Hey Y'all,
In case anyone reads this, and they're wondering why I haven't written a post in a while, it's because I re-injured my leg and decided to drop out of the Victoria Marathon. It's for the best. I'll be back with more journal entries when I officially start training for the Boston Marathon. I'm thinking January 1st will be a good time to start, which gives me 14 weeks. I'll be following this Intermediate schedule:
Monday, September 6, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
15K Tempo Run + Fartlek Ladders
What the hell are Fartlek Ladders? I'm glad you asked!
"Fartlek Ladders" is just a fancy term for Speed Intervals. It goes like this: 1 Minute sprinting, 1 minute jogging/walking, 1 minute sprinting, 1 minute jogging/walking. You can do it on a treadmill, or you can set a watch to beep at 1 minute intervals.
I awoke to some pretty steady rain and mild-to-cold temperatures this morning. Yep, I'm back in Saint John. Actually, this weather reminds me of Vancouver! In the winter. With no desire to get soaked by fluids other than my sweat today, I decide to hop on a bus Uptown. That's right, they call Uptown Downtown here. I hit up the Canada Games Aquatic Centre for a change of scenery. I assume they have treadmills here.
My assumption correct, I sign up for a treadmill and take a minute to stretch - I have the advantage of not being in a rush today. I start off at my marathon pace - 9 Miles Per Hour - no messing around today. I need to kick my own ass for all the missed runs over the past few weeks. If I had a coach, he'd undoubtedly be displeased. With a good, fast pace like this, I watch the miles tick away. 20 Minutes, 3 Miles (5K), 20 Minutes, 3 Miles, 20 minutes, 3 Miles. An hour in, and I'm starting to make 3 wishes to the invisible Gym Genie. 1) I wish I had a water bottle 2) I wish I ate a better lunch 3) I wish I had my MP3 player. Treadmills is boring, yo! I need to shake things up a bit here.
At the hour mark, I've got a couple of choices. I could continue at race pace and push to see how far my legs hold out (I'm hoping 26 Miles!) or I could get creative. I must have been getting dizzy from the Air Conditioning, because I decided to deliver a punishing blow to my legs - the dreaded Fartlek Ladders.
Normally, I'd be doing these on a track, or better yet on the Stanley Park Seawall in Vancouver, with a borrowed watch or customized MP3 with a beep every 60 seconds. On solid ground, I control the tempo and how hard my sprints are. On a treadmill, all I can do is max out the machine at 10 MPH for my sprints, and jam my finger onto the "Slow" button to bring it down to 6.5 MPH for my recovery. I picked out 20 minutes for my time for some reason, and away we go!
The problem with a treadmill is that everything is artificial; the speed, the incline, even the running. Still, the rain keeps falling outside, and I'm only soaked to the skin in my own precipitation, or perspiration actually. Eau De Nathan. They should bottle it and market is as female repellent. Actually, I think I recognize the young lady working the Personal Trainer Desk from high school. I wouldn't say I know her, and I imagine she probably gets a dozen knuckleheads a week approaching her with the ol' "Don't I know you from somewhere?" routine. I better leave well enough alone and get back to the running. I'm terrible with names anyway.
Sprinting feels really good! I missed it! Cranking the treadmill up to 10, I feel right at home, and I wish it went up to 11 (that's 1 faster, Mr Tufnel). After 10 minutes, I'm still feeling good, but the recovery minute is flying by faster and faster. I slow down my next recovery lap to 5MPH, which is barely a job, then back up to 10, down to 4, up to 10, down to 3, 10 and done! This happens every time, but you know what, recovery is exactly that, recovery!
After a little cooldown walk, I used a weird-looking ab machine and stretched everything out. A little trip to the sauna and hot tub, and now we're cooking! Literally! My stomach feels a little queazy, but I think that's just its emptiness. With my ass-kicking workout complete, it's time for lunch!
"Fartlek Ladders" is just a fancy term for Speed Intervals. It goes like this: 1 Minute sprinting, 1 minute jogging/walking, 1 minute sprinting, 1 minute jogging/walking. You can do it on a treadmill, or you can set a watch to beep at 1 minute intervals.
I awoke to some pretty steady rain and mild-to-cold temperatures this morning. Yep, I'm back in Saint John. Actually, this weather reminds me of Vancouver! In the winter. With no desire to get soaked by fluids other than my sweat today, I decide to hop on a bus Uptown. That's right, they call Uptown Downtown here. I hit up the Canada Games Aquatic Centre for a change of scenery. I assume they have treadmills here.
My assumption correct, I sign up for a treadmill and take a minute to stretch - I have the advantage of not being in a rush today. I start off at my marathon pace - 9 Miles Per Hour - no messing around today. I need to kick my own ass for all the missed runs over the past few weeks. If I had a coach, he'd undoubtedly be displeased. With a good, fast pace like this, I watch the miles tick away. 20 Minutes, 3 Miles (5K), 20 Minutes, 3 Miles, 20 minutes, 3 Miles. An hour in, and I'm starting to make 3 wishes to the invisible Gym Genie. 1) I wish I had a water bottle 2) I wish I ate a better lunch 3) I wish I had my MP3 player. Treadmills is boring, yo! I need to shake things up a bit here.
At the hour mark, I've got a couple of choices. I could continue at race pace and push to see how far my legs hold out (I'm hoping 26 Miles!) or I could get creative. I must have been getting dizzy from the Air Conditioning, because I decided to deliver a punishing blow to my legs - the dreaded Fartlek Ladders.
Normally, I'd be doing these on a track, or better yet on the Stanley Park Seawall in Vancouver, with a borrowed watch or customized MP3 with a beep every 60 seconds. On solid ground, I control the tempo and how hard my sprints are. On a treadmill, all I can do is max out the machine at 10 MPH for my sprints, and jam my finger onto the "Slow" button to bring it down to 6.5 MPH for my recovery. I picked out 20 minutes for my time for some reason, and away we go!
The problem with a treadmill is that everything is artificial; the speed, the incline, even the running. Still, the rain keeps falling outside, and I'm only soaked to the skin in my own precipitation, or perspiration actually. Eau De Nathan. They should bottle it and market is as female repellent. Actually, I think I recognize the young lady working the Personal Trainer Desk from high school. I wouldn't say I know her, and I imagine she probably gets a dozen knuckleheads a week approaching her with the ol' "Don't I know you from somewhere?" routine. I better leave well enough alone and get back to the running. I'm terrible with names anyway.
Sprinting feels really good! I missed it! Cranking the treadmill up to 10, I feel right at home, and I wish it went up to 11 (that's 1 faster, Mr Tufnel). After 10 minutes, I'm still feeling good, but the recovery minute is flying by faster and faster. I slow down my next recovery lap to 5MPH, which is barely a job, then back up to 10, down to 4, up to 10, down to 3, 10 and done! This happens every time, but you know what, recovery is exactly that, recovery!
After a little cooldown walk, I used a weird-looking ab machine and stretched everything out. A little trip to the sauna and hot tub, and now we're cooking! Literally! My stomach feels a little queazy, but I think that's just its emptiness. With my ass-kicking workout complete, it's time for lunch!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Long Run Monday = 36K in the Salt Marsh
My friends live in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. It's a quaint neighborhood, pretty quiet and seemingly safe. Looking online for running routes is as easy as checking out the Trans Canada Trail website (tctrail.ca). I see there's a really nice trail system in Cole Harbor Heritage Park, 13K from their house, and you can basically run for 50K in this system. I borrowed my friend's bike, and the plan is to bike to the Park, lock up/stash the bike in the woods and then run as far as my legs will carry me, before coasting home on fumes.
Riding a bike should be as easy as well, riding a bike. I pumped up the tires, tested the gears and set off down the hill. Then I noticed something was wrong. The crank arm, the little shaft that has the pedal on it, on the left side was extremely loose, and almost falling off! This happened to my old bike, and it took nothing more than a good tightening with a socket set. I turned around, hopped off the bike and jogged along with it, back to the house. Looking around, I couldn't locate the tool kit, so I decided to just run it. I filled my water bottle, grabbed 2 Powerbar Gels and set off. Here's my route:
13K from Dartmouth to Coal Harbor
10K Heritage Trail/Salt Marsh Trail
13K back to Dartmouth
It's perfect running weather today; a little cloud, a little cool-ish and not too humid. The run to the park felt pretty good, save for some construction work that diverted me to a back street. It's the scenic route, right? There was a good hill up, a good hill down, and then another good hill down, down, down to Cole Harbor Heritage Park. After navigating through a section of the Heritage Trail, I hung a left and the trail opened up into a huge Saltwater Marsh, with all kinds of sandpiper and heron. This reminds me of the wetlands back in Saint John at the Irving Nature Park, except the air smells way fresher, with a little salty hint.
I stop to choke down a Gel and read a plaque, which tells me this was once a Native fishing ground, but European settlers came in and built a railroad, connecting one part of Nova Scotia to the other, presumably before the highway was built. This abandoned railbed, including several bridges, is now the home of a nice running/walking trail. There are a few other people out today with their dogs and families, and a couple of fisherman putting around in boats. I'm not sure what they're pulling out of the water, because I don't see any fish. Maybe clams? I reach the other side of the Salt Marsh and turn back, re-tracing my steps back up, up, up to Cole Harbor Road.
My water bottle is empty, so I start eyeing restaurants and businesses along the side of the road where I can fill up. I step inside a gas station, dripping with sweat and breathing heavily. I ask the counter attendant if I can use the bathroom, and the frightened look on her face tells me that she was probably expecting me to utter the magic words, "Empty the register" or "Put all the money in a paper bag!" I just want some tap water fer chrisakes!
After filling up, I caught my reflection in the mirror, and that's when I noticed the huge white lines running down my face, remnants of the salt left behind from all the sweat escaping my pores. Combined with my bloodshot eyes from the sweat burning my pupils, I was quite a sight. I got the hell out of that gas station with a fresh bottle of water and another horrified look from the cashier.
The final stretch is all uphill. I turn up a street called Irish Town or something or other, and I'm really pounding it out, laying it on the line. This is another Triple Threat Hill, complete with blind crests and a never-ending incline. I get back to my friends' place and look at the kitchen clock. 36K in 3 hours is way off my race pace, but I have to factor in the climb, the gas station break, stopping to read the plaque, and taking my time to avoid getting lost in an unfamiliar neighborhood. Still, I'm pretty happy with my ability to climb a full-out hill at the end of 36K, which bodes well for my next run. I was making up for lost time with this long run, but there's no sense of desperation. With 6 weeks left before the Victoria Marathon, there's lots of time to improve. I'm so hungry I could eat a whole cow, which is exactly what my buddy serves up for dinner. A 10-ounce steak, sweet potatoes and grilled vegetables has never tasted better!
Riding a bike should be as easy as well, riding a bike. I pumped up the tires, tested the gears and set off down the hill. Then I noticed something was wrong. The crank arm, the little shaft that has the pedal on it, on the left side was extremely loose, and almost falling off! This happened to my old bike, and it took nothing more than a good tightening with a socket set. I turned around, hopped off the bike and jogged along with it, back to the house. Looking around, I couldn't locate the tool kit, so I decided to just run it. I filled my water bottle, grabbed 2 Powerbar Gels and set off. Here's my route:
13K from Dartmouth to Coal Harbor
10K Heritage Trail/Salt Marsh Trail
13K back to Dartmouth
It's perfect running weather today; a little cloud, a little cool-ish and not too humid. The run to the park felt pretty good, save for some construction work that diverted me to a back street. It's the scenic route, right? There was a good hill up, a good hill down, and then another good hill down, down, down to Cole Harbor Heritage Park. After navigating through a section of the Heritage Trail, I hung a left and the trail opened up into a huge Saltwater Marsh, with all kinds of sandpiper and heron. This reminds me of the wetlands back in Saint John at the Irving Nature Park, except the air smells way fresher, with a little salty hint.
I stop to choke down a Gel and read a plaque, which tells me this was once a Native fishing ground, but European settlers came in and built a railroad, connecting one part of Nova Scotia to the other, presumably before the highway was built. This abandoned railbed, including several bridges, is now the home of a nice running/walking trail. There are a few other people out today with their dogs and families, and a couple of fisherman putting around in boats. I'm not sure what they're pulling out of the water, because I don't see any fish. Maybe clams? I reach the other side of the Salt Marsh and turn back, re-tracing my steps back up, up, up to Cole Harbor Road.
My water bottle is empty, so I start eyeing restaurants and businesses along the side of the road where I can fill up. I step inside a gas station, dripping with sweat and breathing heavily. I ask the counter attendant if I can use the bathroom, and the frightened look on her face tells me that she was probably expecting me to utter the magic words, "Empty the register" or "Put all the money in a paper bag!" I just want some tap water fer chrisakes!
After filling up, I caught my reflection in the mirror, and that's when I noticed the huge white lines running down my face, remnants of the salt left behind from all the sweat escaping my pores. Combined with my bloodshot eyes from the sweat burning my pupils, I was quite a sight. I got the hell out of that gas station with a fresh bottle of water and another horrified look from the cashier.
The final stretch is all uphill. I turn up a street called Irish Town or something or other, and I'm really pounding it out, laying it on the line. This is another Triple Threat Hill, complete with blind crests and a never-ending incline. I get back to my friends' place and look at the kitchen clock. 36K in 3 hours is way off my race pace, but I have to factor in the climb, the gas station break, stopping to read the plaque, and taking my time to avoid getting lost in an unfamiliar neighborhood. Still, I'm pretty happy with my ability to climb a full-out hill at the end of 36K, which bodes well for my next run. I was making up for lost time with this long run, but there's no sense of desperation. With 6 weeks left before the Victoria Marathon, there's lots of time to improve. I'm so hungry I could eat a whole cow, which is exactly what my buddy serves up for dinner. A 10-ounce steak, sweet potatoes and grilled vegetables has never tasted better!
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Rolled Ankle = Weekend Off
Somehow on Thursday night, while having a couple of pints with a good friend, I rolled my ankle. The details are beer-soaked and foggy. It was either falling upstairs at the pub, or running home in the fog. Either way, I messed it up. Not smart, Nathan. You're supposed to be in training.
It's Friday, and the ankle is not feeling good. I'll take the day off.
Saturday comes around and the ankle is still hurting. No running today.
On Sunday, I hopped in a car with some good friends and we drove to Nova Scotia. As much as I want to spend time with my family, I need a little "me time" and a chance to clear my head. My ankle still feels stiff, but the pain has pretty much subsided. A good night's sleep tonight, and I'll be ready to make it up with a long run tomorrow.
It's Friday, and the ankle is not feeling good. I'll take the day off.
Saturday comes around and the ankle is still hurting. No running today.
On Sunday, I hopped in a car with some good friends and we drove to Nova Scotia. As much as I want to spend time with my family, I need a little "me time" and a chance to clear my head. My ankle still feels stiff, but the pain has pretty much subsided. A good night's sleep tonight, and I'll be ready to make it up with a long run tomorrow.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Speedwork Wednesday becomes Junk Mile Thursday
I asked around to see if anybody knew where there was a running track in Saint John. It turns out there's one at the University of New Brunswick. It's not a gravel track like I'm used to; it's 1,000 meters instead of 400, but it's exactly what I need. Rather than take a bus or bum a ride, I use the 10K from my Mom's house to the track as a slow warm-up. I run down Douglas Avenue, past some gorgeous character homes that make Vancouver's Heritage Houses look like condos, and through the troubled North End Community to the University.
Upon Arrival, I see tradesmen sitting around, doing what they do best, and a huge fence around the running track. Shit. A huge sign on the fence confirms my fear: the track is closed for construction. I see a few workers snickering at me from the other side of the fence, laughing at the runner who didn't get the memo. Rather than sit around and sulk, I turn and set out for home. It ain't speedwork, but any running is better than no running at all.
My first 10K was intended to be a warmup, so I wasn't exactly burning up the streets. Now, with no track workout, I can rock a fast 10K home and still make decent time overall. I was just jogging at first, so it took me roughly an hour to get to the university. Let's see if I can break 40 minutes on the way back. It'll be close.
You know what slowed me down? Crosswalks. I'm the kind of guy that usually sees an opening and takes it, but I don't know what the jaywalking fines are like in Saint John these days, so I'd better just take my time and wait for the little man that tells me I can "Walk". Through the North End, I'm sweating like a hooker on pay day, and my water is almost gone. It's pretty hot out today, and in true Nathan Stafford style, I'm wearing all black clothing. Like Hendrix's muse in Crosstown Traffic, I "Don't Mind a little pain." I fly down Douglas Avenue, past the ancient homes and across the famed Reversing Falls Bridge (a popular suicide spot in Saint John). Up a hill, left on Lancaster Avenue, and I'm on the home stretch. The clock read 2:30 when I left the University Track, so I wonder if I'll be home before 3:10? Only the kitchen clock will tell. I desperately need a watch.
I enter the kitchen, look at the wall clock, and to my dismay it's 3:15. I don't know if this clock is fast, the University clock is slow, or a combination of both, but let's just blame it on the crosswalks. Yeah, that'll work.
Tip of the day: Get a watch, you dummy!
My view from the other side of the fence.
Upon Arrival, I see tradesmen sitting around, doing what they do best, and a huge fence around the running track. Shit. A huge sign on the fence confirms my fear: the track is closed for construction. I see a few workers snickering at me from the other side of the fence, laughing at the runner who didn't get the memo. Rather than sit around and sulk, I turn and set out for home. It ain't speedwork, but any running is better than no running at all.
My first 10K was intended to be a warmup, so I wasn't exactly burning up the streets. Now, with no track workout, I can rock a fast 10K home and still make decent time overall. I was just jogging at first, so it took me roughly an hour to get to the university. Let's see if I can break 40 minutes on the way back. It'll be close.
You know what slowed me down? Crosswalks. I'm the kind of guy that usually sees an opening and takes it, but I don't know what the jaywalking fines are like in Saint John these days, so I'd better just take my time and wait for the little man that tells me I can "Walk". Through the North End, I'm sweating like a hooker on pay day, and my water is almost gone. It's pretty hot out today, and in true Nathan Stafford style, I'm wearing all black clothing. Like Hendrix's muse in Crosstown Traffic, I "Don't Mind a little pain." I fly down Douglas Avenue, past the ancient homes and across the famed Reversing Falls Bridge (a popular suicide spot in Saint John). Up a hill, left on Lancaster Avenue, and I'm on the home stretch. The clock read 2:30 when I left the University Track, so I wonder if I'll be home before 3:10? Only the kitchen clock will tell. I desperately need a watch.
I enter the kitchen, look at the wall clock, and to my dismay it's 3:15. I don't know if this clock is fast, the University clock is slow, or a combination of both, but let's just blame it on the crosswalks. Yeah, that'll work.
Tip of the day: Get a watch, you dummy!
My view from the other side of the fence.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Improvised Speedwork - No track, No problem
I'm limited on time today. It's an important day, and running unfortunately has to take a back seat. Today is my Dad's funeral. Let's see if I can pack a high-intensity workout into about 20 minutes, and get a good sweat going. There's no track in my Mom's neighborhood, but a city block should do just fine. I eyeball it, and figure it's slightly longer than the 400 meter gravel track I'm used to at Brockton Oval, so let's call it 500. Sprint 500, jog 500, sprint 500, jog 500, and so forth. My goal is 4 sprint laps, and I'm not one to let my goal slip away. I pick the most level block I can find, and I'm off to the races!
Leave it to some jerk to park their SUV right at the front of their driveway, blocking the sidewalk and forcing me to run out into the road. I'd rather not do that, since who knows what kind of idiot might come speeding around the corner and clip me, or worse. But hey, nothing's gonna stand in my way! By the way, I shouldn't have had that 2nd beer last night, but I did.
Lap #1 was a little labored. It's cold outside, and being short on time, I didn't exactly warm up properly. The first lap is my warm-up, so be it. The first rest lap couldn't come soon enough, and I'm chugging along like a steam train. Actually, the cold air burns my lungs more like coal. Sprint #2 rolls around, and I'm feeling a little better. As I finish the lap, I think I see a little set of eyes peeping through some curtains at me, but I can't be sure. Maybe it's a kid.
I grind out my 3rd Sprint and let out a big grunt at the end. My water bottle is still in the same bush where I left it, so I scoop it up and take a big swig, careful not to drink too much so I don't cramp up or feel that slooshy-feeling in my guts. Boy, I feel like crap today! Maybe it's sprinting on pavement (don't usually do that), maybe it's the poor night's sleep last night, maybe it's the 2 beers, and maybe, just maybe it's the 4-hour time difference.
I usually do my speedwork in a group, with someone almost as fast as me. Today it's all about personal best, and I can tell I'm not running as fast as I can. With nothing to lose, I come around that final turn and just give it everything I have! Why not? As I cross the imaginary finish line, legs exploding, lungs burning, I notice that little set of eyes from earlier. I inch a little closer and expect to see a small child. "Woof!" My spectator is a Jack Russell Terrier! Maybe next time, Jackie boy will time me, because I have no idea how close I was to a minute. I need a track and a clock. I consider today's speed workout a failure, or at least a warmup.
Leave it to some jerk to park their SUV right at the front of their driveway, blocking the sidewalk and forcing me to run out into the road. I'd rather not do that, since who knows what kind of idiot might come speeding around the corner and clip me, or worse. But hey, nothing's gonna stand in my way! By the way, I shouldn't have had that 2nd beer last night, but I did.
Lap #1 was a little labored. It's cold outside, and being short on time, I didn't exactly warm up properly. The first lap is my warm-up, so be it. The first rest lap couldn't come soon enough, and I'm chugging along like a steam train. Actually, the cold air burns my lungs more like coal. Sprint #2 rolls around, and I'm feeling a little better. As I finish the lap, I think I see a little set of eyes peeping through some curtains at me, but I can't be sure. Maybe it's a kid.
I grind out my 3rd Sprint and let out a big grunt at the end. My water bottle is still in the same bush where I left it, so I scoop it up and take a big swig, careful not to drink too much so I don't cramp up or feel that slooshy-feeling in my guts. Boy, I feel like crap today! Maybe it's sprinting on pavement (don't usually do that), maybe it's the poor night's sleep last night, maybe it's the 2 beers, and maybe, just maybe it's the 4-hour time difference.
I usually do my speedwork in a group, with someone almost as fast as me. Today it's all about personal best, and I can tell I'm not running as fast as I can. With nothing to lose, I come around that final turn and just give it everything I have! Why not? As I cross the imaginary finish line, legs exploding, lungs burning, I notice that little set of eyes from earlier. I inch a little closer and expect to see a small child. "Woof!" My spectator is a Jack Russell Terrier! Maybe next time, Jackie boy will time me, because I have no idea how close I was to a minute. I need a track and a clock. I consider today's speed workout a failure, or at least a warmup.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Long Run Sun(day) 27K
More of the same. Much more.
Today was my scheduled Long-Slow Run of the week. When I say slow, it's not like I'm plodding along like an old lady in an antique shop, but a little less intense than my Wacky Hill Climb on Friday. Seeing as how I didn't really know any other routes off-hand, I guess I'll head to the Nature Park again. This time though, I'll add an extra lap around the park to to tag on another 7K.
Heading out, I take a slightly different route to avoid the wrath of Lancaster and Duke Streets, heading further West to take Dufferin Row and Lancaster Avenue. Fundy Heights wasn't a problem, and the hill down to the park was well, downhill. Getting into the park, I notice there aren't many cars parked in the lot, as it's still relatively early and I guess most folk around here are the church-goin/Sunday relaxin-type. I see a few squirrels bouncing around like acorn-crackheads, but other than that, it's a quiet morning at the park.
Lap #1 around the park was easy-peasy. I've done this before. Without a watch, I have no idea how fast I'm going, but my trusty MP3 player keeps my legs moving at a steady groove. Today it's all about Chromeo. Awww yeah! A friend of mine made me a mix of all different songs, sped up, or slowed down to one tempo, keeping the kick drum going steady the whole time for 90 minutes. Strangely, the track ended as I finished finished the second lap. That's 20K in 90 minutes. A little faster than Wednesday, but factor in Extreme Hill aka Sand Cove Road, and it's a rough stretch home.
The last time I was in Saint John, I tried to do a similar run, but I couldn't make it home and had to walk up that hill, taking breaks along the way. Not today, friendo. I dig in, lift my knees and make that hill a thing of the past. The long, steady climb didn't hurt at all, and I can tell I've come a long way physically since last summer. Fundy Heights levels out and I'm able to slow my breathing down a bit. Nothing feels better than a rest period after a big climb (well maybe one or two things), but I know I still have a downhill to burn. Here we go! It feels pretty good to sprint at the end of a long run, and I almost feel like I could run another 10K or so. That's good to know, because in just a few short weeks, I'll be running a marathon in Victoria! 27K was a breeze today, and took me just under 2 hours. That's not race pace, but it's not bad.
Today was my scheduled Long-Slow Run of the week. When I say slow, it's not like I'm plodding along like an old lady in an antique shop, but a little less intense than my Wacky Hill Climb on Friday. Seeing as how I didn't really know any other routes off-hand, I guess I'll head to the Nature Park again. This time though, I'll add an extra lap around the park to to tag on another 7K.
Heading out, I take a slightly different route to avoid the wrath of Lancaster and Duke Streets, heading further West to take Dufferin Row and Lancaster Avenue. Fundy Heights wasn't a problem, and the hill down to the park was well, downhill. Getting into the park, I notice there aren't many cars parked in the lot, as it's still relatively early and I guess most folk around here are the church-goin/Sunday relaxin-type. I see a few squirrels bouncing around like acorn-crackheads, but other than that, it's a quiet morning at the park.
Lap #1 around the park was easy-peasy. I've done this before. Without a watch, I have no idea how fast I'm going, but my trusty MP3 player keeps my legs moving at a steady groove. Today it's all about Chromeo. Awww yeah! A friend of mine made me a mix of all different songs, sped up, or slowed down to one tempo, keeping the kick drum going steady the whole time for 90 minutes. Strangely, the track ended as I finished finished the second lap. That's 20K in 90 minutes. A little faster than Wednesday, but factor in Extreme Hill aka Sand Cove Road, and it's a rough stretch home.
The last time I was in Saint John, I tried to do a similar run, but I couldn't make it home and had to walk up that hill, taking breaks along the way. Not today, friendo. I dig in, lift my knees and make that hill a thing of the past. The long, steady climb didn't hurt at all, and I can tell I've come a long way physically since last summer. Fundy Heights levels out and I'm able to slow my breathing down a bit. Nothing feels better than a rest period after a big climb (well maybe one or two things), but I know I still have a downhill to burn. Here we go! It feels pretty good to sprint at the end of a long run, and I almost feel like I could run another 10K or so. That's good to know, because in just a few short weeks, I'll be running a marathon in Victoria! 27K was a breeze today, and took me just under 2 hours. That's not race pace, but it's not bad.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Black Friday - Hill Speed
7K Down, 7K around, 7K Up and Back.
Saint John, New Brunswick has its share of hills.
Even on the other side of the country, I still have to get my run in. Today just so happens to mark the death of my father, but the kind of guy he was, he wouldn't want a little thing like death to distract me from doing what I'm supposed to do. If anything, his memory provides me with motivation.
My Dad was one of the most feared rugby players in Atlantic Canada at one time, and I heard an account from one of his former opponents that he would just drop the ball/turn it over, rather than be tackled by the beast that was Don. He always played clean from what I gather. He was a big guy, but in a game of sustained intensity like rugby, it's about more than just size. You've got to be able to run. For this reason, I'll pour everything I have into this run today. For you, Dad.
I'm crashing at my sister's house for the time being, and it's right in the inner-city, a neighborhood lovingly dubbed "Lower West". The are is ripe with tough hills, rugged shoreline and pothole-ridden roads. This is just the challenge I need, but a little nature would be nice.
Enter the Irving Nature Park, 7Km from my sister's house, which offers everything a runner needs as twisting trails and hellish hills. I think I'll make this my destination. I set out with a small bottle of water and a Powerbar Gel just in case things get hairy.
The run from Lower West takes me up 2 devastating hills called Lancaster Street and Duke Street; it's a good way to warm up. As I hit the neighborhood of Fundy Heights, things level out and I make my way to Sand Cove Road, a big, long stretch that ends at the Nature Park. Sand Cove is actually a major downslope, ending in a nice steep hill. That was a breeze! But hey, everybody knows that what goes down must come up...
As I enter the park, I pause for a decond to look at the trail map. I could spend all day in these trails, but like the ant of "The Ant & The Grasshopper" fame, I know there's a long winter ahead. This winter includes a Kilometer-long Extreme Hill, followed by about 3K's of steady climbing. I think I'll take the main road, which is only another 7K. I find solace in the fact that I'm finally off the pavement. Loose gravel isn't exactly a down-filled comforter, but my knees can feel the difference right away.
Rounding every corner, climbing every hill, I'm afforded some pretty amazing views of moist wetlands full of marine birds like Heron, Sandpiper, and my favourite marine bird, Crow. On the other side of the park is the majestic Bay of Fundy, where seals come to play. I'm tempted to take it all in, but this is running, not gawking. With a little turn of the head, I can take in the view while still keeping pace, just seeing everything in high-speed view. It's still pretty awesome. It saddens me that I took this place for granted all those years I called Saint John home.
As the main trail nears its end (I can tell by the excellent trail markers every 0.5 Km), I swig water and choke down my Gel. I estimate I've been running for about an hour now, or 14 K, whichever comes first. Looking ahead, I see the behemoth that awaits, Sand Cove Road.
There are at least 3 ways to build leg muscle in my books: Track workouts, Hill Repeats, and Weightlifting. I'll take Door #2, Bob. Hills! With 14K behind me, I'm not exactly fresh, but this is where my mental toughness kicks in. That hill is nothing compared to what I can do. With my head up high, I grind it out and get through the extreme elevation. Now it's a steady climb up, and the nice, level Fundy Heights. I'm almost home! Let's see if I can gather some speed down Duke Street. Yup! I can!
Since I'm without a watch, I rely on the kitchen clock at my sister's house. Walliam Clockington tells me I just ran 20K in 1 Hour and 40 minutes. Not great, but not bad when you factor in those hills. What did I learn today? Climbing your way to the top is achievable if you want it and are willing to work. I hope the drenched t-shirt and aching calves are enough evidence of my struggle, and I hope Dad was watching from above. If I ever play rugby again, my opponents are going to feel the power and the strength that Dad gave me, and the hill repeats just proved. Love ya big guy!
Don Stafford - March 4th 1941 to Aug 13th 2010
Saint John, New Brunswick has its share of hills.
Even on the other side of the country, I still have to get my run in. Today just so happens to mark the death of my father, but the kind of guy he was, he wouldn't want a little thing like death to distract me from doing what I'm supposed to do. If anything, his memory provides me with motivation.
My Dad was one of the most feared rugby players in Atlantic Canada at one time, and I heard an account from one of his former opponents that he would just drop the ball/turn it over, rather than be tackled by the beast that was Don. He always played clean from what I gather. He was a big guy, but in a game of sustained intensity like rugby, it's about more than just size. You've got to be able to run. For this reason, I'll pour everything I have into this run today. For you, Dad.
I'm crashing at my sister's house for the time being, and it's right in the inner-city, a neighborhood lovingly dubbed "Lower West". The are is ripe with tough hills, rugged shoreline and pothole-ridden roads. This is just the challenge I need, but a little nature would be nice.
Enter the Irving Nature Park, 7Km from my sister's house, which offers everything a runner needs as twisting trails and hellish hills. I think I'll make this my destination. I set out with a small bottle of water and a Powerbar Gel just in case things get hairy.
The run from Lower West takes me up 2 devastating hills called Lancaster Street and Duke Street; it's a good way to warm up. As I hit the neighborhood of Fundy Heights, things level out and I make my way to Sand Cove Road, a big, long stretch that ends at the Nature Park. Sand Cove is actually a major downslope, ending in a nice steep hill. That was a breeze! But hey, everybody knows that what goes down must come up...
As I enter the park, I pause for a decond to look at the trail map. I could spend all day in these trails, but like the ant of "The Ant & The Grasshopper" fame, I know there's a long winter ahead. This winter includes a Kilometer-long Extreme Hill, followed by about 3K's of steady climbing. I think I'll take the main road, which is only another 7K. I find solace in the fact that I'm finally off the pavement. Loose gravel isn't exactly a down-filled comforter, but my knees can feel the difference right away.
Rounding every corner, climbing every hill, I'm afforded some pretty amazing views of moist wetlands full of marine birds like Heron, Sandpiper, and my favourite marine bird, Crow. On the other side of the park is the majestic Bay of Fundy, where seals come to play. I'm tempted to take it all in, but this is running, not gawking. With a little turn of the head, I can take in the view while still keeping pace, just seeing everything in high-speed view. It's still pretty awesome. It saddens me that I took this place for granted all those years I called Saint John home.
As the main trail nears its end (I can tell by the excellent trail markers every 0.5 Km), I swig water and choke down my Gel. I estimate I've been running for about an hour now, or 14 K, whichever comes first. Looking ahead, I see the behemoth that awaits, Sand Cove Road.
There are at least 3 ways to build leg muscle in my books: Track workouts, Hill Repeats, and Weightlifting. I'll take Door #2, Bob. Hills! With 14K behind me, I'm not exactly fresh, but this is where my mental toughness kicks in. That hill is nothing compared to what I can do. With my head up high, I grind it out and get through the extreme elevation. Now it's a steady climb up, and the nice, level Fundy Heights. I'm almost home! Let's see if I can gather some speed down Duke Street. Yup! I can!
Since I'm without a watch, I rely on the kitchen clock at my sister's house. Walliam Clockington tells me I just ran 20K in 1 Hour and 40 minutes. Not great, but not bad when you factor in those hills. What did I learn today? Climbing your way to the top is achievable if you want it and are willing to work. I hope the drenched t-shirt and aching calves are enough evidence of my struggle, and I hope Dad was watching from above. If I ever play rugby again, my opponents are going to feel the power and the strength that Dad gave me, and the hill repeats just proved. Love ya big guy!
Don Stafford - March 4th 1941 to Aug 13th 2010
Speedwork Wednesdays - The Clinic is Growing!
Last night I instructed week 2 of the Personal Best Clinic through Running Room Ltd. We're up in numbers this week! Like the painters, it's now a group of 7. I guess word is getting around, and people are liking the fact that this is the only clinic where they're sore the next day (or two days), the sign of a good workout.
Since there are a couple of new people in the mix, I explained the rules and track etiquette, giving up the inside lane for faster runners, etc. With little more than an encouraging word and a reminder that "you get what you give", we're off.
Since I'll be taking a couple of weeks off to fly to New Brunswick to be with my family, I have a replacement instructor who I'm showing the ropes this week. He's a totally different style of runner than me, but he just so happened to finish 50th in the BMO Vancouver Marathon, while yours truly finished 51st. Hmmm I think he's a pretty good fit. I know this guy is fast, which is exactly why I want to run with him. There's another fast guy in the group, so the 3 of us lined up together and set off on our first lap. Shaboooom!
I made the mistake of borrowing a watch from someone, and wouldn't you know it, the battery died! I guess it couldn't handle my animal magnetism. Okay, maybe I'm negatively charged. Either way, the alkaline is running through my veins now so I gave up on trying to time myself. From now on, my time is simply "the fastest".
After the first lap, we did a full lap of recovery (jogging) and I noticed the heat was affecting my breathing. On my last Speedwork day, it was 8:30AM and foggy, so 6:30PM and sunny is a little different. Oh well, I grew up near a pulp mill, my lungs can survive anything! Sprint Lap #2 came up, and I lead the charge through another fast circuit. I tell the students (it still seems weird for me to refer to them as students) that you should save your fastest running for the final lap. Lap #3 was just a maintenance lap for me, at about 75 or 80%. I wait for everyone to catch up and give a few words of encouragement. Here we go, folks! The Final Lap!
AND THEY'RE OFF!!!
Fast guy #1 took off like a rocket from the starting line. He does realize that 400m is a long way, but I guess he feels pretty confident. I do my best to keep up with him on the first straightaway, but I let him go ahead on the curve. He doesn't know that I've been holding back the first three laps. As the track winds into the second straightaway (the long one) I shift to low gear and explode past him on the inside. I looked back over my shoulder going into the final turn, and he's 4 or 5 strides behind me. My replacement instructor was a few strides behind him. I've got this in the bag, baby!
As I shuffle my way into the final straightaway, I wind my arms way back and try to keep my elbows brushing my sides. I get low, I lift my knees, I kick my feet way back, and just let go. I feel my lungs start to burn a bit, but I ignore the pain. There's nothing that can stop me now! I fly across the finish line ahead of everyone else and turn around. Fast guy #1 is there, and sub is there, so I give them high fives. I think these guys are going to challenge me over the coming weeks, and that's precisely what I want.
It's great to have someone to push you. I've always thought that you benefit from training with someone who is as good as you or better, and track running is no different. Fast Guy #1 pushed hard right off the starting line, and that challenged me to get up there with him. Fast Guy #1 benefits from seeing me burn past him, because now he knows he's not the fastest, and he has some work to do. Everybody wins! This is definitely the hardest track workout I've ever put in, and I'm happy to say it's only Week #2. We'll be flying come Week 10.
Today's tip: "You don't have to go it alone." Find a friend or training partner who is as fast or faster, as strong or stronger, or as fit or fitter. This way you can challenge each other, offer support and watch each other advance. The best way to judge yourself is through someone else's eyes.
Since there are a couple of new people in the mix, I explained the rules and track etiquette, giving up the inside lane for faster runners, etc. With little more than an encouraging word and a reminder that "you get what you give", we're off.
Since I'll be taking a couple of weeks off to fly to New Brunswick to be with my family, I have a replacement instructor who I'm showing the ropes this week. He's a totally different style of runner than me, but he just so happened to finish 50th in the BMO Vancouver Marathon, while yours truly finished 51st. Hmmm I think he's a pretty good fit. I know this guy is fast, which is exactly why I want to run with him. There's another fast guy in the group, so the 3 of us lined up together and set off on our first lap. Shaboooom!
I made the mistake of borrowing a watch from someone, and wouldn't you know it, the battery died! I guess it couldn't handle my animal magnetism. Okay, maybe I'm negatively charged. Either way, the alkaline is running through my veins now so I gave up on trying to time myself. From now on, my time is simply "the fastest".
After the first lap, we did a full lap of recovery (jogging) and I noticed the heat was affecting my breathing. On my last Speedwork day, it was 8:30AM and foggy, so 6:30PM and sunny is a little different. Oh well, I grew up near a pulp mill, my lungs can survive anything! Sprint Lap #2 came up, and I lead the charge through another fast circuit. I tell the students (it still seems weird for me to refer to them as students) that you should save your fastest running for the final lap. Lap #3 was just a maintenance lap for me, at about 75 or 80%. I wait for everyone to catch up and give a few words of encouragement. Here we go, folks! The Final Lap!
AND THEY'RE OFF!!!
Fast guy #1 took off like a rocket from the starting line. He does realize that 400m is a long way, but I guess he feels pretty confident. I do my best to keep up with him on the first straightaway, but I let him go ahead on the curve. He doesn't know that I've been holding back the first three laps. As the track winds into the second straightaway (the long one) I shift to low gear and explode past him on the inside. I looked back over my shoulder going into the final turn, and he's 4 or 5 strides behind me. My replacement instructor was a few strides behind him. I've got this in the bag, baby!
As I shuffle my way into the final straightaway, I wind my arms way back and try to keep my elbows brushing my sides. I get low, I lift my knees, I kick my feet way back, and just let go. I feel my lungs start to burn a bit, but I ignore the pain. There's nothing that can stop me now! I fly across the finish line ahead of everyone else and turn around. Fast guy #1 is there, and sub is there, so I give them high fives. I think these guys are going to challenge me over the coming weeks, and that's precisely what I want.
It's great to have someone to push you. I've always thought that you benefit from training with someone who is as good as you or better, and track running is no different. Fast Guy #1 pushed hard right off the starting line, and that challenged me to get up there with him. Fast Guy #1 benefits from seeing me burn past him, because now he knows he's not the fastest, and he has some work to do. Everybody wins! This is definitely the hardest track workout I've ever put in, and I'm happy to say it's only Week #2. We'll be flying come Week 10.
Today's tip: "You don't have to go it alone." Find a friend or training partner who is as fast or faster, as strong or stronger, or as fit or fitter. This way you can challenge each other, offer support and watch each other advance. The best way to judge yourself is through someone else's eyes.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Injury Report: Achilles Tendon
It's just a minor strain. Gotta give it time to "heel". These days, I'm "tendon" to rush things.
I awoke today with some discomfort. The above puns eased the pain a bit. I was hit by a softball in the heel last night when I ran into 3rd base. The throw was low, and the 3rd Baseman didn't catch it, rather it connected solidly with the back of my running shoe. I was safe, he was all in my face and I just wanted to call time-out and stretch, but before I knew it, the game was back on and I was driven in to home.
In my past experience, this injury usually doesn't hurt right away, but rather brings delayed onset pain that can be quite immobilizing. I had a serious Achilles Tendon strain in the winter of 2007 while running around a snow-covered Burnaby Lake. I didn't warm up properly, went into high speed almost immediately, and didn't stop when I initially felt the discomfort, probably worsening the injury.
Most serious athletes would have immediately sat out the rest of the game so as not to further injure, but not this genius. Since we're the home team, we bat last, but only if we need it. The other guys are up now and it's their last chance to come back from our formidable 4-Run advantage. I'm in Center Field aka "My Office" and getting ready to run around. I had a nice catch, followed by a stupid throw, trying to catch the runner out back at first. My heel is stiff. Oh well, it's almost over. They rallied hard, but we managed to hold them to 3 runs, winning 9-8 I believe. I had such a lucky night before the incident. I successfully got on base every time I batted, reaching on 4 consecutive errors! 0 for 0 on the night.
Well, that's the last softball game of the season. There are playoffs and a Championship Match, but I won't be able to make them, unfortunately due to travel and important family commitments.
I'll be flying back to Saint John, NB to be with my family to support my Dad. It looks like his fight with Cancer is coming to a sad close. It's very disheartening, and requires my primary focus for the time being. My entries may be a little sparse for the coming few days, but rest assured, if times are getting tough, I'll turn to running as my solution, to strengthen mentally and to re-build my injured body before I unleash my full potential & crank it up a notch. Thanks for reading this by the way. I greatly appreciate it. - Nathan
I awoke today with some discomfort. The above puns eased the pain a bit. I was hit by a softball in the heel last night when I ran into 3rd base. The throw was low, and the 3rd Baseman didn't catch it, rather it connected solidly with the back of my running shoe. I was safe, he was all in my face and I just wanted to call time-out and stretch, but before I knew it, the game was back on and I was driven in to home.
In my past experience, this injury usually doesn't hurt right away, but rather brings delayed onset pain that can be quite immobilizing. I had a serious Achilles Tendon strain in the winter of 2007 while running around a snow-covered Burnaby Lake. I didn't warm up properly, went into high speed almost immediately, and didn't stop when I initially felt the discomfort, probably worsening the injury.
Most serious athletes would have immediately sat out the rest of the game so as not to further injure, but not this genius. Since we're the home team, we bat last, but only if we need it. The other guys are up now and it's their last chance to come back from our formidable 4-Run advantage. I'm in Center Field aka "My Office" and getting ready to run around. I had a nice catch, followed by a stupid throw, trying to catch the runner out back at first. My heel is stiff. Oh well, it's almost over. They rallied hard, but we managed to hold them to 3 runs, winning 9-8 I believe. I had such a lucky night before the incident. I successfully got on base every time I batted, reaching on 4 consecutive errors! 0 for 0 on the night.
Well, that's the last softball game of the season. There are playoffs and a Championship Match, but I won't be able to make them, unfortunately due to travel and important family commitments.
I'll be flying back to Saint John, NB to be with my family to support my Dad. It looks like his fight with Cancer is coming to a sad close. It's very disheartening, and requires my primary focus for the time being. My entries may be a little sparse for the coming few days, but rest assured, if times are getting tough, I'll turn to running as my solution, to strengthen mentally and to re-build my injured body before I unleash my full potential & crank it up a notch. Thanks for reading this by the way. I greatly appreciate it. - Nathan
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Speedwork Sunday - Flyin' Solo
Today I decided to hit the track again. Since I did my long run yesterday on the treadmill, I don't need to go out with the Sub-3 Hour Marathon Run Club, and I can try to promote my clinic. I arrived at the Running Room just before 8:30 and started walking around, talking to a few people and getting ready to go to the track again. Looks like everybody else is doing their long run today. Oh well! I guess I'll be hitting the track on my own. Here's where they say running is a solitary sport. I'm running, I'm solitary, I'm the solitary runner.
The rain has pretty much eased off, but the gravel track at Brockton Oval is a little muddy. I can feel a bit of slippage on the ground when I'm running, and there's a puddle or two to avoid. My first lap around the track was successful, and now I'm doing a half-lap for recovery. 400m sprinting, followed by 200m jogging. Lap 2 and 3 went by without incident, and now, the final lap, the one for all the marbles.
I paused for a second to scrape the caked mud out from the waffle tread of my running shoes (don't want to blow a tire coming around that corner) and I'm off! Visualizing my stride, I make an effort to lift the knees and make my foot land on the "sweet spot" every time. This is a good chance to work on my form.
The final turn approaches and I get ready to shift into low gear. I have several factors working in my favor today: It's cooler, being 8:30AM. It's drizzling, so I'm constantly cooled off. There's no competition other than myself; and I had a great sleep last night. Now let's see what we can do!
I dug in and powered through the final 50 meters or so. It felt good to just finish strong. My time? I didn't even bring a watch today, so your guess is as good as mine. Sometimes it's not all about your time on the stopwatch. If you want to get faster, stronger and longer-lasting, you've got to put in the maintenance runs to improve your technique and form. I sure as hell didn't run slow, but my pace felt about "average".
It's like a guitar teacher tells his student: You'll get better at playing the fast solos if you break them down and play them slow first, appreciating each note and understanding its place in the piece of music. It's Mental Gymnastics.
The rain has pretty much eased off, but the gravel track at Brockton Oval is a little muddy. I can feel a bit of slippage on the ground when I'm running, and there's a puddle or two to avoid. My first lap around the track was successful, and now I'm doing a half-lap for recovery. 400m sprinting, followed by 200m jogging. Lap 2 and 3 went by without incident, and now, the final lap, the one for all the marbles.
I paused for a second to scrape the caked mud out from the waffle tread of my running shoes (don't want to blow a tire coming around that corner) and I'm off! Visualizing my stride, I make an effort to lift the knees and make my foot land on the "sweet spot" every time. This is a good chance to work on my form.
The final turn approaches and I get ready to shift into low gear. I have several factors working in my favor today: It's cooler, being 8:30AM. It's drizzling, so I'm constantly cooled off. There's no competition other than myself; and I had a great sleep last night. Now let's see what we can do!
I dug in and powered through the final 50 meters or so. It felt good to just finish strong. My time? I didn't even bring a watch today, so your guess is as good as mine. Sometimes it's not all about your time on the stopwatch. If you want to get faster, stronger and longer-lasting, you've got to put in the maintenance runs to improve your technique and form. I sure as hell didn't run slow, but my pace felt about "average".
It's like a guitar teacher tells his student: You'll get better at playing the fast solos if you break them down and play them slow first, appreciating each note and understanding its place in the piece of music. It's Mental Gymnastics.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Treadmill Talk - 30K Pace Run
It was raining cats and dogs today, so rather than treat myself to a nice soggy Long Run to the tune of 30K, I decided to do my long run on a *GASP* treadmill. Now, there are several schools of thought on the treadmill. For one, it's less of a challenge. You just have to lift your leg enough for the treadmill belt to pass under your feet. You're not so much propelling your body forward as hovering. Secondly, the terrain stays the same, thus keeping your leg in one position for the duration of your workout. On a trail run, or running outside virtually anywhere, there are hills, uneven surfaces, rocks, curves and stumps to keep your muscles guessing and reacting. On a treadmill, you can adjust the elevation (which I always keep at 0.5 AT LEAST) but you're really just doing a straight, flat run. It's artificial. BUT, it allows me to pace myself, since I don't own a GPS or heart rate monitor.
Here's my challenge: The cardio machines at the Public Pool only allow a maximum of 30 minutes' use at a time. Being sly, I pushed mine to 40 minutes, and signed up for 3 separate machines one after another. At some larger gyms, there are enough treadmills so you don't have to do this, you can do a 2.5 hour session without stepping down from the machine once, during a screening of Goodfellas on Showcase. True Story. But, for $5 admission, I'll take what I can get.
Okay, for this to work, I need to run at my race pace or better the whole time. These machines are calculating in Miles, so I have to do a little quick math inside my head. 40 Minutes per 10 Kilometers or 6 Miles. 30Km/18Miles = 2 hours. That's 9 Miles Per Hour. Perfect. I have my base.
Setting up the machine at 9 Miles Per Hour to start off, I thank my lucky stars I had a 20 minute walk to warm things up. The lunges and squats I did in the parking lot are helping out too. Everything seems to be going alright. I creep up to 9.5 Miles per hour and figure out an interval system:
1/2 a Mile at 9MPH, followed by 1/2 a Mile at 9.5 MPH. It's JUST enough of a difference for my legs to notice. I want to be roughly paced out here, but I want to make that 9MPH pace seem like the rest period. That, my friends is how I build my base. Surprisingly, I held out for the entire 40 Minutes. That worked out to a little more than 6 Miles, but I'll call it 6.
After a quick wipe-down of treadmill #1, I grabbed some water and hit up treadmill #2, right back at 9MPH. No rest for the wicked! The first 1/2 Mile flew by, and I cranked it up to 10 this time. I know I'll be eating a Power Gel in about 10 minutes, so I can afford to burn a few calories. 20 Minutes in and I've passed the 3 Mile Mark, or 5Km, however you want to look at it. I take a few sips from my water bottle and chomp down the sugary, caffeinated Electrolyte Gel. It takes a couple of minutes, but I can soon feel my legs lifting up more effortlessly, my brain begins to dance in the sugary delight, and I'm off to the races again. How about 10 Miles Per Hour? Sure, half a mile won't kill me. From 10, down to 9, back and forth to the 40 minute mark. Before I even knew it, I killed 20KM. I'm liking this treadmill stuff so far. Everything feels good. Now, onto treadmill #3.
There's a sign on the wall that says that during heavy activity, our bodies require 1 cup of water every 15 minutes. There's no way in hell I've had that much water, and by the looks of the sweat pool under Treadmill #2, I've lost more than the average human. I'm kind of like a sno-cone left outside in the sun for a while. My wrapper is all soaked, and there's nothing left behind to vouch for my existence other than a large puddle of sticky, gross liquid. I'm a sno-cone.
The last stretch is always the hardest. I sip cool water to keep my body temperature down, and pick a spot on the wall to focus on. It's the white border of a STAFF ONLY sign on the equipment room door. It's right at eye height, so it's a good zoner-outer. My legs are feeling sluggish again, but there's no point eating another Gel. It's time to burn up what's left in the ol' energy stores. When I'm working hard, I can smell the finish line and it only motivates me more. Let's Giver! Screw the intervals. It's 9.5 Miles per hour or nothin. I'm on my horse and we're in a good rhythm. At this rate, I'll be finished 10K in under 40 Minutes. And that's just what I did! As the 6 Mile marker rolled over, I pressed the "Cool Down" button and gradually slowed down to a walk for the last 2 minutes, taking some extra-long steps to stretch out the hips and hamstrings. Ahhhhh
Here's the weird thing: When I stepped off the treadmill, my body felt all weird and like my legs didn't want to be planted on the ground. It was really easy to lift my legs up, but I had this swimming feeling in my head, sort of like a gentle head rush. After wiping down the machine, I downed some water and headed to the sauna. I might as well keep this sweat going and let all the toxins seep out of my pores. When I'm good and drained out, I replace my mineral losses with a Recovery Drink and venture out on my 20-minute Cooldown walk back to my humble abode. It's still raining, but I managed to change into dry clothes, fresh socks and shoes, and I've never felt better. I'll sleep well tonight.
*Tip: Treadmills, while not good to use all the time, can help to simulate a longer run at race pace, assuming that the treadmill is accurate, and the runner is using a natural, comfortable stride, extending the leg and lifting the knee. Throw a treadmill into your training schedule once a week, or do like I did: save it for a rainy day.
Here's my challenge: The cardio machines at the Public Pool only allow a maximum of 30 minutes' use at a time. Being sly, I pushed mine to 40 minutes, and signed up for 3 separate machines one after another. At some larger gyms, there are enough treadmills so you don't have to do this, you can do a 2.5 hour session without stepping down from the machine once, during a screening of Goodfellas on Showcase. True Story. But, for $5 admission, I'll take what I can get.
Okay, for this to work, I need to run at my race pace or better the whole time. These machines are calculating in Miles, so I have to do a little quick math inside my head. 40 Minutes per 10 Kilometers or 6 Miles. 30Km/18Miles = 2 hours. That's 9 Miles Per Hour. Perfect. I have my base.
Setting up the machine at 9 Miles Per Hour to start off, I thank my lucky stars I had a 20 minute walk to warm things up. The lunges and squats I did in the parking lot are helping out too. Everything seems to be going alright. I creep up to 9.5 Miles per hour and figure out an interval system:
1/2 a Mile at 9MPH, followed by 1/2 a Mile at 9.5 MPH. It's JUST enough of a difference for my legs to notice. I want to be roughly paced out here, but I want to make that 9MPH pace seem like the rest period. That, my friends is how I build my base. Surprisingly, I held out for the entire 40 Minutes. That worked out to a little more than 6 Miles, but I'll call it 6.
After a quick wipe-down of treadmill #1, I grabbed some water and hit up treadmill #2, right back at 9MPH. No rest for the wicked! The first 1/2 Mile flew by, and I cranked it up to 10 this time. I know I'll be eating a Power Gel in about 10 minutes, so I can afford to burn a few calories. 20 Minutes in and I've passed the 3 Mile Mark, or 5Km, however you want to look at it. I take a few sips from my water bottle and chomp down the sugary, caffeinated Electrolyte Gel. It takes a couple of minutes, but I can soon feel my legs lifting up more effortlessly, my brain begins to dance in the sugary delight, and I'm off to the races again. How about 10 Miles Per Hour? Sure, half a mile won't kill me. From 10, down to 9, back and forth to the 40 minute mark. Before I even knew it, I killed 20KM. I'm liking this treadmill stuff so far. Everything feels good. Now, onto treadmill #3.
There's a sign on the wall that says that during heavy activity, our bodies require 1 cup of water every 15 minutes. There's no way in hell I've had that much water, and by the looks of the sweat pool under Treadmill #2, I've lost more than the average human. I'm kind of like a sno-cone left outside in the sun for a while. My wrapper is all soaked, and there's nothing left behind to vouch for my existence other than a large puddle of sticky, gross liquid. I'm a sno-cone.
The last stretch is always the hardest. I sip cool water to keep my body temperature down, and pick a spot on the wall to focus on. It's the white border of a STAFF ONLY sign on the equipment room door. It's right at eye height, so it's a good zoner-outer. My legs are feeling sluggish again, but there's no point eating another Gel. It's time to burn up what's left in the ol' energy stores. When I'm working hard, I can smell the finish line and it only motivates me more. Let's Giver! Screw the intervals. It's 9.5 Miles per hour or nothin. I'm on my horse and we're in a good rhythm. At this rate, I'll be finished 10K in under 40 Minutes. And that's just what I did! As the 6 Mile marker rolled over, I pressed the "Cool Down" button and gradually slowed down to a walk for the last 2 minutes, taking some extra-long steps to stretch out the hips and hamstrings. Ahhhhh
Here's the weird thing: When I stepped off the treadmill, my body felt all weird and like my legs didn't want to be planted on the ground. It was really easy to lift my legs up, but I had this swimming feeling in my head, sort of like a gentle head rush. After wiping down the machine, I downed some water and headed to the sauna. I might as well keep this sweat going and let all the toxins seep out of my pores. When I'm good and drained out, I replace my mineral losses with a Recovery Drink and venture out on my 20-minute Cooldown walk back to my humble abode. It's still raining, but I managed to change into dry clothes, fresh socks and shoes, and I've never felt better. I'll sleep well tonight.
*Tip: Treadmills, while not good to use all the time, can help to simulate a longer run at race pace, assuming that the treadmill is accurate, and the runner is using a natural, comfortable stride, extending the leg and lifting the knee. Throw a treadmill into your training schedule once a week, or do like I did: save it for a rainy day.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Speedwork Wednesday, Clinic-Style
Last night I resurrected the Running Room's "Personal Best" Clinic, a program designed for anyone trying to improve their speed or build a base fitness level. It's great for marathon runners, because 1 night a week, you're doing speed work anyway. It's marketed towards the 10K group right now, so you should be able to run a 10K in around 50 minutes, without stopping. It's sort of a dual clinic you can do with any race.
The night started off pretty well. I had 4 participants, which makes for a small group, but for me, it's my first time being Mr Instructor, so I think it might be the perfect size for now, and I lucked out because everybody's super keen. They'll probably tell their friends. I talked to everyone to find out their personal goals and try to understand what motivates them. Lots of different stories. Turns out, not everyone is a marathon distance runner looking to finish well under 3 hours one day. Go figure!
After a quick warmup jog, we arrived at Brockton Oval in the heart of Stanley Park. 400 meters is the distance around the Oval, which is a gravel track, about 6 lanes perfectly level. My idea of Interval training involves starting out with a rest period just as long as the work period, until I can gradually cut down the resting period to say, half of the working time. To start off the group, I went with 1 to 1 work/rest ratio. Thus, it's a 400 meter fast run/sprint, followed by a 400 meter jog or walk. We'll get to 400/200 soon enough, but it was dang hot outside too. One of the clinic members told me he cycled 40 KM earlier the same day also. Yeah.
I explained a few items off the top, like track etiquette, giving the inside lap to fast people, etc.
Here is the key lesson from tonight's clinic:
Your Last Lap Is The One That Counts
I'm keeping a log book with everyone's names and their 400m times. Here's the thing, I write down your last lap in the book. I informed the group of this beforehand, and everyone who had a watch agreed to the honour system. One guy didn't have a watch, so I started alongside him and kept the clock running after I finished, until he crossed the line.
Bang. We all set off. I actually said, "Bang" too. Forgot my starter's pistol at home.
I could tell everyone's first lap was pretty fast. We're nervous. I paced myself around those sluggish corners, but used the straightaways to burn away; showing an example of efficient hard running. I kept an eye on my form and adjusted my stride a little bit to run alongside a member. As I leaned into the final turn, the last straightaway presented itself. It's time to go home now. Running Track & Releasing Adrenaline go hand in hand, apparently. I scorched that last straightaway and turned around, walking backwards as I watched the other members roll in. How sweet it is to see everybody finish hard. I make a mental note of everyone's time. Now a nice, easy jogging lap.
My next two fast laps were more maintenance runs, where I'd come in alongside another clinic member, talk to them, get them talking to me on the jog around, and then burn off at the start line. The 2nd, 3rd lap I didn't even keep time. After my last sprint, I just waited off to the side until everyone finished. It's time for one of my patented Braveheart speeches. Not really. I informed everyone that "This one's for all the marbles" in a Stallone-esque or MacGiver-ly tone. They didn't know I was serious. By the looks on the winded faces, and my own sweat-drenched shirt (Hey Nike, Dry Fit This!) these guys probably can't wait to finish.
Bang. We're off.
I'm not running with anybody this time. I want to challenge myself in the future, so my last lap today is going to be FAST! Off the blocks I'm working as hard as I can, lifting those knees, pumping the arms at a fixed yet relaxed 90% angle, digging in and using my low center of gravity. I'm leaning into the first corner like a motorcyclist, but there are two slow runners taking up the inside lane. Oh well, a little extra work never hurt anybody. I swerve to pass, and one of them gets into the second lane, yelling, "Move over" to the guy in front of him. I swerve over into the 3rd lane and put the setback behind me. burning into the last corner, I wasn't low enough, so I focused on lifting my knees. I know I take way more strides than I have to, especially when I'm holding my body upright as in distance running. When the corner ends, I can see a couple of people looking at me on the sidelines. Here we go!
I shift into low gear and take off with powerful explosive strides, not exactly gazelle-like. I'm pounding this track like a gumball machine that ate my quarter! Finally, I find my stride's sweet spot and a race through the finish line. 1:09. That's perfect. I can get that down to under a minute on my last lap. The others finished, with one runner netting an impressive 1:14. We're setting ourselves up for some hard work, plateauing, and then getting crazy. That's exactly how I like to train. If we hit the track and hit it hard, the last half of those longer runs will be a lot easier. I feel stronger after doing speed work. I can't wait to do another track workout. Perhaps Sunday?
If anyone would likes the sounds of this and would like to join this clinic, visit or send me a message.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
The Hills of Galiano
We gotta do what we gotta do.
Even when you're on vacation, if you're serious about running, you have to find ways to fit in your training runs. I did such a thing this weekend while camping on Galiano Island, which is in the Gulf Islands off the Coast of BC. I rode my bike from the Ferry Terminal at Sturdies Bay to Montague Harbour, a modest 7K bike ride with some suicide hills thrown in to keep you honest.
The hills I'm talking about are like none I've encountered in Vancouver. There is one hill I call the Triple Threat, which starts off with about a 45 degree climb, levels out, steepens, levels out, steepens again and then crests. This is where a hill runner like me should thrive. Should. I Should get to bed early so I can rest up for the run. Should.
I decided to wake up early before anyone else in the campsite and get this run over with before it heated up. 6am is totally out of the question, so I started out around 7:30-ish. It was pretty foggy and cold, which is odd for this time of year, but I'll take it over the heat. There was one other runner out on the road, but I'm not sure how far she went. She didn't look like she was working very hard... Once my legs warmed up, I felt like I could make some pretty good time.
My route is simple. 7K from Montague Harbour to the ferry terminal at Sturdies Bay, touch the water, turn and come back the same way. There's just one thing I forgot; what comes up must come down. I'm still working on my downhill stride. Grinding up the Triple Threat, I could feel the effects of yesterday's bike ride. You really use a different muscle group cycling than you do with running, but the hips are still tired out. Coming down the Triple Threat was even harder than going up, but once things leveled out, I was feeling okay. Okay. Normally, a 14K run would take me no more than an hour if I'm running at race pace (40 min/10K). Today's run took me an hour and a half. I was working as hard as I could, but those hills chewed me up and spat me out. Today's run reminds me that I can't rest on my laurels. I have a lot of work to do and it's time to break out the old weight routine again. Squats, Lunges, the Plank, Calf Raises and jumping rope are all in the forecast. Until next time, Galiano. You can bet I'll be more prepared.
Montague Harbour, Galiano Island.
Even when you're on vacation, if you're serious about running, you have to find ways to fit in your training runs. I did such a thing this weekend while camping on Galiano Island, which is in the Gulf Islands off the Coast of BC. I rode my bike from the Ferry Terminal at Sturdies Bay to Montague Harbour, a modest 7K bike ride with some suicide hills thrown in to keep you honest.
The hills I'm talking about are like none I've encountered in Vancouver. There is one hill I call the Triple Threat, which starts off with about a 45 degree climb, levels out, steepens, levels out, steepens again and then crests. This is where a hill runner like me should thrive. Should. I Should get to bed early so I can rest up for the run. Should.
I decided to wake up early before anyone else in the campsite and get this run over with before it heated up. 6am is totally out of the question, so I started out around 7:30-ish. It was pretty foggy and cold, which is odd for this time of year, but I'll take it over the heat. There was one other runner out on the road, but I'm not sure how far she went. She didn't look like she was working very hard... Once my legs warmed up, I felt like I could make some pretty good time.
My route is simple. 7K from Montague Harbour to the ferry terminal at Sturdies Bay, touch the water, turn and come back the same way. There's just one thing I forgot; what comes up must come down. I'm still working on my downhill stride. Grinding up the Triple Threat, I could feel the effects of yesterday's bike ride. You really use a different muscle group cycling than you do with running, but the hips are still tired out. Coming down the Triple Threat was even harder than going up, but once things leveled out, I was feeling okay. Okay. Normally, a 14K run would take me no more than an hour if I'm running at race pace (40 min/10K). Today's run took me an hour and a half. I was working as hard as I could, but those hills chewed me up and spat me out. Today's run reminds me that I can't rest on my laurels. I have a lot of work to do and it's time to break out the old weight routine again. Squats, Lunges, the Plank, Calf Raises and jumping rope are all in the forecast. Until next time, Galiano. You can bet I'll be more prepared.
Montague Harbour, Galiano Island.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Running on Full - 26K Failed Attempt
Thursday night, I ate the best meal of my life. Some friends and I went to a cool sushi restaurant called Numi, and since one of my friends works there, we get the special staff discount (30% off). We must have ordered one of everything off the menu, and we stayed there until about 10PM. Knowing I had a long run to do the next day, I took it easy on the drinks, but I STUFFED myself with everything from raw tuna to maki rolls to more rolls. I guess it's a form of carbo-loading, but we'll see how I feel in the morning.
I awoke at my usual 7:30 and prepared for my big training run: 26K. I set off on my usual 10K loop down Hastings, left on Nanaimo, left on Broadway and then left back up Boundary. Something doesn't feel right. All that sugar from the sushi rice is making my stomach feel kinda queazy. I stopped in at home to drink some water and go to the bathroom, but my stomach just wasn't feeling too hot. Hitting the road again, I set out on the 6K route down Boundary to 1st, to Renfrew and back. My stomach feels like it's full of battery acid, and it's trying to leap out of my mouth. Yuck! Glancing at my watch, I see I'm WAY slower than my normal pace. I just can't fight this stomach ailment. A good runner knows when to call off a run to avoid further damage. After 16K, I called it a day. Early in my training schedule, this is not a huge deal, but this is the time to iron out the kinks, not with 2 weeks left before a marathon.
For me, training is all about consistency. Don't change up your routine or you'll pay the price. Eating a huge, sugary meal late at night, going to bed and waking up 10 hours later expecting to run 26K is just a death wish and shouldn't be part of anyone's routine, unless you have guts of steel, in which case, have seconds!
There is a myth out there that you need to carbo-load, or fill yourself up with clean starches like pasta the night before a run. I've learned that it can take up to 24 hours for your body to turn those carbs into energy stores, so if I had eaten all that rice on Wednesday night, I'd be all set. Instead, I had a wonderful Thursday night and a hellish Friday morning.
Here's a tip: do your carbo loading at least 24 hours prior to your long run, then combine grazing with normal-sized meals to keep your energy levels up the entire day before your run, and a light breakfast day-of. Don't be like me. I'll just have to adjust my training schedule to fit in 1 extra long run next week. Sushi anyone?
I awoke at my usual 7:30 and prepared for my big training run: 26K. I set off on my usual 10K loop down Hastings, left on Nanaimo, left on Broadway and then left back up Boundary. Something doesn't feel right. All that sugar from the sushi rice is making my stomach feel kinda queazy. I stopped in at home to drink some water and go to the bathroom, but my stomach just wasn't feeling too hot. Hitting the road again, I set out on the 6K route down Boundary to 1st, to Renfrew and back. My stomach feels like it's full of battery acid, and it's trying to leap out of my mouth. Yuck! Glancing at my watch, I see I'm WAY slower than my normal pace. I just can't fight this stomach ailment. A good runner knows when to call off a run to avoid further damage. After 16K, I called it a day. Early in my training schedule, this is not a huge deal, but this is the time to iron out the kinks, not with 2 weeks left before a marathon.
For me, training is all about consistency. Don't change up your routine or you'll pay the price. Eating a huge, sugary meal late at night, going to bed and waking up 10 hours later expecting to run 26K is just a death wish and shouldn't be part of anyone's routine, unless you have guts of steel, in which case, have seconds!
There is a myth out there that you need to carbo-load, or fill yourself up with clean starches like pasta the night before a run. I've learned that it can take up to 24 hours for your body to turn those carbs into energy stores, so if I had eaten all that rice on Wednesday night, I'd be all set. Instead, I had a wonderful Thursday night and a hellish Friday morning.
Here's a tip: do your carbo loading at least 24 hours prior to your long run, then combine grazing with normal-sized meals to keep your energy levels up the entire day before your run, and a light breakfast day-of. Don't be like me. I'll just have to adjust my training schedule to fit in 1 extra long run next week. Sushi anyone?
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
A Fast 10K +
Running for me is an individual sport, but it's always good to compare yourself to other people once in a while just to gauge where you are in your training program and level of fitness. This is why I go to run club.
Before I get started, here's what I did today before the run: I rode my bike 12K to the jobsite, painted a house all day with plenty of ladders, scraping and whatnot, then rode my bike the 12K home, changed my clothes, rode my bike another 10K downtown, and don't forget, there's still the 10K home after the run.
Tonight I went downtown to the Denman Street Running Room, my former place of employment. If you go to pretty much any Running Room store in Canada on a Wednesday night, there are what's called Free Practice Runs. Tonight there is a 10K route posted on the wall.
I took a look around and found the fastest group. There is always a group of marathon runners around the 3-hour mark that runs together, and that's just where I want to be. The leader of the group is a veteran runner by the name of Steve Mattina. He is fast, he's the same height as me, and he knows the route well. I'll just follow him.
We started out on the seawall, and I used this opportunity to advertise the new clinic I'll be leading, "Personal Best". I floated around from the back of the group to the front and just put it out there. I got a couple of good responses, and I think one or two people might actually sign up!
Into the trails we go, and I'm feeling fine. I love running on anything but pavement. To be more specific, my knees love anything other than pavement. After looping around in the trail system for a bit, we came out on the road and burned up the hill to Stanley Park's Prospect Point. At 6K in, there are 4 of us way out in front and the rest of the group was a little behind, but not by too much. After a quick swig of water, we're back to the trails. It started off alright, and I can feel the pace picking up, or maybe it's just me tiring. Around Beaver Lake was an interesting section of the run, because there are a few downhills. At this point, the group leader and I are pretty much running abreast, but his experience is about to take over.
I still don't have the technique right for running down a hill. Some people think you're supposed to slow down while running down a hill, but according to the literature I've read, specifically John Stanton's Book on Running, why not let gravity do the work for you? I lean forward, let myself "fall" and just bend my knees enough to lift my foot off the ground. The group leader has done this before. He shot out ahead of me on one of the downhills, and got pretty far up there. To avoid injury, I didn't try to catch him on the downward slope. Re-pulling my hamstring in the middle of Stanley Park would not be good. I'll just let him go. As long as I can still see him ahead. Looking behind me, I don't see anybody. Next time I see Steve, I'm going to ask him if he consciously used the downhill to pick up his speed so when he levels out, he's already at top speed, or if I just ran outta gas. Could be a combo.
After exiting the trail system, you can either take a right and head directly back to the Running Room, or take a left and do one last loop around Lost Lagoon. The group leader turned left, so I followed. He's still way ahead, but I hold the same pace, thinking in my mind that there's still a big bike ride ahead of me tonight. I finished about a city block behind Steve, but lo and behold, 2 of the other runners were already there waiting for us! Funny, I didn't see them pass me, but then I remembered, they must have turned right at Lost Lagoon when we turned left. Looks like I went above and beyond the call of duty again. Thanks, Steve for setting an awesome pace and kicking my ass from that downhill right to the end. I have some work to do in that regard. Up the hill is fine, but running down a 45 degree slope is another story. I'll get it though. My struggle is all downhill from here.
The View NorthWest From Prospect Point
Before I get started, here's what I did today before the run: I rode my bike 12K to the jobsite, painted a house all day with plenty of ladders, scraping and whatnot, then rode my bike the 12K home, changed my clothes, rode my bike another 10K downtown, and don't forget, there's still the 10K home after the run.
Tonight I went downtown to the Denman Street Running Room, my former place of employment. If you go to pretty much any Running Room store in Canada on a Wednesday night, there are what's called Free Practice Runs. Tonight there is a 10K route posted on the wall.
I took a look around and found the fastest group. There is always a group of marathon runners around the 3-hour mark that runs together, and that's just where I want to be. The leader of the group is a veteran runner by the name of Steve Mattina. He is fast, he's the same height as me, and he knows the route well. I'll just follow him.
We started out on the seawall, and I used this opportunity to advertise the new clinic I'll be leading, "Personal Best". I floated around from the back of the group to the front and just put it out there. I got a couple of good responses, and I think one or two people might actually sign up!
Into the trails we go, and I'm feeling fine. I love running on anything but pavement. To be more specific, my knees love anything other than pavement. After looping around in the trail system for a bit, we came out on the road and burned up the hill to Stanley Park's Prospect Point. At 6K in, there are 4 of us way out in front and the rest of the group was a little behind, but not by too much. After a quick swig of water, we're back to the trails. It started off alright, and I can feel the pace picking up, or maybe it's just me tiring. Around Beaver Lake was an interesting section of the run, because there are a few downhills. At this point, the group leader and I are pretty much running abreast, but his experience is about to take over.
I still don't have the technique right for running down a hill. Some people think you're supposed to slow down while running down a hill, but according to the literature I've read, specifically John Stanton's Book on Running, why not let gravity do the work for you? I lean forward, let myself "fall" and just bend my knees enough to lift my foot off the ground. The group leader has done this before. He shot out ahead of me on one of the downhills, and got pretty far up there. To avoid injury, I didn't try to catch him on the downward slope. Re-pulling my hamstring in the middle of Stanley Park would not be good. I'll just let him go. As long as I can still see him ahead. Looking behind me, I don't see anybody. Next time I see Steve, I'm going to ask him if he consciously used the downhill to pick up his speed so when he levels out, he's already at top speed, or if I just ran outta gas. Could be a combo.
After exiting the trail system, you can either take a right and head directly back to the Running Room, or take a left and do one last loop around Lost Lagoon. The group leader turned left, so I followed. He's still way ahead, but I hold the same pace, thinking in my mind that there's still a big bike ride ahead of me tonight. I finished about a city block behind Steve, but lo and behold, 2 of the other runners were already there waiting for us! Funny, I didn't see them pass me, but then I remembered, they must have turned right at Lost Lagoon when we turned left. Looks like I went above and beyond the call of duty again. Thanks, Steve for setting an awesome pace and kicking my ass from that downhill right to the end. I have some work to do in that regard. Up the hill is fine, but running down a 45 degree slope is another story. I'll get it though. My struggle is all downhill from here.
The View NorthWest From Prospect Point
Monday, July 26, 2010
6K at the Soccer Field
Today I had a softball game after work, but I still have to squeeze in a short run. I showed up a little early at the converted soccer/softball field and tried to figure out the way to calculate 6K. Hmmm let's see. Soccer fields are usually around 100 meters in length, give or take, and then we'll say about 25 meters across. A full circle would then be 250 meters. 24 laps should do, eh?
In the sizzling sun, I stripped my shirt and started running. Oooh the ground is a little uneven here and there. This is ankle roll city. I'd better be careful. After 10 laps, I was feeling pretty good, so I stepped up the pace a bit. People from the other team started showing up and I could tell they thought I was crazy. Maybe I am a little.
20 laps in, and the heat is starting to get to me a little. Ahh, the power of song compels me, the power of song compels me. I put on my iPod and the sweet sounds of Minor Threat helped me pump out those last 4 laps. After a little swig of water, it's time to play ball!! Unfortunately we lost the game, but it had nothing to do with my running. Right coach?
In the sizzling sun, I stripped my shirt and started running. Oooh the ground is a little uneven here and there. This is ankle roll city. I'd better be careful. After 10 laps, I was feeling pretty good, so I stepped up the pace a bit. People from the other team started showing up and I could tell they thought I was crazy. Maybe I am a little.
20 laps in, and the heat is starting to get to me a little. Ahh, the power of song compels me, the power of song compels me. I put on my iPod and the sweet sounds of Minor Threat helped me pump out those last 4 laps. After a little swig of water, it's time to play ball!! Unfortunately we lost the game, but it had nothing to do with my running. Right coach?
Friday, July 23, 2010
22 Kilometers in 23 Degrees
Today I set out to complete my weekly long run. If 16K is a distance run, then I guess 22K is an infinity run. But guess what? Infinity gets bigger every single week. Of course I picked the hottest part of the day, the afternoon to complete my training run, but heck, I could use the chance to "get my bronze on".
I set out down Boundary Road, hanging a left on Lougheed Highway. After about 6K, I veer off to the right to head to Burnaby Lake. Once I reached the lake, I had to strip off a layer or two. No need for a hat or t-shirt under the shade of the lake's thousands of trees. There aren't too many other runners out at this time. Hmmmm. Wonder why? Could it be that I'm the only one crazy enough to put myself through this torture?
After circling the 10K lake route, I headed back down Lougheed, but took a right on Willingdon instead. I had a grand scheme to stop at a store and purchase a recovery drink or at least some cold water. Ahhhh Safeway. I picked up some yogurt and granola bars to get me through the rest of the day and I had enough change left over for a can of pop. Not the best sports drink, but it's cold and has sugar in it. That's what I'm talking about. Now, with that little interruption over with, I hit the road again and run the rest of the way down Pender with a shopping bag in my hand. Wearing my sweat-soaked t-shirt, I couldn't wait to get home and take it off. Through the door, straight to the kitchen, oscillating fan on Max Power, and yours truly, standing with my head in the freezer. Ahhh 22K has never been more tough. I'm not really satisfied with my time. Couldn't have been the heat though. I just need to train harder!
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Thursday Distance Day.
It's hard to keep a 16K tempo run interesting, but here goes my best try:
Today I ran a grueling 16km hill session in my East Vancouver neighborhood. Hastings from Boundary to Nanaimo St, up Nanaimo, over East Broadway, back up Boundary heading North, and a big, long hill climb home. After grabbing a quick slurp of water I stashed in the doorway of my pad, and I'm off for another 6K.
I head off down the very hill I just climbed to complete my first hill training 10K. Now, with legs still a little wobbly from last night's speed workout, and a 10K run behind me, it's time to test out the ol' legs. I'm from the school of not fighting gravity, so I let the hill take me down, and I actually lean into it. Once you find a position where your knees are comfortable, if you're strong enough to continually hold that position, without your legs going all willy-nilly, you can basically avoid injury and make up some time downhill. I wouldn't recommend it all the time, but I think I might actually be built for downhill as well as up.
The big climb up 1st to Renfrew is quite the long haul. Running next to traffic freaks me out once in a while, but I like this circuit because my house is at middle ground in case I need to get some water or use the washroom, not that I've never gone au naturel. The top of 1st Ave was a tough place to turn around, knowing that the long, torturous downhill would take every ounce of strength for me to test my speed one last time. As I level out at the bottom of the hill, I hang a left for the final climb home.
North Boundary is a good Kilometer at least, starting out pretty flat, and then steadily building to a 45 degree angle at the top. My hammie is starting to burn, and I try to bounce off my foot to stretch out while running. The downhill session of holding my legs in one position really requires me to stretch the legs out afterward. I'm guilty of shortening my stride like a lazy person. Anyway, I power up that hill at 100% and then I level out feeling like there's still a little left in the tank. Still, I need to get off this pavement. My next long run will be on soft trail. Back to my roots at the ol' Lake.
Today I ran a grueling 16km hill session in my East Vancouver neighborhood. Hastings from Boundary to Nanaimo St, up Nanaimo, over East Broadway, back up Boundary heading North, and a big, long hill climb home. After grabbing a quick slurp of water I stashed in the doorway of my pad, and I'm off for another 6K.
I head off down the very hill I just climbed to complete my first hill training 10K. Now, with legs still a little wobbly from last night's speed workout, and a 10K run behind me, it's time to test out the ol' legs. I'm from the school of not fighting gravity, so I let the hill take me down, and I actually lean into it. Once you find a position where your knees are comfortable, if you're strong enough to continually hold that position, without your legs going all willy-nilly, you can basically avoid injury and make up some time downhill. I wouldn't recommend it all the time, but I think I might actually be built for downhill as well as up.
The big climb up 1st to Renfrew is quite the long haul. Running next to traffic freaks me out once in a while, but I like this circuit because my house is at middle ground in case I need to get some water or use the washroom, not that I've never gone au naturel. The top of 1st Ave was a tough place to turn around, knowing that the long, torturous downhill would take every ounce of strength for me to test my speed one last time. As I level out at the bottom of the hill, I hang a left for the final climb home.
North Boundary is a good Kilometer at least, starting out pretty flat, and then steadily building to a 45 degree angle at the top. My hammie is starting to burn, and I try to bounce off my foot to stretch out while running. The downhill session of holding my legs in one position really requires me to stretch the legs out afterward. I'm guilty of shortening my stride like a lazy person. Anyway, I power up that hill at 100% and then I level out feeling like there's still a little left in the tank. Still, I need to get off this pavement. My next long run will be on soft trail. Back to my roots at the ol' Lake.
It's Christmas Today!
I just got my new running shoes in the mail today! It's an awesome feeling. Here's a photo of the new Nike Vomero 5 shoes as donated by my sister Deborah Stafford Losier.
Thanks Deb for the donation! These shoes will go right into my closet and re-appear when my current Vomero 4 & 5's wear out. Sweet!
Thanks Deb for the donation! These shoes will go right into my closet and re-appear when my current Vomero 4 & 5's wear out. Sweet!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Speedwork Wednesday
Tonight I did a little speedwork.
I took part in the Running Room's 20 Minute Challenge, a good excuse to get together with other runners and score a free hat too!
I'm sticking to an Intermediate training Schedule and nothing on the Route Board at RR really fit my routine. I just did a long run last night so anything over 6K is too much.
I decided to do a little track workout. After warming up with a couple of nice short hills, I arrived at Brockton Oval in Stanley Park. My workout: 4 X 400 meter sprints alternated with 200 meter jogs.
There was a seasoned track runner at Brockton, so I had to look serious. I grabbed a couple sips of water and began my first 200 meter jog. At the midway point of the 400-meter track, I hit the gas and shifted into "run". I've been doing so much distance work lately that it was hard to switch out of marathon pace gear.
My first lap went by in 1:32. Not a bad start, but I left room for improvement. That rest jog feels good, but 200 meters goes by awfully quickly.
Second lap: 1:24. Okay, we're moving up in the world.
Third lap: 1:22. That's better, but barely. Time to see what poppa's got left in the tank!!!
Fourth lap: 1:15! That's right, folks. I don't know if that's good or not, but consistent improvement is.
It was so hot after that workout that I removed my shirt, positioned my head under a waterfountain and breathed relief. After a running back to my point of origin (with a hill sprint thrown in for good measure) I cycled the 10K home and ate some delicious food! What an awesome day!
I took part in the Running Room's 20 Minute Challenge, a good excuse to get together with other runners and score a free hat too!
I'm sticking to an Intermediate training Schedule and nothing on the Route Board at RR really fit my routine. I just did a long run last night so anything over 6K is too much.
I decided to do a little track workout. After warming up with a couple of nice short hills, I arrived at Brockton Oval in Stanley Park. My workout: 4 X 400 meter sprints alternated with 200 meter jogs.
There was a seasoned track runner at Brockton, so I had to look serious. I grabbed a couple sips of water and began my first 200 meter jog. At the midway point of the 400-meter track, I hit the gas and shifted into "run". I've been doing so much distance work lately that it was hard to switch out of marathon pace gear.
My first lap went by in 1:32. Not a bad start, but I left room for improvement. That rest jog feels good, but 200 meters goes by awfully quickly.
Second lap: 1:24. Okay, we're moving up in the world.
Third lap: 1:22. That's better, but barely. Time to see what poppa's got left in the tank!!!
Fourth lap: 1:15! That's right, folks. I don't know if that's good or not, but consistent improvement is.
It was so hot after that workout that I removed my shirt, positioned my head under a waterfountain and breathed relief. After a running back to my point of origin (with a hill sprint thrown in for good measure) I cycled the 10K home and ate some delicious food! What an awesome day!
Muffins For Sale!
Delicious, nutritious muffins baked by Marathon Runner and Health enthusiast Nathan Stafford are now for sale to raise funds for The Boston Quest.
Cinnamon Apple
Dark Chocolate Chip
Also: Low Fat Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
The cost is $10 a batch, with all profits going to The Boston Quest.
Once you try these muffins, you will not believe how good they are. And good for you! I eat them all the time, so I suppose they're like rocket fuel.
Delivered anywhere in Vancouver aka The Lower Mainland. Shipping is available at customer's expense.
For more information or to place an order, contact nathanstaff@gmail.com
Cinnamon Apple
Dark Chocolate Chip
Also: Low Fat Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
The cost is $10 a batch, with all profits going to The Boston Quest.
Once you try these muffins, you will not believe how good they are. And good for you! I eat them all the time, so I suppose they're like rocket fuel.
Delivered anywhere in Vancouver aka The Lower Mainland. Shipping is available at customer's expense.
For more information or to place an order, contact nathanstaff@gmail.com
It happened at Burnaby Lake
Everyone remembers the first time they flew in an airplane, bungee jumped or had some other life-changing event take place. For me, that was the first time I attempted to run 10 Kilometers non-stop.
I've never been a "skinny" guy, and during my heavier days in college, a friend of mine suggested I try running with him to get rid of my spare tire. For anyone who has never been, Burnaby Lake is outlined by a 10K trail system that is perfect for running. On that fateful day in 2002 however, my cardio was anything but perfect for running.
After wheezing my way through about a quarter of the twisty, bumpy trail, my lungs began to burn at an excruciating level. Did I mention I was a half-a-pack-a-day smoker in those days? It's true. I soon stopped running completely and slumped over in a sweaty hump while the lung butter shot out like a double-barrel phlegm rifle (yuck). My friend and nemesis tried to urge me on with supportive comments like, "Oh, come on! There are girls watching." and "I'll leave you here if you're not in the parking lot when I finish."
I picked myself up and ran for another 5 minutes, stopping once again to loosen some more tar from my aching lungs. That's how it pretty much went for the next hour-plus: run for a bit, stop and die for a bit. Buddy, you're crazy if you think I'm gonna try this again.
Being a student, and broke, I was having trouble affording my expensive cigarette habit, so quitting was my only option. There are so many gimmicks out there to help you quit: the nicotine patch, the gum, cold turkey, etc. I remembered running in that trail, and the way my lungs felt like they were filled with charcoal briquettes. Maybe if I just run again, it'll make me hate cigarettes because they were to blame for making my lungs feel like Mt. St Helen's.
You know what? It actually worked. Now I run that 10K in under 40 minutes, and I can't remember the last time I sucked on a cigarette. I guess this goes to show you that a) A little bit of pain goes a long way in breaking bad habits; and b) I owe my start in running to a guy named Christopher Skidmore.
I've never been a "skinny" guy, and during my heavier days in college, a friend of mine suggested I try running with him to get rid of my spare tire. For anyone who has never been, Burnaby Lake is outlined by a 10K trail system that is perfect for running. On that fateful day in 2002 however, my cardio was anything but perfect for running.
After wheezing my way through about a quarter of the twisty, bumpy trail, my lungs began to burn at an excruciating level. Did I mention I was a half-a-pack-a-day smoker in those days? It's true. I soon stopped running completely and slumped over in a sweaty hump while the lung butter shot out like a double-barrel phlegm rifle (yuck). My friend and nemesis tried to urge me on with supportive comments like, "Oh, come on! There are girls watching." and "I'll leave you here if you're not in the parking lot when I finish."
I picked myself up and ran for another 5 minutes, stopping once again to loosen some more tar from my aching lungs. That's how it pretty much went for the next hour-plus: run for a bit, stop and die for a bit. Buddy, you're crazy if you think I'm gonna try this again.
Being a student, and broke, I was having trouble affording my expensive cigarette habit, so quitting was my only option. There are so many gimmicks out there to help you quit: the nicotine patch, the gum, cold turkey, etc. I remembered running in that trail, and the way my lungs felt like they were filled with charcoal briquettes. Maybe if I just run again, it'll make me hate cigarettes because they were to blame for making my lungs feel like Mt. St Helen's.
You know what? It actually worked. Now I run that 10K in under 40 minutes, and I can't remember the last time I sucked on a cigarette. I guess this goes to show you that a) A little bit of pain goes a long way in breaking bad habits; and b) I owe my start in running to a guy named Christopher Skidmore.
About the Author
Nathan Stafford grew up playing rugby on Canada's East Coast, climbing to the ranks of New Brunswick Under-21's and representing the Saint John Labatt Trojans at the Union level. His journey West in 2002 led him to discover competitive running as a sport.
Nathan is not your typical marathon runner build. He prides himself in being a hill specialist and "power runner", combining speed, strength and endurance. Nathan clocked a 2:58 on a tough course at the 2010 BMO Vancouver Marathon, smashing his previous marathon best by 50 minutes!
Nathan enjoys the therapeutic benefits of running, but also found his competitive spirit:
"Running keeps me sane. It's like anything, if you put in the work, the outcome will be alright, and the universe is balanced. I was honestly surprised by how fast I could run, but if I don't try to push it, I'll never know what I'm truly capable of."
Nathan qualified for the 2011 Boston Marathon with his Vancouver time, and is currently training for the 2010 Royal Victoria Marathon Oct 13th. He is looking for your support to help fly him to Boston and compete this coming April. And he's off to the races!
Nathan is not your typical marathon runner build. He prides himself in being a hill specialist and "power runner", combining speed, strength and endurance. Nathan clocked a 2:58 on a tough course at the 2010 BMO Vancouver Marathon, smashing his previous marathon best by 50 minutes!
Nathan enjoys the therapeutic benefits of running, but also found his competitive spirit:
"Running keeps me sane. It's like anything, if you put in the work, the outcome will be alright, and the universe is balanced. I was honestly surprised by how fast I could run, but if I don't try to push it, I'll never know what I'm truly capable of."
Nathan qualified for the 2011 Boston Marathon with his Vancouver time, and is currently training for the 2010 Royal Victoria Marathon Oct 13th. He is looking for your support to help fly him to Boston and compete this coming April. And he's off to the races!
How You Can Help
By clicking the button to "Donate", you are helping a runner on The Boston Quest.
A Runner has Needs. In order to compete in the 2011 Boston Marathon, I need the following:
Round-trip airfare from Vancouver to Boston ($619 + fees)
Accommodations in Boston for race weekend, April 2011
New running shoes/trainers ($80)
Powerbar Electrolyte Gels ($35 per box, 1 box per month)
Other nutrition products/accessories as needed.
I'm not asking for a handout. I'll gladly consider any corporate sponsorship, like attaching your company's logo onto my t-shirt during national broadcast in exchange for goods or services. You can feel confident that any donation made to this cause will be spent responsibly as I do my best to make The Boston Quest a reality!!
A Runner has Needs. In order to compete in the 2011 Boston Marathon, I need the following:
Round-trip airfare from Vancouver to Boston ($619 + fees)
Accommodations in Boston for race weekend, April 2011
New running shoes/trainers ($80)
Powerbar Electrolyte Gels ($35 per box, 1 box per month)
Other nutrition products/accessories as needed.
I'm not asking for a handout. I'll gladly consider any corporate sponsorship, like attaching your company's logo onto my t-shirt during national broadcast in exchange for goods or services. You can feel confident that any donation made to this cause will be spent responsibly as I do my best to make The Boston Quest a reality!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)