Around the Bay

I went to Hamilton for the weekend to run a 30k race, my first 30k race, but it was still part of my training. After having the past couple of weeks with my calf pain I wasn't really sure how this would play out. I rested a lot more the past week and continued to ice and stretch it. After my Thursday night's speed workout, which I finally did all of, I felt much better and I wasn't planning to run anymore until race day.

I have heard a lot of different stories about running Around the Bay (btw it is older than Boston), and I was given lots of little hints about what to expect at each mark along the route. All of the guys I run with were also doing the race so even though it was not at home it did make it a lot easier and gave it that homey feel to it. A lot of them, myself included, took a bus trip there that was organized by one of the local running groups from Ottawa. The bus trip included the ride there and back plus a hotel room for the night. It was nice to not have to worry about too much and to just focus on the run.

My plan for this race was to feel good at the end and to try and maintain a 5min pace throughout. I was feeling really good the day of the race and excited to be there. I was under that pace for the first little while thinking I will slow down once I got out of the crowds of people, but the pace I was at, which was about a 4:30-4:40 for the first half, felt natural for me and I didn't really notice until the 10k mark when they posted the split time up along the route. One problem I had along the route was not taking water at the first 2 water stations, had I known that after those first 2 ones there wouldn't have been one for about 8k I probably would have taken some, but I got over it and decided to stop at each one after that, even if it was just a sip. The other part I wasn't prepared for was "the hill", now this isn't just any hill, this hill goes on and on and then on some more. I really had to say a few choice words going up that hill to just get me to the top. This hill is also at the 26k mark of the 30k run, so you're not quite as energetic as you were when you first started. Once I finally got to the top I had to walk a bit to refocus myself and to breath again. I loved coming into Copps Coliseum I think that was one of my favourite parts not only because of the crowds but also because the finish line was right there. I can't say I would do it again (I may) but I am glad I ran it. Oh and I got a silver medal for finishing in under 2:30:00

Here are my stats from this race:
2:22:21 with a 4:46 pace
639 out of 5702 runners
19/371 females 30-34 years
88/2684 females
46:11 10k split
1:10:22 15k split
1:34:41 20k split

Coming Back

Today's run went pretty well. I didn't run the last 2 days and have been nursing my calf, I wanted to take it easy and see how it went today. I started off with a 14.5k loop and it didn't feel too bad at the end of it. It was still quite sore and tender before starting and for the first couple of kms, but as the run went on it seem to get used to being used again. I figured that instead of doing another 14.5k loop I would do a 10k loop instead so not to push it too far and to end on a good note. I think the final 10k was just right and I was even able to bring my pace up to about a 5:10. I am going to continue icing, heating and stretching this week and maybe try another run on Tuesday, but things are finally looking better and I may actually race at Around the Bay in Hamilton this weekend (fingers crossed).

I ran a total of 25.01k today.

Setback

This has been one of worst weeks of training yet. My lower left calf has not gotten better and almost feels like it has gotten worse over the week, I finally called my RMT guy for an ART and after that it felt better but then I decided I could try and do my speed work. Oops maybe not. I was only able to do about half of the workout and had to stop. I've only been able to run at most 15k on any night and even that seemed to be pushing it. I'm very frustrated with this whole situation and the fact that I can't get my runs in for the week. I didn't run yesterday or today, but I plan to tomorrow morning, I'm supposed to run 29k but I'll have to see how everything is feeling at that time. In the mean time I've been icing it a lot (still can't quite do the whole ice bath thing) and I've been stretching it as well as the hips as that could have played a part in it too. I'll let you know how my run goes tomorrow but for now all I can do is rest.

On a positive note I found out my bib number for the Marathon and I now know that I am definitely in Wave 2 so I won't be starting the race until 10:30. Things on that end are falling into place, now to just get back to the training.

My total for the week is a sad 55.83k

Wet Wet Wet and Cold

This has probably been one of the worst days I've had to run so far. Sure there's no more snow but after running today I almost wished it was snow instead of the rain and wind we had. It was a "lovely" 1 degree when we started but with the windchill it was more like -6, and yes there was wind, for most of the run we were running into the 40km/h wind and don't forget to add the rain (at times it felt like ice pellets). Plus we changed our clocks forward so we lost an hour of sleep. I bet you all wished you were here, don't you?.

My left calf was quite tight/sore again today which didn't help with everything else I had to deal with, so I was not much in the conversational mood. I just wanted to get this 26k run done and out of the way. Luckily we did our weekly loops again because my calf was not feeling better after the first 14k loop so I stopped there. I am going to be icing and stretching it for the next while and hope that it will finally feel better for good. I have a feeling the problem is my shoes, I think they have died and forgot to tell me so I had to find out this way. I will be using my newer shoes from now on and see how that goes. I already have tomorrow off and I'm not sure how much I'll be doing this week, just planning to take it one day at a time.

March 7-13

It has been a while and the countdown is now at 39 days until Boston, everything seems to be happening so fast and I am now starting to feel the pressure, but trying to keep it under control.

Sunday was another 32k run, my last 32k run, as I will be racing a 30k race in Hamilton in a couple of weeks, well maybe racing we will see how I'm feeling that day. I ran 5k before meeting up with the guys who were planning on running 26-29k that day, it ended up being closer to 29k so I ended up going 34k. It was a great day for a run, nice and sunny and some of them even had shorts on, not me yet. We did the same loops as last week and I felt much better running this day then the last time I ran my 32k, so things are going well it seems.

Tuesday I attempted to run in Richmond because the days are getting warmer and I see a lot more sunlight at the end of the day. However, after running my first of three 4k tempos it got pretty dark and the street I was running on didn't have much lighting so I chose to run the other two on the treadmill. It was so hard to run tempo on a treadmill and I kept thinking I was going to fall off the end, so I'm going to have to find another way to get these runs done. I did run my 3x 4k at a 4:40 pace for a total of 13.8k

Wednesday, another awesome day for running, I had a 15k run on my schedule which I ran at a 5:05 pace. I just had to keep an eye out for all the potholes on the roads but other than that another warmish day.

Thursday I did my 2.8k warm up then went on to the speed portion of 5x 1600m at a 4:10 pace and the 4x 400m at a 4:05 pace for a total of 14.27k. My right calf was feeling really tight during and after that work out. I couldn't walk much the next day so I skipped my easy Friday run and did a lot of stretching and heating hoping I could still run my hills on Saturday.

Saturday I went out to a new area to run my hills, I wasn't sure how it would go because of all the pain I had the day before so my plan was to just do what I could and not push myself too hard (yeah right). I felt fine in the morning so I was optimistic it would go well. I did end up running all 7 of the hills I needed to do, this hill was a longer and steeper one than the ones I had ran previously. The first 2 times going up the hill was really hard but once I got those done it didn't seem so bad. The weather was not as nice as I was hoping, there was no sun, a lot of overcast clouds and the wind was so strong that at times I felt I was going the wrong way, but I pushed on and got it done. It feels so much more rewarding when I finish some of my harder runs. I ran a total of 13.5k which included my warm up and cool down, and I followed up with a lot of stretching. I do not want to get injured now with all the work I've put into my training.

My total for the week is 90.75k

March 2-6

Tuesday I got a bit of a break from my training I didn't have quite as much distance to do. I ran 13.2k by running a 2k warm up at the dome followed by 3x 3k tempo that I was able to maintain at a 4:40 pace and then another 2k for my cool down. It felt pretty good this night and I always enjoy the coffee we have afterwards even though I do get home late.

Wednesday I had a much harder night, somehow I was going to run 19k at a moderate pace (which I learned is in-between tempo and race pace). I ended up running about 4k with the kids in the stroller before heading to the RR to run the other 15k. I am so thankful that the days are getting longer and even though I don't start running until 6pm it is still somewhat light out. I ended the night with 19.1k at a 4:50 pace. I felt good during the run and afterwards but I am starting to feel a bit more tired from running 6 days a week and not spending as much time with my bed.

Thursday = Speedday. It was finally a nice and clear day to do my speed workout. I started as usual running 2.7k as my warm up then began my 4x 1600m repeats at a 4:10 pace with 2 min rests in-between each then 4x 800m at a 4:05 pace followed by a 1.8k cool down and some yummy treats for a total of 14.36k

Friday I didn't really feel up to running so I took the night off.

Saturday I ran a 7.5k route around Richmond before heading out for the day, it was such a nice day for a run and I'm so glad to see the sun shining again. Spring must certainly be on it's way!

My total for the week is 83.43k