October 7th 2008: Lucky Number 7

First of all, good luck to all of those running marathons this weekend; typically one of the busiest marathon weekends in North America.

Just four more runs to go for me. The fifth will be the big race, though I am trying not to build it up too much in my own head. I am hoping that this marathon will prove lucky number 7. Of the previous 6 efforts, I have had two disappointments, two goods, one surprise and one novice-style gong show. I am hoping to be pleasantly surprised on Sunday. I am always interested in how others prepare for their marathon race in the last two weeks of training - the infamous 'taper'. So I'll share with you exactly what I have done since last Monday:

• Mon 2 x 40 minutes (am/pm runs)
• Tue 6 x 5 minutes (1.5 minutes rest) @ 10 km pace
• Wed 90 minutes easy
• Thu 2 x 40 minutes (am/pm runs)
• Fri 45 minutes tempo@ marathon pace
• Sat 90 minutes of yoga
• Sun 90 minutes steady
• Mon 2 x 30 minutes (am/pm runs)
• Tue 5 km of alternating km's ( km's 1,3,5 @ 10km pace/ km's 2,4 @ marathon pace)

From here on in it is remarkably simple; four more days of 50 minutes, 40...30...20 minutes. Then we will see what Sunday holds...

• St Albert 10 Miler
• Fast Trax Trail Series
• ING Edmonton Half Marathon
• Melissa's Road Race
• Victoria Marathon

29th September 2008: All Quiet on the Western Front

Two weeks to go. The next two weeks are, simultaneously, the best and worst times of marathon prep, in my opinion. People always say "the hard work is done" but, in some ways, it's just beginning. Yes, it's nice to throttle back a little; to decrease the volume and maintain the intensity. Start to realize what you have been training your body to do. All that stuff.

But at the same time there is something weird about not training hard. Not feeling sore quads or tight calves as you contemplate pushing through another reps session. And then, of course, there is the paranoia. The worst feeling of all. The assumption that because you are not running for 2.5 hours, you will have forgotten how to do it when it comes to the big day. Or that marathon pace will be a challenge to hold for the entire race. Perhaps you should check by running 2.5 hours at marathon pace before the event?!

Still, I can't complain. My routine has really settled over the past 6 weeks and my training has been largely without a hitch. I feel in pretty good shape, all things considered. But the marathon is like any good woman should be - unpredictable. Sure, things might start out pleasantly, but they can just as quickly turn ugly. Part of my job over the next two weeks is to figure out exactly what it is I hope to do with this marathon. If you asked me right now, I'd probably say that I am shooting for 2:35-2:40; hopefully closer to the faster end of that range. But getting the first half of the race right is so difficult. So, I'll think some more.

Anyway, the past week was my last week of higher volume. I ran some reps at 5km pace (it's always good to open up the legs). I ran a smooth 2 hours on Sunday. And on Friday I ran a tempo workout (45 mins at marathon pace, 15 mins faster) that felt wonderful (not wanting to tempt fate). You know you're having a good run when you panic that you're running too slow, only to find that you are, in fact, around 10 seconds per mile faster than you'd hoped.

Still, I have a long way to go to tame this marathon beast. Anyone seen my whip?

September 21st 2008 - Three weeks out

In all classic marathon training plans, the longest run is typically completed three weeks before the goal marathon. This was no exception for me. I decided to make this long run another rehearsal for the race itself and so I headed out at 8:30am on Sunday morning. There is something disheartening about starting your stopwatch, knowing that it is going to tick by for over two and a half hours before you are done. New to me on this run would also be the concept of hydration! I never drink when running, but felt it important to both stay hydrated and actually practice drinking while running.

The run proceeded fairly uneventfully and consisted, more-or-less, of following the river from the 50th St bridge to the Quesnel Bridge, then back on the opposite side. All in, I covered about 23.5 miles in 2:39. It was a relaxed long run that will hopefully serve me well in Victoria. The route had its fair share of hills, and hills are something that I will be seeing a lot of over the course of the Victoria marathon.

The other key session of the week was 3x10 mins, off 2 mins rest. These were ran at 10km pace (so 5:20/mile for me, although I had no idea of the split until after the run). It was a consistent set of reps and a good workout for me.

Other than that, it's just business as usual!

September 14th 2008: Rotary Run for Strife

The Rotary Run for Life was meant to be a final tune-up for the Victoria Marathon. A chance to rehearse my pre-race routine, to run a decent half and to give me some pace guidance for the marathon. What it actually turned in to was by far the most unusual race experience I have ever had.

I arrived at the start line at 8am feeling prepared and ready to run. After the gun went, Paul McCloy led out the pack and I soon moved in to a good position on his shoulder. After a few minutes we were running side by side and heading up Main Street in Stony Plain. However, something didn't feel quite right. We passed course marshals who shouted words of encouragement as we continued on our way. We crossed train tracks and headed through road construction. Everyone else followed. A large green space loomed in the distance and when we reached it the road simply ended; no bike path - just a left or a right turn and every indication that we were no longer on the race course. We turned and intercepted the next group of runners, and the dozen or so of us realised that things were seriously amiss and made the collective decision to head back and get the race re-started (of course most people were forced to route-find and ended up running about 15 miles)...

So, at 8:40am we headed out a second time. I almost decided not to run because I had little confidence in the course marshaling and had been totally thrown off. But realising that this was a key race for me, I tried to clear my mind and get ready to race again (we had raced about 12-15 minutes after the first start). Off we went again...this time the Marshal's directed us through the turns early in the course and things seemed to be OK, with Paul and I again sharing the lead. However, I knew that things were seriously amiss when we hit the 10km marker in about 28 minutes. Alas, Paul and I had been misdirected again (although the rest of the pack did get sent the right way)...pure insanity. The race now became nothing more than a tempo run...

At around 62 minutes I turned into the finishing straight...stopped right in front of the timing pad, removed my chip and walked through the finish line.
I stopped my watch at 62:58. Paul came through exactly 3 minutes later. The rest of the re-started runners ran the true course; many others ended with a convoluted 15 miles or so.

Simply bizarre.

September 8th 2008 - Fall is in the air

Whilst running at 6:30am carries a certain amount of pain for someone who is definitely not a morning person, there are also great rewards to be had. No people on the trails, no dogs. Just quiet, and a sense of satisfaction in being out running while everyone else is still waking up. You also get a glimpse of a world that would otherwise pass you by as you snooze. This morning a beautiful mist hung over the river, slowly rising as the cool air warmed. The sky was clear and the sun, not yet visible to me, was reflected in Canada Place, glowing like a fire way off in the distance. It was all quite serene and it certainly made the running a lot easier.

Anyway, this past week has been decent enough for me. I actually took Saturday off, which was my first day off for the past seven or eight weeks. It was a rare treat, but one that made me twitchy and eager for Sunday to arrive so I could run again. What it is about runners and the paranoia associated with resting?! I still attended a 90 minute yoga class on Saturday, so it wasn't a complete day off.

My two key sessions of the week went well. On Tuesday I did a 15km tempo run, which was divided into 10km at marathon pace, followed by 5km faster. Marathon pace always feels a little harder in training than in the race itself, and finding that extra gear for the last 5km certainly adds an element of interest. On Friday I did a reps session consisting of 10x3 minutes at 10km pace (with 1.5 minutes rest). With some steady and easier runs sandwiched in between, I probably got in around 75-80 miles in six days of running.

Things continue this week, easing back on Thursday to get a little freshness in the legs before the Stony Plain half marathon on September 14th. The last half I ran was way back in 2005. I clearly remember Brian Torrence passing me about 2-3km from the end of the half, with his distinctive running style, somewhat reminiscent of Michael Johnson... Ironically, it was also a half ran as preparation for the Victoria Marathon. Back in '05 I ran 74:16 for the half, and followed with a 2:39 in Victoria. We'll see what happens this time around.

Marathon Specifics

With six weeks to go until the Victoria marathon I will, this week, begin marathon-specific training. I have about ten weeks of running under my belt since returning from injury and that ten weeks has seen me 'getting back into it" and then transitioning into this next phase of training. I am looking forward to the test and challenge that the next four weeks will certainly provide.

Speaking as someone who has never, until recently, had an organised approach to training, I am very happy with my mindset right now. I have found that running has become fully integrated into my routine, becoming something that I expect to do every day, rather than something I dread. And we all know that 99% of the battle is with one's own mind. My body appears to be withstanding the daily pounding and always seems ready to go again the next day. But I still have daily fights with the procrastinator in me. There's that sinking feeling when you have run 20 miles on Sunday, only to wake up Monday morning knowing that you have a 'double day' and need to drag yourself out of bed and get out of the door. The body is mostly ready, the mind mostly not. Fortunately, though, the mind feeds off the body and within a few strides it's business as usual.

This past week was divided into four days of recovery (from the 10 mile race the weekend before) with a couple of quality sessions towards the end of the week, including a decent reps session and a 2:15 long run. The next two weeks will include quality workouts at marathon, 10km and 5km pace and will culminate with a race at the Rotary Run for Life in Stony Plain (half marathon). In two weeks time, rather that 'running for life', I expect to be 'running for my life'.

Robert Hamilton Memorial 10 Miler
Whilst Robert Hamilton’s story is a very sad one, the race set up in his memory is a great run along the Bow River in Calgary. Organized by the Calgary Roadrunners, the race is now in its 35th year. It would be my first race of 2008.
I was very proud to pull on my Fast Trax vest (singlet) early on Sunday morning and line up with 125 or so other runners competing in either the 5 or 10 mile distance. I have to say that the 10 miler really is a classic distance to race; it’s a shame there aren’t a few more of them in the race calendar.
Anyway, I had no real expectations for this race and with no course markers, except at 5 miles, I had to run based on feel. My plan had been to split half way in 27:30-28:00, so I was very happy to hit the 5 mile marker in 27:28, feeling pretty good. And I was also happy to hold on to that pace through to the finish. I ended running an extra hundred metres or so towards the end of the race, due to a mix-up on the course. A 5-year old “marshall” directed me one way; the lead bike went the other. Who would you have followed? I chose the lead bike...but should have put my faith in the 5-year old... Anyway, I finished in 55:16, despite the mix-up and the extra ‘loop’. It was good enough to win the race, but I don’t place much emphasis on that. It’s really about time, not placing. Still, I am not going to complain about the free entry to next year’s race, or the $50 coupon for Gord’s...or the huge trophy where my name will be engraved alongside greats like Peter Butler. Had Peter Butler been in the race on Sunday, however, he could’ve cooled down, showered, had breakfast and still made it back in time to see me cross the line...

Longer term visions

In the last three weeks I have been asked the same question at least half a dozen times: "so, how did it go in France?" This made me realise that people do actually read these profiles and, therefore, that I should update mine!

To answer the question, I didn't go to France. My Achilles injury persisted for a lot longer than expected, leaving me with little fitness to attempt such an undertaking. So I pulled the plug, but hope to do the trip around the same time in 2009. There is a certain feeling of needing to 'earn' trips like that and my training and fitness were just not up to par.

The Achilles injury actually kept me from running properly for well over two months, such that it was only in the middle of June that I began the build back to regular running. It was a difficult and frustrating time and I cannot deny that my own impatience played a heavy role in my lack of recovery.

And then, something changed. I decided, for the first time in my life to get a coach. Suddenly, I was easing back into running, slowly but surely, doing things the right way. And it is amazing what accountability does for keeping your running honest. Having someone to report to makes all the difference.

So, I am running. I am building my training and I am making progress. My training has changed quite a lot from when I was 'in charge' and, I have to say, I love handing over control of the reins to someone else! My running is now planned, periodised and sensible.

At the time of writing, I am currently running 9-10 sessions each week, with doubles on 2-3 days, and working in three week training blocks. The volume at present is not exceptional - around 80 miles each week, and I will maintain that until my first marathon in the Fall. Which brings me to the subject of racing.

I have yet to race this year, but plans are in the pipeline! I will be running the Robert Hamilton 10 miler in Calgary on August 24th, followed by the Stony Plain half on Septmber 14th. Then, on October 12th I'll take on the Victoria Marathon, a course with which I am very familiar. I don't expect to be in PB shape for this. The idea is to run the race with minimum impact on training. It's all part of the bigger picture - that being the London Marathon in April 2009. The plan is to run sub-2:45 in Victoria and, in doing so, qualify for the UK Athletics Marathon Cahmpionships, always held as part of the London Marathon. This is a realisable goal, and setting realisable goals is very important to me.

In the build-up to October I will endeavour to update my training on a weekly basis.

The Achilles and the Pyrenees
Achilles
I hate running. Really, I do. I hate seeing people running, I hate talking about running and I hate thinking about running. I’m injured, you see, and it is, after all, a thin line between love and hate. Injuries invariably rear their ugly heads when things are going well. Two weeks ago everything was great – running was effortless, ‘easy’ runs were surprisingly fast and I was well ahead of the same runner, training twelve months ago.
And then, on Saturday morning, I woke with the sorest, stiffest left Achilles. So sore I had to hobble downstairs to get to the shower. After morning yoga practice, the ‘old’ Jonathan reared his ugly head, strapped on his runners and went out the door. Ten seconds later I was walking back home, cursing myself. All too often I’ve tried to squeeze in ‘just one more run’, only to put myself out of commission for several weeks as a result. This time, I was trying to be more sensible. So I haven’t run a step for over a week now. Frustrating? Yes. Annoying? Yes.
But we all get injured at one point or another. I don’t feel sorry for myself. I’m just itching to get back outside. I don’t like the way that my left Achilles is constantly reminding me that it’s there – whether it be going down the stairs into the LRT, or walking from one end of the MacEwan campus to the other. I respond with constant testing – does it hurt to walk with a spring in my left leg? What if I run to catch that train? My Achilles answers that I am not up for running just yet.
Still, some good has come of all this. I have used the extra time to improve my yoga practice – devoting up to 90 minutes of each day to stretching my tight muscles and tendons and strengthening my weak core. It’s a humbling experience when you’re doing it alongside your wife, who bends and stretches like a bungee cord.

Pyrenees
I have always had a long-standing ambition to complete a great running ‘journey’. The Grande Randonnee (GR) 10 is one of the great French long distance paths that cover much of the country. Rising from the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, the trail traverses the Pyrenees before ending at the shore of the Mediterranean Sea. In late May and June of this year, I am hoping to run the full length of the GR10, solo and unsupported. The route features a mouth-watering 42,000m of ascent and descent, spread over 900km of alpine and mountain trail.

The trail is well worn by hikers. But running it is a different ball game. I make no mistake in under-estimating the challenge. First, there is the running. The route I have planned will require a marathon a day on terrain that could be most-likened to leg 4 of the Death Race. Then there is the issue of access to food, water and shelter. Given I will be running, my pack contents must be light – sufficient food for no more than two days, no tent and no sleeping bag. It is a logistical challenge, but I pride myself on organisation.
I anticipate that the journey will be as much spiritual as it will be physical. It’s not a trip I want to do for charity or bragging rights. More a trip of self-discovery and limit-pushing. Now, if only my bloody Achilles would sort itself out.