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July 31, 2006

no words to describe ...

Yesterday's run. Evil, horrid seem to complimentary.

Weather ...

Temperature at 8am ... 21/70 with humidex ... 31/88. This was actually the overnight low. I could of run at 3am and the temperature would of been the same.
Wind ... none, nada, ziltch ... in fact it was like a vacuum, air was being sucked up.
Sun ... lots of it
Clouds ... none, sucked up by vacuum

Route ...

Along highway ... no shade or trees.

Purpose of run ...

This run was the icing on the insanity cake. We actually pass a mental hospital, it was air conditioned and tempting!

Details ...

Yesterday was our first run to Port Stanley. I met L 15 miles from our final destination. We headed out on to the highway. It was hot and sunny, I knew from the very beginning this was going to be tough. By the end of the first mile I realised just how tough. I was sweating. I was hot. I was burning from the sun. I knew we weren't running to fast, but it felt fast and it was difficult. Not where you want to be with 14 miles to go. We kept a strong consistant pace until the first waterstop at 11.5 miles. I saw P and D waiting for us there in the mini van. P was going to join us, and D was taking the van to the beach.

As soon as I stopped a wave of dizziness came over me. I had trouble focussing and walking. I sat down in the shade. This increased the sweating. The drops were streaming down my chest and back. Then i felt sick. I needed to drink and probably eat something with sugar, but I couldn't do it.

After much debate, and the fear of 14 more miles of this I decided to get into the van and go to the beach with D. I didn't speak much in the next 20 minutes. D had the air conditioning on full. I was beginning to feel okay again. We got to the beach the plan was to run out to the second last waterstop 4.5 miles away, refuel, then run back. The thought seemed daunting to me.

We set out, less than a mile later I wondered what I was thinking! I felt safer with this route, I could turn around at any time and walk back to the beach. So I tried to find a comfortable slow pace. I couldn't find it ... it had melted.

About 2 miles out there is a gas station. I had money. They had cold water. I bought a large bottle of ice cold water and two twizzlers. I had four bottles of fuel with me, but it was warm, and honestly very unappealing. I refilled my bottles, rubbed the bottle over my face, then passed it to D to drink the rest. Either the water or the twizzlers or the combination did the trick. I felt semi-human again. We started running got to the 4.5 mark, turned around and came back.

There is a 2km up hill climb on the way back, which we took in turn walking and running. Once over the top, a blissful breeze appeared, then it was all down hill to the beach.

Back at the beach, runners started to arrive. Some by the power of their feet, some by support vechicles, they had jumped in along the way. All looking hot and exhausted. Even those runners who never look like they have done anything, they finish a marathon and look the same as when they started. They were sweating and exhausted. It's probably wrong, but I found this comforting. I had admiration for people who ran 26 miles before, I have a whole new level of admiration for doing on a day like yesterday.

It was tough. It was hot. It was at points almost unbearable. It was a huge physical effort. But at the end of the day, standing at the beach, cheering people in, it was worth it. There is something to be said for powerful sprite of a runner.

Posted by Ali at 8:40 AM | Comments (2)

July 29, 2006

sweat

It is so hot and humid I can barely stand it. We did 4.5 miles on Thursday night. My breathing was good. Legs felt great. The heat didn't have an effect on them, but it did have an effect on me. By 5 minutes into the run I was glistening from head to toe. From there I just continued to sweat and sweat some more. The last two miles felt like I was giving someone a piggy back ride, someone the size of a small country.

I can't believe how much fluid your body loses. I had a cold shower when I got home ... by the time I walked to the kitchen I was sweating again.

Is there a place where it's not humid? I want to live there. Have paperclip will trade for luxurious accomodation.

Besides for the constant sweating, I am super happy. It is going to be an awesome weekend. We have the first Port Stanley run tomorrow. It is a beach town exactly 26 miles from the downtown of where I live. There are about 120 runners who take part. You can start anywhere along the route, do the entire 26 miles, or 20 or 8. Whatever you want. I am doing 15 miles.

There are four or five support vechicals, so you have waterstops ever 3 miles. The waterstops are the best. There is water of course, powerade, fruit, gummies, jubes, pringles, cookies, bandaids, bodyglide, sunscreen, motivational words of encouragement and upbeat music to get you going again.

This is my favourite run of the year. It's going to be hot, but it's going to be fun.

Spending the rest of the day hydrating!

Posted by Ali at 12:38 PM | Comments (1)

July 26, 2006

karma

I am by nature logical. I like the black and white. I prefer definites to what if's. I don't read my horoscope or visit fortune tellers. But what I do believe in is karma.

I heard this story on the radio this morning, I'm probably missing some details but here are the basics.

A man loses his job, unable to support himself he becomes homeless. Then he finds $21,000 in bonds thrown in a trash can. He hands the bonds in, all of them. In return for his honesty the owners of the bonds reward him with $100.

The man is now able get an apartment, not from the $100 he received for handing in the bonds, but from the money sent by strangers who heard what he did. He has been given over $4000.

I believe if you do something good for others something good will happen to you. If you give a reward of $100 for find and returning $21,000 ... hmmm watch out.

Do you believe in karma?

Posted by Ali at 9:07 AM | Comments (2)

July 23, 2006

to feel it ...

The alarm went off at 7am. There was no sound of rain like yesterday. My duvet was still wrapped tightly around me, so it must be cool.

I ate a small bowl of cereal and a drank a large glass of juice. Got dressed, body glided, coated myself in factor 45, loaded my fuel belt, grabbed my post run bag and headed out the door.

It was a lot cooler this morning and foggy. I couldn't help but smile at the thought of running in cool weather.

It hasn't been the best week mentally for running. I just don't feel motivated to get out there and put the miles in. It could be the weather. It could be a million things. I am not where I would like to be with my weekly mileage.

The first couple miles of the run were really good, the fog kept the temperatures down. By the time we reached our first waterstop at 3.5 miles, the fog was gone. Replaced by clear blue skies and increasing temperatures. The next couple miles were shady, soft trails. When we emerged it was hot and no breeze.

I decided to turnaround. The others in my group kept going for another couple miles. Now I was faced with 5 plus miles alone. Back through the shaded trails, to the pumphouse. There is a water fountain there. I stopped and took a gel. My next goal was our first waterstop. I made it. My only problem was getting going again. I stopped and refilled my empty water bottle, and slowly started walking while putting the top back on. Once the top was on I kept walking. I didn't feel tired or that hot just couldn't get the message from my brain to my feet. I finally got my feet moving again. Once I got going I felt pretty good.

Then around mile 8 I notice a famillar feeling. A feeling I haven't felt in quite a long time. It was the feeling for aching legs. Not tired legs that feel heavy like lead almost impossible to move. Legs that ache. Where you can feel each muscle, tighten and twitch. I had forgetten what this feel like. It makes you want to stop and stretch, yet if you stop you know you'll never be able to start again. I could feel my hamstring pulsating and my quads scream.

I haven't felt this for a long time, probably since Around the Bay. But I think it made something real. It made training for marathon number 2 real. Up to now I have said I am going to do it, I have been running, but today I felt that I was going to do it.

My legs felt like they were being trained for a marathon.

Posted by Ali at 8:09 PM | Comments (1)

July 22, 2006

love it

I love

... being woken up by a thunderstorm when I'm tucked up safe in bed

... sleeping in til 7.45am on a Saturday morning

... meeting at the downtown market for a run

... hearing other runners experiences as we pound the pavement

... how running clears my head after a stressful week

... looking at houses and picking which one I would like on each street

... feeling good at the end of the run

... that large coffee afterward, that I have been thinking about since the thunderstorm woke me

... toasted bagels in a world filled with carb guilt

... channel hopping between the tour and the british open

... how awesome a shower can feel

... adding my run on btt and see how many miles my shoes have travelled

... planning my Saturday night because I have a long run tomorrow

... going to the gym with my bf and gossiping about my misadventures

but most of all ...

I love a cool, cloudy morning in the midst of a hot humid summer.

Posted by Ali at 12:30 PM | Comments (0)

July 20, 2006

metric or imperial

I grew up with kilometres and metre sticks, I buy gas by the litre and use the millimetres on my ruler. When I started to run, I joined the 10 km group. We ran 3k, then 5k, soon 10 and eventually 14 km.

Then one day I decided I wanted to run 42 kms, so I joined the marathon group. On our first run, on the first night, the schedule said 4 easy. No problems, 4kms. It was a long 4k. Turns out the coach of the marathon group uses miles, I soon found that 4 miles is not the same as 4k.

I think it is like learning a foreign language, at first you convert everything back to your native tongue. Every run I would do a mental caluculation ... hmmm 6 miles .... ahhh okay I can run 10k.

Somewhere along this marathon training journey I have been converted. There is a 5k race tomorrow night ... and I actually converted it into miles!

Posted by Ali at 10:29 PM | Comments (0)

July 19, 2006

bonked like landis

You know that wall they talk about. The one you hit at mile 20 of a marathon. Well I hit it today at 2.5 miles. BAM like I'd been running for 3 hours.

What is wrong with me?

I ran to the gym (2miles) did a upper body workout then attempted to run home (2 miles).

I had plenty of sleep, lots of water in the past 24 hours, it's hot but pleasant out, much nicer than it has been. So while I was struggling just walking I thought about what I've really done in the last couple of days.

It's been incredibly hot, especially at night for sleeping, so while I think I've had lots of sleep I probably haven't had enough. I didn't have any carbs last night at dinner, I had salmon and salad. I drank about a litre of water between 7 and 11pm ... but then nothing til 8.30 am, when I had about 200ml of gatorade before heading out the door. This morning I didn't have anything to eat before my run.

Although it didn't seem like that tough a workout, 2 mile run, upper body weights, 2 miles home. Maybe I needed more fuel to do it?

Have the rest of the day of to refuel and recover. Going to see Pirates this afternoon.

Posted by Ali at 11:08 AM | Comments (3)

July 17, 2006

brain fry

I think the heat has fried my brain. I spent all day in the safety of our wonderful climate controlled offices. Then I got into my car to go home and it's 800 degrees out with 200% humidity.

I needed to get groceries, there is only lettuce in the fridge, no tomatoes, no cucumber no nothing. A bowl of lettuce leaves is not a salad. So I pull into the car park, scouting out spaces. Nothing in that one, or the next. Then I someone pulled out from behind me, I was over taken in the car park. I've turned into a 90 year old Sunday drivers. I finally found a spot. I lost 8lbs from sweating from the car to the entrance.

Although blissfully cool and wonderful inside the store, my brain isn't working. I can't decide on anything. I finally get tomatoes and a cucumber, but stare at the celery for 10 minutes. Maybe bread, bread is always good. Pasta, I'll make a pasta salad. Celery is good is pasta salad. Didn't get the celery. Have to cook pasta, it's too hot to cook. Chips, you don't have to cook chips!

I'm home all my groceries are put away and I want nothing I've bought.

Pizza!

Posted by Ali at 5:10 PM | Comments (1)

July 16, 2006

found the hole in the ozone

From reading everyone's elses blogs this week, I'm not the only one feeling the heat. On the up side I am getting quite the tan. However, when I think of getting a tan, the image on a beach in the caribbean, a lounge chair and fluffy pink drink complete with umbrella pop into my head.

There have been no beaches, drinks or umbrella during my tanning time this weekend.

This morning we had a 10 mile long run. 10 miles I was dreading. It was 25 degrees and 85% humidity at 7.30am this morning. My usual running buddies weren't there so I ran with the L and E. I ran with them last week and they are slightly faster than me. I like running with them it pushes me a little harder than I would normally push myself. Just not sure I really want to push myself in these conditions. The pace felt comfortable, so I figured I'd hang in there as long as I could.

About 2 miles into the run we come to a large park area. No shade. No trees. No clouds. No breeze. It is hell, that's the only way I can describe it. It is at least 349 degrees hotter there than any other place on earth. Thankfully it is only a half mile long. But it kills you.

Did you ever fry an ant with a magnifying glass when you were a kid?

I am that ant.

We turned around at 5.2 miles, maybe it was the shadey path or the soft trails for the last couple of miles, but I felt surprisingly good. A few cloudes created a wonderful shelter from the burning sun for most of the next couple miles, until we returned to hell. No shade. No trees. No clouds. No breeze. I think I have found the hole in the ozone layer, it is in the sky above the evil soccer fields I had to run through twice.

I kept up with L all the way back .... proud of me, me am.

We finished, and even though I was exhausted, hot, sweaty and rather stinky, I could, dare I say it, run another mile.

No of course I didn't, but I could of. Instead I drank my ice cold gatorade, ate my banana and stretched under a tree.

Posted by Ali at 5:45 PM | Comments (1)

July 13, 2006

day off

I have a day off from work, not from training today.

I am helping my best friend Mary with her family's charity golf tournament. It starts at 11am with a tailgate party, then while the boys, 150 of them are playing, we set up the silent and live auctions. Then it's dinner and drinks and lots of fun til late tonight. That means I can't meet the group for my normal Thursday evening running. Probably a good since it is going to be super bloody hot today.

I headed out at 7.45 this morning for a 5 miler. I decided to do my home route which is mostly main roads and a this time of the day it's really busy with commuters (normally me, but not today!).

According to the weather network it was 19 degrees out ... lies! It is easily 28 degrees out there! The first 2.4 miles were okay, but no shade at all. I had to stop at a large intersection and wait for the lights. I was drenched in sweat. I drank some gatorade, then the lights changed, I seemed even hotter when I started back up. Up ahead was a large tree giving shade to the sidewalk. I decided to stop for a second and cool down.

I stopped my garmin. I just stood. It had to be 10 degrees cooler there. I could of happily spent the rest of my life under this wonderful tree. But I couldn't. Not today. So I headed out again. I detoured around shading side streets to add the extra miles on. Around about 3.5 miles I found the happy running place. My legs felt good, my breathing felt good, my temperature was comfortable.

I picked up the pace for the final mile, I could see home just a head. Not having my contacts of glasses on I miss read the garmin. I thought it said 4.77 miles, but it actually said 4.11. I did a quick calculation and figured I'd be slightly over the 5, just perfect. With the end in sight I hammered it home. Rounded the corner, sprinted to my car , the shade and my ice cold bottle of water.

Woo hoo, hot morning run done! I stopped the garmin, opened the car, grabbed the water and took a well earned drink. Then I looked closely at my garmin. WHAT! That's not right. It read 4.52 miles. My moment of bliss and quickly turned to disappointment. As I stood there in the shade, sipping my water, annoyed because I wanted to do 5 not 4.5, it hit me, I could still do 5. So I threw everything back in the car and headed out again.

Finally total 5.25 miles apparantely the distance between disappointed and elated is .73 miles!

Posted by Ali at 8:34 AM | Comments (2)

July 12, 2006

stopping when stopped

What do you do?

When you make a pitstop, have a waterbreak, hit traffic lights or just need a stretch, do you stop your watch?

I stop mine at our organized water stops, I'm there for a few minutes . But I don't if I take a walking fuel break, or a quick washroom break, or get stopped at lights.

When I'm done and see the overall time ... I think, I ran faster than that! Then, I think the race clock doesn't stop when I do.

Posted by Ali at 9:03 AM | Comments (7)

July 11, 2006

snooze

I don't remember hitting it the first time or even the second.

Then Kelly Clarkson entered my world, apparently we are friends, we didn't talk much she was too busy dancing. I didn't care because the weather man was there telling me it was going to get hot later today then rain. I started thinking about what to wear. This took me to the mall but I was too tired to try stuff on.

Then the noise came again. I hit it. It stopped. Peace again. I opened one eye slowly then the other. What time is it? I glanced at the clock 7.10am. My alarm goes off at 6.25am; I have been snoozing for 35 blissful minutes.

Why are those 9 minute snoozes the deepest most wonderful sleeps ever?

I didn't want to get out of bed this morning. Today I feel tired. Thank god for coffee!

Posted by Ali at 7:52 AM | Comments (1)

July 10, 2006

weather gods listen

We had a 8 mile long run on the schedule for Sunday. As we started off, 8am, sunny, warm with a cool breeze I thought this should be okay, we'll be back before it gets too hot.

By the end of the first mile I was already sweating ... a lot. Luckily I had read Jeff's post the night before and hydrated really well. I had my fuel belt on and put my bottle of gatorade in the freezer overnight. It was the only cool thing near me. None of my regular running buddies showed up, so I ran with four others who are a bit faster than me. The pace felt fine.

Around mile 3, I felt hot. Like my skin was burning, the joys of being a fair Irish lass, factor 45 does nothing! I stopped to drink my gatorade, which was nicely slushy now ... pure heaven. It could of been a ice cold beer on a tropical beach it tasted so good. The others had pulled ahead, they are super human and don't need to hydrate.

I glanced at my garmin, 4.2 miles, not near the turn around yet. This was supposed to be 8 miles ... The next .8 miles were a real mental struggle. Had there not been water and powerade at the turnaround to replenish my supply, I would stopped there and then, turned around and headed back. I kept going and the others were waiting there for me.

Once we all had are fill of fluids we headed back. I'm not sure if I drank too much to quickly, or it was the heat. But the next mile I started to feel ill and dizzy. I slowed my pace down, still keeping the others within a few 100 yards. All I wanted was shade and rain and honestly a taxi ... I have no issue with ruining their upholestry :). I prayed for clouds and for a French win in the world cup. Up ahead was a community centre I decided to pay a visit and splash some cold water on my face.

Why is it you sweat more when you are inside standing still? When I came out the clouds had move in, and a wonderful cool breeze appeared. How long was I in there? I checked my watch ... only a couple of minutes ... hmmm maybe my prayers were answered.

The next 4 miles were great, the best of the run. Total of 10 miles.

Unfortunately, the weather gods don't take penalties!

Posted by Ali at 5:50 PM | Comments (0)

July 9, 2006

dis' me

Long before I started running, before I bought my first official pair of running shoes (Brooks Trance). When I thought IT Band was a group, and gel was a hair product, I would watch marathons on TV and be in awe of the runners. Something always captured my attention and made me wonder how do they do that, could I do that?

It seemed completely unrealistic the thought left my head as quickly as it appeared.

Then I started running. I like it. But could I really run a marathon? Me and 26.2 miles. Why not. So I trained. I put in hundreds of miles. Had mental battles. Suffered physical pain. Questioned myself. Comtemplated quitting, stopping, not showing up. Then there comes that moment, when you realise you are actually going to do it. Not just commit to it, but actually physically be able to do it, finish a marathon.

The thing I remember most about training for my first was the support of others. Admiration and encouragement from friends and family, whether they understood why someone would do this or even how long a marathon actually was. Smiles, advice and motivational words from other runners who had stood where I was, about to cross the line from runner to marathoner. It got me through some really tough runs. It got me to the finish line in Chicago.

Finishing Chicago, my first marathon, is one of the biggest accompolishments so far in my life. I look at my medal, hanging just above my desk and I sit straighter, taller and I smile.

During the run on Saturday morning someone asked me what I was training for?

Niagara.

Oh the half?

No the full.

Oh, you're like a marathoner? Huge Tone, like it was a bad thing.

This is the first time I have even experienced negativity with the word marathoner. I don't understand. This person plans to run a marathon ... one. But the tone wasn't you're crazy, it was different. It was almost like you are one of them, and they are not good people.

When did wanting to do more than one become wrong? For the life of me I can't figure it out. Runners are the friendliest, supportive, cheer for you whether you are first, in the middle, or last.

I am proud to call myself a marathoner.

Posted by Ali at 1:58 PM | Comments (2)

July 5, 2006

not much to say

Not much going on ... England went out in penalties, no more Becks to look at. Back to work after 6 days off ... 6 blissful days. Apparantely that's long enough to create a whole new sleep patterns ... so no matter what you do you will not fall asleep before 2am.

Long run on Sunday - only did 6 miles it was damn hot and humid and honestly horrid. Speedwork yesterday was good, 200, 400, 600, 800, 600, 400, 200 with 200 rest.

Last night I decided to walk to work on Wednesdays. I figured it would take me approx 40 - 45 minutes. I didn't leave home until 7.55am and need/should be at work at 8.30am. Turns out I have no idea about distance, took me an hour to get to work, I'll see how far it is tomorrow, I am guessing around 4 miles?

Get my shoes on for the walk home!

Posted by Ali at 2:50 PM | Comments (1)