Scotiabank Marathon recap

3:52! That was my finishing time at the Marathon on October 16th. The goal I had was a 3:35 so initially I was disappointed in my time. However, there were many factors that contributed to my poor showing (in my mind) and when I look back at my race (a few weeks removed) I can smile.

The day started out pretty cold and that certainly didn't help. I had trained mostly in warm and hot weather throughout the summer months. I actually prefer running in hot temperatures. There is nothing to compare to the start of a race. Thousands of runners all with their own goals and pre-race rituals.

I told myself to start off slow but I wasn't wearing a watch (my first race without one) and I was pleased with how effortless the run was during the beginning. Of course adrenaline had lots to do with that I'm sure. I hit the 10K mark at roughly where I wanted to be (51 minutes) and was even on pace by the 1/2 way mark (1:43). At 27 K, however, things took a turn for the worse. Both quads started cramping really badly and I had to run/walk the remaining 15.2 KM's.

It's amazing the kind of talking that went on inside my head as I fought through the pain to finish. I knew that even if I had to walk to the finish line I was going to finish somehow. I was able to recall the many tough runs I had had during the past 5 months and that helped me to finish.

As I crossed the finish line I swored I would never run another Marathon again....of course 2 weeks later and I'm already thinking about what I should attempt next :)

The mental battle awaits

As I finished my 3 mile run this morning my attention immediately turned to the mental aspect of this race week. Even though I have prepared as much physically as possible, it still comes down to a battle that lies between my ears. I know that there will be moments during the race where I may question whether I had trained enough or worked as hard as I could have.

It is during this time that I will re-read some of my posts from a few months ago and use that to inspire and remind me what I had accomplished these past 5 months. I have run the race in my head many times and will replay that race in my head more times between now and Sunday. I have a picture in my head of what it will look like to cross that finish line and how I will feel immediately afterwards. I have had that picture in my mind for several months now and now the only thing I have to do is paint that picture on Sunday.

Being mentally sharp on Sunday means that I must get enough rest this week (in bed by no later than 10 PM) and drinking lots of water. I have been consumed by this race and have to keep reminding myself that in a few short days I will get to really let the bullets fly for real. I will agonize over these last few days as I hold back my energy.

The hardest part is the carbohydrate loading that I will do starting tomorrow. I typically eat only moderate amount of carbohydrate and will increase that slowly as race day approaches. It's something that I have become pretty good at so I'm hoping it pays off again this time around.

It's Race Week!

It started out as a little discussion with Christopher Laurin about possibly running the Montreal Marathon together and soon took on a life of its own. After thinking about it, I decided to run the Scotiabank Marathon so that many of my friends could be there to cheer me on.

Now, after months of blood, sweat and tears my race is only days away. I have a love/hate relationship with race week. Although resting is very important, it's hard to hold back the excitement and energy that I have right now. I also use running to provide me with a great peace of mind and without it I sometimes feel lost. Running, as I've said many times before, is my passion and I when my passion is not allowed to be expressed it becomes difficult at times.

I ran 5 miles today and will be running another 3 miles tomorrow. I will take Thursday and Friday off to rest and then run 1-2 miles on Saturday morning just to shake off any last minute rust.

My pre-race rituals include a pasta dinner the night before and watching some inspirational movies such as Rudy, Remember the Titans and even Run FatBoy Run. I won't sleep too much the night before my race which puts even more emphasis on sleeping well two nights before the race (Friday night).


The following passage is something that I've written before every race, hope you enjoy it.


If I forget to smile during the week,......... please forgive me it's race week!

If I feel like crying when I see someone run, knowing that I can't......please forgive me, it's race week!

If I feel like I've gained 20 pounds after carbo loading for three days....please forgive me, it's race week!

If I seem like I have the "deer in the headlights" look all week...........please forgive me, it's race week!

If I have a hard time sleeping this week..........please forgive me, it's race week!

If I start wondering if I've trained enough for my race........please forgive me, it's race week!

If you hear me mumbling to myself about what the hell I was thinking about when I decided to run the Scotiabank Marathon.......please forgive me, it's race week!

If I run to the bathroom every 5 minutes from all the water I need to drink this week.......please forgive me, it's race week!

If you see me eating 6 blueberry bagels in a matter of a minutes......please forgive me, it's race week!

If I start going through withdrawl from the fact that I can't run for most of the week..........please forgive me, it's race week!

And finally.....If I forget to thank all of you who read my blog and have wished me well with my race this week.............please forgive me, it's race week!

It's getting closer and closer now

It's hard to believe that I have been training for 14 weeks and that my race is just 2 weeks away.

Have I done everything I needed to do? Have I trained as hard as I need to? I honestly think I have but I won't know for sure until I get to the race. This past week was rough as I had to fight through some health issues but still managed to complete my 36K run on Saturday. I took Sunday and Monday off and did some speed work but avoided the track as I didn't feel 100%.

I'll be running 22+ K's on Saturday and another 10K run on Sunday. After that I will be reducing my mileage right up until the race on October 16th. Race week will be a different "animal" all together as I fight through nerves and anxiety. Race Day will be filled with lots of emotions for sure and I have to make sure that I stay motivated between now and then.

REST is NOT a dirty 4 letter word

Sometimes you have to listen to your body and that is the lesson I learned this weekend. After running 31.5K's on Saturday, I decided not to run on Sunday as my legs were feeling tired. I was very pleased with my run and even decided that I wasn't going to use a gel (sugar gel) for my 3 hour run. Typically I would use 2 of these along with my electrolyte drink. I have read studies on how to improve fat utilization by not ingesting carbohydrates during a long run so I thought I would give it a try. I did bring along the gels just in case. I found that I didn't need the gels and it didn't affect my running at all.
I completed the 31.5K run in just under 3 hours which was my goal.

Tuesday begins week 14 and I will have to make a few more adjustments to my schedule. I typically do track work on Tuesday mornings but since I have my kids with me I will skip this workout and do a speed training run instead. I was happy with my mile repeats from last week and next week I will do another one. Everything is starting to come into focus and it's hard to believe that the race is one month away!

Trying not to flame out!

Marathon training is brutal! I'm sure that doesn't come to much a surprise to anyone. Avoding burnout is probably the toughest thing that I've been dealing with recently. I am just about to finish my 13th week of training and have 4 more week left until my race. This week, even though I was pleased with my training, I found myself just wishing that the race was here. As I think about it, though, these last few weeks will mimic what the Marathon itself will be like. I will have to fight through these mental battles now more than ever. A friend once told me that the Marathon is "one long walk to 30K and then it's on!" It's something that I've tried to remember this week. I know that 30K will be challenging but I've run that distance many times during the last 12 weeks and I know what that feels like. These last 4 weeks will prepare me to run those last 12.2 K's. I will be tired both mentally and physically but will have to fight through the pain and finish the race as strong as possible. There is something called the "Runners Wall" and I'm sure I'll hit it at some time. I've hit that wall many times before and sometimes multiple times during a race. It's something that is hard to explain but it forces me to overcome many demons and negative thoughts that creep in my mind. The better prepared mentally I am, the easier it will be for me to not only hit that wall but smash through it!

This weekend I will be running 32K on Saturday and then 16K on Sunday wish me luck!

Marathon training update September 13th, 2011

FEAR
It can cripple you or make you stronger!

Coming off an amazing weekend of running, where I completed 40KM's, I took Monday off to rest and get ready for my final 5 weeks of training.
Since I started incorporating speed training into my workout schedule 4 weeks ago, I have played around with doing different track workouts. After reading about running mile repeats to help with Marathon training, I decided to give it a try. I researched how I should prepare for them and what my goal time should be. I have done 800M repeats and pyramid workouts but this would be totally different.

Running 4 laps of a 400M track at close to top speed, resting for 2- 2.5 minutes then doing that again for a total of 4 times really started to scare me. I remember how winded I was when I did the Pyramid workout and wondered how I could possibly do 4 mile repeats in 7:33 or less. What scared me most was that even though I have been running for 6 years, I've never done mile repeats before. What if I wasn't able to do more than 1 set? Would that put doubt in my mind about my upcoming race? I started to wonder if it was worth it. I could have fallen back to a program that I was comfortable doing instead of attempting these mile repeats. However, I knew that if I gave into fear, I would have no idea what I'm capable of accomplishing.

I left my house at 5:45 and drove to the track. I went over in my mind how I wanted this workout to look like. As I reached the track I noticed that A) it was still very dark and I could barely see my watch and B) there were sprinklers on the grass infield and I would have to run through some of them as I wanted to stay on the inside lane.

After doing a warm-up lap and some light stretching, the moment had finally arrived to begin the mile repeats. As I started I had to make sure that I didn't go out too fast too soon or my workout would be shot. I tried to keep an even pace and when I completed my first set of 4 laps I noticed that my time was 7:28. I thought to myself, that wasn't too bad and I wasn't too winded. After allowing my heart rate to come down a bit, it was time for set #2. This time I was familiar with what I needed to do and I increased my speed a little bit. As a result, my 2nd set was completed in 7:05. I remember saying to myself, "wow! That was pretty good!"

Don't get me wrong, those were the toughest 2 runs that I have ever completed. However, I noticed that instead of focusing on my fear of the workout I was now focusing on improving my technique. With 2 sets remaining I knew that I was going to complete the workout no matter what. My last two sets were completed in under 7:00 each. To say that I was thrilled would be an understatement. Forget that I had completed my goal because I had overcome an even bigger obstacle and that was FEAR!

I still HATE doing the mile repeats but I no longer fear them because I've done it now. This workout, along with the many others I have experienced during the last 12 weeks, will be bookmarked and taken out during my Marathon if I need to motivate myself during the race.

5 weeks to go!

It finally happened! There I was up at 4:00 AM preparing for my fartlek run (speed play) workout. My motivation was low and I wondered how I was going to get through the workout. I knew that once I got myself out the door I'd be fine and as soon as my feet hit the pavement I was off and running. I actually had one of my better runs but was so upset with myself for having negative thoughts that I decided to punish myself by increasing the amount of the speed interval and decreasing the rest time. The actual run covered 5 miles and I completed it in under 40 minutes which I was happy about.

Between doing the track workout, which I'm really not enjoying, tempo runs and fartleks my body is starting to really take a beating. However, with only 5 weeks to go I know that I have to keep pusing forward and stay as positive as possible.

I have been following a 4 week mini cycle and I am completing my 3rd cycle this weekend. The 4th week is a down week for me so I am running 21 K's on Saturday and 16on Sunday.

On Monday I begin my last mini cycle. I have to guard against overtraining but also need to ensure that I maintain my conditioning at the same time. It's a fine balance for sure and I'm trying to get as much advice from runners who I respect before I make-up my final 4 weeks (with a 1 week taper).

Marathon training update September 6th, 2011

It's hard to believe that I'm starting week 12 of my marathon training schedule. It's been a gruelling 12 weeks but the finish line is within sights now and my race is just over the horizon.

That being said, my last two workouts might have been my most difficult ones I've had. On Saturday I ran 35.5 KM's and on Monday I did a ladder workout at a local High School.
The long run was done early in the morning but the temperature was still very hot and humid. I was happy that I really slowed down my pace for this run and managed to complete the run in 3 hours and 30 minutes. This included 2 stops at Tim Hortons for some water. It also included a very mind challenging last 5.5 KM's.
The first 28 KM's were actually pretty good and I even saw some familiar faces at teh lake where I run. It was the last quarter of the run that really tested my mental ability to focus and finish.
I think I actually hit that famous "wall" around this time. Once again I purposely designed my route to go past my house which forced me to really dig down deep and keep going. I had lots moments where my mind would tell me to stop short of my goal and just head home. It would have been easy to do that but I knew that would have eaten me up all day. Instead I pushed on. The last fourty minutes I literally had to take it step by step and made my goals very small. My longest run had been 32KM's so this was a true test of how far I had come. The temperature continued to climb and climb and my pace slowed considerably but I kept telling myself not to quit. It really is amazing how the mind and body work together to accomplish or derail a goal from happening. If I hadn't stayed positive and thought about what the marathon will be like, I know that I would have stopped and walked the rest of the way. I would have been able to rationalize that decision somehow and would have tried to convince myself that it was the right thing to do. The mental battle between running and stopping is what makes running so exhilirating and frustrating at the same time.
I'm happy to say that this time I won that battle and I finished my run. It took me several hours, though, to recover and I knew that this run needed to be bookmarked for future reference. As tough as that run was, my Marathon run will be even tougher. Running 35.5 K's on a hot humid day will give me confidence on Marathon day.

Instead of running on Sunday, I decided that it would be better to take an unscheduled day off to rest. This decision was also a little difficult but I know that my body appreciated the chance to recharge my batteries.

I had to juggle my schedule a little bit this week because the kids are back in school. As a result, I did my speed workout on Monday instead of Tuesday. I had been doing 800M repeats for the past 3 weeks but decided to try something called a Ladder workout instead.
This consisted of the following:
10 minute warm-up
400M, 800M, 1200M, 1600M, 1200M, 800M,400M. The goal was to run these at 5K race pacwe or slightly faster.
Here's the breakdown:
400M - 1:40
800M- - 3:30
1200M- 5:15
1600M- 7:00
1200 M- 5:15
800 M- 3:22
400 M- 1:30

To say that I was gasping for air towards the middle of this workout would be a huge understatement. I really had to push myself especially during the middle portions of this training program. My goal is to an average about an 8:10 minute mile for the marathon. These speed workouts will allow me to gain the confidence necessary to at least attempt a fast marathon. Whether I accomplish my goals are yet to be seen but this is an encouraging sign for sure.

My marathon journey has looked familiar

As I look back at the last 11 weeks of training and look forward to the final 6, something became very clear to me. My training has resembled much of what I have had to go through in my life. I have had ups and downs just like everyone else but through mental strength, faith and determination I have been able to overcome the obstacles that have been thrown my way. As a result I have become stronger mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

After an awakening 30K run last week I find myself so much more at peace now. I find that whatever happens on race day I will be satisfied because the training has allowed me to grow stronger. The goal, when I made the decision to compete in another marathon, was to prove to myself that I still had the mental toughness to run a marathon after not racing for more than a year. However, along the way I have proven so much more to myself and that is something that no race result will be able to take away from me.

My training this week has been good with the exception of my first set of 800M's on Tuesday. My schedule called for 6 sets of 800M and the goal was to run each of them in under 3 minutes and 30 seconds. As I completed the first lap and looked at my watch I noticed it said 3:53! I was so upset with myself and after having an internal shouting match I finished the next 5 sets in 3:20, 3:20, 3:18, 3:16, and 3:16 for an average of 3:25 for the 6 sets. I even contemplated running one more set to make up for the first one. However, I made the right decision not to because on race day, there will be no "do overs!" The fact that I didn't give all that I had during that first set was a lesson I won't forget on race day. If I'm not sore, hobbled, exhausted and spent every ounce of energy I have during the race then I will have regrets. I plan on leaving everything I have, lungs and all, on the roads of Toronto on October 16th!

Wednesday's 7 mile easy run and Thursday's tempo run were both excellent. I now am preparing to run between 33-36 KM's on Saturday morning. I decided to weigh myself yesterday and noticed that my weight had dipped to 168 pounds. I am feeling much lighter and it wouldn't surprise me to see my weight to get down to 160 pounds by race day. I haven't run at that weight in a long time. My nutrition has been sound as I have been Gluten free for the majority of my training. I will try to be even more strict during this final stage of training.
My goal is to run for at least 3.5 hours tomorrow. I need to slow down my running so that my body can prepare for being on my feet for that long during the Marathon.
I better make sure I throw on a few slow songs on my MP3 player.... :)

Weekend Training Update

"All I want is to have my Peace of Mind" (Boston)

One of my favorite songs to run to is Peace of Mind by Boston. The lyrics speak loudly to me as the song talks about the struggle to get ahead in life when in reality it is Peace of Mind that we should all be striving for.

As I began my 30K run on Saturday that is exactly what I was striving for. I've become better at letting my run come to me instead of the other way around. What that means is focusing on the present and not the end of my run. I focused on my breathing and this allowed me to relax more. Before I knew it I was already at the 6 mile mark. After a brief water break I went out again and seemed to hit the 9 mile mark very quickly. I say "seemed" because I have not been running with a watch. I recently downloaded some AC/DC songs and so I'm blaming that for my speed :)

As I made my journey back home my legs were still feeling fresh and that is when my mind started to take over. I started to think about how there have been times in my life where I have wanted answers to certain questions about my personal life but they were never answered. I then wondered that maybe the point is that some questions will never be answered and that the time spent looking for those answers could be better spent on something more positive. I tend to do my best thinking during these long runs as it's just me and my music. Throughout this second half of my run I began to get that Peace of Mind that I've been searching for these past few months.

Peace of Mind isn't an absolute and it constantly needs to be rediscovered because there are issues that come up which challenge me either personally or professionally. Remaining calm and productive when tragedy strikes is something that I have had to deal with far too often. Running allows me to process my thoughts and helps me to channel my energy so that it is flowing forward instead of backwards.

As I finished my 30K run I realized that it was quite a bit faster than it should have been (2:45). I need to be careful not to push myself too much during these long runs as the goal is to get my body used to being on my feet for 3 to 4 hours.

On Sunday I did an 8 mile recovery run. This run was also faster than I thought it was going to be as I only had a few hours sleep the night before. It's amazing that some of the better runs I've had have come when I least expected it. I actually contemplated not running today as I seemed really tired. However, I'm glad that I pushed myself and did the run becuase it turned out to be one of the better runs that I've had since I started training for the Marathon.

Marathon Training Update August 26th

(a graph showing what a Fartlek Run looks like)



(how I feel after doing a Fartlek Training Session)





I have been on vacation since my last post but while I have taken a break from work during this time, my training has continued. In fact, I have been getting more rest which in turn has really helped with my training.
Since my last post I have completed a tempo run, a 27K run, another track workout, a 7 mile run and a floating fartlek workout.

Here's a brief recap of each of the workout with a grade from 1-10:
Tempo Run: I did a 45 minute tempo run which consisted of a 10 minute warm-up, 30 minutes where my speed increased to beyond race pace, and then a 10 minute cool down. During the actual tempo part of my workout, I really pushed myself hard. I tried to visualize the speed I had during my track workout. (Grade 7 out of 10)

27K Long Run: I actually did this run on only a few hours sleep as I had attended the Can Fit Pro conference the night before. I knew that this was going to be a tough run and though at times it was, I was surprised that I was able to push through. My hamstrings were a little tight towards the end but overall I was pretty happy with what I was able to do. After running for close to 3 hours, I headed over to the Can Fit Pro conference where I did a few classes. My body was sore and so I decided not to train on the following day. (Grade 7 out of 10)

Track Workout: After taking two days off from running, I headed to the track for my 2nd week of doing 800M repeats. Last week I was happy with my speed and wondered how I would fare this time. I did 5 X 800M repeats in an average time of 3:20 (Grade 9 out of 10).

7 Mile Run: The goal for this run was to do an easy 7 Mile run to recover from the track work the day before. I tried to slow myself down just a little bit but I was feeling really good so I just ran by "feel." This has been something that has defined my training and I'm getting more comfortable with running this way. Running by "feel" has allowed me to get into my mental zone quicker than ever before. I use specific words to allow my breathing to return to normal. Eventually it feels like I'm walking and not running. (Grade 8 out of 10)

Floating Fartlek: This is a workout I will alternate with my tempo runs. This workout consisted of a 7 minute warm-up and then I ran hard for 1:40 and then slowed down the pace for 1:40 and then repeated this sequence for as many sets as I could handle. Today I did 6 sets and then followed that up with a 10 minute cool down. The workout lasted about 40 minutes but it was very intense. I used 1:40 because that is approximately how long it would take me to do run 400M. I may decide to do this workout at the track but for now I'm using relatively flat areas around my house.

My weekend workouts will consist of doing a 30K run and then a 16K run on Saturday and Sunday and then it's back to work on Monday. My Marathon is 7 weeks away which means that the training is going to intensify for the next 5 weeks and then I will be tapering for the last two.

Hitting the track for speed work

Speed! It's the one thing that separates the joggers from the runners. There is nothing wrong with not having a speed goal with regards to entering a race. Many people are just happy to finish the race and that was probably my mindset when I first started running 6 years ago. However, as I finished more and more races I wanted to improve on my finishing time. The only way to do that is to get faster and the best way that I know to get faster is by doing speed work.

After completing 6 weeks of hill training it was time to work on my speed. Those 6 weeks were meant to get my base mileage up and also increase strength and stamina. The next 7 weeks I will focus on shorter runs during the week but they will be faster than I have been running. Tuesdays will be track work, Wednesdays will be a recovery run of 5 miles and Thursdays will be either a Tempo run or a Pace run. I have also decided to cut back on my lower body weight training during the week. My legs have been taking a pounding lately and I know that the speed work will tax them even more. Now is the time to be smart with my training and that means doing less not more.

I'm lucky because there are plenty of 400 Metre tracks close to where I live. However,the one that I like the best is about 5 KM's away at a local High School in Pickering. As I drove there this morning I tried to visualize how I wanted the training session to look like. My goal was to run 4 sets of 800 M at an average speed of 3:35 per set. I wanted to "float" from stride to stride staying upright as much as possible and using my hands to move my feet faster. I hadn't done track work in about 2 years so I knew that it was going to be interesting to see just what I had set myself up for.

It was about 6:20 AM when I got there and I did a warm up lap and then some light stretching. I started off strong for my first set and when I finished I noticed that my time was 3:18. I'm sure that adrenaline played a big part in that. I also knew that the key to doing speed work is being as consistent as possible so I tried to use the first lap as a "1st gear" and then tried to hit my peak speed during the 2nd lap. I walked one lap (400 M) and then started off on the next set. The 2nd and 3rd sets were 3:24 and 3:26 respectively. With one more set remaining I really wanted to push myself and I was happy with the 3:18 last lap. That put my average at 3:21 for the 4 sets. This, just as it is with other good training sessions, will be bookmarked in my memory bank.

Eventually my speed work will top out at 10 sets of 800 Metres and that's when I'll know for sure where I'm at. For now, though, it was a good start and gives me something to build on.

Goal Setting

Some people have asked me what my goal time is for this race. I actually haven't thought too much about it because I want to see how my speed training goes over the next 4-6 weeks as this will give me a better idea of what I'm capable of. I typically will enter a race having 3 goals:
1. This will happen goal
2. Most realistic goal
3. Pie in the sky goal

The first goal is to finish the race. There has been only 1 race where I haven't finished and that was a 100 mile race when an injury forced me to retire after 78 miles. There have been a few races where I had to limp to the finish line but I still managed to finish.

My most realistic goal is the goal that should be accomplished barring an injury. It's usually a range that I set for myself. I know my body and what I can achieve so this goal is very much in reach. I will be disappointed if I don't reach this goal.

The "pie in the sky" goal is a little more difficult to set. This goal will only be accomplished if everything comes together perfectly on that day. There are so many things that go into having a perfect race including my health, the weather, sleep etc. This goal is within reach and I have accomplished it several times but each time I was fortunate to have everything working in my favor on that day.

During my long run on Saturday I actually started thinking about goals and how important they are. For some reason, the letter "V" kept creeping into my head. The more I kept thinking about it the more it started to make sense.
V stands for Visualization, Verbalize, Validate and Victory!

I must visualize what my goal is and be able to describe it in detail. This will include the steps I need to take to reach this goal or goals in my case. I need to be able to tell people exactly what that goal looks like as if I'm describing a great movie or book in detail. If I can't visualize my goals then how will I know if I have reached them?

Verbalizing my goal is something that I've always done. This makes it more "real." Some people are afraid of telling people their goals because they may feel embarrased if they can't reach them. To me, there is no room for negative thougts when it comes to goals. Be proud of your goals and let people know them. This will not only keep you on track but it may motivate others at the same time.

Validation comes in accepting and appreciating all the steps that are needed to take in order to reach that goal. With each training session I complete, I know that I am taking one step closer to achieving my goal. If all I do is focus on the the end of the Marathon I will lose sight of all the great things that are happening during my journey.

Victory will be achieved because I will make it happen! Regardless of what happens at the Marathon, the training that I have put myself through has improved my mental, physical and emotional well being. I feel stronger now than I was when I started and that's something that cannot be taken away from me.

Every run is special but some are better than others

(sometimes I feel like I can run forever!)

One of the best things I love about running is that I truly never know what kind of run I'm going to have. I've mentioned before that I've only had a few "bad" runs and those were the result of me running with someone else. Even though I have suffered through some minor ailments while racing (lost toenails, dehydration and cramping) I still considered those runs as positive ones because I learned something valuable from them.

Then there are those days where everything seems to come together perfectly and that's what happened yesterday. My goal was to run 13 miles (21K's) as this was my down week of training. After running 27, 30 and 31.5 K's in the previous three weeks (for my long slow run) it was nice to run "only" a half marathon distance. I know that I have to train my body to embrace the half marathon distance and treat it as if I'm running a 10K race. As my body gets stronger and stronger, the distances are becoming a little easier to run. However, the last thing I ever want to do is not respect the distance that I'm running. When I first got into running I remember doing a 10K race in Guelph called the Thanksgiving Turkey Trot. At the time I was running 25K trail races and didn't think much of the 10K race. I soon realized that a 10K race can be just as gruelling especially if you are not mentally prepared for it. That was one of the toughest races I've done and it's something that I have never forgotten.

Armed with my music and two bottles (one filled with water and the other with an electrolyte/maltodextrin combination)I started off on my journey. I have become very good at letting the run come to me. What that means is that I start out relatively slow and actually repeat this phrase in my head over and over "run slow, breathe deeply, relax shoulders and enjoy."

I'm not sure if it was the fact that I knew I was running a shorter distance than I normally have run, the weather or the fact that I'm getting stronger but this run was one of the best ones I have had in a long time. Everything seemed perfect and I was so relaxed throughout. It was one of those runs where I really felt like I could run forever. I kept wishing that the Marathon was that day instead of 2 months from now. I couldn't believe that I had reached the 1/2 way point of the run so quickly and was worried that maybe I was running too fast. However, I have become better at running for "feel" so I decided to stick to the pace that I was on for as long as possible.

With about 2 miles left in the run, I felt like pushing myself a little more as I was feeling great. I envisioned myself at the Marathon with the finish line in my sights. Those last 2 miles were the fastest that I've run in quite some time but even after pushing myself that much I still felt incredible. When I got to my house I was shocked that I felt that good especially after running a 1/2 marathon distance. When I went into the house to see how long it had taken me I was amazed at the fact that I had finished the run in 1 hour and 55 minutes. This will be yet another bookmarked run that I will use on race day!

Marathon Training Update August 10th

It's nice being on vacation and that's probably why I haven't posted in a few days. Of course my training hasn't taken a vacation, I'm just running a little later than usual. Since my last post I have completed a 31.5 K long run, a 12 K recovery run, a 10 mile run and today I completed my last hill training workout.

My long run was done in pretty hot conditions but I still was pretty happy with the results. The most memorable moment came just as I started to run in a cemetary. I purposely set my mp3 player to "random" so I never know what song is coming on next. When "Knocking on Heavens Door by Guns and Roses" started playing as I ran through the cemetary I found that a little creepy to say the least. I wonder if that was a sign? In any event I made sure I stayed away from black cats for the rest of that day.

I mentioned previously that I purposely designed this route to train my mind for what the Marathon will have to offer. I wanted to challenge myself mentally by forcing myself to run an additional 2 miles past my house towards the end of the run. I knew that this was going to be the hardest part of the run and true enough that's just what it was. After running for more than 2.5 hours I approached my house and then made a detour to run another 2.2 miles. This is another trick that I've learned and it will pay off for me during my Marathon when my mind starts to tell my body to stop running.

My recovery run the next day started off slow but then I picked up the speed about 1/3 of the way in and did a nice tempo run to finish. I was surprised at how fresh my legs felt but I also think that it's a good sign that my body is responding to my training in a positive way.

After taking Monday off, I was back at it with a nice 6 mile run on Tuesday and then today I completed my last hill training workout. I started with 4 hills 6 weeks ago and today I finished with 11. Today was probably the hardest of my sessions mostly because I ran later than I typically do. I find that I am indeed a creature of habit and though I have enjoyed sleeping in a little later than usual, I know that my body responds better when I run at the same time each day (5:00 to 6:00 AM).

This is my "down" week of training. I've broken the training program into 4 week mini sessions. 3 out of the 4 weeks I increase the mileage on my long runs and the 4th week I take step back by running no more than 13 miles for my long run. This allows my body to get some rest (although it may not seem that way to some)
I will do a 7.5 mile run tomorrow, rest on Friday and then do 13 miles on Saturday and another 7 miles on Sunday. On Monday I return back to work after having a great week off!

Changes get you out of your comfort zone

It's been over a month since I left my last job at Franklin Templeton Investments (FTI)and took a similar position with Ontario Power Generations (OPG). I made so many great friends at FTI and the job allowed me to develop teaching skills that I normally would never have taken up (step aerobics, TRX and spinning). Leaving was not something that was easy for me to do. I had developed a familiarity with the job and the people there.

However, one of the main reasons why I decided to change jobs was because OPG was only minutes from my home in Ajax. However, I found the first few weeks a big change as I was suddenly not teaching as much as I was accustomed to. This was one of the main reasons why I decided to train for another Marathon. I felt like I needed to have a goal to work towards.

As I became more comfortable with my new job and specifically the members, I knew that I would eventually find my comfort zone again. Over the past few weeks I have introduced TRX suspension training and circuit classes to many of the members and I now have a group of about 6-8 dedicated members who look forward to this workout. It has helped me connect with them and also get a good workout in at the same time. I feel like one of my strengths is my positive attitude and that I'm a good motivator.

What I need to be careful about is not pushing myself too much during these workouts as I need to save my body for the rigors of training for a Marathon. I'm curious to see how my long run goes tomorrow as my legs are still sore from Thursdays' workout.

The Killers is one of my favorite groups and the song "smile like you mean it" is probably one of my favorite songs by this group. The reason why I like this song so much is because of the message that is conveyed. Everyone is capable of smiling but how many people have true energy behind that smile? I am someone who is attracted to positive energy and stay away from things or people that are negative. I have become good at sifting through the people who claim to be positive but in reality are not. Then there are the people who are constantly complaining about how bad things are but are not working at making things better. I call these people energy vampires because they will literally suck the life out of you if you let them!

In many ways running long distances really force me to become a more positive person. I've only had two bad runs since I started running and both times they were because of the people I was running with. When I finished both runs I felt more stressed than when I had started. This should never happen in my opinion and it's probably why I prefer to run alone. The last thing I want when I run is someone to invade my positive head space.

Tomorrow will be a true test as I'm running 30K and have designed a route that will test me both physically and mentally. I like to put together little challenges throughout my Marathon training so I don't get too comfortable and tomorrow will be the first of several. In fact, towards the end of my run tomorrow I will actually force myself to run past my house and run an extra few miles before I come back home. I know that this will make me even stronger as I'm sure I'll want to stop early but I also know that if I do I'll regret it for the rest of the day and that's something I'm not prepared to do.

1/2 full or 1/2 empty? YOU decide!

It finally happened! After weeks and weeks of training I finally got to run in the rain. I suppose that most people would think that is a little crazy. I mean, it's bad enough that I woke up at 4:00 AM and would be running 8 hills in the dark. The fact that it was raining just added to the craziness.

What some people call nuts, I call passion and dedication. I try to embrace each challenge instead of looking at it with a negative eye. As soon as I let my mind wander into a negative thought process it becomes harder to embrace the challenge. Once I accept what is about to happen AND focus on the actual training itself then things become easier. I've also noticed that I need to work in the present and not the future. What that means is that I try not to focus on the training being finished. This becomes harder when I'm doing a set of 8 hills. However, I try to concentrate on my foot placement for each hill instead of how I'm going to feel after the training is finished.

Nobody is there to talk me into running that early just as there is nobody there to talk me out of it. There are choices that are made everyday which take you down one road or another. It's up to you to decide whether you want the easy road or tough one. In many ways, training for a marathon really mimics the choices I've made in my life. Not all of them have been tough but I like to think that the majority of them have been. Each road has a lesson inherit in it. Sometimes you have to look harder to find those lessons while other lessons are learned more directly and painfully.

I'm happy to say that I completed my 8 hills this morning. My legs felt stronger with each climb. I think the rain had a calming and cooling effect on me at the same time. I have two more hill workouts remaining over the next two weeks and then it will be time to hit the track for some speed work.

Marathon Training Update July 25th to July 31

Without a doubt the key to Marathon training is the long run. Despite a stomach virus that took hold of me this past week, I knew that my long run was a necessary step in my marathon training.

While many of my running friends prefer to run in a group when doing their long runs, I actually prefer to run alone. The battle that takes place in my mind while I do this long run is truly remarkable. I go through so many different emotions during this time and at times I really need to remember that I'm running because I swear it feels like I'm in a different zone sometimes. It's probably why I've had so many close calls with oncoming traffic. During the long run I will think about everything from past relationships, my kids to what I'm going to eat after I finish. Nothing is off limits during this time. Running long distances allows me to process things that normally I may keep bottled up inside.

Music is something that motivates me during my long run and as I started out I made sure that my music player was fully charged and ready to go. The previous week I ran 30K and I wanted to stay relatively close to that mileage but without knowing how my stomach would hold up, I really had to just hope for the best.

The previous week I had run the Ajax/Pickering waterfront trail. I decided that I wanted to run this same route but instead of doing an out and back, I wanted to do a long square. This time I took more money with me just in case I needed to buy some water along the way.

It was 27 degrees when I left my house and I knew that things were only going to get worse. As was the case the previous week, the first 6 miles were fairly easy. In fact, with each training session I complete, I can feel myself getting stronger and stronger. At the 9 mile mark I had finished running the waterfront trail and started to make my way home. I decided to run on the roads for the remainder of my run. However, the weather was getting warmer and without the shade from the trail I knew that it was going to be a tough finish.

I had to stop at a convenience store to buy some water and that really seemed to help. I poured most of it on my head and then started off for the last part of the run. About 4K's from home I spotted three runners who I knew. They were obviously struggling to finish as the temperature must have been over 30 degrees by now. I stopped for a brief moment to say hello but then it was time for me to finish. It's amazing how the sight of a familiar face can really energize me and it's why that I hope to have many family and friends cheering me on at my Marathon in October.

As I climbed the first of two long hills to complete my run I really started to feel the heat. Even though I was so close to home, there was a small part of me that just wanted to stop and walk the rest of the way. However, that negative thinking just served to motivate me even more and I really pushed hard up that last hill and made it home.

I was happy to see that I completed 27K's despite being sick for most of the week. On Sunday I ran a nice 11K recovery run and picked up the pace a little bit more than usual.

With another week completed I can feel my body really starting to get more acclimated not only to the longer distances but also the heat. A few short weeks ago 10K's were a bit of a struggle but now they are becoming much easier. There is no substitute for putting in the training and I'm pleased that despite a minor setback in the week, I'm still ahead of schedule. One of my favorite sayings is, "pain is temporary but quitting lasts forever!"

Training smart isn't always easy

This has been an upsetting week in more ways then one. After taking Monday off from running I was all set to start up again on Tuesday morning. However, my stomach had other ideas. I was up for most of the night on Monday with stomach cramps. I tried to step outside for my run but my body was not going to have any part of that.
I went to work but only stayed for 1/2 the day as things got progressively worse. Wednesday and Thursday was much of the same.

Missing out on training has been tough because I've been on a such a great roll as of late. However, I know that by pushing myself too much I could actually create more problems. Despite knowing the right thing, I decided that I was well enough to try and run on Thursday morning. The run was actually better than I expected but I paid for it later that day.

I'm typing this on Friday morning and have a long run scheduled for tomorrow morning. I haven't settled on my mileage as of yet but I suspect it will be between 25-30 K's once again. I will make sure to take it easy though and have some detours planned just in case I need to cut the run short. My biggest concern is my hydration as I've lost quite a bit of electrolytes this past week and haven't been eating too much. I think I dropped about 5 pounds (not the way I was hoping for)during this week. My diet consisted of bananas, applesauce, rice and toast. I was fine with most of that but I've been gluten free for such a long time that eating toast was foreign to me. However, when I've had stomach issues before, this is the diet that has worked for me so I don't have much of a choice.

I was really hoping to build off the success of last week's long run so I want to make sure that I don't fall too far behind in my training. Things could have been worse, though, so I have to keep reminding myself that the Marathon is still many weeks away. One mini setback isn't going to put that in jeopardy.

Marathon Training Update July 18th to July 24th

The Long Road Ahead






It's been quite some time since I ran more than 25K's. I've been running mostly for fun and fitness since my last race in June 2010. The race was called the Self-Transcendence 6-Hour Race. It took place in Kingston at the Royal Military College. There is an 800 Metre circle that encloses the College and the goal is to run as many laps as possible in 6 hours and then the mileage is calculated. I managed to complete 58.6 K's on that day. Although my goal was 60 K's, I was still happy with what I had accomplished.
Even now when I look back at some of the races that I have competed in, including attempting a 100 mile race and finishing several 50 Mile and 50 K races, it really makes me proud. I only discovered running 6 years ago and it really has catapulted me into a whole new way of life.

So why, despite the fact that I have finished so many long distant events, was I especially nervous the night before my long run (27K) on Saturday? I suppose it could be my mind trying to convince me that all those long runs were done when I was training more seriously. Maybe it was mind telling me that I bit off more than I could chew and that perhaps I should run the 1/2 Marathon in the fall instead of the full?

In any case, I woke up on Saturday morning at 5:30 prepared to run 27K no matter what. Before I stepped out the door I had my usual tea with 1/2 banana and packed my 2, 10 Oz. water bottles. One was filled with water while the other was filled with a Vega Sport drink I've been using. I brought along a small amount of E-Load FLY which is a carbohydrate power (Maltodextrin) and also a sports gel. Finally I brought $1.25just in case I needed to purchase more water along the way.

The reason why I only brought along 2 water bottles was because I was going to run from my house to the Ajax waterfront trail,run to the end and then turn around and come back. Not only is the route picturesque, it also has 2 places where I can refill my water bottle.

At 6:30 AM I started my journey. The weather was 27 degrees so I knew I was in for a hot run. As has been my custom, I didn't bring a watch with me and I have really enjoyed just running by "feel." This has been something that I've really enjoyed but it has taken me years to get comfortable doing. I pay close attention to my breathing and I also focus on my foot strike during the time I'm running. Every time I thought that I was running too fast, I reminded myself that this was my long slow run. I kept repeating that over and over in my mind and it helped me to relax. The first water break came at 6 miles and I was actually surprised at how quickly that came. I didn't feel like stopping but I made the right choice to stop and fill up. It was another 3 miles to the next water break and as I ran to that spot my legs became even stronger so I decided to run a little longer than I had planned.

I ran a little bit past the water stop, stopped and then turned around and started my journey back home. After ingesting my gel, it was time to head back to finish my run. My legs were still feeling pretty good although my hamstrings were starting to get a little tight. I slowed down the pace just a little bit and eventually the pain went away. I made it to the last water stop feeling pretty good. I filled up one of my bottles with the E-Load FLY powder and off I went.

Because I had added extra distance to the run I wasn't sure exactly how far I had gone. The heat, though, was starting to intensify as I left the coolness of the waterfront trail. I had enough water to probably get home but I also was starting to feel dehydrated so I made the smart move to stop at strip mall to get some water. Remembering that I only brought $1.25 with me I went to the dollar store to get some water. Unfortunately, much to my surprise, the dollar store was closed and I had to go to Mac's for my water. The cheapest water they had was over $2.00 but thankfully the manager must have noticed how much I needed the water so he generously gave me a bottle.

Armed with some much needed cold water, I now felt more confident about completing this run. I poured some of the water on my head and drank the rest. The last part of the run really tested my inner strength. Not only was the weather getting warmer, my mind was trying to convince me to walk, not run, home. I knew, though, that this run was going to be the run that I needed if I was actually serious about completing my fall marathon. I remembered the many times in previous races where I had to dig down deep to finish strong. I used my last few KM's as a rehearsal for how I want my Marathon finish to look like. There is nothing quite like the feeling of finish a race whether it's a 5K or 50K it all feels great to finish strong.

As I rounded out my run I picked up the pace and felt amazing. Not only did I finish my longest run in a year, I now had something that I could bookmark and use to motivate me as my training increases in intensity. When I got back into my house and checked my mileage I noticed that I had actually run 19 miles (30.4 KM's) in 2 hours and 55 minutes.

On Sunday I ran a 10 K tempo run and as I type this today (Monday July 25th) my legs still feel great and I am armed with a great experience from the weekend and ready to start another week of training. I learned two important lessons from this weekend:

1) Embrace the challenge and enjoy the journey! There were times during the run, just as there will be during my marathon, where my mind was focused on the finish of the run. If all my attention is focused on being done then I'm really not focused on the actual run itself. I never want to run with this type of attitude because then I won't appreciate the hard work that goes into the training. The Marathon will be a crowning achievement to all the hard work that I have been doing and I don't want to cheat myself from that.

2) Next time bring more than $1.25 when I go for a long run!

Developing Inner Strength

It's no secret that I believe in the power of the mnid. It's also no secret that I feel that running has allowed me to not only find my inner strength but also to improve it as well.

Today was week 4 of my hill training and my goal was to run 7 hills. Hill training, in the past, has strengthened my quads and has also helped me to focus on running technique. I'm constantly trying to use my hands like a sprinter would and getting my knees up as high as possible while landing on the midpoint, not just toes, of my foot. It is the shortest of my 5 weekly runs but it is the most taxing on my body. Getting up at 4:00 AM to prepare for a 35-40 minute run may seem like overkill to some but it's a necessary part of my training so I embrace it.

To develop my inner strength I need to be away from any distractions. I've become better at becoming more independent and that has built up my self-confidence. Whenever I feel that I can't go on, I can always bring myself back to a time and place where I felt the same way but was able to continue. I call this "Bookmarking."
Having run many Ultra Marathons I can honestly say that I am far from the fastest runner but what I lack in speed I make up for in mental toughness.

Many people surround themselves with too many distractions and by doing this they never truly develop that inner strength. They rely too much on outsiders to provide their motivation and then when those people aren't there, they are lost and have a difficult time carrying on without them. Unfortunately, I see too many of these people at the gym. Having mental toughness is something that anyone can have. It just takes practice, patience and above all else having a positive attitude. Our thoughts control our feelings and this will create either a positive or negative action.

Listening to music can be a good way to escape from reality and help to develop mental strength. When I run I simply must listen to music. There are some songs that really inspire confidence during a particularly tough run. I usually pay very close attention to the lyrics and have become very good at picking out a particular phrase which I can use as a metaphor for my running. Today, for example, I knew that I had one more hill to run. I typically will put my mp3 player on random so I never know what song will be coming next. As I began the last hill climb a great song came on (thanks Christopher) and the lyrics included the phrase "that's what they call intense!" As I finished this hill and looked at my watch I noticed that I had shaved 4 seconds off my fastest hill climb for the day. Music really can inspire you to achieve great things.

The stronger you can become mentally, the easier it will be for you to achieve the many goals you have for yourself. Nothing is out of the realm of possibility as long as you continue to believe that you can achieve anything and work hard at developing your inner strength.

Marathon Training Update July 11th to 17th

Once I made the decision to compete in the Scotiabank Marathon in October, the next step was to find a training program to follow. Some of the best road races I’ve had have come as a result of following a strict training program. Even though I consider myself an experienced runner I still rely on a program to guide me and “reel” me in a little bit at the same time. Sometimes the hardest part of the training program is actually doing less than what you would like to do.

Basically the training program consists of the following:
Monday: TRX upper body workout
Tuesday: 6 to 7 mile run
Wednesday: 7 weeks of Hill Training, 7 weeks of tempo runs
Thursday: 4 to 6 mile run
Friday: TRX upper body workout
Saturday: Long run (up to 22.5 miles)
Sunday: Recovery run – 6-8 mile recovery run

Mondays and Fridays are reserved for cross training on the TRX suspension trainer. My goal is to increase my core strength while resting my legs at the same time.

The hill training is starting to get harder as each week I add one more hill. I will be doing 7 hills on Wednesday. The workout starts with a 2 K warm-up run followed by the hills and then a 2 K cool down. Each hill is 350 Meters long and takes me about 1:30 to run. I then will walk down the hill for 1 minute and do a light jog until I get to the bottom and then it’s back up again. I’m working on improving my technique by pumping my arms and trying to bring my knees up high while landing on the midpoint of my foot as opposed to my toes. My quads are burning after this tough workout.

I just completed week 4 of my 17 week training program. This was a down week so I reduced the mileage on my long runs. The previous week I completed a 16 mile run Saturday and then followed that up with a 6 mile recovery run Sunday.

This past weekend I ran 11.5 miles on Saturday and 7.5 miles on Sunday. The weather this weekend was very hot so I left early on Saturday to beat the heat. Unfortunately I left later than I would have liked on Sunday and the heat really started to affect me. Running truly challenges my mind but I love the battle that takes place internally throughout a long run, especially when it’s not ideal outside.

I prefer to run early in the morning (5:00 AM) as it really gets my day started off on the right foot and the weather is perfect. I start in darkness but am lucky that I get to see the sun rise in the morning. Along the way I know that I’ll see some rabbits and have also been lucky enough to see some foxes. I get up at 4:00 AM to prepare for each run as I really love to get into a mental zone before I step outside. Runners are very ritualistic and I am no different. Some people tell me that I am sacrificing so much because I’m so disciplined with my training but to me it’s not a sacrifice, it’s a choice. I know that I need my sleep so that means I typically I am in bed by no later than 10:00 PM (usually 9:00 PM). I try not to eat anything past 7:00 PM as I would like to drop another 10 lbs by the time the race happens in October. My typical running weight is 165 lbs. I have to watch that I don’t lose strength just to get to a certain weight and I usually can feel when I’m lighter because the running becomes easier.

I used to run with a GPS which would track my speed and distance. Lately, though, I have been running without a watch and I really love the feeling. I use gmapspedometer.com to track my distance before I leave my house. The reality is that I know the streets of Ajax/Pickering pretty well but I like to know the distance that I am running so I’ll map out my route before I venture outside.

The next 4 weeks will challenge me both mentally and physically as my long runs will approach 19 miles by the end of the 3rd week. Each week I will continue to update my progress and I hope that this can help you stay focused for whatever goals you are trying to reach. I understand that some of you are also running the Scotiabank ½ or full Marathon. Good luck and keep running!

I'm back baby!

For some reason I have been in hibernation but it's time to go back to what I love to do.
So much has happened since my last post but I'm all about living in the present so let me just be brief in my synopsis.
I'm still working for Health Systems Group but managing a gym closer to my home in Ajax. The company is Ontario Power Generations. Living and working in virtually the same city has been an amazing transformation for me. I don't have to deal with sitting in traffic for up to an hour and I don't have to pay $40/week in parking.

Leaving Franklin Templeton Investments (FTI) wasn't easy because I made so many great friendships with some amazing people. I also learned my trade there and was able to teach so many different classes such as step aerobics, spinning and TRX suspension training.

My job at OPG doesn't provide me the opportunity to teach as much as they don't have an aerobics room. They do have spinning bikes though and that was becoming my favorite class to teach at FTI.

Because I was teaching so many classes at FTI I wasn't running nearly as much as when I was racing. I was able to run 2-3 times at FTI and it fed my passion but also teased me at the same time because I wanted more. However, I just didn't have the energy to run on the weekends as I needed to rest my body for the next week of teaching.

Now I suddenly have all this time and my body isn't being pounded through the teaching and I have decided to train for another Marathon! I have picked the Scotiabank Marathon on October 18th as my coming out party :)
This is my 4th week of 17 and so far the old legs are coming along nicely. I have even started running at 5:00 AM again (my favorite time to run).
I will update this blog with my training.