Un-Comforting Thought

I've taken the last two weeks off running, and as some of you know, I'm now winding down my excellent adventure in Peru.

As I want to keep this blog focussed on my efforts to run a BQ, I'll keep the Peruvian metaphors light... and short.

It has been a fantastic experience for me.  One week, backpacking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, the next floating down a jungle river at night in search of caimans.  Through it all though, there are some ideals that I will take away with me...

I don't like to be comfortable.  People grow from new experiences and challenges.  During my hike to Machu Picchu I was extremely fatigued, especially the first day.  It could have been the altitude (~13,000 feet), it could have been my lack of acclimatizing (less than 24 hours), it could have been the lack of sleep (2.5 hours... who could sleep before this adventure??), or it could have been that I was one of the few too stupid/stubborn to hire a porter (heaviest backpack), but I didn't focus on any of that.  I focussed on getting to our campsite.

One of my fellow campers asked, "is this harder than a marathon?".  I replied, "The last marathon I ran, I had no doubt in my mind I was going to be able to hold my pace and finish... this hike, I was actually considering giving in and getting a porter, which I would have considered as the ultimate failure for me."  (Please note:  I planned this trip with certain expectations for my fitness, and in no way do I wish to marginalize or diminish the other group members who elected to get a porter).

But with all my huffing and puffing, it forced me to take a moment, to take a breath and look out to where I was... soaking in the beauty of Peru.

I'll put this into my context of running:  I don't plan to be complacent.  I know, I have just over 4 months to get myself from a 3:37 down to a 3:20, 17 minutes.... being comfortable isn't going to be on my agenda.

"I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it"  - P Picasso

The Last 5 is Always the Hardest

Not quite 5 minutes, but 6:04 and I'll have my BQ for 2012.


I am feeling pretty good now.  Mentally.


Physically, I'm still pretty exhausted feeling.  A lady in a hand cart passed me on the sidewalk today.  My calves are very sore and could use a good massage, I also have a huge blister on my left foot (i.e. the "tingle").  But I'm feeling very good.


I knew if I was to have any chance at Boston, I'd need to get my time down to at least a 3:45 for VIM.  I am feeling great that I beat that by nearly 8 minutes.


For the next 2-3 weeks, I won't be running much.  I'll be doing the Sun Run with Ruby and one or two training runs prior, and that's about it.  I'm not too worried that the lack of running will have much of an effect on my fall marathon plans.  I'll have June onward for some pretty good training.


Is a 3:30 selling myself short?  Should I look at a 3:20?  Funny thing tho is a 3:20 for RVM, I still won't be able to register for Boston 2011 as it'll likely sellout in September.  But how great would that be if it didn't?  One of the fantastic things would be, running Boston together with TLT and Sue!!!


Let me ponder for a minute.........................


Make it: the last 17 is always the hardest!


"We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard" - JFK

VIM Review

Weather forecast for today was cloudy,cool, but most importantly, dry... perfect.


I went down to the race with TLT and Sue.  There was definitely tension in the air.  We were all a bit nervous/anxious.  Well, maybe not all, TLT, who had watched Glee the night before seemed the most relaxed, but for her, she admitted to being nervous for the first time.  I had tried to go to bed too early, but my nerves got the best of me and I stayed up longer than I wanted for a 5:15A wake-up.


I started the run well, it was starting to mist, but I thought it would hold off.  Sue and I were thinking of running together, but she started off much faster than I felt comfortable with, so I stuck to my guns and started off at a Garmin pace of 8:15.


The rain started coming down, at times fairly heavy.  I was getting soaked.  I usually don't mind getting wet, except for my shoes.  My socks are great when they're dry, but once they get wet... ummm, not so good.  So after about 10 miles I felt the slightest of tingles on my left foot.  Do I stop, take a minute out and try to fix my socks, or do I suck it up?  Yep, suck it up.


I don't know what it is about Vancouver.  Victoria seems to get a lot more people out cheering.  Vancouver, although much bigger, just doesn't have the crowds coming out... must be too big-city.


It was fun to hear people shout my name and cheer me on.  But I was pretty tired and all I could muster was a half-hearted smile and a fist pump.  But a big thanks to my running buddies for showing up, although I was tired, I did perk up upon hearing my name shouted out by CM, Wynne, G&B, and Shawna.


At around 35km I see TLT coming back on the U-turn, followed a few seconds by Sue.  They are both about 3-4 minutes in front of me.  I'm squeezing every bit of effort out.  I'm exhausted, but know that I didn't come here to dip my toes in.  One of my tricks was to run up the hills at a good pace, short strides and try to not slow down too much, but on the downhill, just give it everything.  If I'm going to slow down for the up, I might as well make up for it on the down.


At this point, my blister was no longer a tingle.  It was damn hurting.  Thankfully, it was only every second step as my right foot was mostly good.  I wasn't going to change my gait, I know that once that happens, you start to compensate elsewhere and things go down pretty fast.  Pain or not, the show must go on.


The second crossing of Burrard St Bridge was tough.  I've run the bridge probably close to 100 times, but it never seemed longer than it did today.  Once I made it to the crest, I gave everything I had on the way down. With about 2k to go, my vision starts to narrow and I'm really hurting.  I'm too close to slow down now.


I can see the finish line now and I'm not going to let anyone pass me.  Normally, I ease up. but not this time.  I hear my name over the loud speaker, the announcer mentions that I'm beating my PB by over 30 minutes.  Woot!


I cross the finish line, and break into a gagging/heaving fit.  I'm happy, I know I've done good.


Official time:  3:37:03

Looking Good... Not Quite

Almost there... two sleeps away...


I bought new runners, Asics 2150's.  I'm hoping the new runners will make me run faster.  Well no, not really, but at least they are nice and shiny ;)


When I'm racing, I know I don't look very good.  I try to pay attention to my form, but aside from that, my face is usually covered with salt, sweat stains going down my back and road grime running up my legs.  I've seen enough of my race photos to know, when the going gets rough, I'm not very pretty.


Some people take great pics.  A friend, Joe, has a fantastic one where he is smiling directly at the camera while pointing with both hands in pseudo-gun fashion (looks a lot cooler than I can describe).  Wynne is a poseur.  She always takes great pictures, especially crossing the finish line.


Even when I try to look cool, I fail.  The first time I raced RVM, when I crossed the finish line I put my arms up in celebration.  Little did I know that after 4+ hours of my arms going back and forth, raising them was the last thing they wanted to do.  It hurt more than running the 26 miles.


For my last marathon, I showed a friend some of my pictures.  He replied, "I thought you'd dress better."  I didn't know I ever dress better, I just wear clothes so I don't get arrested for walking around naked.  


When it comes to running, I don't worry too much about what I wear looks like.  I do pay attention to anything that gives me any edge, real or imagined.  Usually it means tech fabrics (compression top), light shorts, and dual layer socks.  I'm fine if that isn't considered "good looking", cause "Function before form" has always been my motto.


With the marathon just around the corner, I'm feeling pretty good about it.  Maybe too good... I'm planning to run with the Sue, who is much faster than me, with the 3:40 bunny, and TLT is planning to start with the 3:45 bunny.  Am I crazy?  Two more sleeps and I'll know for sure :D

Time Machine

I wish things were simple.

I finished up my penultimate clinic run on Wednesday feeling great.  It was the notorious/infamous 2x2mi.  John said I should target a 7:05/mi... I didn't like the sound of that.  A few weeks prior, I did a 2x2, I was nearly a minute/mile slower.

When I managed to actually hit the target, you can understand why I was absolutely thrilled.

It's taken me two months to get back to where I was.

The second 2 miles was tougher, but I was trying to chase Sue down.  Just when I got close, she pulled away.  I think she was teasing me ;)  She's normally much faster and is actually not even in my league... but she's had a couple of injuries that almost brought her down to my level.

Sue is a fantastic runner.  She ran a 1:38, a PB, in the Historic Half, that extrapolates out to a sub-3:30... more than enough for her BQ.  At the time, I told her (semi-)facetiously, that I'd be disappointed if she didn't run a 3:40 for Vancouver.  However, in the coming months she nursed a nagging injury; add on a vacation, and you have the makings of doubt.

She's now targeting RVM for her BQ.

At the end of the clinic run, I mentioned to John, I was having a tough time with pacing for the last couple of tempos.  But he said, tonight's run was proof that I was getting my speed back.  He said I should probably target my race pace to be a bit slower than what my tempo runs used to be.  An 8:15/mi!!!  Now I am really confused.

I like the idea of challenging myself, but I also enjoy pain as much as the next guy (or gal).  An 8:15/mi was my goal 2-3 months ago... before my injuries.  I was thinking more of a 8:35-40 was going to be more realistic.  And this has me quite anxious.  I feel there's a good chance (i.e. 75%) I can manage a 8:35-40/mi pace for the marathon, it won't be easy, but it's within my grasp.  An 8:15 is probably pretty low (i.e. 25%).  But is that my negative self-doubts creeping into my mental calculations?

I understand, few people think they're ever ready for a race.  No matter what, it always seems like you could always use more time to prepare.  But for me, it's honestly a bit different.  A few months ago, I was riding pretty high.  I completed my tempo runs (12 miles at 7:45/mi) and feel I would have been better to race then.

Wouldn't a time machine be great?  Just hit the rewind button and no bruised ribs, no calf injury, and no missed LSDs.  No pain!

I don't like the idea of wimping out, nor do I like the idea of crashing and burning.  John set out my weekend long run... I was supposed to run 14 miles at race pace.  I decided to meet in the middle and run a 8:20/mi, 5 seconds slower than John suggested, but still 15-20 seconds faster than I was originally planning.

Sue ran with me.  An 8:20 fits perfectly for her BQ (which I personally think she has a good chance to do for VIM).  Thankfully as an equalizer, she logged a pre-run of 13km.  Even at that, she was pushing the pace for much of the run.

Obviously, there is no time machine that can erase the past. But I suppose this is what my blog is about.  Not about perfection, but battling through adversity and continue to strive for improvement.

Aside from being cold and wet, I felt pretty strong at the finish of the 14 miles.  Another 12 miles... tough one to answer.

This will be only my second time I've "raced" a marathon.  I've done two previously that I held back on.  I don't like to put myself on the line, but I'm going to do it now... I'll put myself out there and say, yeah, I'm going to target a 3:40 for VIM.

Hitting the Wall

Is this what it feels like to be bonking?

I ran 28km this morning.  It was a great run to Ambleside.  I don't run there very often, so when I do, it's that much more special.  I wish we had time to go to Savary Island Pie Co  but it was still a very enjoyable run.



After coming home and resting a bit, I needed to go for another run.


I promised Ruby I'd take her for a 6km run as part of her Sun Run training.  I really don't like to break a promise, and disappoint my kids.  My word is my bond.  


As we started our run, I cut down on the pace.  I wanted to make sure the run was enjoyable for Ruby, but just as importantly, also for me.  I was pretty tired when we set out.  By about 3km, I started sweating profusely.  By 4km, I'm still sweating and barely making the steps.  We make it to 5km, which just happens to be a school playground.  Ruby wants to play, and at this point, I whole-heartily agree.  We do eventually make it home.  She beats me!


I've been home for 4 hours now, and just beginning to feel good.  


I found I have limits.  I once ran 63kms over a 24 hour period, and I thought I was pretty tough then.  Little did I know, 6km with my daughter would do me in today.

I've Lost My Mojo

I'm pretty passionate about running.  But not today.


I was planning to hook up with Joc and possibly do intervals with her, but for whatever reason, we didn't see each other in the morning.  I ran to UBC's track to do my 8x800m, only to find a bunch of kids "using" it.  I did one 800m and was on the second lap of the 2nd when I felt bleh and decided to call it.


I tried to run home, but even then I just couldn't muster the energy and walked for probably half of it.


WTH?


I realize I can't have good days all the time.  When I do have a bad run, I am usually tired.  I've never been healthy and rested and been overwhelmed with apathy.  I constantly preach being either in or out, I despise indifference and here I find I'm wallowing in it.


I need to get my mojo back.  Tomorrow, I'm pulling out all stops, I'm going to run intervals at my favourite spot, Stanley Park, hoping it'll spark something inside me.


Not as inspirational as my other quotes, but applicable nonetheless:


"You know, what have we learned here today? Perhaps it's that no one can take your mojo. You can look around all you want, but what you're really trying to find is on the inside. Take care of yourself, and each other." - J Springer from Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me


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Update (Friday, April 16): I went to Stanley Park to do my intervals and despite a rocky start, I found it :D