An "Honest" 10k

The distance: 10+ km, or “an honest 10k” as other people called it. The actual distance I ran was 10.8km.

There were only 4 of us in the group. Initially I ran with the two guys in the front, because they were talking about heart-rate training and I was intrigued to hear more. Every time we hit our walking break, we walked back to reconnect with the other gal in our group who preferred to run a bit slower. But after a few kms, my guilt over letting a runner run alone out-weighed my interest in the conversation. After all, that was not how I had been “raised” in the running community. So on one of our walk-backs, I stuck with her. We had a lovely time, chattering away and the kms went by quickly.

My calf/hamstring muscles were appreciably less tight than they were on Thursday (score one for yoga!), but still quite tight, so I didn’t mind the slower pace.

I did considering adding an extra 200m onto my run to make it an even 11km, but decided I didn’t really need to. I’m very happy with the distance I ran.

Tight Fight

5k tempo day. Since I was still recovering from the previous night’s hills (curse my tight leg muscles!), I decided to take it easy. It was to the point that not running with a limp took some focus. No injury…just tight, tight, tight in the backs of my legs. Fortunately, we had a mini yoga class afterwards so I knew I would get some good stretches in.

The first km started off nice and easy at around a 6min pace. Then, we slowly picked it up. By the third km, our small group of 6 runners was decidedly staggered. My focus remained on strong effort but a relaxed run (it sounds like an oxymoron, but it is possible to do both), and – most importantly – making sure that my foot stride remained even to avoid causing injury. And I'm happy to say I was able to do negative splits, so I finished around a 5:35 pace.

Success! And I’ve also decided to (again) take up yoga. Specifically, “Yin” yoga, or the kind that focuses on stretching, stretching, stretching. Time to grab those muscles by the knots and stretch that tightness right out of them.

Head Slap

Sometimes you see other people’s problems and you think. Geez, you idiot! The solution is SIMPLE if you bothered to think about it.

Then other days, you’re the idiot, wondering if other people are shaking their heads at you.

 

Here’s the thing. Almost 10 years ago I started on my journey of running. Coincidentally, I also started training to be a speech-language pathologist (SLP). Now, although neither seem related, there is one thing that my studies – and career – as a SLP taught me, which is all the different ways that the swallow can be affected (called “dysphagia”). I’ve spent my whole career working with people with dysphagia from a variety of causes, but never once did I connect the dots. Until last night.

 

You see, every now and then when I’m training, I get the sensation of – for lack of a better way to describe it – a “mini heart attack”. Not that I’ve ever had a heart attack, so I really can’t compare. But on occasion when I’m running I get an awful pain deep in my chest that spreads to my back and lungs. Not all the time, mind you. But sometimes, when I do a very intense run (e.g.: hills, or speedwork), that pain comes and nearly cripples me. And for hours afterwards my chest and back ache fiercely.

 

Last night I was running hills. And sadly, the mind was willing but the body was weak! We had 4 sets of hills. It was a complicated hill, too. With a changing slope and multiple tight switch-backs, it seemed I could never find my rhythm. But up I went it, four times. I was frustrated to find a tight Achilles crippling my progress. I just can’t seem to shake these tight leg muscles this year, and it’s really slamming me hard. With all the discomfort I had in my Achilles and all my exhaustion from the hill repeats, it wasn’t until the cool-down jog back to the store that I started to really feel the pain in my chest, particularly as it spread to my back. It continued after I’d stopped and stretched. It continued on my drive home.

 

And so, since I was in the car, I started to wonder why I was having such chest pain. (Yes, I’m sure some of my readers are smacking their heads – or their screens – and screaming the answer at me). But since I no idea, I decided to describe the pain to myself as if I were a patient. Why would I describe it as a “mini heart attack”, for one? And then I remembered there were other times when I had a deep aching pain that spread to my back after a run. So this wasn’t a singular occurrence.

 

And then the answer hit me, and with all my years as an SLP and all my years of running, I was annoyed I hadn’t thought of it earlier. Reflux. I went home and opened up a trusty google search to see if reflux could be induced by running. Turns out, it very well can be! And while I’m happy to say I don’t suffer the symptoms of reflux on a regular basis, it appears that every now and then I suffer the effects of it when I’m on an intense run. I guess that’s what I get for shoveling down a big dinner an hour before starting the run.

 

It’s a bit ironic that I joined the 10k clinic thinking it would be easy, breezy this year. Instead, I’ve been plagued by injuries, tight muscles, and now…reflux. Ugh, I’m starting to feel like a very sensitive runner: I used to just go out with the mantra “run and be done”. That is, walk outside, start my run by the end of the driveway, end it by the end of the driveway, and go inside to eat and shower. No warm-up, no stretches, no worries.

 

Now I need to start taking extra time to warm-up first and do stretches after. And I’m going to have to start planning my meals and the timing of meals before my run. I’ve been hoping and planning to train for a full marathon next year, but I’m really not sure how to feel about how this year’s training is going…should I be happy all these problems/revelations are happening on shorter distances and a not-important-race-year so I can work out all my kinks and revamp my training plan before the marathon training begins next year? …Or should I be worried that my body is no longer able to handle even the 10k distance, and I might have to give up the marathon training before I’ve even started?

[Insert Title Here]

Last weekend I went for a long, slow run of 8k. I was a little shocked when I was the only one running that distance, but fortunately a couple of gals showed up at the last minute to join me.

The cool part was our coach (who can’t run due to injury) joined us on his bike. It was like having my own personal bike coach!

The run was very slow to accommodate the pace for everyone, but I enjoyed it more or less (more being the easy and social aspect of the run, less being the last few km when the rain came and I got a bit chilled).

It was so, so nice not to have any pain in my knees, or Achilles, or anywhere!

Geez, I'm starting to feel like I'm past my running prime. It's depressing to think I may have already peaked and am now just sliding down the other side.

...and apologies for the lack of title and lack of zest in my blog entry. It's uninspired, but some days are like that.

3.5

Today I ran for 3.5 minutes. My goal was 5k in less than 29 minutes, but I'm sad to say I did not gain super-human speed.
When I started my Achilles was sore and my breathing erratic.
After 3.5 minutes my Achilles continued to ache and my breathing continued to be erratic as I tried to compensate for my sore leg which threw off my rhythm.
So I stopped running and walked home. Clearly, my body is saying it needs a rest day, so rest I will!

Clocking Up

I somehow clocked up the mileage when out for a run the other day.

 

The initial goal: 4k tempo.

 

But then the group decided to do a route I didn’t know. And the really fast girl who normally leads me was away. So I decided to run with the group and learn the trails tonight. There were 5 of us, and we took the pace nice and easy – around 6.30-6.45. The route ended up being 5k, and at the end I decided that – since I’d skipped my 7k long run on Saturday and since the pace was a “LSD” pace anyways – it made sense for me to just make up the long run.

 

So after I bid my adieu to the group at the 5k end point, onward I went for another km before turning back around. I’ve technically missed 3 runs since being in Florida. Now that I’ve made up the long run, I have a 5k, 4k,and 4k tempo to complete. I’ve decided to complete the 5k tempo and not worry too much about the 4k tempos at this time (I may or may not clock up those distances another week).

 

The best part of the run wasn’t the gentle breeze or shade that made the hot day into an ideal temperature for me. It wasn’t even chatting with the group and enjoying the social part. No, the BEST part was running along the river and stopping to admire a beaver hard at work as he struggled to drag a branch downstream. The angle of the branch forced his head above water and he eyed us nervously as he went past; cautious, but not so scared as to drop his hard-earned branch completely to duck under water. One of those rare times I wish I ran with my phone so I could have taken a picture. I guess it’s a trade-off for me in choosing a running group in Edmonton; large numbers, beautiful scenery, or quick drive to get there. It appears I can only have 2/3 options. Runner problems...

 

The "AustraCan" Runner

Sad realization hit me on Canada Day. To celebrate Canada's 150th anniversary, my husband and I seconded to Florida to visit my grandfather. Sure the season is wrong (winter instead of summer), but what's more Canadian than visiting the U.S., right?

Anyway, I brought my running clothes with the optimism of going for 2 runs...a 6k tempo one day and a 7-8k LSD on another day.

The day was hot for my 6k tempo, but a small ocean breeze cooled it slightly. Off I went along the boardwalk, and for the first 2.5k things were going great. I felt good, I felt strong, I felt confident I could keep my goal of a 5.35-5.45 pace (I was sitting comfortable at around 5.38 the first part). And then I reached Decision Time: stay on the boardwalk, which was just under 5k long, and do one and a half loops, or go onto the beach for an extra km?

In an example of poor decision making, I went onto the beach. I knew the sand would slow me down, so I ignored my pace and went for same effort instead.

The wind died to nothing. And that sun was HOT. It became burdensome to do such tasks like breathing, and I just wanted to stop. But onward I trudged through the sand, knowing that shortly I would be back on the boardwalk to complete the last 2k.

I misjudged how much the sand - and heat - would destroy me. At first I thought I would give myself a bit of time when back on the boardwalk, then speed back up to my sub 5.45 pace, but that was not to be. I could barely reign in a sub 6min pace. The sun was hot, the air was heavy, and there was no more breeze to cool things down.

I started taking walking breaks to follow the 10:1 run:walk plan. But 10 minutes of running seemed to stretch into an eternity.

I finished the 6k exhausted and over-heated. I walked into the exercise room (where a lady who hadn't spotted me was singing on the treadmill while watching the news) and collapsed spread eagle on the hardwood floor to cool down. I then crawled my way back to the condo to have a long, cool shower.

I remember a time when I could run in heat and not have it take away my will to live, but I don't think that time is any longer. I guess it's fair to say I'm no longer an Australian runner...but with my preference for warmer days (with 15-20C and sunny being my ideal running condition), I'm not quite a Canadian runner, either. I guess you could say I'm now an "AustraCan" runner.