What's next?

That I’m not sure of, because after doing some trail marking for a 5 Peaks race at Rattlesnake Point in early June, I rolled my ankle pretty bad and needed to take a few weeks off for recovery.

The hardest part now is getting started again, and passing that fear of re-injury.  I am fearful that I am going to misstep and roll the ankle again, and then set myself back even further. I don’t have a goal race set yet, but still have at least 2 more 5 Peaks Ontario races (I will miss Albion Hills due to travel plans) but am looking for something in the fall to redeem this year plagued by injury.

The first step for recovery was taking 2 weeks off doing no running and forcing myself to take longer than I may have needed before lacing them up.

The second step was to slowly return to running, and right now that is where I’m at… This morning I went out and did a trail run at a moderate pace (around 5:40/km) and the ankle felt great – if anything I could tell I hadn’t run in a few weeks because the issues were more around my overall stamina, than anything with my ankle.

The last step will be to keep easing back into a routine, and gradually building back to where I was with 4-5 runs per week, and then setting some long-term goals.

I think I will register for the Oasis Canada Zoo Run in Toronto for late Sept, as this has become an annual run with my son, and now 2 more of my kids have expressed interest to run as well. The summer will be spent getting them ready to complete the 10k distance, and that should also keep me motivated to run and hold me back enough to ensure proper recovery.

I’ll let you know how it goes…

5 Peaks Ontario - Race 1 - Terra Cotta

The first event in the 2017 5 Peak Ontario Trail Series was held, April 22, in Terra Cotta and it was an amazing event, even though it was unseasonably cold that morning.

I was a volunteer that morning, so arrived at the park at 7:45am to assist with set up and to meet the race crew, as I had not been able to attend previous get-together runs for the Trail Crew team. When I got there, I immediately met up with Eric, the Series Director, and asked him what was needed, and went to work helping set up tables, and the inflatable Start/Finish line.

I’m glad that I was kept somewhat busy as it was very cold when the sun was behind the clouds and I was worried that my planned attire for the event was too light (shorts and long sleeve t-shirt). The 5 Peaks events are so well run, with tons of volunteers and helpers, and are great for runners of all ages and abilities. There are kids 1k fun runs, a youth 3k distance, as well as both a Sport (1 lap) and Enduro (2 laps) events so there is something for everyone.

The weather was sunny, and we had just come off a few days of rain, so the participants were all warned about safety as the first half of the course resembled a mud bog, which made for plenty of action, hilarity, and dirty runners. I decided to follow the mantra of enjoy the mud, and ran right through the middle of all the mud patches as we made our way through the first loop, and everyone was very careful to keep upright and also aware of the other runners to avoid slipping and taking out a whole bunch of people. It became very clear that the easiest path was the muddiest path and the sooner you came to terms with this, the better.

The trail was in good shape, and the terrain was challenging with elevation changes, bridges, and narrow paths but also had the wide areas to allow for runners to pass with ease. Having looked at the elevation map early, I was aware that there were some hills, and that meant both ups and downs, and remembered that keeping a consistent pace and muddy outlook would suit me well coming up on the second lap.

The crowd of runners thinned out for the second lap, which was good, because after 500 runners had passed though at least once, by the time I hit the mud the second time, it was even more glorious.

Again deciding to embrace the “get muddy” mentality meant straight into it, and through it, and I loved every second.

I took in the beauty of nature, listened to the sound of the trails, and lost myself in the joy of trail running and couldn’t wait to cross the finish line tired but feeling accomplished. The festive nature of this event series is amazing – from the lively crowds, playful volunteers and crew, and just the relaxed atmosphere of the trail community, it is something to be witnessed.

If you have never run a trail race, try a 5 Peaks event, they are not intimidating, and the experience is different at each location as each park offers different terrain and scenery.

Try it, you’ll love it - especially if you don’t mind getting a little dirty.

DNF - Around the Bay 30k March 26, 2017

This year I have been a part of the Around The Bay Buzz Crew, a group of participants whose task was to promote the event on social media and encourage everyone to participate and generate “buzz” around this race, which started in 1894 which makes it the oldest road race in North America.

I logged most of my training runs and tried to promote as often as possible as this is an event I look forward to every year – I have run it 6 of the last 8 years and it has become a staple event to help in the spring marathon training program.

The weather this year was inconsistent between freezing cold days, rain and then warm spells it became difficult to figure out what to wear and I decided today to run in shorts, a long sleeve t and then my running shell jacket to keep off the potential rain.  As it turns out, the rain held off and it was windy but I never really felt underdressed.

I was so excited to get the run underway, and settled into Corral C with a plan to finish somewhere between 2:45-2:50 if possible, but was always looking at this as a training run for the Ottawa Marathon more than trying to hit a PB (2:49) for the race.

Once underway, things felt good as we headed through downtown and towards the harbour, and even once we hit the overpasses things were good as we hit the 10k mark and headed along the lake. I was keeping pace with the 2:45 bunny and eased into a comfortable pace coming up to the halfway mark and then it all went wrong in a hurry.

I don’t even know exactly when but somewhere after crossing the rail bridge I started to feel pain in my right knee and by 17k I had to stop and reassess the situation. After waiting a few minutes and realizing that I would try to carry on, I headed into Burlington knowing that this was not going to end well, and decided that I would slow down and switch to more of a shuffle run style to minimize the stress on the knee and grit it out to the 20k relay transfer location where I pulled out and headed to the shuttle busses for a ride back to the start.

I was very disappointed that I could not carry on, but I did not want to risk major injury by pushing harder than I needed, and feel that pulling out was the best decision. My goal is to complete the Ottawa Marathon in May and to run the 5 Peaks trail series so saving myself for the rest of the “season” was a no-brainer.

I will find time this spring to finish the last 10k on my own but unfortunately won’t be able to high five the Grim Reaper, a local fixture of the race who taunts runners in the home stretch, after climbing the hill at 26k and passing by the Hamilton Cemetery at 28k, with the downtown finish in sight.

For anyone looking for a challenge, this race has it, from the early spring unpredictable weather, the unique distance, and the rolling hills this race will test your physical and mental limits, and will likely become a favourite. There are races for kids, a 5k, and 3 versions of the 30k (full 30k, 2x15k relay, or 3x10k relay) so there are options for everyone. Check out their website www.bayrace.com for more information.

2017 - time to kick things off

I can’t believe I stopped writing this blog 2 and half years ago – right after finishing the Chicago Marathon. It’s not that I stopped running, it is that I got lazy and busy, but mainly lazy…

But, it’s a new year, and I am making some major changes in my life, which I will share in good time. 

So, because of this, I have decided that I will get back on the blogging and post weekly my musings – not just about running, but about life.

Here's to new beginnings and continued relationships, let’s kick off this year with some updates for the next 12 months: 

-a career change

- a renewed focus on things that make a difference

- registered for Around The Bay 30k and 2017 Ottawa Marathon 

- signed up for the complete 5 Peaks Ontario trail race series

Feel free to read along and share with me your thoughts comments, successes and struggles and together, as I chronicle what I hope will be an amazing year…

2014 Chicago Marathon Recap

I can’t believe that it has taken me so long to put this together, but I guess I needed a few weeks to let it all sink in… I ran the Chicago Marathon, AND finished with a PB!

It was a few years ago when I had started running again and talking about going up from the half marathon distance that a colleague of mine suggested running Chicago. He said it was an amazing experience and the crowd, atmosphere and event were incredible and I filed that away as a goal race for the future.

I have now only run 3 marathons but each one has been better and for each one my training has improved, as has my diet, and ultimately I believe my health. I truly believe that the information I have received from my coach and from the runners I follow on Twitter has given me so much more than I ever expected.

I am encouraged by the support of the online running community from places like #RunChat and the #PoweredByBits @EnergyBits ambassador groups. These runners have encouraged and inspired me to keep going and as well to give back by encouraging others. I feel guilty now when I miss the Twitter chat sessions and try to keep up with what everyone is doing.

But enough about that… let’s get on to the weekend recap for the race!

My wife and I flew to Chicago on the Sat and checked in to the hotel, and then walked to the shuttle bus area for the Expo. It was a longer walk than I expected but the weather was nice and it helped me get my bearings for where we were. The lineup for the shuttle was long but fortunately a few more busses came quickly and we were off to the Expo which was a mass of people and motion. The layout is one that forces you to have to walk the length of the Expo to get your bib and shirt, but we were on a mission to get in and out quickly as I didn’t need to buy anything and I didn’t want to just browse.

After grabbing everything we headed back to the shuttle busses and jumped on a different one that brought us closer to our hotel. On the walk back we passed by a few places and stopped to pick up lunch to eat at the hotel and make late pasta dinner reservations. We returned to the hotel so that we could rest up and my wife could get some work done. We spent the afternoon resting, laying out the running gear, and then headed out for a late dinner. After chatting with the kids and making breakfast plans it was off to bed early to get rest.

I was up early and ready to go, so much so that I left the hotel early as my nerves were starting to make me antsy and I didn’t need to annoy my wife at 6am. I headed out for the walk to the starting line and began the process of getting into race mode. The weather was great, it wasn’t too cold and the walk kept me busy as the crowds grew larger heading towards the corrals.

Security was heavy but the lines weren’t too long and I realized that I wouldn’t have enough time to try to catch up with a few fraternity brothers who were hoping to catch up before the race. I needed to get into the corral and start the pre-race ritual of last minute fuelling and finding the right pace group. The goal was to keep ahead of the 4hr pace runner and I found many in my area.

The air was filled with excitement as the national anthem was sung and the elite racers were off… it felt like forever in the slow walk to the start line but around 13 minutes after the lead pack I crossed the start line and saw the sea of runners both ahead and behind and then the true magnitude of the event started to kick in.

The initial pace was great and to tell you the truth I felt awesome as we wound our way through the downtown area before the long stretch heading north towards Lincoln Park. I had planned to take my PocketFuel nut butters every 45minutes (which was every 5 miles) and my ENERGYbits every hour, and took water as needed but avoided the first few aid stations based on crowds. All the while keeping many 4hr pacers in sight I ran along enjoying the sights and crowds and reading the signs they carried. Even as we approached the halfway point I was feeling good, coming in a bit slower than I hoped but still under 2hrs for the first half and then it donned on me that the lead pack was almost done at the same time! But I was here to run my race and not let anything get me down… I tried to find my wife when we made the return loop to the downtown core, but the crowds were deep and I really didn’t’ know where to look, but she told me after she did see me run by.

As we moved along I was still consistent with both the splits and my fuel plan, and with the crowd support it was incredible… It seemed like every time you turned a corner there was a loud cheer and the enthusiasm was amazing and even at time almost overwhelming.

I started to feel a little tired around the 30k mark and by 32k I need to take a walk break. I had initially planned to take frequent walk breaks to allow my legs to rest and recover but I think I got caught up in the drive to hit sub-4hr and that I felt good early but that strategy eventually back fired and for the next 6k I struggled to maintain a decent pace and felt the legs begin to feel like lead. I also wonder if in moving back and forth in my head from miles to kilometers meant that I mistimed my energy intake but somewhere things fell apart but I refused to let it take over.

By the time I hit the 38k mark I was determined to get back on track and had resigned myself that the sub-4hr target was gone but that I was going to easily beat my time in Detroit from last year. This renewed focus allowed me to grab my last fuel load, and drive towards the finish line knowing that Michigan Ave and one small bend was all that stood before me.

With each step I felt stronger and more determined to finish strong and making that last uphitt climb and turn on to the finishing stretch was empowering – hearing the crowd screaming, the announcer calling out names and knowing that I had just completed the Chicago Marathon in a Personal Best time of 4:07.17!

 I was flooded with emotion – the tears and exhaustion mixed and I stumbled around looking for water, food and that moment of rest that was soon to come. The corral at the end funneled the runners to food and water, and even that post race beer, which was actually not even appealing.

I had my picture taken, and then began to field the text messages and notices on my phone… My kids had been watching online back home and actually saw me cross the finish line, and my coach texted me as well… that set me over the edge and I needed to sit down and rest/recover while I downed my drinks, ate fruit and anything else I could find. Shortly I texted my wife who was back at the hotel and I began the slow painful recovery walk back to a welcome shower, breakfast and a pillow.

The post-race recovery was quick, the shower helped and the food was awesome including a few gluten-free donuts, some chai pudding, and every liquid I could find. After resting for a few minutes we decided that a quick cab ride to the airport might mean an earlier flight home and more time to spend with the family (as it was the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend). The refueling at the airport consisted of my last chance to have Pizza UNO deep dish before leaving Chicago, and Stacey ran to another Terminal to grab some Garrett’s Popcorn for the kids.

We managed to get a flight home 4 hrs earlier and were actually home with the kids BEFORE our original flight would have left. We then spent the evening together and prepared for a Thanksgiving feast for lunch on Monday before taking my daughter to the train station so she could return to university.

It was amazing to think about how much we did that weekend, from a CFL game on Fri pm, trip to Chicago, run a marathon, trip home and then a celebration and drive to the train station and back…

It was truly a time to be thankful!

Toronto Oasis ZooRun 10k recap

This event was the second race for my 13yr old son, but with the high-school year starting and the late summer, his training was less than desired. Regardless, he was excited to run the 10k and especially in the Toronto Zoo which would have enough distractions on the course to keep his mind busy.

We made this a family trip, as a friend who works at the Zoo offered us a behind the scenes tour after the race, and with my wife a teacher, this was too good of an opportunity to pass up. The post-race event was kept a secret from the kids so they all thought they were going to watch the race and visit the animals while we were running. We all got up early, ate breakfast and piled in the van for the 90min drive. The roads were packed and the parking lot was full so we jumped out and headed to the bag check and start line with a lot of time to spare as the organizers moved the start time back half an hour to accommodate runners stuck in traffic.

Kris and I were in the red (first) corral as we expected to finish in around 50min, but I could sense his tension being up front and within minutes of starting he started to get cramps. This has been common for him, as he always struggles with his breathing early in races but after walking to let the rest of the runners in the red corral pass we started back up and kept a good pace.

By the time we re-entered the Zoo grounds he was running as his usual pace and looked comfortable so we kept going determined to keep going and finish with the second wave of runners. As we ran through various exhibits it was cool seeing the animals and all of the runners but the highlight was running past the camels who decided to run with us as we went by… I even heard later than one overly excited dromedary tried to jump a small fence to keep going… I wonder what his finish time would have been.

The course wound along the grounds with a very hilly climbs but nothing that would be larger than what we trained on, so it was merely a matter of distance and stamina that would be a factor. Kris kept going and we talked often about the run, how he was feeling, and what he wanted to do, and he wanted to keep going and knew that there was going to only be a little bit more to go.

The volunteers were very helpful reminding us of oncoming runners when there were shared paths as well as giving heads ups for upcoming hills and valleys and always with words of encouragement.

Before we knew it, we had the finish line in sight, and I asked him if he was good to go, and before I heard his answer, he took off for the finish line with a burst finishing strong but exhausted in 57.36 with me trailing behind by a second.

I am so proud of him for running through his anxiety over the race, and toughing out w tough course and I love pacing and coaching him along the way.

This is a great event and I encourage anyone to give it a try at either the 5k or the 10k distance.

The post-race food was a welcome sight and then we met up with family and my friend and his wife who also ran, and we began the facility tour. We managed to get a behind the scenes look at the medical centre, and saw a poor bird with a broken beak about to go into surgery. We saw the plans for the future expansion and then made the trek to the highlight of the day… a 1 on 1 visit in the penguin exhibit. We managed to spend about 20 minutes with Scooby Doo and 2 handlers/trainers who answered our questions and had us up close to this amazing bird. We learned so much and got to unwind after the run with an incredibly interactive event we will never forget.

Chicago Marathon Training update

I set my goal to run the Chicago Marathon over a year ago, when I was training for Detroit and now it is less than 2 weeks away… time flies when you are having fun and training.

My program is based loosely on one from my “unofficial” running coach Kate Laing at Smooth Running, and is based on a 16wk buildup that we used for half and full marathons – the difference is that this year I did most of my training solo.

The amazing part was that I found it easy and enjoyable to train – the early morning weekday and weekend long runs were not a chore but actually things I looked forward to, and as it turns out, I have already logged almost 1300km by the end of Sept which is 200km further than I ran all last year.

My initial goal of 1500km is now well within range, and I expect to exceed 1600km with a stretch goal of 1700km factoring in the unpredictable Ontario winter coming up.

During the training I have managed to run a few races to help with motivation and to provide a changeup to training runs, these included one trail half marathon as well as 2 races with my 13yr old son. Some of these runs were highlights of a very busy summer and I an anxious to hit the road in Chicago with the ultimate goal of my first sub-4hr marathon…

Through it all the biggest factor has been my nutrition. My regimen consists of ENERGYbits before runs as well as every hour, Pocket Fuel nut butters every 45min during runs, as well as RECOVERYbits post run. Another thing I have added is chia pudding made from chia seeds and almond milk which has now become a daily staple in my diet.

The weekly running schedule is at least 3 weekly runs for 6-8km in the mornings, usually at 5am, and then at least one long run (20+km) and this has been relatively consistent all year.

During the last 2 months I have logged over 500km and finished the Nike+ Chicago Marathon 4hr Challenge of 362km in 45 days (I finished in 14^th place) which in itself is an accomplishment I am proud of…

My dedication to this has been key to building up the mileage and the confidence that the goal is achievable.

Stay tuned for a post Chicago update in the upcoming weeks.

North Face Endurance Challenge Ontario half marathon review

I heard about this event on Twitter and decided to enter this to provide a challenge and change it up from just road running. My training partner and I accepted the challenge and began to work on mileage training.

We have both run numerous half marathons but this would not only be our first trail race, but on what is listed as one of the most challenging courses in Canada. Just what were we getting ourselves into? We were soon to find out…

The morning started out with showers as we drove the hour north to Blue Mountain and I knew it was going to be tough as I was running with traditional road shoes, the weather was only going to make it tougher.

The run started with a quick dash across a few slopes and it became obvious that we were going to be battling showers all morning and dealing with mud and slick conditions. As we made our way across the slopes we encountered a few bottlenecks and the crowd kept moving and warnings were shouted to keep runners behind aware of mud, water, and dangerous footing.

Kerry and I kept a good pace for the first few KM with the constant climbs and narrow passages in the trees it was important to keep moving and my first break was once we hit an open area with a bit of road on the downhill portion of the first part.

The climb approaching the first aid station was long and challenging but I walked when I needed to so that I had the energy to carry on. At the first station (5.5km) I caught back up to Kerry and we carried on now that I had recovered and again we ran on this second section feeling strong.

The views were spectacular and the trail was in good shape considering the rain we had. This second section was not as challenging as the first but it had sections once we crossed the second ladder that worked through the hills with a few series of switchbacks and single paths that were slippery and made everyone cautious about footing and grabbing the small trees for balance and support. It was during this portion that Kerry pulled away in traffic as I struggled in spots with footing but kept on determined to run strong heading towards the second aid station.

Knowing that the major climbs had passed was relieving, but having seen the elevation map, I also knew that the next 10km was going to be a constant series of ups and downs as we headed into the loop sections that brought us back and forth across Blue Mountain with gorgeous views of Georgian Bay.

It was through this section that I carried on conversations with numerous people as we ran and walked along and began to enjoy more of the trail camaraderie that I would normally have missed by running with earbuds and music. Many were veterans of trail races or marathons, but we were all enjoying the challenge of this course and inaugural race as the first Canadian stop in the North Face Endurance series.

Mentally I was fine until around 16km at which point “Just. Keep. Moving. Forward” became my mantra. At some points the trails was hard to see in the trees especially if there was no one else around so it forced me to pay attention to all possible paths which also kept my mind of the distance and fatigue that was settling in.

I had properly hydrated and fueled using both ENERGYbits and PocketFuel packets which kept me from “crashing” but the energy output definitely was high as this course  was way more challenging than the local trail I had run on for training.

My goal since registering was to finish the race – which meant I needed to stay ahead of the 4hr pace, which was never in doubt even with the much needed walk breaks. No matter how bad I felt, or tired I was, I was not going to stop or complain, and this was more a result of coming across a female running the 10k who was navigating the course with one prosthetic leg (a blade) and whose determination was incredibly inspiring.

As we made the final descent the course was again tricky and treacherous as evidenced by my wipeout going down a set of stairs. Thankfully I landed on my butt and avoided a major injury – only a few bruises and sore ankle…

As we cleared the downhill section and doubled back on the path we started the Village and crowd was audible in the distance and that motivated me to carry on strong and finish with a smile. Triumphant.

As I came to the line there was Kerry to cheer me on and the rest of the crowd at the finish line was inspiring and realizing that I had completed this course intact and with little energy left meant that I had left it all out on the slopes.

With many refills of water bottles, a quick spray of the hoses, a stop at the Clif tent for fuel we headed to the ice bath to soak the aching legs and change into dry clothes. The weather by then had cleared and warmed up significantly so the atmosphere was just one big party – a great reception to end a great day.

The event staff are to be congratulated for an amazing event, one that I will definitely be back for… next time I will train for the hills and will then focus on running a stronger race.

The goal was to finish. I did. That was a victory and I can’t wait to get back out there again – but I will take some time off to rest the aching legs… they earned it.

13yr old training and race recap

This past Christmas while we were in Florida, my son decided that he wanted to start running with me, and began to come with me on my morning 5k runs. Once we got home, we signed him up for a local 10k clinic and began to find a goal race.

We ran in the cold and snow and over time managed to get his mileage up to the required distances for the 10k race, but his basketball season kept interfering with goal races.

He was flying through the weekly long runs and after consulting the coach we decided that we would extend the training and set the Mississauga Bread and Honey 15k as the goal race. Every week we added 1km to his distance and over the last few weeks added in multiple runs to improve his conditioning and push him to stretch in his running.

We found a local trail around the lake and began to add in variety to the traditional road training. As the mileage increased Kris began to ask about fuel for running and has taken to ENERGYbits as his energy source.

The increased running program paid off for him during the final weeks of basketball season as he had not only more stamina, but a shorter recovery period, and his desire to run with me made for more time together doing something we both like to do.

But now on to today’s race… 

  We met the Smooth Running team at 6:30am and drove to Mississauga for the 8am starting time, and he seemed a bit nervous but claimed he was fine. Right before the start he downed his 10 “bits” and we headed to the starting line. My goal was to pace him and encourage him through this his first race and to try to eliminate any fears or doubts…

The race started and the start line was very crowded which meant a slow start. I wanted to avoid jostling for position to ensure he had room to run, so we stayed back and found a comfortable pace and worked our way along. We ran without music and I kept checking in with him to make sure that he was in good shape.

The crowd was big and it wasn’t until the 4k mark when the 5k runners headed back to the finish line and we turned away to complete the longer portion of the course with a few small hills that we had more room to get into the groove. Kris cruised to the 6k mark and then had to stop to walk as he was struggling a bit but with a water break and gel he was fuelled for the rest of the way.

As the race went on he kept a solid pace and before we knew it, he was past the halfway point and about to hit the turnaround point. He also had a chance to cheer on our running partner who was cruising along ahead of us and his words of encouragement and high-five seemed to energize Kris.

Once we cleared the last overpass, he was encouraged by some race volunteers as the first youth runner they had seen, and it was as if he was re-energized and continued to run strong, with only one quick stop to retie his shoes and grab a water break, he powered along Mississauga Road and turned for home.

He was smiling and looked at ease, but I knew he was tired but because there was 1k to go meant that he was determined to finish strong, and once the finish line was in sight, he kicked it into high gear and pulled away with me cheering him on. The whole Smooth Running group and his big sister were there to cheer him on just before crossing the finish line and that helped even more.

The entire race was so well organized and the weather was perfect – a bit sunny early and cool by the time we finished which made for perfect running conditions.

His first race was complete and successful -15km done in under 1:30:00 with a bit of room to improve. The smile on his face means that he will be back and running as often as he can.

Mississauga Half Marathon

On May 4th I raced the Recharge with Milk Half Marathon (for the 3^rd time in the last 4 years) feeling somewhat confident that it would be a good race. The key was if the weather would co-operate as we have seen some pretty inconsistent weather so far… and Sunday was no different.

Prerace preparation included tons of water, pasta the night before, extra RECOVERYbits before bed, and then 2 bowls of crockpot steelcut oatmeal and maple syrup for breakfast, and extra ENERGYbits in the morning.

Sun morning it was just above freezing at 5am and the wind was expecting to be gusting up to 50km/hr from the west… We arrived at the starting line WAY too early – like 6:15am for a 7:30 start and it was cold… windy and cold, but we stayed warm and kept each other upbeat as we waited for the start.

The Smooth Running group consisted of a few veterans of the race, a few running this race for the first time but not their first half, and one newbie… and the support we had for each other was incredible!

The prerace events were normal … we managed to huddle around a store front and kept ourselves as warm as could be before heading to the chute to start. I took another serving of ENERGYbits and a banana before heading to the starting line to ensure that I would have enough fuel for the race.

My running buddy and I decided in advance to try to place ourselves ahead of the 1:45 pace bunny so as to not have to try to track it down, but the crowd towards the front was pretty packed so we found a spot in front of the 1:50 pacer and waited for the start.

We took off at a decent pace – and headed into the wind for the first 5k – pacing around 5:00/km which would hit the 1:45 goal I had set for myself. I kept Kerry in sight but let him move ahead and felt great heading into the U of T Mississauga campus and ran my best at the 6k mark posting a 4:44/km pace.

Heading towards the lake I kept running strong and was averaging around 4:57/km factoring in the slow wind start and kept going feeling great. I took only sips of water from my bottle, avoiding the chaos of water stops and took some more ENERGYbits as fuel at the top of the hill at the 12k mark and felt the best I had ever felt on this course – and looked forward to a strong finish.

Before I knew it, I was running towards the lake and approaching the 17k trail when I ran through a cloud of midges (bugs) and increased my protein intake with a mouthful of them requiring another swig on the waterbottle…

At this point there was just around 3k left and I knew I had more in the tank so I started to increase my turnover rate and proceeded to power through to the finish feeling tired but so excited to cross the line with my first sub-1:45 time(1:44.01)! It felt great to have set a goal of beating my PB (1:47.47 at that race) and trying to achieve a specific time and doing it! To tell you the truth I never even saw the 1:45 pace bunny and felt so in control that I never even worried about it…

The race went perfectly – it wasn’t too hot or cold, though the wind picked up after and made it very blustery watching everyone else finish. The crowds along the route were great – they’re cheering and signs always uplifting and amusing and having the bands playing is also a welcome addition.

The Mississauga race is a top notch event – the coordination is smooth and the event is always enjoyable which makes it a must on my race calendar.

Milestone

Today was a pretty cool day, in that today I had another great run, and crossed a threshold I had never really given a lot of thought to, but reflecting on it now, is quite an accomplishment.

First I’ll talk about today’s run in the Egg Nog Jog, a challenging 10.8k run through the rolling hills of Terra Cotta, ON. The first time I ran this a few years ago, I came into it thinking that 10.8k was nothing as I had run half marathons, 30k races and even one full…. but I took the course for granted and it humbled me. The event is a local running gem, a well-organized winter run limited to only 600 runners so it is not over-crowded. So this year, I feel my overall training was better and knowing what was in store for me also made it easier.

The challenge comes between the 4-6km marks as the incline is significant and the duration of it makes it even more intense. This year I powered up the hill and forced myself to maintain a steady pace and was surprised at how many people I passed with ease, and stayed behind me the rest of the way. I even had enough reserve energy to dial up the pace at the 8-9km mark to improve my chances to finish strong with a very respectable time. The last 1km is mostly downhill (after all the climbing you do have to come back to the starting point in this loop race) and I turned it on and ran across the finish line with a sub 1-hr time for the 10.8km distance.

It was during this race, the milestone occurred, in that I crossed the 1000km mark for the year, and given the spotty routine from previous years this was a major accomplishment. Even this year there were a few very light months – most recently November, as I took a few weeks off after the Detroit Marathon to rest and lost my motivation to run in the dark, cold, late fall mornings. My heaviest workload was August as I was in full training mode and ran over 250km but also had 3 other months of 100km+.

So as the year winds down, I will be heading south for the holidays and plan to run every day when not driving and should be able to record another 100km+ month. This sets up the goal of 1600km (1000 miles) for 2014 and one that is firmly within reach.

Back at it...

I’m back – not only writing but running again. In the past few weeks it has been only a couple of runs – including a much deserved 10k after a busy week of business travel.

It is difficult some mornings to get up and run, knowing that I have a full morning ahead, and need to be in the office before 8am a half hour run at 5am sometimes just didn’t happen… but it needs to

I like the feeling of accomplishment after having dragged myself out of bed and onto the road, and maybe because there hasn’t been a “goal race” ahead that I have let it slide… so I have 2 so far…

The Egg Nog Jog is 2 weeks away so the 10.8k distance is not daunting, but I want to feel good about this run, so I need to dial up the training before next weekend. Discipline will be key and that often wanes in the cold and dark of Canadian fall and winter months.

The big race is the Around the Bay 30k in Hamilton at the end of March – this will mean weekly training runs with the Smooth Running group – my training team as this event is a group favourite event and the distance sets up well for a Spring full marathon – maybe Ottawa this year, if I can work on a few fellow runners.

Diet wise – I don’t go crazy in monitoring intake, but the switch to EnergyBits and RecoveryBits to fuel instead of gels and other items has been great, and I will continued to be #PoweredByBits in hopes of demolishing previous PB times and just an overall improvement on health. It has been over 3 years since I last had carbonated beverages (pop/soda) and my only true vice is coffee – and since starting a regular EnergyBits intake I have been able to reduce coffee consumption by at least one cup a day and find that on weekends it is almost non-existent.

So it is time to refocus – not only on the miles but also on writing… thanks for indulging me….

What's Next?

What’s next?

That’s a question that some runners face almost immediately after completing a race…

No sooner has the accomplishment been realized and the next goal is in question… Do I try to better my time, or is it a longer distance, or where do I race next?

It’s been a week since the Detroit marathon, and my thoughts have gone to will I race it again next year, or will I go after Chicago the week before (or try both?), or what is the next big one?

I took the entire work week off from “training runs” but did manage to drag my butt out of bed Sat. at 5am for a training run with my “half marathon” training group as they are tapering for a race next weekend. The distance was 12k, and the weather was less than accommodating as we faced a significant wind and the first “snow storm” of the fall season. It had started snowing/sleeting around 5am so by the time we hit the road at 7am there was accumulation and a biting headwind but we managed to get in 13+k as my training partner and I doubled back to make sure that the only other runner to brave the conditions was still in good shape.

It is runs like this that makes me realize that I love pushing myself, sometimes for no real reason other than the challenge to step outside the comfortable and do what many others won’t.

My next race is in Dec, the 10.8k Egg Nog Jog, a local favourite with rolling hills and scenic views and warm soup and egg nog post race… and this is a very comfortable distance so weather conditions are virtually irrelevant (I say virtually because it is Dec. in Canada so there is always the threat of bad weather – but that’s the challenge).

After this my calendar is open but will quickly fill with the March 2014 Around the Bay 30k in Hamilton, for my 4^th time, and then the decision will be - which spring race do I want to do? Mississauga, Toronto, or Ottawa? Half of full? And what other events are there that I am interested in doing – my hope is that there will be at least 3 half marathons and a full…

The most important question is…. Who wants to run with me?

Marathon Training

I started running a few years ago, at least in terms of running organized races. Since then it has become more of a lifestyle change than a habit, and more of an exercise routine, obsession, and challenge to myself to see how far I can go and how far I can push myself to perform.

I started with a few smaller runs, 5ks etc and then pushed to the 10k range, before challenging myself to run the half marathon distance. I would train with friends and started a morning run loop routine that started at around 2-3k daily and then participate in clinics and a long run on the weekend.

Over time that became a comfortable habit and then the thoughts of running longer distances crept in and before I knew it the annual “Around the Bay 30k” in Hamilton had become routine and the thought of the 42.2k distance did not seem that far off.

I trained with a running buddy, Kerry, and together we ran on weekends and enjoyed the bond of social running and pacing each other towards the goal of completing our first full… A toe injury put my plans on hold, and Kerry completed his first full while I could only wish that I would recover, and then planned to run my first in Hamilton for the Road 2 Hope.  We both entered the race and again a lack of preparation impacted my race, but I did manage to complete the distance, with a lot of walking in the last 12k in just over 5 hours.

All I can really remember was losing the 3:45 pace bunny at 28k as I hit the proverbial wall and lost my drive and energy and battled thoughts of quitting while I continued to walk angry at myself for a lack of proper training and nutrition. My crowning moment was my determination to run across the finish line, and mustered everything I had at 40k to run the rest and with my coach and training partner and their son cheering me on, I picked up the pace and crossed the line victorious but disappointed.

As only a distance runner will understand, within half an hour as I was settling into the passenger seat on the way home, the thought of running not only another marathon, but attempting an ultra-marathon distance of 50k crossed my mind.

This brings me to now – to two nights before I tackle the Detroit Free Press International Marathon, the distance that has challenged me to drag myself out of bed at 5am when it’s cold and dark outside, and my bed is warm…

This time it will be different because of a few things…

First – my training is better – since July I have logged well over 500km of training runs and I have listened to my body and pushed when I could and rested when I should as well. Most of these training runs have been solo – this time I was running the marathon alone – not with a group or even Kerry – this was for me, about me, and about not giving up.

Second, and most importantly, my nutrition is better – I have been eating better, hydrating more, and supplementing not with gels or other gummies like I did previously (I had at least 6 gels running a half marathon 2 years ago and paid dearly with digestion issues). This time my fuel is Energy Bits – a spirulina algae tablet that has changed the way I think and manage my hunger and energy supply. These bits are amazing – 100% natural, a high source of protein and low in calories. I take them every day, running or not, and have noticed a sustained energy level. When I run, I take more before heading out and have noticed that I don’t crash mid-run, nor do I feel hungry… about half way through my long run, I will take more – usually 10-15 tabs and I am able to maintain pace and activity. I have even noticed that my post run recovery is quicker; there are a lot less aches and even no real need for a nap. Even the morning loop runs have graduated to the 6-8k range and happen 3-4x a week.

As I think about the last minute details, my main concern is making sure that I have enough “bits” for race day and given the small size, it will be much easier to carry these than worry about numerous gels and then disposing of the garbage.

I can’t wait for Sunday – to complete the race – to beat my goal time of sub-4hr, and to be able to function the rest of the day because I have done what I needed to do to prepare.

Now it’s just up to me to put one foot in front of the other, repeatedly, to not stop running until I have crossed that Finish Line.