If you run long enough or read enough about running you might have heard of runners doing doubles. No..not double doubles, like a Tim Horton's coffee, but running twice in one day. I've done it often enough but yesterday I had to do my first triple! Trust me, other working, runner Moms will relate.
This was my scenario. My husband, Richard, is going to a high school reunion back in his home town in Cape Breton, so I'm going to be having a girls weekend with my daughter, which means I won't have any time to just run off for a few hours. Sooo I realized I had to get my long runs in before the weekend hits since two 10 milers on the treadmill is torture for both my daughter and me (I get "Are you still running Mommy?!" every 5 minutes after half an hour which kills my motivation to keep going!). I'm also having trouble getting back into the morning runner mentality, especially now that I know how much lack of sleep affects me for the rest of the day..so when the alarm goes off for 5 am I often press snooze for another hour. Yesterday though my alarm didn't go off at all and I missed my biggest window of time to get in one of my two long runs. Frustrated but not deterred I packed two running outfits and headed to work.
My first run was a five miler on the indoor track (it was raining at lunch). Feeling like a bit of a hamster on a wheel, I ran round and round until my Nike app finally declared 5 miles complete. I managed a pretty even pace throughout all of my miles so I was happy to see that. I cleaned up a bit, made sure to put my first running outfit at the bottom of my backpack and headed back to work.
Run #2 was back on the track since I only had about 30 minutes to try and get as many miles in before I picked up my daughter at day camp. I pushed the pace and really enjoyed the atmosphere as the track was now full of other runners and cross-fitters all doing their own thing. I managed three miles a minute faster per mile than my run at lunch. Then I picked up my daughter who wanted to go back to the track with me to run a few laps. Knowing she is going to defend her 2 mile title in a couple of weeks at the annual Natal Day road race, I complied. Not to brag, but my kid can run! She flew around the track in her sock feet, taking short little steps as she went. I was still making my way up the first side as she flew down the second straight-away. I'm pretty sure she managed under a 6 minute kilometer (she's 6)! I encouraged her to take a rest, so she sat and watched hockey as I finished up another mile.
My last run was back at home after having made a nice taco supper (yum tacos!) for the family. I grabbed the dog and off we went, with Spencer practically dragging me down the streets until I reached my goal of 10 miles total for the day. Then it was back home to stretch and get my family ready for the next day.
I wouldn't recommend that a runner do that kind of thing every day, or even every week, but it is reassuring to know that I can handle it mentally and physically if my schedule dictates I need to. Today is another 10 miler but this time I'm going to do it in one shot...albeit a bit slower than yesterday!
Friday, July 26, 2013
Monday, July 22, 2013
Gear Review! Camelbak Charm
The Camelbak Charm was my first hydration pack. I bought it when I figured 1.5L would be the most I would need on a run (little did I realize how much I`d like 50kers!) and wanted a lightweight pack. At a price tag just shy of $50.00 it has paid for itself in spades.
Why I love this pack:
The Charm is very lightweight and easily accommodates the 1.5L bladder that is included with room to spare for a few gels and bars. The bottom of the pack has a small separate compartment that I can fit my Galaxy phone into along with some extra change if I need a pit stop. The shoulder straps are spaced far enough apart that chaffing has never been an issue. The sides have small, adjustable straps. No matter how tight I adjusted the straps though I`ve never been able to keep the shoulder straps in place as I run. So, I grab a Velcro reflective strap (purchased for $1.00 at the local Dollarama) and use that to give the front a chest strap.
I`ve used this hydration pack on runs as long as 3 hours on every imaginable terrain (well, except a glacier or the desert). It moves with you as you run, although I won`t tell you there isn`t an adjustment period to hearing the swish, swish of the bladder. One solution I overhear at my last Ultra was to put the bladder in upside down, it totally kills that swish sound but you have to remember to flip it right side up once you get down to the last 25% - I`ve tried to get fluid up the hose but nearly gave myself an asthma attack in the process. Take a second and flip the bladder.
I`ve used this pack to hold my work outfit on run commutes home and have even used the strap at the top of the bag to hold a light jacket-with no issues!
This pack is perfect for a half marathon distance or less if you don`t want to refill the pack. I`ve recommended it for cycling as well since it sits low (and won`t interfere with a helmet) and you barely notice it`s on your back. I`ve owned this pack for 3 years and it still looks like it was bought yesterday. The bladder and hose is in excellent condition (I wash with soap and water and lay out to dry) and the pack itself gets thrown in the wash and let to air dry. I would recommend this to any woman looking to get the water bottles off her hips and have ``turn of the head`` access to water.
Why I`m looking for another pack:
More Space! In my last trail race I ran out of water and it really sucked. It was about 40 C and I started hallucinating. While I made it out fine I nearly drank a whole 2L of pop at the finish table. I know, I know, the heat was a big factor, but I`ve been in this situation a couple of times (minus the tree-cars-see my last race report) this summer and with my birthday coming up I figure it`s time to trade up a bit. I`m currently waiting for my new pack to arrive (review to come soon) it holds 2L, with 2 bottle holders. I`m not sure if it will make its debut at the LOU52, I will need to test it out on a few long runs first. Stay tuned!
Why I love this pack:
The Charm is very lightweight and easily accommodates the 1.5L bladder that is included with room to spare for a few gels and bars. The bottom of the pack has a small separate compartment that I can fit my Galaxy phone into along with some extra change if I need a pit stop. The shoulder straps are spaced far enough apart that chaffing has never been an issue. The sides have small, adjustable straps. No matter how tight I adjusted the straps though I`ve never been able to keep the shoulder straps in place as I run. So, I grab a Velcro reflective strap (purchased for $1.00 at the local Dollarama) and use that to give the front a chest strap.
I`ve used this hydration pack on runs as long as 3 hours on every imaginable terrain (well, except a glacier or the desert). It moves with you as you run, although I won`t tell you there isn`t an adjustment period to hearing the swish, swish of the bladder. One solution I overhear at my last Ultra was to put the bladder in upside down, it totally kills that swish sound but you have to remember to flip it right side up once you get down to the last 25% - I`ve tried to get fluid up the hose but nearly gave myself an asthma attack in the process. Take a second and flip the bladder.
I`ve used this pack to hold my work outfit on run commutes home and have even used the strap at the top of the bag to hold a light jacket-with no issues!
This pack is perfect for a half marathon distance or less if you don`t want to refill the pack. I`ve recommended it for cycling as well since it sits low (and won`t interfere with a helmet) and you barely notice it`s on your back. I`ve owned this pack for 3 years and it still looks like it was bought yesterday. The bladder and hose is in excellent condition (I wash with soap and water and lay out to dry) and the pack itself gets thrown in the wash and let to air dry. I would recommend this to any woman looking to get the water bottles off her hips and have ``turn of the head`` access to water.
Why I`m looking for another pack:
More Space! In my last trail race I ran out of water and it really sucked. It was about 40 C and I started hallucinating. While I made it out fine I nearly drank a whole 2L of pop at the finish table. I know, I know, the heat was a big factor, but I`ve been in this situation a couple of times (minus the tree-cars-see my last race report) this summer and with my birthday coming up I figure it`s time to trade up a bit. I`m currently waiting for my new pack to arrive (review to come soon) it holds 2L, with 2 bottle holders. I`m not sure if it will make its debut at the LOU52, I will need to test it out on a few long runs first. Stay tuned!
Exploring the Valley
T-minus five weeks until my longest race so far, the Lou52. Last weekend's long run in Kingston, NS (in the Valley) was probably one of my more punishing long runs since the night before I had stayed up until 1 am at the campfire then slept next to my overly-intoxicated husband who snored all. night. long. By about 5 am I started to debate the whole run vs. try to find a place to sleep for a few more hours. But when I stuck my head out of the camper and saw the sun was already up I figured I might as well suck it up, grab some GU and some water and head out for a few hours.
The beauty of heading out so darn early is there is very little traffic and even fewer people out running/ walking so I could trudge my way through the valley roads without being too embarrassed by my run/walk ratio. I had mapped out my long run before heading to the campground so I had a rough idea of where I should go. Actually, not so much. I need to work on my navigation skills. I turned left and headed straight up a flat section of road only to find the road I thought I should go up was a dirt road..odd since I expected this to take me to the next town over but okaaay. So up I go only to find another, even more steep hill around the corner, once up that I see another...this went on for about 1.5 km until I finally reached the top and realized I had totally gone in the wrong direction. I did get this nice picture though:
The best part about climbing a big hill (the locals call it Blue Mountain) is the run back down. 1.5 km of blissfully fast downhill running. Feeling a bit more energized from that I headed into town, texted my husband a quick message to let him know I had changed my plans and off I went in search of another trail. Luckily the signage grossly over estimates the distance between destinations in this part of the valley and I was running through Kingston before I knew it. I hopped on an old train track that had been converted to a trail system and off I went. After I had to turn around to head back to the camp site I noticed what I thought was a man off in the distance, standing beside the trail. As I got closer I realized it was a deer. He was nice enough to wait while I took a picture :-)
After 3 hours I made my way back to the campground to find Richard had made some eggs (awesome as I was starving!) and our daughter off playing with a new friend. After a quick shower I went searching for more food then spent the day between the pool and different campground activities trying not to be scorched by the 40 C weather. Ahh, here's to summer days and early long runs. Enjoy yours!
The beauty of heading out so darn early is there is very little traffic and even fewer people out running/ walking so I could trudge my way through the valley roads without being too embarrassed by my run/walk ratio. I had mapped out my long run before heading to the campground so I had a rough idea of where I should go. Actually, not so much. I need to work on my navigation skills. I turned left and headed straight up a flat section of road only to find the road I thought I should go up was a dirt road..odd since I expected this to take me to the next town over but okaaay. So up I go only to find another, even more steep hill around the corner, once up that I see another...this went on for about 1.5 km until I finally reached the top and realized I had totally gone in the wrong direction. I did get this nice picture though:
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| A view from the top |
The best part about climbing a big hill (the locals call it Blue Mountain) is the run back down. 1.5 km of blissfully fast downhill running. Feeling a bit more energized from that I headed into town, texted my husband a quick message to let him know I had changed my plans and off I went in search of another trail. Luckily the signage grossly over estimates the distance between destinations in this part of the valley and I was running through Kingston before I knew it. I hopped on an old train track that had been converted to a trail system and off I went. After I had to turn around to head back to the camp site I noticed what I thought was a man off in the distance, standing beside the trail. As I got closer I realized it was a deer. He was nice enough to wait while I took a picture :-)
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| Meeting the locals |
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| Gorgeous valley scenery! |
Monday, July 8, 2013
Race Report! Sunofa Gunofa Run!
While many of the my friends and coworkers were "running" the Mud Hero 6km race at Ski Martock this weekend, my husband and I were running a much tougher version called the Sunofa Gunofa Run. No matter which run you were doing on Saturday though the weather was going to be HOT. The humidex had the temps at 37 Celsius. With my mother watching our daughter and the family dog, Richard and I headed off to the mountain we would be spending the next 2+ hours getting up close and personal with.
We managed to arrive with just a few minutes to spare, which was fine with me since I don't like waiting very long for a race to start, it just gives me more time to get anxious. We huddled in the shade of a barn while we listened to Jodi (one of the race organizers) give some good advice for navigating the trail. Then with a 10 second count down we were off!
This year's route would be in the opposite direction of the way we had run it last year, now we would find out which direction is more difficult! The first 3 km of this 12.89km trail race was a gentle uphill on a dried riverbed and single track that wound through the forest. Surprisingly the forest gave excellent coverage and seemed to hold the previous night's cool air close to the ground so the heat we experienced in the open field wasn't scorching us under the tree canopy. The further we went though the steeper it got. In the few exposed areas I tried to keep to the shaded areas as much as possible. I was wearing my hydration pack and was really pleased that the water was staying decently cool. Richard and I had brought a bunch of GUs (50mg of caffeine for him, 25mg for me) and we employed a solid system of taking one every 30 minutes. We both agreed later the GUs played a major part of getting us both through the race.
At about the 5 km mark we began sliding down one side of a hill to reach the river below. This part of the race is run in the river-not beside it-IN the river. It felt wonderful to jump knee-deep into the cold rushing water. I splashed and threw water over my head as I tried not to slip on the rocks on the bottom. Richard and I happened upon a nice couple who Richard chatted with as I made my way more gingerly up the 400 meters of river. I managed to get my foot stuck so I had to catch up with Richard a few meters down the river where I found him sitting on a rock with his feet in the water. Then we found the next marker and started making our way up a hill, doing a fair bit of bush whacking as we went.
"So. You wanna run up this part?" My husband said sarcastically as we looked up the side of a hill face covered in loose dirt. "I was thinking more of a hands and knees approach" I replied as I extended my hand up to him and grabbed a small tree to hoist myself up the first bit of the hill we were climbing. It was the half way point and one hour into the race. The dirt was cool and felt kind of nice as I clambered up the hill, slightly dismayed that just a few minutes earlier I had gotten cleaned up in the river below only to be covered in dirt now. Ah, the things you do for a good trail race!
I'll admit it; I wasn't having my best race. I found it really difficult to catch my breath after each steep hill climb and even though I had my hydration pack, I could have used another liter of water. So I tried to get my heart rate down as much as possible after each climb and run the downhill and flatter sections. After the steepest climb we had a wonderful kilometer long decent down some single track. By then another runner had caught up to us, he turned out to be a volunteer who was prepping for the VT100 (yeah-100 MILER race) coming up later this month in the US. So Richard and I didn't feel too out of shape when he caught us. He also gave Richard some very motivating news-we were NOT last. There were at least 6 or 7 runners behind us so Richard stood a good chance of finishing well if he kept up his pace.
Our eyes were set on the next marker-the Lookoff-at the 10 km point. From that point Richard and I both knew it was about 3 km to the finish and most of it would be downhill. Richard took off a bit ahead and then another couple passed me as I was going down another decent. I caught up to the couple at the Lookoff where they were admiring the gorgeous view of the Wentworth valley below. We stuck together for a kilometer or so before they got ahead of me. I figured that Richard had decided to make a go for the finish; he was feeling much better than I was and was having a great run so I couldn't begrudge him for that. It was then that my dehydration started to really kick in. I was thinking if I came upon another stream that I'd take some water-screw the possible parasites. Unfortunately I only came on some standing water, which I wasn't too keen on taking since that's the stuff mosquitoes like to chill in. I enjoyed the single track as much as possible while trying to keep myself upright as the trail had become really rooty. I turned one corner and thought I saw a car behind a tree. I tried to figure out of a road somehow came up the side of the mountain and boy was I grateful it was there..maybe whoever was in the car would have water! But then I ran a bit closer and realized my so-called "car" was actually a bunch of tree branches bleached in the sun. "Oh man." I said out loud as I realized my delusion and then re-focused on getting my butt to the finish as soon as possible. Clearly my dehydration was starting to affect my mind!
I recognized the trail section that laid ahead of me and knew I had only 1 kilometer left to run until the finish. I pushed as hard as I could and found myself catching up to the guy Richard had chatted with in the river. There was no sign of the woman he had been racing with and he was looking about as bad as I felt. We exchanged a few words and wished each other luck as I found one last reserve of energy to push to the finish. I ran through the last checkpoint at the train tracks and waiting there were Jodi and Micheal. Micheal had run with me and my friend Andrea for part of the Cuddly Coyote back in October-and he had completed the second only known run across Prince Edward Island last summer. Jodi cheered for me then said Richard was ahead of me. I was happy to hear Richard hadn't gotten lost but then another realization occurred to me-I had created a monster! Richard had done so well that now he thinks he actually races better if he doesn't train at all! Oh frig.
I held my pace down the last grassy section where a sweet girl was waiting and cheered me on as I ran the last few hundred meters. Then out of the bushes popped Richard who ran the last few feet to the finish with me. We congratulated each other and then frantically started to share a bottle of water between us. Richard had finished 48th out of 54 finishers. I finished 50th. And hey, this time we weren't last ;-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3SSoQFwq2k&feature=player_embedded
After the race it was back to Tatamagouche to pick up the rest of the family and then back to the campground we were staying in for the weekend. Rum and diet coke by the fire never tasted sooo good.
Will we do the Sunofa Gunofa run again? I hope so. Richard had sworn off that race last year, but after his epic come back this year he might actually consider doing it again in 2014. As for me I'd love to do it again. It's a true trail race to its core. Running it I experience every emotion out there; the highs of running well through stunning forest scenery, struggling up the steep hills laughing at the ridiculousness of it all, the lows and self-doubt that require strong mental fortitude to overcome and keep going and the camaraderie of my fellow trail runners all out there doing the same crazy thing. So...yeah I'll be back. BIG Thanks to Jodi and Karine for another epic race. You guys rock!
We managed to arrive with just a few minutes to spare, which was fine with me since I don't like waiting very long for a race to start, it just gives me more time to get anxious. We huddled in the shade of a barn while we listened to Jodi (one of the race organizers) give some good advice for navigating the trail. Then with a 10 second count down we were off!
This year's route would be in the opposite direction of the way we had run it last year, now we would find out which direction is more difficult! The first 3 km of this 12.89km trail race was a gentle uphill on a dried riverbed and single track that wound through the forest. Surprisingly the forest gave excellent coverage and seemed to hold the previous night's cool air close to the ground so the heat we experienced in the open field wasn't scorching us under the tree canopy. The further we went though the steeper it got. In the few exposed areas I tried to keep to the shaded areas as much as possible. I was wearing my hydration pack and was really pleased that the water was staying decently cool. Richard and I had brought a bunch of GUs (50mg of caffeine for him, 25mg for me) and we employed a solid system of taking one every 30 minutes. We both agreed later the GUs played a major part of getting us both through the race.
At about the 5 km mark we began sliding down one side of a hill to reach the river below. This part of the race is run in the river-not beside it-IN the river. It felt wonderful to jump knee-deep into the cold rushing water. I splashed and threw water over my head as I tried not to slip on the rocks on the bottom. Richard and I happened upon a nice couple who Richard chatted with as I made my way more gingerly up the 400 meters of river. I managed to get my foot stuck so I had to catch up with Richard a few meters down the river where I found him sitting on a rock with his feet in the water. Then we found the next marker and started making our way up a hill, doing a fair bit of bush whacking as we went.
"So. You wanna run up this part?" My husband said sarcastically as we looked up the side of a hill face covered in loose dirt. "I was thinking more of a hands and knees approach" I replied as I extended my hand up to him and grabbed a small tree to hoist myself up the first bit of the hill we were climbing. It was the half way point and one hour into the race. The dirt was cool and felt kind of nice as I clambered up the hill, slightly dismayed that just a few minutes earlier I had gotten cleaned up in the river below only to be covered in dirt now. Ah, the things you do for a good trail race!
I'll admit it; I wasn't having my best race. I found it really difficult to catch my breath after each steep hill climb and even though I had my hydration pack, I could have used another liter of water. So I tried to get my heart rate down as much as possible after each climb and run the downhill and flatter sections. After the steepest climb we had a wonderful kilometer long decent down some single track. By then another runner had caught up to us, he turned out to be a volunteer who was prepping for the VT100 (yeah-100 MILER race) coming up later this month in the US. So Richard and I didn't feel too out of shape when he caught us. He also gave Richard some very motivating news-we were NOT last. There were at least 6 or 7 runners behind us so Richard stood a good chance of finishing well if he kept up his pace.
Our eyes were set on the next marker-the Lookoff-at the 10 km point. From that point Richard and I both knew it was about 3 km to the finish and most of it would be downhill. Richard took off a bit ahead and then another couple passed me as I was going down another decent. I caught up to the couple at the Lookoff where they were admiring the gorgeous view of the Wentworth valley below. We stuck together for a kilometer or so before they got ahead of me. I figured that Richard had decided to make a go for the finish; he was feeling much better than I was and was having a great run so I couldn't begrudge him for that. It was then that my dehydration started to really kick in. I was thinking if I came upon another stream that I'd take some water-screw the possible parasites. Unfortunately I only came on some standing water, which I wasn't too keen on taking since that's the stuff mosquitoes like to chill in. I enjoyed the single track as much as possible while trying to keep myself upright as the trail had become really rooty. I turned one corner and thought I saw a car behind a tree. I tried to figure out of a road somehow came up the side of the mountain and boy was I grateful it was there..maybe whoever was in the car would have water! But then I ran a bit closer and realized my so-called "car" was actually a bunch of tree branches bleached in the sun. "Oh man." I said out loud as I realized my delusion and then re-focused on getting my butt to the finish as soon as possible. Clearly my dehydration was starting to affect my mind!
I recognized the trail section that laid ahead of me and knew I had only 1 kilometer left to run until the finish. I pushed as hard as I could and found myself catching up to the guy Richard had chatted with in the river. There was no sign of the woman he had been racing with and he was looking about as bad as I felt. We exchanged a few words and wished each other luck as I found one last reserve of energy to push to the finish. I ran through the last checkpoint at the train tracks and waiting there were Jodi and Micheal. Micheal had run with me and my friend Andrea for part of the Cuddly Coyote back in October-and he had completed the second only known run across Prince Edward Island last summer. Jodi cheered for me then said Richard was ahead of me. I was happy to hear Richard hadn't gotten lost but then another realization occurred to me-I had created a monster! Richard had done so well that now he thinks he actually races better if he doesn't train at all! Oh frig.
I held my pace down the last grassy section where a sweet girl was waiting and cheered me on as I ran the last few hundred meters. Then out of the bushes popped Richard who ran the last few feet to the finish with me. We congratulated each other and then frantically started to share a bottle of water between us. Richard had finished 48th out of 54 finishers. I finished 50th. And hey, this time we weren't last ;-)
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| Post Race Runner's High |
After the race it was back to Tatamagouche to pick up the rest of the family and then back to the campground we were staying in for the weekend. Rum and diet coke by the fire never tasted sooo good.
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| Getting ready for supper back at the camp site |
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| The evening fire-time to relax after a great race! |
Will we do the Sunofa Gunofa run again? I hope so. Richard had sworn off that race last year, but after his epic come back this year he might actually consider doing it again in 2014. As for me I'd love to do it again. It's a true trail race to its core. Running it I experience every emotion out there; the highs of running well through stunning forest scenery, struggling up the steep hills laughing at the ridiculousness of it all, the lows and self-doubt that require strong mental fortitude to overcome and keep going and the camaraderie of my fellow trail runners all out there doing the same crazy thing. So...yeah I'll be back. BIG Thanks to Jodi and Karine for another epic race. You guys rock!
Thursday, July 4, 2013
The Anticipation of the Next Trail Race!
Oh my, I didn't realize it had been a couple of weeks since I had written a post, wow time flies in the summer, even with crappy weather! I've been training and cross training in preparation for the big LOU52 trail race in August and so far so good (knocking on wood), things have gone pretty well all things considered. As I mentioned the weather in June really sucked. Wet and wild, it caused my husband and I to cancel a family camping trip last weekend so we're making up for it this weekend and combining it with a great trail race-what could be better?! Long runs have not gone beyond the 15km mark, which I'm not stressing over...just yet. I know this weekend's race, the Sunofa Gunofa Run, while it's short (12.5km), it will take at least 2 hours since it's more of a mountain trail race. My weekly mileage has been pretty much on target but I've been splitting up my long runs so I don't have to spend too much time out in the rain.
So, this weekend's race should be interesting! My husband and I ran it last year-he was so thankful to have survived it he waved at everyone on our drive back home..a true Runner's High lol. It is a very challenging course. Essentially you spend about half the race running up a mountain until you're screaming-"Really, MORE Up?" then you careen down the side of a hill until you hit the river-which you must run through (not beside) or you face a time penalty if you're caught. Last year I took an unintended dive into the river water-which felt pretty nice actually, but cut up my arm. Then up the other side of the hill to run more uphill, then a loooong downhill to an amazing look-off that showcases the gorgeous scenery of the Wentworth Valley and then down through a hobbit-like forest of ferns to the finish. And yes, my husband, in a drunken commitment, has agreed to go again :-)
This year we're adding on the camping aspect so there won't be a nice cushy bed to crash into once we're done. The campground's pool will have to suffice I guess. With temperatures expected to be around the 30C mark we will definitely need to cool off a bit. Wish us luck and look for my race/camping report early next week! I hope the sun is shining (finally) wherever you are and Happy Independence Day to our American neighbors!
So, this weekend's race should be interesting! My husband and I ran it last year-he was so thankful to have survived it he waved at everyone on our drive back home..a true Runner's High lol. It is a very challenging course. Essentially you spend about half the race running up a mountain until you're screaming-"Really, MORE Up?" then you careen down the side of a hill until you hit the river-which you must run through (not beside) or you face a time penalty if you're caught. Last year I took an unintended dive into the river water-which felt pretty nice actually, but cut up my arm. Then up the other side of the hill to run more uphill, then a loooong downhill to an amazing look-off that showcases the gorgeous scenery of the Wentworth Valley and then down through a hobbit-like forest of ferns to the finish. And yes, my husband, in a drunken commitment, has agreed to go again :-)
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| A group of runners climbing out from the river below-there is more hill ahead! |
This year we're adding on the camping aspect so there won't be a nice cushy bed to crash into once we're done. The campground's pool will have to suffice I guess. With temperatures expected to be around the 30C mark we will definitely need to cool off a bit. Wish us luck and look for my race/camping report early next week! I hope the sun is shining (finally) wherever you are and Happy Independence Day to our American neighbors!
Monday, June 17, 2013
Race Report! Johnny Miles Race Weekend
The sun was (finally) shining Sunday morning as I stepped out of my family's new-to-us camper trailer that we had set up in my father's backyard. I was back in my old home town of Pictou, only a few kilometers from the beautiful town of New Glasgow where the Johnny Miles races would begin in a couple of hours. I got my daughter set up inside my father's house, happily crunching at froot loops as my husband Richard and I pinned on our bibs and brushed our teeth.
We managed to score a parking spot less than three blocks from the start line and quickly found what was left of the complimentary breakfast on the main street. The event had sold out so 4000+ people and their families filled the otherwise sleepy main street of New Glasgow in eager anticipation. Music boomed and runners adjusted their fuel belts, laces and hats, some people looked around nervously, others with determination. Richard and I bumped into a friend who was running her first 10km race and wished her luck as she joined the porta-potty line. We stood around in the shade, waiting patiently for the 10km race to begin.
The Johnny Miles started the marathon runners first, the the 5k starting just 5 minutes after, then the half and 10k runners together, 5 minutes after the 5k runners. Even with the short start intervals there didn't seem to be any issues, everyone was very respectful and there seemed to be very little pushing in the narrow downtown streets. One gentleman, who was celebrating his 99th birthday (!), was walking the 5k race with a huge support crew of family. They all wore green "99 club" shirts as the walked en mass. The course itself had to be changed this year as there was road construction. This year we would go through the north end of New Glasgow, then into Abercrombie, then to Trenton and back to New Glasgow in one large rolling hill loop.
Richard and I started off a bit faster than I thought we should go, averaging about 6:44 per km, so I spent about 1.5 kms trying to get him to slow it down a bit so we could aim for a more even pace of 7 mins per km. After 2kms he did, I think simply because the slow grade hills through the north end of New Glasgow eventually took a bit of a toll. We enjoyed the crowds on the side of the course through Abercrombie and thanked the volunteers and police officers who kept us all safe and hydrated. Once we came to the 4km mark we made a turn towards the town of Trenton. We passed the Trenton power station and enjoyed some cool breeze as we headed into town again. Richard and I took only 2 walk breaks on the hot course, both at steep hills later on in the race. I enjoyed touring my old high school stomping grounds as we weaved through Trenton and back to New Glasgow. There were ample water stations and it was very rare that there was an area that didn't have at least one person cheering us all on. As the finished neared Richard said something like, let's give 'er, and I took off, cruising down the last hill and through the huge crowds lining the finish line. Richard finished seconds after me and we grabbed our medals and sat down to catch our breath. We didn't get a PB-far from it for both of us-but I think Richard would agree we had a great time on a challenging course. We eventually stood up again, grabbed out bagged complimentary lunch and headed back to my father's house. Mission accomplished :-)
We managed to score a parking spot less than three blocks from the start line and quickly found what was left of the complimentary breakfast on the main street. The event had sold out so 4000+ people and their families filled the otherwise sleepy main street of New Glasgow in eager anticipation. Music boomed and runners adjusted their fuel belts, laces and hats, some people looked around nervously, others with determination. Richard and I bumped into a friend who was running her first 10km race and wished her luck as she joined the porta-potty line. We stood around in the shade, waiting patiently for the 10km race to begin.
The Johnny Miles started the marathon runners first, the the 5k starting just 5 minutes after, then the half and 10k runners together, 5 minutes after the 5k runners. Even with the short start intervals there didn't seem to be any issues, everyone was very respectful and there seemed to be very little pushing in the narrow downtown streets. One gentleman, who was celebrating his 99th birthday (!), was walking the 5k race with a huge support crew of family. They all wore green "99 club" shirts as the walked en mass. The course itself had to be changed this year as there was road construction. This year we would go through the north end of New Glasgow, then into Abercrombie, then to Trenton and back to New Glasgow in one large rolling hill loop.
Richard and I started off a bit faster than I thought we should go, averaging about 6:44 per km, so I spent about 1.5 kms trying to get him to slow it down a bit so we could aim for a more even pace of 7 mins per km. After 2kms he did, I think simply because the slow grade hills through the north end of New Glasgow eventually took a bit of a toll. We enjoyed the crowds on the side of the course through Abercrombie and thanked the volunteers and police officers who kept us all safe and hydrated. Once we came to the 4km mark we made a turn towards the town of Trenton. We passed the Trenton power station and enjoyed some cool breeze as we headed into town again. Richard and I took only 2 walk breaks on the hot course, both at steep hills later on in the race. I enjoyed touring my old high school stomping grounds as we weaved through Trenton and back to New Glasgow. There were ample water stations and it was very rare that there was an area that didn't have at least one person cheering us all on. As the finished neared Richard said something like, let's give 'er, and I took off, cruising down the last hill and through the huge crowds lining the finish line. Richard finished seconds after me and we grabbed our medals and sat down to catch our breath. We didn't get a PB-far from it for both of us-but I think Richard would agree we had a great time on a challenging course. We eventually stood up again, grabbed out bagged complimentary lunch and headed back to my father's house. Mission accomplished :-)
Friday, June 14, 2013
Back on Track..err..Trail
After a couple of weeks of "rest" where my overall weekly mileage was cut by about 50% I decided to try out some cross training activities to fill the void of the usual running time. I printed off a triathlon plan, although I have no plans to actually do one in the near future, but I thought it would give me some parameters to follow for some decent swimming and cycling workouts. I did this last summer and found it to be a great way to keep things fresh, strengthen my upper body a bit and cut a few pounds.
My cycling skills are pretty weak but I've found cycling is a great compliment to running hills. Whenever I feel myself red-lining as I run up a hill I remember what I would do if I were on a bike and I "gear-down" so to speak, slowing and taking shorter steps. This usually gets the job done and I'm up and over the hill before I know it. With all the rain we've had in Nova Scotia this spring I have developed a fondness for the bikes in the gym across from my work. My favorite-of course-are the ones that allow you to pick a scene to ride through on a big display screen right in front of your handlebars. I still haven't beat the pacer!
My swimming has certainly slowed since the good-'ol-days in my youth of swim meets and time trials, but I still enjoy jumping in and getting in some laps. I've found, since I started going beyond 42.2kms, that my shoulders don't get alot of attention, which has caused them to be a bit stiff after really long runs. Swimming has been a great solution for that. I've also found it's great for keeping up my ankle flexibility, a huge plus when I'm on some of the tougher technical trails.
The best part about scaling back these past few weeks is the lack of pressure to get a certain amount of mileage in during a run, and I've run more for time than distance. The other day, during one of the very few sunny, hot days we've had this spring, I took off down a common walking trail in my neighborhood and was happily surprised to find a new trail some ATV-ers had made. It led into some low brush and pretty cool geology than was fun to scramble up and down. Eventually the dips in the trail became filled with water and when I finally hit a spot (about 2 miles in) that had ducks swimming around I figured it was time to double back. I had misjudged my water needs though, and even though I was only about 4 kms from home I knew I would need something to avoid over heating. Luckily one of the small rivers that cross the trail was empty of fishermen so I jumped in, shoes and all, and splashed around surprised at how freaking cold the water still is. Refreshed I climbed back up to the trail and headed home, squishing shoes and a big smile all the way ;-)
Ah, but now it's back to training time. I've skipped the build phase of my 52 km training plan, since I'm confident that with my recent (albeit slow) trail race of 50 km I have the endurance factor in check. This time around I'm focusing on overall speed and dong alot of speed intervals. Jodi and Karine's races require almost super-human quad strength to handle the massive climbs and descents of their courses but the Lou52 has only a few short hills, much more similar to the trail terrain close to my home. Of course I'll still fit in a few of my favorite trail and road races until the big Lou52 race in August. The next one is this weekend in fact, the Johnny Miles 10km race in my old hometown of New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. This year the route has been changed so instead of the beautiful trail you normally run on for half of the race the runners will get a tour of the North side of New Glasgow, prior to heading into Trenton and coming into New Glasgow again for the finish. I'll have my "I don't train, I race" husband beside me as we celebrate Father's Day. Stay tuned for a race report early next week:-)
My cycling skills are pretty weak but I've found cycling is a great compliment to running hills. Whenever I feel myself red-lining as I run up a hill I remember what I would do if I were on a bike and I "gear-down" so to speak, slowing and taking shorter steps. This usually gets the job done and I'm up and over the hill before I know it. With all the rain we've had in Nova Scotia this spring I have developed a fondness for the bikes in the gym across from my work. My favorite-of course-are the ones that allow you to pick a scene to ride through on a big display screen right in front of your handlebars. I still haven't beat the pacer!
My swimming has certainly slowed since the good-'ol-days in my youth of swim meets and time trials, but I still enjoy jumping in and getting in some laps. I've found, since I started going beyond 42.2kms, that my shoulders don't get alot of attention, which has caused them to be a bit stiff after really long runs. Swimming has been a great solution for that. I've also found it's great for keeping up my ankle flexibility, a huge plus when I'm on some of the tougher technical trails.
The best part about scaling back these past few weeks is the lack of pressure to get a certain amount of mileage in during a run, and I've run more for time than distance. The other day, during one of the very few sunny, hot days we've had this spring, I took off down a common walking trail in my neighborhood and was happily surprised to find a new trail some ATV-ers had made. It led into some low brush and pretty cool geology than was fun to scramble up and down. Eventually the dips in the trail became filled with water and when I finally hit a spot (about 2 miles in) that had ducks swimming around I figured it was time to double back. I had misjudged my water needs though, and even though I was only about 4 kms from home I knew I would need something to avoid over heating. Luckily one of the small rivers that cross the trail was empty of fishermen so I jumped in, shoes and all, and splashed around surprised at how freaking cold the water still is. Refreshed I climbed back up to the trail and headed home, squishing shoes and a big smile all the way ;-)
Ah, but now it's back to training time. I've skipped the build phase of my 52 km training plan, since I'm confident that with my recent (albeit slow) trail race of 50 km I have the endurance factor in check. This time around I'm focusing on overall speed and dong alot of speed intervals. Jodi and Karine's races require almost super-human quad strength to handle the massive climbs and descents of their courses but the Lou52 has only a few short hills, much more similar to the trail terrain close to my home. Of course I'll still fit in a few of my favorite trail and road races until the big Lou52 race in August. The next one is this weekend in fact, the Johnny Miles 10km race in my old hometown of New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. This year the route has been changed so instead of the beautiful trail you normally run on for half of the race the runners will get a tour of the North side of New Glasgow, prior to heading into Trenton and coming into New Glasgow again for the finish. I'll have my "I don't train, I race" husband beside me as we celebrate Father's Day. Stay tuned for a race report early next week:-)
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