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June 29, 2006
what a difference breathing makes
I feel a thousand times better. No more elephant sitting on my chest.
I felt like I'd been hit by a train on Monday. Between having a cold and the race on Sunday my body was completely exhausted. I felt better on Tuesday so headed to the track for speedwork. We had 4 x 1000m with 200m rest laps. The first 1000m was good, felt strong, didn't go out too fast. Halfway through the second 1000m I could feel my chest tightening and breathing became more and more difficult with each stride. Obviously not 100% just yet. I took the last two repeats slower than normal, and felt physically okay when I was done, but mentally discouraged.
I came home a little down on myself. I am incredibly impatient. I set a goal of doing all the workouts this time around and want to get faster. This is how my mind works ... I thought about it ... decided to do it ... so it should happen now!
I know I know ... but that's the stupid, impatient, stubborn way my mind works.
I made the committment and had a lousy race on Sunday and my speedwork was my normal run pace. I feel like I have gotten no where.
I woke up on Wednesday, had the day off, no plans til lunch ... I could get my 4 miles in this morning. I got out of bed, and everything ached. So I sat back down and thought about what I was doing ... I've been sick, been training pretty hard, have serious attitude problems
.... maybe ... just maybe
my body is telling me something
... maybe ... just maybe
I should listen
So I did, instead of running I went to the gym and swam.
Tonight the group was a 5 mile tempo run. It was the best run I've had in weeks. Maybe the pool has some cleansing waters ... I might go back tomorrow!
Posted by Ali at 8:24 PM | Comments (0)
June 26, 2006
beer buzz
After the race yesterday, we headed to a patio for breakfast and too watch the England v Ecuador match. I probably should of gone home to bed, in fact I probably shouldn't of gotten out of bed this morning. I didn't do either.
Our table was far from the tvs, with the glare from the sun you couldn't really see anything. So a few of us went and sat at the bar to watch the game.
Two hours, 3 beers, one beckham goal, no breakfast and a lot of sun later England move on to the quarter finals and I went home to bed!
Posted by Ali at 11:06 AM | Comments (1)
June 25, 2006
summer colds
Met up with the girls on Friday night for a few drinks and eats after work. I haven't been able to shake this tireness all week, so I was home in bed ... alone ... by 10pm. I woke up around 3am, congested and aching. I took a couple pills figuring it was probably allergies from sitting outside all evening. When I awoke at 7am, I realized it was a summer cold.
Summer colds are the worst, they feel all wrong. I was supposed to run with the group this morning followed by our annual social triathlon (run, swim, eat). I couldn't face daylight, or people or running. I hide away in bed for most of the morning just surfacing for juice and drugs.
After lots of rest I started to feel human in the afternoon. There was a 8k race on Sunday that I was scheduled to do. I was feeling better. So late in the afternoon I laced up the running shoes and took my legs out for a super-easy run. I didn't feel to bad, I could breath, but my pace was super slow, walkers could pass me.
I decided to do the race, but not as a race, just as a slow Sunday run.
The first couple kms went by okay around 6 min/k pace, which is a perfect sunday slow run pace. By the turn around I was having trouble breathing, I couldn't take deep breaths, just short quick shallow ones.
This really effected me in the last couple kms, they were really hard work. I felt completely exhausted. The words ... 'what was I thinking' kept ringing in my head. I looked down and my legs were moving, I just didn't seem to be going anywhere. To make it worse, the last 2k are all up hill!
Lungs are useful for running 2k of hills
I finished ... no records broken, but I got my mileage in for this week and the streak continues.
Posted by Ali at 7:38 PM | Comments (1)
June 23, 2006
committed
At the beginning of this training program for marathon #2, I made myself a promise, to do every workout on the schedule. This promise is all but 10 days old, and the mental battle is harder than any miles I've put in. The good news is I've got all my runs in, 8 runs in 10 day, but it hasn't been easy. If I hadn't made this pack with myself ... and more importantly told others, I would have made it out for 4 runs max!
Don't go thinking I am a determined, focused, set-my-mind-to-something-make-it-happen, will powered, nothing will break me types. I am not. I am weak. Very weak.
It took me 8 years to quit smoking, for 2 of those years, everyone I knew thought I had quit ... I hadn't, I lived in my secret world ... it was lonely, but I was happy godamit!
Here's a recap of week 2 in marathon #2 training.
Monday - day off
Success! stayed strong all day and did not run
Tuesday - speedwork
First speedwork at an awesome track, Canada games were held here a few years ago. 6 x 400m with 200m rest lap. Great workout.
Wednesday - 3 miles easy
Should of run in the morning, but was too tired. By 5pm I had 3000 excuses why I shouldn't run. I came home and passed out on the bed for 15 minutes. Then the mental battle started, I have nothing to prove, I ran yesterday, I'll run tomorrow. Finally I convinced myself to run for 20 minutes, after 20 minutes, I could stop and walk home no matter where on the route I was. The first 5 minutes were brutal, stiff legs, bad attitude ... someone slap me please. By 10 minutes I was better, by 15 minutes I decided to finish the route running ... not because I was feeling awesome, but because it would be over quicker!
Thursday - 4 miles tempo
I was 100% committed to this workout, it's a group run and I love group runs ... until I left work ... it was really hot and humid. There were about 5 minutes of mental bargaining, but I didn't crack. Showed up, stretched, ran, sweated. It was a really tough hot, but I felt great afterwards ... a few hours afterwards.
Friday ... day off
Yippee! Totally committed
Ten days and 8 runs may not seem much compared to the 95 runs I will put in over the next 19 weeks, but it was a huge step forward in my mental training for #2. I kinda feel like I'm on a streak.
Posted by Ali at 8:11 AM | Comments (3)
June 19, 2006
long hot run
Saturday night met up with friends to see Lake House, which I really liked, the story was corny, but it was pulled off really well. A good chic flick if you are looking for one. After the movie we hit a bar downtown to watch the Oilers win! Great game.
I've never been much of a hockey fan except during a big final .... or in high school ... but that was more of a hockey player fan ... hmm number 19. I actually bumped into my dreamy number 19 a few years ago ... not so much anymore. Given my choice I would prefer a World Cup game over a hockey game any day, and players for that matter. Go England!
My late night made getting out of bed a bit of a challenge Sunday morning.
snooze
just one more
snooze
it's sunday, no traffic, only 8 miles don't need to eat.
snooze
I finally got out of bed and down to the park to meet the group. It was already 25 and sunny. By the time we got to the turn around at mile 4, I was soaked. I had drank all my gatorade, about 600ml. I refilled my bottle at the water fountain, then drank it all while waiting for P to finishing ... peeing. So refilled again. I was worried I would cramp on the way back with so much liquid, but it didn't have any affect. Somewhere around mile 5 I noticed my right big toe hurting. There was pressure on the front part of the toenail with each foot strike. I've lost a toenail or two and I don't really want to lose another one. It seemed to stop after a while, or maybe I just stopped paying attention.
We stopped at the splash pad and ran through the water ... simply heaven! That cooled me down for about 8 seconds. Felt hot but strong during the last few miles, but when we had stopped, I was dead. I felt like I had run 20 miles not 8.
I headed home made a strawberry pie for dad and spent the afternoon watching golf with him. I had zero energy all day, crawled into bed around 11pm. Around 1am, I woke up, my toe was throbbing. I turned on the light to have a look .... red, swollen and very sore.
After some poking around I discover I had a blister under the toenail .... yuck!
Posted by Ali at 5:17 PM | Comments (4)
June 17, 2006
intervention
Day 5 of marathon number 2 training and I am still on track. Things got a little dicey on Thursday when work stress tried to sabotage my training, but I preveiled. So, 4 runs done and one day off, plus two visits to the gym to do weight training.
Met the group this morning for a nice easy run downtown. I ran with P, we discussed our plan to get D back out and running. He hasn't run since chopping his fingers off in the garage door ... quite understandable. The increased blood flow to his fingers (or what's left of them) is painful, they throb.
We decided however, he needed to start back slowly, and we were the people to do it. So we lured him out with breakfast and coffee.
It started gently, talking about our run this morning ... then we moved into goals ... like a fall marathon. his ears perked up, I could see him mentally calculating how long it would take him to train and be ready for Niagara.
Then I hit him with my Wednesday morning run/walk plan to get him back into it ... P followed with the deal breaker ... coffee or breakfast afterwards ... no pressure.
He was on to us, he started to back away, he knew we were sucking him back in ... he would go down fighting.
We didn't get a committment, but I think we made a break thru. Plus we had a great visit and a yummy breakfast.
Time for laundry ... the other side of running 4 out of 5 days. Get my stuff ready for our long run tomorrow, off to the mall to buy some sunglasses, then meeting up with friends to watch Lake House followed by a beer on a patio while watching the Stanley Cup.
Posted by Ali at 12:04 PM | Comments (2)
June 15, 2006
sacrifice
I think it must enter into every runners head soon or later. The thought of qualifying for boston. It probably takes alot longer for them to share that thought with anyone else.
I was reading Runner Susan great post on training for that BQ. I was wondering if I would be able to make that committment, do I really really want it?
There is a definite yes in my system. Which is easily reached, sat at my desk in my air conditioned office.
Run 5 - 6 times a week, speedwork, easy runs, tempo, training and long runs giving each 100% and pushing harder than last time. Not running with the wonderful buddies I normally do. Eating healty, stretching, sleeping, cross-training for the next six months ... and as Susan pointed out no martinis.
Could I make the sacrifice to my lifestyle it would take to qualify?
Then one of the thorn in my side people I work with do something to annoy me. My first thought, lets go for a beer after work!
hmmm running ... crap!
justify ... but I ran Tuesday and last night ...
bargain ... I could skip tonight and run tomorrow
guilt ... damn stupid promise not to miss any workouts
okay it's only day three and I am weak ... but I am going to run!
Posted by Ali at 3:08 PM | Comments (3)
June 14, 2006
the first 4 miles ...
of approximately 600 in this 19 week journey to marathon #2 were run last night.
You know what, it feels great to be back in training, actually training for something.
The marathon group started up last night, after we were handed our 19 week schedules we headed out for an easy 4 miles. There are always lots of runners on the first night, we started out in a huge group, but after a few traffic lights our group became P, N and me. We had a good run and really picked up the pace in the last mile, not intentionally, but we got sucked into fast pace of the gazelle like runners that did 5 miles passing us at the end. I think there is a gravitational pull from them!
So far I have done all the workouts ... one! Tonight will make it two ... 4 easy miles.
Posted by Ali at 8:47 AM | Comments (1)
June 13, 2006
it begins
Today is the official first day for Marathon #2 Training.
Where will marathon #2 take place ... in Niagara Falls on October 22!
The marathon group starts tonight. I have made a mental deal with myself this time around to do four things
1. All the workouts in the training plan (5-6 workouts a week)
2. Eat healthy with one treat per week (probably on sunday and probably chips)
3. Drink 2 litres of water per day ... currently at 750 ml
4. Stretch ... at least 5 minutes everyday
Posted by Ali at 2:44 PM | Comments (2)
June 7, 2006
things that happen in the park
I met up with K for a 5k run in the park afterwork. It was hot and sunny so we stuck the shaded trails for the first part of the run. The only interuption to our running and gossiping was a happy little family of geese, mom, dad, and 5 young goslings. We detoured off the path to give the family some room.
On the way back, we saw the goose family again, happily going about their day. A couple and their dog were walking towards us. Then suddenly, the dog sees the goose family and takes off. He wasn't on a leash.
The family started running, the mom and dad, flapping their wings and hissing. The dog kept charging. He chased them down to the waters edge. We stopped and ran over, I was praying and hoping they all got away. But when we looked down, the dog, had a gosling in it's mouth.
It was awful.
He finally let go, but the little gosling just floated, lifeless in the water. Then the dog caught sight of the rest of them, he started swimming out after them. Finally the couple did something about their dog ... finally getting it out of the water.
We got back on the path to finish our run, I couldn't bare to watch anymore, you could still here the cries of the geese over a km down the path.
Posted by Ali at 6:26 PM | Comments (0)
June 6, 2006
dear george
We have had some wonderful moments, great evenings and delicious meals. When we first met I was excited at the mere sight of you, my stomach would flip at the things you could do.
You make the ordinary extrordinary!
As the weeks turn into months, I find myself no longer thinking of you as much. In fact, if I was to be perfectly honest, there are times when I try to avoid you. Yes you are still the same George I fell in love with, I guess it's me. I need some space.
You have somehow become this annoyance in my life. Every now and again, when I am weak and forgiving, I let you back in, one more time I tell myself, just one more time. Sure enough, you ruin a perfect evening. I've tried it all, working with you when you're hot and when you're turned off. It doesn't seem to make any difference!
I push you into the corner and ignore you, it's wrong and it can't go on any more.
You may be lean and mean, but why aren't you self cleaning my George Foreman Grill!
Posted by Ali at 6:23 PM | Comments (2)
June 5, 2006
inspiration from the RBF
After listening to P during my Saturday run, that marathon bug started to bite. I read a few pre-marathon postings from the RBF who were running San Diego ... they never disappointment. I've been following along with Phase Five as she trains to get a BQ at San Diego.
It started me wondering, could I run at 8.40 pace ... even for one mile?
Well there was only one way to find out ... I would try.
Met the group for our Sunday long run. I started out with J, but only for the first km, she had to get back to go to church. Once I was alone, I decided to try the 8.40 pace.
Having not run at this pace before I didn't really know what it felt like, I kept checking the garmin, but it's more accurate over a distance, than any one specific moment. I decided to run as fast as I was comfortable with, not dying but faster than normal.
At the end of the first mile, I was averaging about 8.45. I still felt good so decided to see what would happen in mile 2. I picked up the pace a little and finished the second mile at 8.36.
I was thrilled ... barely able to breath ... but thrilled
I took it back to my normal pace and recovered quicker than I thought I would, less than 500m and I was back to normal. The rest of the run was great, met up with two other runners at the waterstop so had plenty of stories to entertain me through the last 8k.
When I got home, I went straight the San Diego Marathon site to start checking on runners ... what ... no live updates .... no tracking .... NOOOOOOO!
Congrats to all that ran yesterday!
Posted by Ali at 4:49 PM | Comments (2)
June 4, 2006
inspiration from running buddies
Saturday morning I met up with the 10k group downtown at the market. I ran with P, it was her first run since completing last Sunday's Ottawa marathon. She felt great, the 7.5k flew by as she told all about her 3rd marathon.
The heat made it difficult, and even though she didn't PR, she felt great during and after ... not once having those ... what am I doing ... I'll never do this again ... thoughts. The course was beautiful and the race really well organized (unless you were in the top 16!). I think I might keep this in mind for next year.
Posted by Ali at 4:40 PM | Comments (1)