Wednesday's workout anyway.
I met one of my run club co-members, which was cool. Guess I'm not the only one to miss the odd Sunday group run (maybe the only one to miss so many, but, hey~). I chatted with a few more people, and then the start was looming, and we all lined up. I put myself about 6 rows back--seemed a reasonable spot. It was a small field. Then, the race director announced that if one wasn't going to run the race in 20 minutes or so, one really shouldn't be at the front. This was greatly appreciated! A bunch of people moved back, bless them, and I found myself maybe 3 or so rows back. This seemed fine.
Then, the start! I passed quite a few people within the first 2 blocks, the last one being an aged man. Wonder how old he was. I thought of Ed Whitlock. Soon after, he and a couple of women passed me, and I didn't quite manage to catch up, but he was my pilot for the race. I kept him in sight for pretty much the whole thing and we all settled into pace. My legs felt crappy, but I tried to think positive, and after a while, I was into that tempo zone where 'hard' becomes just 'is', and I just have to keep feeding it.
I really liked the race course, just as much in real life as on paper. I had looked at the route before, and basically it was two out-and-backs, one going umpteen blocks, around a few more, and then back, and then the route kept going that way, jogging up and down a couple of blocks or so, to the other turn-around, and then back. It was simple to break down, plus the turns and the setting--a residential neighbourhood--made it go by more quickly than, say, races by the Canal. It was my kind of course. I love running on a grid layout, frequent turns, short stretches, etc. Some people go for 'scenic', but it seems that nature is often lost upon me when I am in a race. It sometimes blends into a whole lot of green yawning endless miles. But I like looking at buildings and shops and so forth, especially when they are almost blurred.
I hung in for the first quarter, lost the aged man and the couple of women ahead of him at the turn-around--oh, ahead of them was a guy in a cycling jersey with The Count from Sesame Street on it. Why can't running clothes be like that? Anyway, I tried to keep up with them, and it was sad to lose them around the corners, but once we were on the straightaway back, I caught up a little. At that point, I managed to remember things which I try to remember in races, loosen up, keep the feet moving quickly, speed up when things start feeling rough, etc. I actually remembered the speed up thing, and it was modest, but it helped! Next time, I'll be more aggressive with it, but it was good to try it.
On the first way back, too, we passed the 1K kids going down--that was wonderful! I'd never before seen as much of a kids' race. They were so gung-ho, the lot of them charging, some with some serious race faces; it was invigorating.
There were a couple of waterstations at least, maybe three....I forget! I don't think any of us took anything at the first, but I passed a young girl at the 2nd, on the 2nd out. I passed someone else too shortly after this point, and I think someone passed me around here...there was one tall guy who breezed past at one point. Other than that, the positions stayed pretty even, and effort too, I think. I wasn't using a garmin or timer, but everytime I started to lag, I tried to smile and pick it up, and this made for a really positive race. There were bystanders, too, on their porches and so forth. And there were many volunteers, and they were so friendly; every time they cheered or smiled, I smiled back. This helped in an unfathomable way. I may have been slowing down, but I was able to keep laying it on, and I wasn't slowing down more than anyone else ahead of me. And then, on the backstretch, I reeled in a couple or so people who were wilting--not any of the people I was chasing, but I got closer to them, at least. And, then I could see the tents of the market near the end, and I knew that there wasn't much left to go. I didn't catch up to the old man, but I hung in there and I may have outkicked someone else...there was someone else kind of near me, but once I saw that time clock, I forgot about him.
I've had a mixed affair with time clocks this year. Yes, they signal the end, but also, at least for my last few races, a displeasing number. Not this one. I couldn't believe my eyes: 20:xx. I picked it up and got in at 20:45 or so. Not exactly sure, but it was under 21.
It was such a good feeling, too good to be true. I enjoyed it for a minute or two and then listened to the folks with the Garmins. We'd missed going up and then down a street or two near the end--instead, we'd run straight through. It was quickly corrected and the race director apologized for it later; I was one of the lucky ones that managed to squeak through before. This happens. Heck, it happened with the Ottawa Marathon, didn't it? I've run a few races that were too long or two short (and once, it was my own darn fault, lol). The charm and convenience of a small local race such as this one more than makes up for it, plus it's easy to figure out what your result would have been with a race pace or equivalency calculator, such as the one on www.runworks.com. And it didn't take away from seeing that number. I'm still floating. It's like I actually ran sub-21 for a 5K. It's been so long since I've been satisfied with a race. Plus, I ran it well, I think--it was a good steady effort and I was able to hang in there and then pass a few people near the end. If I build on this feeling, and recapture the confidence I felt on the course, I might see that 20:XX for real, or even better. At any rate, I wasn't too far off: our version of the course was only about 400M short.
Plus, the weather was humid and 23 or so C...in cooler weather, I might have gone sub 7:00/mile, which would be close to where I was before I had my gut issues last spring. It's been a bit discouraging since then, being slower, but I guess some of the internal injury I'd sustained has taken a while to heal. I still have a few small issues, but none of the horrible cramps I used to get whle running faster, and the constant dull pain has gone away, too, after about a year of it. Perhaps I am on the mend. This is highly encouraging and it has maybe cemented a plan to try again to BQ this fall.
At any rate, after the race, we hung around a bit, talked with some people. The pre and post race atmos was really nice, very friendly. I ate 2 and a 1/5 bananas! But I was hungry! lol....it's funny, I don't usually like bananas, but that post-race potassium craving kicks in almost every time. We watched the awards and then I got to talk with the director/RR forum guy and his partner. That was awesome, putting some faces to names.
It was a great race and I'd like to do it next year, if possible. I think my habibi would enjoy it too; hopefully he'll be back by then.
Fortunately, the forecasted drizzle turned up, so I was pleased. Temp was about 23C with a really high humidity, but with the odd spit of rain and wind, it felt cooler. Plus, it was overcast. That helps a lot.
Fortunately, too, my mom decided to come with me...I was going to jog down, but felt a little logey so a lift was too hard to pass up. We got there almost an hour before the start--I was worried about a line up for the race kit pickup--but it all went smoothly and we sat in the car for a bit. Then I warmed up, all of maybe 400M. My legs were a little stiff and it seemed like my form was all whacked up, herding cats, but I figured it was still good enough for a tempo run and I'd felt worse before Wednesday's workout anyway.
I met one of my run club co-members, which was cool. Guess I'm not the only one to miss the odd Sunday group run (maybe the only one to miss so many, but, hey~). I chatted with a few more people, and then the start was looming, and we all lined up. I put myself about 6 rows back--seemed a reasonable spot. It was a small field. Then, the race director announced that if one wasn't going to run the race in 20 minutes or so, one really shouldn't be at the front. This was greatly appreciated! A bunch of people moved back, bless them, and I found myself maybe 3 or so rows back. This seemed fine.
Then, the start! I passed quite a few people within the first 2 blocks, the last one being an aged man. Wonder how old he was. I thought of Ed Whitlock. Soon after, he and a couple of women passed me, and I didn't quite manage to catch up, but he was my pilot for the race. I kept him in sight for pretty much the whole thing and we all settled into pace. My legs felt crappy, but I tried to think positive, and after a while, I was into that tempo zone where 'hard' becomes just 'is', and I just have to keep feeding it.
I really liked the race course, just as much in real life as on paper. I had looked at the route before, and basically it was two out-and-backs, one going umpteen blocks, around a few more, and then back, and then the route kept going that way, jogging up and down a couple of blocks or so, to the other turn-around, and then back. It was simple to break down, plus the turns and the setting--a residential neighbourhood--made it go by more quickly than, say, races by the Canal. It was my kind of course. I love running on a grid layout, frequent turns, short stretches, etc. Some people go for 'scenic', but it seems that nature is often lost upon me when I am in a race. It sometimes blends into a whole lot of green yawning endless miles. But I like looking at buildings and shops and so forth, especially when they are almost blurred.
I hung in for the first quarter, lost the aged man and the couple of women ahead of him at the turn-around--oh, ahead of them was a guy in a cycling jersey with The Count from Sesame Street on it. Why can't running clothes be like that? Anyway, I tried to keep up with them, and it was sad to lose them around the corners, but once we were on the straightaway back, I caught up a little. At that point, I managed to remember things which I try to remember in races, loosen up, keep the feet moving quickly, speed up when things start feeling rough, etc. I actually remembered the speed up thing, and it was modest, but it helped! Next time, I'll be more aggressive with it, but it was good to try it.
On the first way back, too, we passed the 1K kids going down--that was wonderful! I'd never before seen as much of a kids' race. They were so gung-ho, the lot of them charging, some with some serious race faces; it was invigorating.
There were a couple of waterstations at least, maybe three....I forget! I don't think any of us took anything at the first, but I passed a young girl at the 2nd, on the 2nd out. I passed someone else too shortly after this point, and I think someone passed me around here...there was one tall guy who breezed past at one point. Other than that, the positions stayed pretty even, and effort too, I think. I wasn't using a garmin or timer, but everytime I started to lag, I tried to smile and pick it up, and this made for a really positive race. There were bystanders, too, on their porches and so forth. And there were many volunteers, and they were so friendly; every time they cheered or smiled, I smiled back. This helped in an unfathomable way. I may have been slowing down, but I was able to keep laying it on, and I wasn't slowing down more than anyone else ahead of me. And then, on the backstretch, I reeled in a couple or so people who were wilting--not any of the people I was chasing, but I got closer to them, at least. And, then I could see the tents of the market near the end, and I knew that there wasn't much left to go. I didn't catch up to the old man, but I hung in there and I may have outkicked someone else...there was someone else kind of near me, but once I saw that time clock, I forgot about him.
I've had a mixed affair with time clocks this year. Yes, they signal the end, but also, at least for my last few races, a displeasing number. Not this one. I couldn't believe my eyes: 20:xx. I picked it up and got in at 20:45 or so. Not exactly sure, but it was under 21.
It was such a good feeling, too good to be true. I enjoyed it for a minute or two and then listened to the folks with the Garmins. We'd missed going up and then down a street or two near the end--instead, we'd run straight through. It was quickly corrected and the race director apologized for it later; I was one of the lucky ones that managed to squeak through before. This happens. Heck, it happened with the Ottawa Marathon, didn't it? I've run a few races that were too long or two short (and once, it was my own darn fault, lol). The charm and convenience of a small local race such as this one more than makes up for it, plus it's easy to figure out what your result would have been with a race pace or equivalency calculator, such as the one on www.runworks.com. And it didn't take away from seeing that number. I'm still floating. It's like I actually ran sub-21 for a 5K. It's been so long since I've been satisfied with a race. Plus, I ran it well, I think--it was a good steady effort and I was able to hang in there and then pass a few people near the end. If I build on this feeling, and recapture the confidence I felt on the course, I might see that 20:XX for real, or even better. At any rate, I wasn't too far off: our version of the course was only about 400M short.
Plus, the weather was humid and 23 or so C...in cooler weather, I might have gone sub 7:00/mile, which would be close to where I was before I had my gut issues last spring. It's been a bit discouraging since then, being slower, but I guess some of the internal injury I'd sustained has taken a while to heal. I still have a few small issues, but none of the horrible cramps I used to get whle running faster, and the constant dull pain has gone away, too, after about a year of it. Perhaps I am on the mend. This is highly encouraging and it has maybe cemented a plan to try again to BQ this fall.
At any rate, after the race, we hung around a bit, talked with some people. The pre and post race atmos was really nice, very friendly. I ate 2 and a 1/5 bananas! But I was hungry! lol....it's funny, I don't usually like bananas, but that post-race potassium craving kicks in almost every time. We watched the awards and then I got to talk with the director/RR forum guy and his partner. That was awesome, putting some faces to names.
It was a great race and I'd like to do it next year, if possible. I think my habibi would enjoy it too; hopefully he'll be back by then.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Catching up...a breakthrough!
Well, I've been busy, sort of. I'm still looking for a job and telephone interviews have whacked my schedule somewhat, and also something more fun...fortunately, this is supposed to be an easy week anyway, though perhaps not this easy.
Wednesday
This was a bit of a breakthrough for me. We were supposed to do 4 min repeats; last week was 3 min and those were really tough for some reason. I've lost a fair bit of speed, like I've done the past two summers (exception being any distance under a minute, lol), and that's a bit discouraging. However, it's been at least a few weeks since I've done speedwork: have to start somewhere.
Wednesday was hot and humid too. It was supposed to rain. I can't remember if it actualy did; might have been for only a few minutes. Oh, well. At least it was nice and overcast...until I stepped out my door and headed off for my run. I turned round the corner at the end of the block and the sun came out. This has happened more than once to me this summer and it's highly annoying. Plus, it hadn't rained enough to clear the humidity, so the humidex was pretty high. I was not looking forward to the workout.
My jog to run club was ok--very slow--and then I met up with the group and we ran to the workout site and then around for a bit to 'warm up'...I could barely keep up with them while sticking to an easy effort. I was astonished how hard I seemed to be working already. It was an easy decision, then, to not worry about pace during the workout--I would aim for a certain level of effort and try to maintain it. And if I did the minimum of repeats, that would be fine too. I got through that ok, feeling a little nauseated, and then I saw a friend on the street whom I hadn't seen for a long time. That was pretty exciting. She was off to work, so we chatted for only a minute or two, and then I figured, what the hey, might as well do the next repeat, and I did, and also the final one after that, which was perhaps the fastest because I almost kept up with a faster runner in the group.
So that was pretty exciting. I didn't think I'd be able to push myself that far, but I guess my brain is wimpier than I thought it was. It's fine to jog in hot weather (the humidex during that workout was in the mid-30s at least), but I feel so crappy when I push it. I keep forgetting that I have one advantage--I've had heat exhaustion. I've pushed myself through hot weather in the past, and felt queasy, hot, out of breath, etc, and it didn't go further almost every time. The one time it did, however, I also suddenly felt strangely emotional--soon, I was almost hyperventilating because I was quasi-crying for no reason, and soon after, it felt like my heart and breathing quadrupled in frequency and I was moving sideways, or everything was moving sideways, and I had to stop. But, by then, I was too disorientated and tried to resume the run. Fortunately, my husband was there. He made me stop and dumped water on me. So, I should know from experience that physical discomfort is ok, but not emotional. Interesting how it works. And, at any rate, Wednesday's workout helped me push the bar a little higher.
Thursday
This day was actually cooler, less humid, and with a fresh breeze. I took the opportunity to run 6.3 miles with the dog...we still stopped a few times for him to drink, but we didn't have to take walk breaks, and he was having fun. This was really good. It's been at least a few days since he's been able to run anything much beyond a mile, and I think he was missing it. I wish there was somewhere nearby where he could swim...I'm keeping my eyes open. He doesn't like playing fetch on land very much, but loves swimming and retrieving things in water. We do this at my parents' cottage. He also loves tearing around and chasing things, but that's unfortunately unacceptable downtown, except in the backyard--funny how it's been ages since I've seen a squirrel in there. Anyway, we had a good run on Thursday.
Friday
I slept horribly. Actually, pretty much every morning now, I wake up later than I usually do, feeling crappier than I usually do. I've been trying to get to bed earlier, but it still takes me a while to settle down. It was like this during the first month of my husband's last deployment, too. Maybe I should start going to early morning tai chi in the park nearby. Anyway, I felt awful on Friday and I couldn't stand another day of job searching--this last month has been like one big horrible endless day--so I decided to go with my cousin to a spa. It was a nordic spa out of the city, with a variety of outdoor pools, a sauna, a steam room, hammocks, chairs, a nap area, a cafe....it was very relaxing. I came back relaxed and to a phone call about another job, so I called back. Will see where this one goes. It sounds more interesting than data entry or filing. It would really suck to have to go back to that, but I can't be too picky. Data entry still beats having to work in a restaurant or cafe, or staying in Maryland.
So, anyway, after the spa and all, I didn't feel like running. I got caught up on gardening instead.
Today
I don't feel like running today, either. Someone is supposed to phone me this morning about a job, so I'll hang around for that, and then do something with the dog.
Wednesday
This was a bit of a breakthrough for me. We were supposed to do 4 min repeats; last week was 3 min and those were really tough for some reason. I've lost a fair bit of speed, like I've done the past two summers (exception being any distance under a minute, lol), and that's a bit discouraging. However, it's been at least a few weeks since I've done speedwork: have to start somewhere.
Wednesday was hot and humid too. It was supposed to rain. I can't remember if it actualy did; might have been for only a few minutes. Oh, well. At least it was nice and overcast...until I stepped out my door and headed off for my run. I turned round the corner at the end of the block and the sun came out. This has happened more than once to me this summer and it's highly annoying. Plus, it hadn't rained enough to clear the humidity, so the humidex was pretty high. I was not looking forward to the workout.
My jog to run club was ok--very slow--and then I met up with the group and we ran to the workout site and then around for a bit to 'warm up'...I could barely keep up with them while sticking to an easy effort. I was astonished how hard I seemed to be working already. It was an easy decision, then, to not worry about pace during the workout--I would aim for a certain level of effort and try to maintain it. And if I did the minimum of repeats, that would be fine too. I got through that ok, feeling a little nauseated, and then I saw a friend on the street whom I hadn't seen for a long time. That was pretty exciting. She was off to work, so we chatted for only a minute or two, and then I figured, what the hey, might as well do the next repeat, and I did, and also the final one after that, which was perhaps the fastest because I almost kept up with a faster runner in the group.
So that was pretty exciting. I didn't think I'd be able to push myself that far, but I guess my brain is wimpier than I thought it was. It's fine to jog in hot weather (the humidex during that workout was in the mid-30s at least), but I feel so crappy when I push it. I keep forgetting that I have one advantage--I've had heat exhaustion. I've pushed myself through hot weather in the past, and felt queasy, hot, out of breath, etc, and it didn't go further almost every time. The one time it did, however, I also suddenly felt strangely emotional--soon, I was almost hyperventilating because I was quasi-crying for no reason, and soon after, it felt like my heart and breathing quadrupled in frequency and I was moving sideways, or everything was moving sideways, and I had to stop. But, by then, I was too disorientated and tried to resume the run. Fortunately, my husband was there. He made me stop and dumped water on me. So, I should know from experience that physical discomfort is ok, but not emotional. Interesting how it works. And, at any rate, Wednesday's workout helped me push the bar a little higher.
Thursday
This day was actually cooler, less humid, and with a fresh breeze. I took the opportunity to run 6.3 miles with the dog...we still stopped a few times for him to drink, but we didn't have to take walk breaks, and he was having fun. This was really good. It's been at least a few days since he's been able to run anything much beyond a mile, and I think he was missing it. I wish there was somewhere nearby where he could swim...I'm keeping my eyes open. He doesn't like playing fetch on land very much, but loves swimming and retrieving things in water. We do this at my parents' cottage. He also loves tearing around and chasing things, but that's unfortunately unacceptable downtown, except in the backyard--funny how it's been ages since I've seen a squirrel in there. Anyway, we had a good run on Thursday.
Friday
I slept horribly. Actually, pretty much every morning now, I wake up later than I usually do, feeling crappier than I usually do. I've been trying to get to bed earlier, but it still takes me a while to settle down. It was like this during the first month of my husband's last deployment, too. Maybe I should start going to early morning tai chi in the park nearby. Anyway, I felt awful on Friday and I couldn't stand another day of job searching--this last month has been like one big horrible endless day--so I decided to go with my cousin to a spa. It was a nordic spa out of the city, with a variety of outdoor pools, a sauna, a steam room, hammocks, chairs, a nap area, a cafe....it was very relaxing. I came back relaxed and to a phone call about another job, so I called back. Will see where this one goes. It sounds more interesting than data entry or filing. It would really suck to have to go back to that, but I can't be too picky. Data entry still beats having to work in a restaurant or cafe, or staying in Maryland.
So, anyway, after the spa and all, I didn't feel like running. I got caught up on gardening instead.
Today
I don't feel like running today, either. Someone is supposed to phone me this morning about a job, so I'll hang around for that, and then do something with the dog.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Turn down the heat!
Today was hot, humid, and mostly sunny. Too hot for the dog to run, even early in the morning. So I had a cunning plan: I would sneak out of the house early enough that he wouldn't be roused. If I get up early enough, he doesn't move, and I can leave him without guilt. Unfortunately, this wasn't to be. So I collected the appropriate accessories, water, poop bags, etc, and we headed out. After about a mile, he was looking rather hot, so we walked for the rest of the hour-ish.
A lady we met told us that pitbulls can climb trees. This was news to me. However, they're not so good at getting themselves back down (she had to rescue one up in a tree at one point).
My run had to wait, at any rate. The hoped-for rain puttered out after a few minutes, but it stayed nice and overcast and I was able to get about six miles in without too much discomfort. The more I jog in the heat, actually, the more I like it...so far. We're not hitting the usual south-of-Dixie 40+C humidex, plus we're in July and haven't had much hot weather so it's more bearable than having a month or more straight of it and knowing there's at least a couple more months to go. Anyway, the heat makes everything nice and loose and lets my mind wander, in a way. I think it helped too that, after being out in the morning, I've been drinking a lot of water. My body has been through enough spells of hot weather that it adjusts pretty quickly to it. Mind you, I cannot race well in anything above 10C, but if I go with the flow and just ease things along gently, even 40+C humidex is ok for jogging.
Anyway, this evening, I ran along the river for a bit and came across a bike sprawled across the path. There was a man on the ground too. At first I'd thought he'd fallen. Then I thought he was fixing something, and then I realized he was trying to repack his belongings in what looked like a ripped sheet or pillowcase. He was rather weather-beaten. I was afraid that he'd fallen so I asked him if he was ok. He said he was. There were a couple more sentences from the both of us and then he asked "Are you the heat?" I automatically substituted the most likely word: "Yeah, I'm feeling the heat." "No, are you the heat?" Did I mishear again? "I'm feeling it, but I'm not the heat." "The heat, you know, are you the heat?" Ah. He went on, saying that I was in that security gear, and sometimes he had no problems with the heat, not with the alcoholics (which raised my eyebrows) but other guys gave him problems, etc. I told him that I wasn't the heat. He wasn't convinced. I told him I was just running around, but this wasn't good enough, so I bid him bye and went on my way, not before I noticed that he had an open can of beer sitting beside him. I wonder how long he'd been sitting there. It didn't look like a comfortable spot, but what do I know?
I was wearing black shorts and a pretty snazzy OBX marathon singlet. If that's all it takes to look official, then we're all in a lot of trouble.
After that, I grabbed a quick shower then went to a yin yoga class. I've been really delinquent with yoga these past few weeks....I've done some home practicing, but not much, and none at all at the centre. I have to use up X number of classes before the summer ends, so that's good motivation. The thought of trying an ashtanga or hot yoga class again is more and more appealing--these past few months have been all yin yoga, which has suited me, but maybe I'm getting into too much of a rut.
A lady we met told us that pitbulls can climb trees. This was news to me. However, they're not so good at getting themselves back down (she had to rescue one up in a tree at one point).
My run had to wait, at any rate. The hoped-for rain puttered out after a few minutes, but it stayed nice and overcast and I was able to get about six miles in without too much discomfort. The more I jog in the heat, actually, the more I like it...so far. We're not hitting the usual south-of-Dixie 40+C humidex, plus we're in July and haven't had much hot weather so it's more bearable than having a month or more straight of it and knowing there's at least a couple more months to go. Anyway, the heat makes everything nice and loose and lets my mind wander, in a way. I think it helped too that, after being out in the morning, I've been drinking a lot of water. My body has been through enough spells of hot weather that it adjusts pretty quickly to it. Mind you, I cannot race well in anything above 10C, but if I go with the flow and just ease things along gently, even 40+C humidex is ok for jogging.
Anyway, this evening, I ran along the river for a bit and came across a bike sprawled across the path. There was a man on the ground too. At first I'd thought he'd fallen. Then I thought he was fixing something, and then I realized he was trying to repack his belongings in what looked like a ripped sheet or pillowcase. He was rather weather-beaten. I was afraid that he'd fallen so I asked him if he was ok. He said he was. There were a couple more sentences from the both of us and then he asked "Are you the heat?" I automatically substituted the most likely word: "Yeah, I'm feeling the heat." "No, are you the heat?" Did I mishear again? "I'm feeling it, but I'm not the heat." "The heat, you know, are you the heat?" Ah. He went on, saying that I was in that security gear, and sometimes he had no problems with the heat, not with the alcoholics (which raised my eyebrows) but other guys gave him problems, etc. I told him that I wasn't the heat. He wasn't convinced. I told him I was just running around, but this wasn't good enough, so I bid him bye and went on my way, not before I noticed that he had an open can of beer sitting beside him. I wonder how long he'd been sitting there. It didn't look like a comfortable spot, but what do I know?
I was wearing black shorts and a pretty snazzy OBX marathon singlet. If that's all it takes to look official, then we're all in a lot of trouble.
After that, I grabbed a quick shower then went to a yin yoga class. I've been really delinquent with yoga these past few weeks....I've done some home practicing, but not much, and none at all at the centre. I have to use up X number of classes before the summer ends, so that's good motivation. The thought of trying an ashtanga or hot yoga class again is more and more appealing--these past few months have been all yin yoga, which has suited me, but maybe I'm getting into too much of a rut.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Another lazy day
Sort of. It was hot. I walked the dog, did some gardening, got some groceries...and got conveniently swamped back at home. I was doing schoolwork and job-searching. The former is actually fun, though a lot of memorization, and the latter is so craptacular. Didn't help today that I didn't get a certain call I was hoping for. Oh, well. I will apply to more things tomorrow. Meanwhile, I'm getting a little bit depressed. Not in a slit-wrists way, just sleeping more than usual and not feeling particularly motivated about anything. It was like this during my husband's last deployment, too. I was looking for a job then as well.
Also, I ran an awful lot these past two weeks, and yesterday was a really sluggy day. I slept quite a bit. It could mean that my iron stores are drooping. Two days off in a row should help.
I also have to get into a more regular habit re: diet and taking my iron supplements. My pushups and so forth have suffered too, and yoga, what's that?
Also, I ran an awful lot these past two weeks, and yesterday was a really sluggy day. I slept quite a bit. It could mean that my iron stores are drooping. Two days off in a row should help.
I also have to get into a more regular habit re: diet and taking my iron supplements. My pushups and so forth have suffered too, and yoga, what's that?
Sunday, July 6, 2008
catching up
Friday, a good tempo run, surprisingly. I have been enjoying just shlepping about, but the run group I'm in has a schedule, and there was a tempo run. 20-30 min, with some 30 second pickups. I wasn't feeling a tempo run at first, so I figured I'd jog around for a few miles and then see. It helped that it was later in the evening, and some cool drafts were blowing off the water. The possibility of doing a tempo run made me start a little more quickly, and accelerate, too...by the time I'd started the tempo portion, at a pre-determined flat area, I was nearly at that effort. I ended up running about 2.8 miles in just under 22 minutes. not as fast as before, but considering all the running I've been doing, plus the heat, not bad. It was a nice change, actually. I might do another tempo run next week. I'd have to check the schedule. There's a local 5K race which would substitute nicely, as long as it isn't too hot.
Saturday, a long run. This one was pretty slow for me, but it was 26C and sunny, and I didn't bring any fuel. It was remarkable in that I stayed pretty comfortable for most of it. I kept the pace slow, plus I walked 5 min of every 1/2 hour, to let my heart rate settle a bit. I ended up avoiding feeling light headed, which was very nice. Up until 2:45 or so, I felt like I hadn't been running for long. Then my muscles started to get sore. I kept it up until about 3:20. 18ish miles. Then I came home and ate a lot.
Sunday, I was at the lake, and feeling very sluggy. I walked with the dogs. It was time for a break.
Saturday, a long run. This one was pretty slow for me, but it was 26C and sunny, and I didn't bring any fuel. It was remarkable in that I stayed pretty comfortable for most of it. I kept the pace slow, plus I walked 5 min of every 1/2 hour, to let my heart rate settle a bit. I ended up avoiding feeling light headed, which was very nice. Up until 2:45 or so, I felt like I hadn't been running for long. Then my muscles started to get sore. I kept it up until about 3:20. 18ish miles. Then I came home and ate a lot.
Sunday, I was at the lake, and feeling very sluggy. I walked with the dogs. It was time for a break.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Today, for real
I woke up to the sound of the phone ringing. It was only about 4, so I knew it was my husband. :) I forget the last time I heard his voice, maybe just a week? So far, he's been able to email every few days, which is great, but phone calls have been trickier. He's safe and sound and momentarily on a base big enough to provide a good 4th of July BBQ. That made me happy to hear that. There have been a few years that I didn't celebrate Canada Day, but I could have somehow if I'd really wanted to, and he doesn't have that sort of choice.
I talked with him a fair bit and then went back to bed. Woke up again a few hours later to prepare for a job interview.
It started pouring as I was walking over--even with an umbrella, I got pretty drenched. Fortunately, the interview didn't involve a lot of walking around, plus I was shown to a seat by someone else, so maybe the wet cuffs of my pants escaped notice. I'm not sure how the interview went, though. It took a while, but some of the questions I didn't answer adequately, I felt. Not sure. We'll see if they call me back for a teaching demo.
Then I went back home, sent off another couple of emails for other prospects, lol, hunted some more, did some homework, and then grabbed the dog and went. I decided to take him to Quebec and see if he wanted to run. It was a bit hot, but late enough for shade. We ran about 1.5 miles, then he wanted a break, and I let him cool his feet off in a stream, then we ran for maybe another mile until he started to lag back to sniff things. When it's cooler, I don't always accept this, but when it's hot, he starts to find excuses to slow down, and then I know that he's getting warm. If we continue, the flesh in his ears will gradually redden, and then I know he's hot. Best to not get to that point. It's great that he can still jog with me a bit, at least. It's better than nothing, and he enjoys it. I imagine he'll just walk with me for the next few (hotter) days, unless we go to the lake where he can swim.
After a fair walk home, I dropped him off and jogged another 3.5 miles on my own. I didn't feel quite done, and the weather was getting nicer for running. I'm still in a mellow groove...so much so that I don't feel as compelled to pass people. I'm not sure what's up for tomorrow...there's a tempo run on the group schedule, so maybe I'll jog around for an hour and then see if I'm up to it. I used to fit in my tempo runs like that and it worked well for me.
I talked with him a fair bit and then went back to bed. Woke up again a few hours later to prepare for a job interview.
It started pouring as I was walking over--even with an umbrella, I got pretty drenched. Fortunately, the interview didn't involve a lot of walking around, plus I was shown to a seat by someone else, so maybe the wet cuffs of my pants escaped notice. I'm not sure how the interview went, though. It took a while, but some of the questions I didn't answer adequately, I felt. Not sure. We'll see if they call me back for a teaching demo.
Then I went back home, sent off another couple of emails for other prospects, lol, hunted some more, did some homework, and then grabbed the dog and went. I decided to take him to Quebec and see if he wanted to run. It was a bit hot, but late enough for shade. We ran about 1.5 miles, then he wanted a break, and I let him cool his feet off in a stream, then we ran for maybe another mile until he started to lag back to sniff things. When it's cooler, I don't always accept this, but when it's hot, he starts to find excuses to slow down, and then I know that he's getting warm. If we continue, the flesh in his ears will gradually redden, and then I know he's hot. Best to not get to that point. It's great that he can still jog with me a bit, at least. It's better than nothing, and he enjoys it. I imagine he'll just walk with me for the next few (hotter) days, unless we go to the lake where he can swim.
After a fair walk home, I dropped him off and jogged another 3.5 miles on my own. I didn't feel quite done, and the weather was getting nicer for running. I'm still in a mellow groove...so much so that I don't feel as compelled to pass people. I'm not sure what's up for tomorrow...there's a tempo run on the group schedule, so maybe I'll jog around for an hour and then see if I'm up to it. I used to fit in my tempo runs like that and it worked well for me.
Wednesday
It was hot! So hot that after the day ended, I melted without updating the blog. haha
The dog and I got out fairly early, but it was already too hot for him to run. I wasn't feeling it, either. So we walked for about 1:15-1:30...not really sure. Not having many demands on my time does have its perks.
It was a nice walk, too, and we met some people who liked him and wanted to pet him. That was very nice. He behaves very well on walks, heels wonderfully on a regular old flat collar and lets people and other dogs be, but he's still somewhat intimidating, I guess. So meeting people who want to pet him is a treat.
Then, in the evening, it was run club. I didn't go very often in June. It was supposed to be an easy month for us, anyway, and I enjoy talking with the people there, but I guess I needed some time to jog on my own, with no expectations. However, I missed the other members, and after meeting them at the race yesterday, I decided that I had to return.
The workout was supposed to be gentle speedwork, or the option of jogging 5-10K instead. I was going to just jog, but it was hot and I didn't want to carry my water around. So I did the minimum for the speedwork. It was somewhat hard...I wasn't stiff, but a bit sluggish, so I tried to keep things loose, my effort even, and I didn't use a Garmin. The intervals were by time, too, which made things easier mentally. It was hot, though. But the workout went by quite quickly. I ran a bit before the workout, and about 5 miles afterwards at a gentle pace, so I still managed to cover some decent miles and tap into that mellow groove I've been going for.
I've slowly come to realize that when I'm just jogging around, I really don't breathe much. Sometimes I'll have four footfalls to an inhalation, and 2 for exhalation, but oftentimes there isn't even that slow a pattern. I sometimes have to mind this after an hour or two; having a more consistent pattern seems to solve stitch issues. Still, it's very lovely to not have to work hard. Plus I don't have to worry much about fueling or glycogen, my weakest link.
The dog and I got out fairly early, but it was already too hot for him to run. I wasn't feeling it, either. So we walked for about 1:15-1:30...not really sure. Not having many demands on my time does have its perks.
It was a nice walk, too, and we met some people who liked him and wanted to pet him. That was very nice. He behaves very well on walks, heels wonderfully on a regular old flat collar and lets people and other dogs be, but he's still somewhat intimidating, I guess. So meeting people who want to pet him is a treat.
Then, in the evening, it was run club. I didn't go very often in June. It was supposed to be an easy month for us, anyway, and I enjoy talking with the people there, but I guess I needed some time to jog on my own, with no expectations. However, I missed the other members, and after meeting them at the race yesterday, I decided that I had to return.
The workout was supposed to be gentle speedwork, or the option of jogging 5-10K instead. I was going to just jog, but it was hot and I didn't want to carry my water around. So I did the minimum for the speedwork. It was somewhat hard...I wasn't stiff, but a bit sluggish, so I tried to keep things loose, my effort even, and I didn't use a Garmin. The intervals were by time, too, which made things easier mentally. It was hot, though. But the workout went by quite quickly. I ran a bit before the workout, and about 5 miles afterwards at a gentle pace, so I still managed to cover some decent miles and tap into that mellow groove I've been going for.
I've slowly come to realize that when I'm just jogging around, I really don't breathe much. Sometimes I'll have four footfalls to an inhalation, and 2 for exhalation, but oftentimes there isn't even that slow a pattern. I sometimes have to mind this after an hour or two; having a more consistent pattern seems to solve stitch issues. Still, it's very lovely to not have to work hard. Plus I don't have to worry much about fueling or glycogen, my weakest link.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Canada Day!
After a few easy days of jogging at the lake, I got up at six to tackle the HBC run for Canada.
I think I got enough sleep...I had some pretty vivid dreams. In the last one, I was opening a locker--and reminding myself that I had to get a new lock because the combination for the present one was etched into it. That wasn't the task at hand, though: I was preparing for a show. The lockers vaguely reminded me of the ones I had at McGill, but everything else was different, probably so wide an amalgam of experience that it was foreign. The production likewise was strange. I had to sing the part of a prehistoric woman. Once it started, though, it was like I was no longer singing, but someone else was, and there was no stage, just a steppe and then some rock walls and a waterfall. The prehistoric woman then sang a song while the light reflecting off the water mottled the cliff. The light played on the rock like water, and the song was like that too, in an old key with each phrase descending into a trickle of melisma. There was no other voice or instrument, just the woman's voice. Very melancholy and I can't remember a note of it now, only the effect.
Then the narrative became clearer--this woman was singing about a man held captive somewhere. She was mourning his absence. Meanwhile, he was working to reduce that. Apparently his guard was a tiger, which he fought off, and at that point I woke up.
I've been having bizarre dreams like this recently, probably because I've been sleeping more than usual. It's terribly deep. I must tell my husband to fight the tiger. LOL
The atmos of this dream hung around for a while, during my jog to the start line. It was still somewhat cool, but I knew that wouldn't last. Still, it was an easy jog, and then I picked up my race shirt (the number was printed on it) and I actually got to a porta potty. Then I went to a water fountain near the museum. Soon after, some members of the running club I'm in found me, which was a really sweet surprise. I had already decided that I wasn't going to try for a PB. Too hot and I ran nearly 60 miles last week. So, what better excuse to take it easy than to chat with friends?
Which I did, and the first 4K were easy. There were a lot of runners, and a not very-well seeded field, but that was fine. I didn't care. 5K was around 27 minutes, and then I suddenly felt hot. This is what happens with me...I could be at a conversational pace, or even slower, hardly breathing in rhythm, and then suddenly I'm hot and uncomfortable. Oh, well. I hung on until about 7.5 km, and then dropped back; either that, or my companions sped up. It was fine. They had dragged me farther than I would have gone, at that pace that day. I don't have much fight. I walked a bit at 8K, then finished it. Saw my mother and the dog all dolled up in red&white near the end, which was neat. I finished barely under 54 minutes. Pretty slow for a race, but I wasn't disappointed. It was nice to put less pressure on myself.
Then I walked back to my mom and the dog, and we went home, then went out walking, hit the museums, the aboriginal experience at Victoria's Island, saw the Snowbirds fly past, saw some of the shows at Major Hill Park...the usual. Now I'm resting at home. It will be nice to go to the fireworks later on.
At any rate, it's pretty obvious that I've lost some speed recently. It could be the heat, but it could also be a lot of slow running. Which is fine. I'm not sure of my fall goal races, yet, but I am craving a more mellow approach, and the resulting base should come in handy.
I think I got enough sleep...I had some pretty vivid dreams. In the last one, I was opening a locker--and reminding myself that I had to get a new lock because the combination for the present one was etched into it. That wasn't the task at hand, though: I was preparing for a show. The lockers vaguely reminded me of the ones I had at McGill, but everything else was different, probably so wide an amalgam of experience that it was foreign. The production likewise was strange. I had to sing the part of a prehistoric woman. Once it started, though, it was like I was no longer singing, but someone else was, and there was no stage, just a steppe and then some rock walls and a waterfall. The prehistoric woman then sang a song while the light reflecting off the water mottled the cliff. The light played on the rock like water, and the song was like that too, in an old key with each phrase descending into a trickle of melisma. There was no other voice or instrument, just the woman's voice. Very melancholy and I can't remember a note of it now, only the effect.
Then the narrative became clearer--this woman was singing about a man held captive somewhere. She was mourning his absence. Meanwhile, he was working to reduce that. Apparently his guard was a tiger, which he fought off, and at that point I woke up.
I've been having bizarre dreams like this recently, probably because I've been sleeping more than usual. It's terribly deep. I must tell my husband to fight the tiger. LOL
The atmos of this dream hung around for a while, during my jog to the start line. It was still somewhat cool, but I knew that wouldn't last. Still, it was an easy jog, and then I picked up my race shirt (the number was printed on it) and I actually got to a porta potty. Then I went to a water fountain near the museum. Soon after, some members of the running club I'm in found me, which was a really sweet surprise. I had already decided that I wasn't going to try for a PB. Too hot and I ran nearly 60 miles last week. So, what better excuse to take it easy than to chat with friends?
Which I did, and the first 4K were easy. There were a lot of runners, and a not very-well seeded field, but that was fine. I didn't care. 5K was around 27 minutes, and then I suddenly felt hot. This is what happens with me...I could be at a conversational pace, or even slower, hardly breathing in rhythm, and then suddenly I'm hot and uncomfortable. Oh, well. I hung on until about 7.5 km, and then dropped back; either that, or my companions sped up. It was fine. They had dragged me farther than I would have gone, at that pace that day. I don't have much fight. I walked a bit at 8K, then finished it. Saw my mother and the dog all dolled up in red&white near the end, which was neat. I finished barely under 54 minutes. Pretty slow for a race, but I wasn't disappointed. It was nice to put less pressure on myself.
Then I walked back to my mom and the dog, and we went home, then went out walking, hit the museums, the aboriginal experience at Victoria's Island, saw the Snowbirds fly past, saw some of the shows at Major Hill Park...the usual. Now I'm resting at home. It will be nice to go to the fireworks later on.
At any rate, it's pretty obvious that I've lost some speed recently. It could be the heat, but it could also be a lot of slow running. Which is fine. I'm not sure of my fall goal races, yet, but I am craving a more mellow approach, and the resulting base should come in handy.
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