fatigue

I didn't run much on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday: I even skipped run club on Wednesday because my run that morning was so slow and stiff. My calves were like rocks. The thing that intrigues me, however, is that I felt better on Monday and Tuesday. Should I have in fact run more those days in order to loosen up more or increase blood flow or something? Physiological adaptation is still a bit of a mystery.

at any rate, muscles aside, I am feeling pretty worn out. I'm not sure if this is because I have been studying a lot for a final tomorrow and this has affected sleep, but it's taken me a while to realize this because I have been sleeping plenty and soundly. However, my brain has a lot to process and probably has required even more sleep. I've noticed a symptom of this subtle deprivation: earworm. If I wake up with a song in my head that just won't quit, I know I haven't had enough sleep. Today, it was a couple of songs from the Scrubs musical episode. I don't love Scrubs that much!

But I'm happy I'm tired. I'm actually at the point where I don't want to run everyday anymore. That means I pushed the effort, and thus will improve (hopefully).

Today the dog and I jogged 11.6 miles. It was a pretty muddy run. I was stiff at first but that wore off after a few miles and then it became easy. Slow, but easy. The river is swollen but we were still able to run on (most of) the dirt trail beside it.

trouble with directions

I'm going to need another stab at the Hull section of the course--I misplaced my written directions (actually thought I left them in the bathroom of the War Museum). The new Hull section is thankfully relatively short, but of course I erred on the side of generosity and got a good healthy portion of the Hull hills and general dumpiness after all. It was no fluke that the sun went behind a cloud when I crossed the first bridge.

I completed the Centretown/Hintonburg/Westboro section correctly from memory; I was on sidewalks and paths instead of the road, of course, and this added to the distance and elevation gain/loss, I think--the path is generally more corrugated than the road.

After the west/Hull loop, I got the dog and ran around the Canal. This again was longer than the race route because I went all the way around Dow's Lake: I wasn't feeling like another bridge. This part went really well and I was able to gradually pick up the pace. The last mile was under 8 minutes. Total run was 22.14 miles.

I felt tired but efficient, and my fueling went well, which was a big relief. I didn't stop for snacks but used Nuun electrolyte mix and Gu gels instead. I took about 1 gel per hour to begin with, and then the last two were more closely spaced and roctane gels to boost (basically, more engineered to facilitate carb-energy conversion and fatigue buffering). I definitely felt the effects. At times, it was disconcerting: I should have felt tired, but instead I felt revved, propelled.

more cold rain

If race day is like this, though, I'll be thrilled! The alternative is hot and humid.

Thurs: 4.09 miles with the dog.
Fri: 9.5 miles, including speedwork. I goofed: I jogged around looking for the group, thought that it wasn't going on after all, grabbed the dog and did the workout with him, then met the group on the way back. I am not used to being early! the workout was 6 X 500M at some killer effort or other. I took it a bit easy at first: 2:18, 2:14, 2:15, 2:08, 2:09, 1:57. I think they should have all been around 2:08, maybe 2:00...actually, I'm not really sure. I didn't look it up. Without the dog and leash, I would have been faster, but it was mutually enjoyable to have him there. There was a slight quirk of pace, though: he is comfortably in a canter/gallop at around 6:00-6:30/mile, but 7:00-7:30 is an uncomfortable divide between a too fast trot and too slow canter and it also happened to be my pace last night (mostly). The last one, I decided to open it up a bit, just to see. I've been feeling an alteration of form lately, thanks to the weights and improved stamina; it's hard to explain but generally it feels easier to run how I should, I suppose.

Sat: 13.2 miles with the dog. Rainy. It was hard to get out. The dog came with me and we started on the Rockliffe loop of the marathon course. I've run here several times but I'm still not very familiar with it, and its hills. Since it seems like it'll be the dodgy part of the marathon, I've decided to run it at least a few times before the race. Alas, I still wasn't quite sure where I was going (had directions written down but they weren't quite enough, and I missed a street sign and ended up with a detour, but the uncertainty was very energizing and I decided to do a few tempo miles. Ended up doing about 3.5 miles at about 7:55-8:15ish, and they weren't too hard. I didn't want to stay lost! It was very exciting. That took me to ten miles and then I took another accidental detour going home. So, I guess I need to try that loop again and again and get it down. The workout was similar to other ones I used to do, semi-long runs with tempo portions. I'm so grateful I'm strong enough again for that.

Not sure what I'll do tomorrow, maybe the western/Hull part of the course and then a bit on the Canal? will see how I feel. I would like to do 18-20 miles.

I ran nearly 70 miles this week (running complements science memorization very well--I sit in front of a few pages for a few hours and, boy, is the spring coiled tightly after that). Strangely, my muscles are doing very well--I've noticed before that the more I run, the more efficient it gets. The only thing that is bugging me is a sore throat in the morning. I'm pushing it, but one more week and then I guess I'll drop back to 50 miles.

speedwork and cold rain again

At this rate, we should get plenty of May flowers.

However, I shouldn't complain: seems like the dog and I were the only ones to avoid the rain on Sunday, and we were out for three hours. And Tuesday was perfect.

Monday: 2.5 miles
Tuesday: 11 (well, 10.98). It was gorgeous enough to stretch out the original 8ish mile plan.
Wednesday: 9.3ish. 3 X 3000M intervals. They were slower than before and less consistent, but still faster than I was expecting, so I'm happy.

Tomorrow will be an easy day.

Seeking fatigue

This is something I've noticed with a few long runs, including today's: about 3-4 miles from home, after more than two hours of slogging through (especially today's somewhat leaden run), a burst of energy happens and I'm able to push the last few miles. Today, for instance, my first couple miles or so were at about 11:00/mile. I didn't feel that good so I broke the run into 3 mile sections so that I'd never have to go more than 2.ish miles (actually, might do that during the marathon because it worked well)...after a while, my miles got under 10:00 min/mile, and then 9:00. My garmin lost power so I don't know how fast I was going for the last four or so miles when things started to really pick up but it was faster than 8:30/mile. Total was 18-ish miles.

I was pleased with the run, especially since I tried to tire myself out beforehand:

Friday: 9ish miles, including 8 X 400M, around 1:30-1:32 with 1:30 rest. I used to do 400s a bit faster, I think, but it's been a long time since I've done them and my hopes weren't high.
Saturday: 12.6 miles

I'm going to take it easy tomorrow and Tuesday, push on Wednesday...beyond that, I haven't quite decided. Do I do another back-to-back, or a longer single run, and on what day(s)?

speedwork

Yesterday's speed workout was 5 X 1 mile, all at about 7:20ish. This was about a minute/mile slower than when I did mile repeats two springs ago, and 10 seconds/mile slower than last spring, but it was easier too pace-wise. And harder workout-wise because I did 5 repeats this year and not 3. I think it was pretty close to tempo effort--it helped me a lot to run with a group of women rather than push myself too hard on my own. There were six of us. It was a party!

Then I did weights (legs).

My legs didn't feel too bad this morning; the dog and I jogged almost 3 miles. I tried to slip into a true recovery run zone this morning because I haven't in a while, and I need to, especially if I'm going to get through three hard weeks in prep for NCM. We managed to take things seriously easy, and I felt refreshed by the end of it. I might run with my husband tonight, will see.

gluten free

I met with my doctor yesterday and she told me I have to be more careful with avoiding gluten: I probably have colitis again. But it's almost gone now. After a few months' descent on the exhilarating slope of pain-granted freedom (hey, take a chance if it hurts already), culminating in my final consumption of a particular Persian honey treat with possibly a hint of flour, I turned the train around and have been very careful the past few weeks. But there is still more work to be done. My doctor gave me some more info; turns out that I wasn't avoiding gluten as much as I thought I was.

Gluten is also possibly in deli meats and flavoured coffees, baked beans, imitation crab and vegetarian meat substitutes (?!)

Gluten is probably all over Tim Hortons so that's out now (I had a reaction from my last coffee there). That goes for other places where servers are handling a bunch of wheat products.

Gluten is probably on a few kitchen things that I haven't replaced yet, a couple cutting boards, mixing bowls, and measuring cups.

Gluten is in some teas (barley).

Gluten is possibly in sticks of opened butter at other people's houses (toast crumbs).

And I have to be *that person* when ordering at restaurants. :( Sometimes I am, sometimes I guess....no more guessing now.

AND READ LABELS EVERY TIME EVEN IF I'VE BOUGHT THE EXACT SAME PRODUCT UMPTEEN TIMES BEFORE. And questionable stuff like unspecified maltodextrin is no good anymore.

It was good to have my doctor talk some sense into me. I haven't gone through the gamut of celiac tests so I've been considering myself 'gluten intolerant', but this does not have the requisite gravitas. Not like "Gluten tears into my small intestine like a thousand thousand knives." I don't need the label, but the visual helps!

this time, I came off pretty lightly--some gut pain, some mouth sores, a bit of muscle tiredness which could also be attributed to weights, plus whatever was going on with SVT (not a prob anymore)...not bad! I have enough time to recover fully for race weekend.

Meanwhile:

Sat: 3.6ish miles, situps, legs (weights + exercises)
Sun: 15ish miles, situps, arms
Mon: 7ish miles
Tues: 8ish miles, situps, core

Tomorrow I plan to rejoin (again) run club for some speedwork.

tomato plants

My little seedlings went outside for the very first time this year. They were spindly and starving for sun.

I skipped run club (again!) and jogged with my husband and dog for an hour, about 6.5 miles. A bit of fatigue/pressure/rawness is still there, but much less than yesterday.

Then I used the new weights for the first time. This has been the highlight of my week. We bought more dumbbells on our way back, this time handles and plates. More weight! Adjustable! I am pumped in multiple ways. My favourite part of lifting weights is approaching pain. (This isn't bad pain). Discomfort trudges boringly for a bit and then it gives way to a deeper, more insistent edge: no more please, just STOP. But that's when the magic starts happening. That's when it gets really exciting; the pain melts into joy and becomes glorious. And then, a few reps later, impending shakes and exhaustion. I don't go to failure: the thought of involuntarily dropping something on my foot stops me well before then. Maybe I'm nowhere near that point. Maybe there are more levels to strain through.

Sometimes on the last set, I keep adding reps until I hit a properly thrilling level of effort. one more, not yet, one more, not yet, one more, and there it is.

I contemplate tearing through a bunch of little myosin and actin fibers while at rest now; at the time, it's simpler. I don't think about anything. Maybe one word echoes, a single syllable like "go" or "yes". The mental chatter pauses. That's a big release. I pick up some weights and the mental ones are lifted too.

But I am still so weak. The gut issues have taken a toll over the past 15+? years. I used to do weights regularly about ten years ago (and was ALWAYS hungry), but before that, I was simply young and strong. I left for university with a bag and a trunk. I carried the trunk down the stairs and down the street and lifted it into the car. Then I carried it through the train station and lifted it onto a scale. The VIA guy told me I had to pay fifty bucks because it weighed just over 80 or 85 pounds. I scoffed and picked it up and held it at chest level and told him that the scale must be off. Look, it's easy! I didn't have to pay. Unfortunately, the change of diet in university rez didn't agree with me and I lost about thirty pounds during the first term, very little of which was fat.

It is my goal to get that strength back.

The new weights smell industrial. It's the coating more than the metal itself, I think. Not the most pleasant smell but it's got that curiously reassuring sweaty gym atmos: stuff is going to get done!

As for running...this will be a forty-mile week. Not 50. A break before three harder weeks (hopefully).

spring thaw

Summer started early this year: we went south for a week. The heat was not pleasant at first but I definitely got a lot of Vitamin C (miss the grapefruits especially) and D. I ran, not as much as usual, but it was hard. But it was a good vacation. We saw manatees!

Fortunately, we came back to less snow than before. And today was about 9C and sunny and the path by the river was clear. There couldn't have been an easier entrance back into running here. We were right in that window between lots of snow and lots of goose poop. The dog and I jogged about 10 miles. I'm feeling a bit heart-tired--SVT kicked up somewhat due to the heat and the car (I'm not sure why, but sometimes longer trips in the car is a trigger--static electricity?). Also, I couldn't entirely avoid wheat in a shared kitchen; I got a bit run down from that too and maybe that also invites SVT. No big bouts since the op, of course, but during the trip I had a bunch of tiny ones, almost too small to notice. Usually I have one every month or so, but there were a bunch on this trip and I noticed a bit of fatigue on the run. I'll see how I feel tomorrow.

This is definitely not going to be a 50 mile week, but I should get past 40, at least!