Finally, finally, finally I had a run without needing to use the facilities*! And not a moment to soon! That was the good news.
On the not so good news, the 32k was a struggle. It started off fine. I was even considering doing the same thing as last week in terms of running the last 3-5k at my race pace. But at the 17k mark, it really started to hit me, and I decided that if I just finished that would be good enough. Maybe it was the heat, or maybe it was fatigue from yesterday's 50min speed session (just me) + 3 hour canoe paddling on Big Lake with my husband. In either case, I really started to suffer. At 18k I filled up my water bottles at a public restroom. I also guzzled a glass of water while doing so. I desperately wanted more, but I was afraid what all that sloshing water would do to my stomach when I was running, so I limited myself with effort.
And for the next 14km, all I could think about was chugging down a glass of cold water.
Every walking break saw me re-start the run with a shuffling hobble (close to a limp) before my muscles started working properly again. The minutes counting down to my next walking break took forever; and I found myself glancing at my watch more and more frequently in disbelief that time could move so slowly. I had to constantly remind myself to straighten up - my shoulders wanted to slump and I wanted to stoop at the hips because my lower back didn't feel like it had the strength to hold me upright any more.
Step by step, I pushed through. The temptation to take a short-cut back was so, so strong. I honestly don't know where I found the strength to keep to the route, but my fear that my "short cut" would get me lost and force me to run for even longer helped.
As soon as I finished, I beelined for the cold water that the Running Room offers and gulped it down until my heart rate slowed.
The exhaustion stayed with me the rest of the day, and it was an effort to stretch out my tired limbs. After my run, I found more chafe marks than I've ever had before - and I was even wearing body glide! Thank goodness I could only feel one of them during the run (the one from my heart rate monitor).
Not a demoralizing run, but tough, tough, tough!
Distance: 32.3km
Time: 4.00.48
Average pace: 7.27min/km (this does include walk breaks and a few red lights; my running pace mostly stayed around the 7min mark).
Average Heart Rate: 141bpm (73%)
*or the "faciliTREES" as it were.
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
Friday, July 27, 2018
Trails & Trials
Tuesday: a group run around St Albert. A lot of it was through trails that I haven't seen since winter! How refreshing to be able to run up some of those steeper sections without having to use the handrail to prevent from sliding backwards on the ice! We even got to do some single track, which was a refreshing reminder of why I used to love running trails so much. Any runner who has done both will be able to tell you that there IS a difference between running on the pavement and running on single track...even the muscles you use in your legs feel different.
It was really nice to run with the group again. I've been missing that aspect with all my long, lonely runs!
Total distance: 6.84km
Total time: 40.31min
Average pace: 5.56min/km
Average heart rate: 154bpm (79%)
~~~
Wednesday: speed work. But not just any speed work. We did speedwork up hills. As in, hill repeats. I was not happy. I think the others thought all my grumbling was a joke, because normally I adore hills. I really, honestly do! But with our weeks of hills behind us, I had really been pumped up to do speed work tonight, and changing that up to do hills was wretchedly disappointing for me. Especially when I had to make extra special effort to get there, and had a back up plan in case I didn't make it. Had I known what we were in for, I would have done my back-up plan instead. Maybe. Probably. I forced myself up that big, steep hill*. And then I forced myself up it 5 more times. I admit, by the 4th repeat I started walking up the last section. What can I say? I hadn't eaten since lunch and was low on energy. And the top section of that hill was very, very steep indeed!
*a much different beast than "Hospital Hill" that we had I've been running for all of 2018! This hill is the same height over half the distance...so, much steeper. And on grass, rather than sidewalk.
Total distance: 4.61km
Total time: 37.28min
Average pace: 8.08min/km
Average heart rate: 146bpm (75%)
Maximum heart rate: 183bpm (94%)
It was really nice to run with the group again. I've been missing that aspect with all my long, lonely runs!
Total distance: 6.84km
Total time: 40.31min
Average pace: 5.56min/km
Average heart rate: 154bpm (79%)
~~~
Wednesday: speed work. But not just any speed work. We did speedwork up hills. As in, hill repeats. I was not happy. I think the others thought all my grumbling was a joke, because normally I adore hills. I really, honestly do! But with our weeks of hills behind us, I had really been pumped up to do speed work tonight, and changing that up to do hills was wretchedly disappointing for me. Especially when I had to make extra special effort to get there, and had a back up plan in case I didn't make it. Had I known what we were in for, I would have done my back-up plan instead. Maybe. Probably. I forced myself up that big, steep hill*. And then I forced myself up it 5 more times. I admit, by the 4th repeat I started walking up the last section. What can I say? I hadn't eaten since lunch and was low on energy. And the top section of that hill was very, very steep indeed!
*a much different beast than "Hospital Hill" that we had I've been running for all of 2018! This hill is the same height over half the distance...so, much steeper. And on grass, rather than sidewalk.
Total distance: 4.61km
Total time: 37.28min
Average pace: 8.08min/km
Average heart rate: 146bpm (75%)
Maximum heart rate: 183bpm (94%)
Another Day, Another 29k
This 29k was much, much better than the runs I’ve done in a long time. Maybe it was taking the focus off my heart-rate; maybe it was the cooler weather, or the fact that I did a short sprint session the day before. Whatever it is, I felt strong and capable the entire way through! I frequently found myself holding back to slow the pace down. In the last 3.7k I even made the plan to run a bit faster than race pace to see how I felt running at my pace on tired legs (my current race pace goal is 6.15, so I ran at around a 6.00 pace). The only thing I don’t currently have figured out is my bathroom timing! I used to be so smug about my long runs because I was never a person who would need a washroom break! But now I feel like I’m reaching a mental stutter when it comes to running over 3 hours that I constantly have the need to stop and use the facilities. Often within the first 3k of the run! I’m not sure if I’m getting up too early before my runs, or not early enough. Or if it’s simply that the thought of running for 3.5+ hours has my nerves sending awkward messages to my brain about my need for a pit stop just as I’m getting started.
And it’s made me realize that if it gets down to race day and I need a port-a-potty stop along the course, so be it! Far better than the alternative, anyway…
But other than that, I’m starting to gain confidence in the upcoming race! My nutrition is sorted, my knee pain has diminished almost completely (knock on wood!), and I only have 2 long runs left before the big day. Things are starting to get real!
Total time: 3:31:17
Average pace: 7.07min/km
Average heart rate: 146bpm (75%)
Thursday, July 19, 2018
Speed Work
We're into the final slog of the marathon training: speed work. Where maybe (hopefully?) it will help me get a bit faster!
Tuesday was at the track, where the focus was on speed drills and 3x200m sprints.
Tonight was a 10k 'fartlek'. We set out as a group at a decent pace, but as the faster people got to the front of the pack the pace ticked up and up and up. Admittedly, I was a little happier to have this challenge. After so many weeks of trying to hold myself back for heart rate training, it was nice to sort of "let loose". Finishing the last 3k of the 10k at a 5.30 pace made me feel a bit better about life.
A big thank you to everyone for reaching out to me in encouragement!!! This is HARD. Much harder than I had thought it was going to be. And setting out with what I thought was a reasonable and realistic time goal only to have to recalculate it to be much slower has been rather demoralizing. Still, one foot in front of the other until I cross that finish line! And then I can either buck up and say, "now I've learned something so I can improve for next time" or shake my head and say, "never again".
Tuesday was at the track, where the focus was on speed drills and 3x200m sprints.
Tonight was a 10k 'fartlek'. We set out as a group at a decent pace, but as the faster people got to the front of the pack the pace ticked up and up and up. Admittedly, I was a little happier to have this challenge. After so many weeks of trying to hold myself back for heart rate training, it was nice to sort of "let loose". Finishing the last 3k of the 10k at a 5.30 pace made me feel a bit better about life.
A big thank you to everyone for reaching out to me in encouragement!!! This is HARD. Much harder than I had thought it was going to be. And setting out with what I thought was a reasonable and realistic time goal only to have to recalculate it to be much slower has been rather demoralizing. Still, one foot in front of the other until I cross that finish line! And then I can either buck up and say, "now I've learned something so I can improve for next time" or shake my head and say, "never again".
Tuesday, July 17, 2018
Self Doubt
The self-doubt is creeping in.
Today I ran 23km. I can't say I was feeling super excited; it was more of a 'grit the teeth and get through it.'
I couldn't bring myself to go by heart rate, so I ran by feel instead, aiming for an easier pace.
Total time: 2.54.25
Total distance: 23.02km
Average speed: 7.35min/km
Average HR: 141bpm (73% of max)
It was a bit of a boring route. I just made it up as I went, but the trails by the store were not as long as I could have wanted, so I did a lot of extra "let's get in those miles" sort of detours. The last 6k especially felt like a really big slog.
But my biggest struggle of today was with self-doubt. I have 3 long runs left. Three. And then it's my marathon! But I find that even when I run at an easy 7.35 pace, I tucker out by 19km. How on earth am I supposed to manage a much faster pace for more than twice that distance?!
Ask me to do a 10k, or a half marathon, and I know I can churn it out no problem. But I'm feeling woefully unprepared for this full marathon. Do I expect to finish it? Yes. Do I expect to make it in the timeframe I've been training for? Not even close... I've been trying to give myself some prep talk and some "who cares what time you run it in? What matters is finishing!" talk, but today is not one of those days where I'm believing it.
Today I ran 23km. I can't say I was feeling super excited; it was more of a 'grit the teeth and get through it.'
I couldn't bring myself to go by heart rate, so I ran by feel instead, aiming for an easier pace.
Total time: 2.54.25
Total distance: 23.02km
Average speed: 7.35min/km
Average HR: 141bpm (73% of max)
It was a bit of a boring route. I just made it up as I went, but the trails by the store were not as long as I could have wanted, so I did a lot of extra "let's get in those miles" sort of detours. The last 6k especially felt like a really big slog.
But my biggest struggle of today was with self-doubt. I have 3 long runs left. Three. And then it's my marathon! But I find that even when I run at an easy 7.35 pace, I tucker out by 19km. How on earth am I supposed to manage a much faster pace for more than twice that distance?!
Ask me to do a 10k, or a half marathon, and I know I can churn it out no problem. But I'm feeling woefully unprepared for this full marathon. Do I expect to finish it? Yes. Do I expect to make it in the timeframe I've been training for? Not even close... I've been trying to give myself some prep talk and some "who cares what time you run it in? What matters is finishing!" talk, but today is not one of those days where I'm believing it.
Speed Goes Up; Speed Comes Down
Last week was a bad week.
Between spending an unexpected Monday night visit to the vet resulting in this*…
*Brizzy hurt his eye playing fetch with his ball, but happily he is now fully recovered!
And fighting off a cold, I was not feeling highly motivated this week. The thunderstorm on Tuesday night decided me: I was staying home!
On Wednesday I went out to do my 6k run. I had to work late, but I was motivated by the thought by the free hat thought of seeing my running friends and going out for a 6k tempo run. So I skipped going home and instead drove straight to the store for my run. It just so happened that the Running Room was having their annual “20 minute challenge” on that night, which meant discounts in the store and a free hat for everyone who signed up.
The route picked out for us was a lovely 3.1km circuit. I was undecided if I wanted to follow it or do my own route, but somehow I started at the front of the pack and – not wanting to add to any confusion – I opted to do the circuit in question. Twice. Geez, was I slow! Depressing that the speed gains I had started making with my heart rate training have sunk right back to where I was at the beginning.
Total distance: 6.41km
Total time: 38.28min
Average Pace: 6.00min/km
Average HR: 167bpm (86%)
But I guess you can say I did it! The best part was being reminded that it was free slurpee day at 7/11 stores! An wouldn’t you know it?! There was a 7/11 store right next to the Running Room store! Talk about convenience! I can’t remember the last time I had a slurpee but after a 6k run in 30C heat I was game for one. What an incredible way to turn my mood right around.
Monday, July 9, 2018
The Heart Knows
Tuesday was much slower than the week before. I thought it was because - after hiking up to the top of Mount Goldie (22km, 1474m elevation gain), I was still recovering.
Then on Friday, I woke up with the start of a cold. It makes me wonder whether I was truly "still recovering" this week, or whether my increased heart rate and feelings of sluggishness were rather the first signs of getting sick.
But despite how I felt, 32k is 32k. And today was my day to get that distance under my feet!
As it turns out, it wasn't my day. Not really. 1k into the run I realized that my elevated heart rate gave me two options: 1) stick to the HR training and start my run at a 9.30min pace (which would have me finish my run in about 5.5 hours), or 2) Do my run by pace/feel even if it meant a higher HR, but finish in around 4-4.5 hours.
I quickly opted to run by pace/feel!
And let me tell you, I was not feeling good. At 2km in I realized that I had to return to the start to use the bathroom. (Ugh!!! That's TWO long runs in a row where this has happened! I need to start getting up earlier before I head out!).
After using the bathroom - which was thankfully unlocked! - I returned to my route, where strong reflux plagued me for the next 10km. It was bad enough that I found myself spitting out bits of my breakfast every 20m or so. Every step was a struggle, and I thought numerous times of giving in. But around 12km things started to feel better. My reflux died down, and my heart rate settled out. I even saw some beautiful deer to make me smile!
Because I wasn't running by heart rate I knew I would need walk breaks. And because I hadn't set up my watch for 10:1 splits, I had strong doubts that I would be able to remember the math for the split times accurately as the distance crept upwards. So I opted to do a 1 min walk break at every 2km. These walk-breaks became such a mental and emotional lift for me after the 19km mark!
At 27km I returned to the car, swapped out my empty water bottles for full ones, and continued on the final stretch. Stubbornly, I opted to do 33km instead of 32km just to prove to myself I could. I lied through my teeth and pretended that going out another 3k on the second loop wouldn't be that hard.
By 30km (at the turn-around), I began to chant to myself:
Come on Legs, You can do it!
Not long now; Just get through it!
Every step I repeated this mantra to myself. Since none of the other park users gave me weird looks as I went by, I'm presuming that I didn't actually say this out loud.
So I can safely say that while today's long run didn't start out as a great day, at the very least I stuck with it and made it through to the finish.
View from the top of Mount Goldie. We started down in that valley. Way, way down in that valley!
Total time: 36.03
Total distance: 6.09km
Average pace: 5.55min/km
Average HR: 166bpm (86%)
Wednesday was tough. Normally on hills I feel fairly strong. But every step of every hill was a mental and physical struggle. I finished all 9 repetitions, but it was hard!
Total time: 1.29.21
Total distance: 14.13km
Total elevation: 192m
Average pace: 6.20min/km
Average HR: 170bpm (Max HR: 190bpm)
Then on Friday, I woke up with the start of a cold. It makes me wonder whether I was truly "still recovering" this week, or whether my increased heart rate and feelings of sluggishness were rather the first signs of getting sick.
But despite how I felt, 32k is 32k. And today was my day to get that distance under my feet!
As it turns out, it wasn't my day. Not really. 1k into the run I realized that my elevated heart rate gave me two options: 1) stick to the HR training and start my run at a 9.30min pace (which would have me finish my run in about 5.5 hours), or 2) Do my run by pace/feel even if it meant a higher HR, but finish in around 4-4.5 hours.
I quickly opted to run by pace/feel!
And let me tell you, I was not feeling good. At 2km in I realized that I had to return to the start to use the bathroom. (Ugh!!! That's TWO long runs in a row where this has happened! I need to start getting up earlier before I head out!).
After using the bathroom - which was thankfully unlocked! - I returned to my route, where strong reflux plagued me for the next 10km. It was bad enough that I found myself spitting out bits of my breakfast every 20m or so. Every step was a struggle, and I thought numerous times of giving in. But around 12km things started to feel better. My reflux died down, and my heart rate settled out. I even saw some beautiful deer to make me smile!
Because I wasn't running by heart rate I knew I would need walk breaks. And because I hadn't set up my watch for 10:1 splits, I had strong doubts that I would be able to remember the math for the split times accurately as the distance crept upwards. So I opted to do a 1 min walk break at every 2km. These walk-breaks became such a mental and emotional lift for me after the 19km mark!
At 27km I returned to the car, swapped out my empty water bottles for full ones, and continued on the final stretch. Stubbornly, I opted to do 33km instead of 32km just to prove to myself I could. I lied through my teeth and pretended that going out another 3k on the second loop wouldn't be that hard.
By 30km (at the turn-around), I began to chant to myself:
Come on Legs, You can do it!
Not long now; Just get through it!
Every step I repeated this mantra to myself. Since none of the other park users gave me weird looks as I went by, I'm presuming that I didn't actually say this out loud.
Total time: 4.21.14
Total distance: 33.50km
Total elevation: 141m
Average pace: 7.49min/km
Average HR: 141bpm (73% of max)
So I can safely say that while today's long run didn't start out as a great day, at the very least I stuck with it and made it through to the finish.
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