So it's the end of my second month of training, and my motivation to post is starting to lag. I've been getting some decent running under my belt, but it hasn't translated to many posts. I'll have to remedy that situation in the coming weeks.
Thus far, my adventures have been relatively unplanned, but I expect that will change shortly. Booking a few races has changed my focus, forcing me to think about mileage and speed work. For example, if I want to run a sub 22:30 at the Paddy's Day 5K, I need to get in a long run of 12-15k and a few speed sessions that match or exceed my planned 5k pace. Of course, I know I should have trained like this for the last two months, but my planned pace is relatively pedestrian (I hope) and it shouldn't take more than the next two weeks to whip me into that shape, if I am not there already. Let's hope I'm not humbled come race day.
Mind you, I will not be winging it when it comes to my training for the marathon. I expect that by 20 weeks out I will have put together a training plan that will get me to the starting line in sub 3:10 shape. I am not sure which method I will follow yet, but I am still exploring my options. I'll likely cobble something together based on the advice of Jeff Galloway or Runner's World, but I'll be happy to take any advice my reader's have to offer. Any takers?
This week of running wasn't anything to write home about, but I'll give you a few highlights. I've started stretching a little better before and after my runs, and I've been surprised with how much it has improved my recovery and over limberness. I was never a big stretcher back in the day, but I've gotten better ever since a massage therapist chewed me out because of my gnarled post-race hamstrings. Never argue with a person who can cause you great pain.
Wednesday's run included three repeat miles a little faster than race pace. I thought of pushing it a little harder (there was some gas left in the tank) but decided to save some energy for the rest of the week. Good thing I did, because the West Striders run included lots of hill and head wind. Ditto for today's run, which was the soggiest I've gotten in recent memory. Say what you will about snow, at least it doesn't soak you to the bone when you're running. I almost quit five minutes in, but I mentally massaged my way into a decent head space and managed to run an extra kilometer. Good for me.
Expect a few more blog entries in March. I slacked off quite a bit in February, but I think spring will inspire me to write a little more. Fingers crossed.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
My Race Schedule
I'm a little bored of recapping runs, so instead I will blog about the races I plan on running this year, and my goals for each run. I've gathered most of my information from the Athletics New Brunswick website, and I would recommend the site for any of you who are interested in taking part in an upcoming fun run or road race. There are plenty to choose from, as you will see.
March 13 - Pete's Pub Paddy's Day Bash - Saint John
Distance - 5K
Goal - sub 22:30
It's a couple of minutes slower than my best time last year, but I don't want to get too hopeful this early in the season. Anything faster than my marathon pace will be fine for now. It's a pretty low key race, from what I can tell, so I won't be too embarrassed if I don't perform well.
April 24 - Brent Kelly Memorial 5-Miler - Saint John
Distance - 5 Miles
Goal - sub 35:00
Again, this is faster than my planned marathon pace, but I don't think it's unreasonable. That being said, last year's winning times were relatively slow (consider the runners competing), so I might be in for a surprise. The race takes place at the Irving Nature Park, so I should probably expect to dodge some pothole and puddles while I am motoring around the course.
May 9 - Fredericton Marathon
Distance - 1/2 Marathon
Goal - sub 1:40:00
This course is flat and fast, so I shouldn't have a hard time hitting this target. There will be a lot of people to run with, as well - last year's half attracted over 350 runners.
June 12 - 10km Chaleur Banque Nationale CKLE/Prov Championship - Beresford
Distance - 10K
Goal - sub 42:00
This is the fastest 10K course I've ever experienced. I would love to aim for a faster time, but I am not sure what type of shape I will be in by June. Only time will tell, I guess.
July 1 - Canada Day 10 Miler - Grand Bay/Westfield
Distance - 10 Miles
Goal - sub 1:14
I ran 1:14:02 last year, so I will aim to better my time. This will also put me on marathon pace, so even better.
September 18 - Saint John Half Marathon - Saint JOhn
Distance - 1/2 Marathon
Goal - sub 1:35
This is a cruel, cruel race. Last year people were cursing race organizer Alex Coffin as they crossed the finish line; the run is nothing but steep, endless hills. If I can crack 1:35 on this course, I know I will be physically and mentally prepared for my sub 3:10 marathon.
October 17 Kennebecasis Valley Challenge Marathon
Distance - Full
Goal - sub 3:10
I have yet to run this race, but some of the best runners in the region have posted their fastest marathon times on this course. I hope to add my name to the long list of people who have run their personal best at this race.
I will add to this list as the year progresses, but this is what I have planned thus far. See you at the starting line!
March 13 - Pete's Pub Paddy's Day Bash - Saint John
Distance - 5K
Goal - sub 22:30
It's a couple of minutes slower than my best time last year, but I don't want to get too hopeful this early in the season. Anything faster than my marathon pace will be fine for now. It's a pretty low key race, from what I can tell, so I won't be too embarrassed if I don't perform well.
April 24 - Brent Kelly Memorial 5-Miler - Saint John
Distance - 5 Miles
Goal - sub 35:00
Again, this is faster than my planned marathon pace, but I don't think it's unreasonable. That being said, last year's winning times were relatively slow (consider the runners competing), so I might be in for a surprise. The race takes place at the Irving Nature Park, so I should probably expect to dodge some pothole and puddles while I am motoring around the course.
May 9 - Fredericton Marathon
Distance - 1/2 Marathon
Goal - sub 1:40:00
This course is flat and fast, so I shouldn't have a hard time hitting this target. There will be a lot of people to run with, as well - last year's half attracted over 350 runners.
June 12 - 10km Chaleur Banque Nationale CKLE/Prov Championship - Beresford
Distance - 10K
Goal - sub 42:00
This is the fastest 10K course I've ever experienced. I would love to aim for a faster time, but I am not sure what type of shape I will be in by June. Only time will tell, I guess.
July 1 - Canada Day 10 Miler - Grand Bay/Westfield
Distance - 10 Miles
Goal - sub 1:14
I ran 1:14:02 last year, so I will aim to better my time. This will also put me on marathon pace, so even better.
September 18 - Saint John Half Marathon - Saint JOhn
Distance - 1/2 Marathon
Goal - sub 1:35
This is a cruel, cruel race. Last year people were cursing race organizer Alex Coffin as they crossed the finish line; the run is nothing but steep, endless hills. If I can crack 1:35 on this course, I know I will be physically and mentally prepared for my sub 3:10 marathon.
October 17 Kennebecasis Valley Challenge Marathon
Distance - Full
Goal - sub 3:10
I have yet to run this race, but some of the best runners in the region have posted their fastest marathon times on this course. I hope to add my name to the long list of people who have run their personal best at this race.
I will add to this list as the year progresses, but this is what I have planned thus far. See you at the starting line!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Running Fast, Running Lost
It's 10:51PM, and I am sitting at the kitchen table with an empty bag of chocolate peanuts sitting in front of me. The problem started last night when I went to Sobey`s for a snack run, and ended about an hour ago when I finished the bag. Hopefully I got the indulgences out of my system for the next little bit, because I am slowly starting to gain back the weight I lost during my first few weeks of training. No need to start backtracking now, methinks.
After a week of relative inactivity, I decided it was time to put the pedal to the medal and get a few solid runs under my belt. I set the tone Monday with a brisk dash through a few West Side neighbourhoods. I decided to dress a little lighter than usual, and I was rewarded with a set of limber limbs and a faster than normal pace. Guess it`s time to ditch the long johns for the year.
Tuesday night`s run started out promising, but turned sour about ten minutes in. I decided to map out a route using the Google Maps Distance Calculator, but didn`t bother to make note of the names of each street. Somehow I managed to get lost, and spent part of my time running on railroad tracks and dirt roads in the middle of nowhere. I eventually managed to get my bearings, but not before I tacked an few extra minutes (and a few nasty hills) to my run. Next time I’ll write the street names on my hand before venturing outside.
Today I decided it was time to treat myself with a trip to the UNBSJ gym. I didn’t stay too long, but the few cross training activities that I managed to run through were the most I’ve done in ages. The fast(er) 5K I ran on the treadmill wasn’t too shabby either. Hopefully I can add a gym day or two to my daily routine in the near future.
I’ll leave you for now, but if you’re still looking for some good local blogging, I suggest that you take a look at KVC Marathon Founder, written by local race organizer John Kelley. It’ll give you the scoop on the run I plan on tackling later this year, and will also take a look at some of the events he plans through his company River Bay Adventures. Enjoy!
After a week of relative inactivity, I decided it was time to put the pedal to the medal and get a few solid runs under my belt. I set the tone Monday with a brisk dash through a few West Side neighbourhoods. I decided to dress a little lighter than usual, and I was rewarded with a set of limber limbs and a faster than normal pace. Guess it`s time to ditch the long johns for the year.
Tuesday night`s run started out promising, but turned sour about ten minutes in. I decided to map out a route using the Google Maps Distance Calculator, but didn`t bother to make note of the names of each street. Somehow I managed to get lost, and spent part of my time running on railroad tracks and dirt roads in the middle of nowhere. I eventually managed to get my bearings, but not before I tacked an few extra minutes (and a few nasty hills) to my run. Next time I’ll write the street names on my hand before venturing outside.
Today I decided it was time to treat myself with a trip to the UNBSJ gym. I didn’t stay too long, but the few cross training activities that I managed to run through were the most I’ve done in ages. The fast(er) 5K I ran on the treadmill wasn’t too shabby either. Hopefully I can add a gym day or two to my daily routine in the near future.
I’ll leave you for now, but if you’re still looking for some good local blogging, I suggest that you take a look at KVC Marathon Founder, written by local race organizer John Kelley. It’ll give you the scoop on the run I plan on tackling later this year, and will also take a look at some of the events he plans through his company River Bay Adventures. Enjoy!
Monday, February 15, 2010
A Call To Legs
Ok, it’s past midnight on a school night, so I should keep this short. I’ve been neglecting my blog a bit the last few days, and I’ve been neglecting my running a bit too. I need to keep up to speed on both fronts if I plan on making it to Boston. Please feel free to remind me of this if you see me on the street.
Over the last four days I have only made it out for a run twice, but both excursions were really good. Thursday night I joined the West Striders for a five miler, and spent most of my time chatting with Brent and Kelly. Of course, this was the night of the infamous Abel LeBlanc incident, so we spent a great deal of time talking about that. Kelly shared some nutritional tips with me, while Brent chatted about the transition from marathons to ultramarathons. Great chats overall, and it really made the time fly by.
Saturday wasn’t too bad either. I couldn’t think of an interesting destination, so I tied together a couple of short runs together and made a go of it. It wasn’t an amazing outing, but it was better than I expected. Definitely passable for a solo run.
That being said, I have noticed that my running (and blogging) is more inspired when I am running with other people. If there is anyone on the West Side of Saint John looking for a running partner every once in a while, please contact me at kvchallenger@gmail.com. I am currently running somewhere between 5 and 5:30 per kilometer, and usually go out for 40-50 minutes at the time. Drop me a line!
Over the last four days I have only made it out for a run twice, but both excursions were really good. Thursday night I joined the West Striders for a five miler, and spent most of my time chatting with Brent and Kelly. Of course, this was the night of the infamous Abel LeBlanc incident, so we spent a great deal of time talking about that. Kelly shared some nutritional tips with me, while Brent chatted about the transition from marathons to ultramarathons. Great chats overall, and it really made the time fly by.
Saturday wasn’t too bad either. I couldn’t think of an interesting destination, so I tied together a couple of short runs together and made a go of it. It wasn’t an amazing outing, but it was better than I expected. Definitely passable for a solo run.
That being said, I have noticed that my running (and blogging) is more inspired when I am running with other people. If there is anyone on the West Side of Saint John looking for a running partner every once in a while, please contact me at kvchallenger@gmail.com. I am currently running somewhere between 5 and 5:30 per kilometer, and usually go out for 40-50 minutes at the time. Drop me a line!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Blah Blah Blog
If the blog seems a little forced today, I apologize. I spent the last two nights labouring over an essay about my elementary school experiences - wait for it on paperback, it's a real page turner - and it totally drained my will to write. I have no real desire to look at a computer screen right now, but I haven’t blogged about my training since Saturday, so it’s time for an update. Hopefully I won’t sound too cranky.
Ever since my run with the West Striders, I have increased the lengths of my runs. It was not a conscious decision, but my shortest run is now about ten minutes longer than it was previously. It’s the first time I’ve increased my mileage since I started training, but it won’t be the last. Hopefully my body will stand up to the challenge.
I have also noticed that I have gotten slightly faster since last week. The last two kilometres of my run today were about a minute faster than expected, and I generally feel like I have more pickup in my step. I still need to work my mid run form – sometimes the wheels fall off and I find myself shuffling down the street – but overall I am pleased with my progress.
Tomorrow night I plan on meeting up with the West Striders for my second group run of 2010. Will we chat about Kids in the Hall again, or will the Superbowl dominate the conversation. Stay tuned and find out!
Ever since my run with the West Striders, I have increased the lengths of my runs. It was not a conscious decision, but my shortest run is now about ten minutes longer than it was previously. It’s the first time I’ve increased my mileage since I started training, but it won’t be the last. Hopefully my body will stand up to the challenge.
I have also noticed that I have gotten slightly faster since last week. The last two kilometres of my run today were about a minute faster than expected, and I generally feel like I have more pickup in my step. I still need to work my mid run form – sometimes the wheels fall off and I find myself shuffling down the street – but overall I am pleased with my progress.
Tomorrow night I plan on meeting up with the West Striders for my second group run of 2010. Will we chat about Kids in the Hall again, or will the Superbowl dominate the conversation. Stay tuned and find out!
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Going Along For The Stride
Well I made it through my hectic school week in one piece, and I am currently enjoying a relaxing weekend in Moncton. I am getting a bit of running in - I had a very pleasant trail run earlier today, actually - but most of my energy is being spent visiting friends and eating chocolate. So much for eating healthy.
I finally broke my streak of solo runs on Thursday night, thanks to the West Striders. The running club meets at Alex Coffin's Fitness Shop every Thursday and Saturday at 6:30PM and 9:00AM, respectively, and you'll be hard pressed to find a friendlier group of runners in this neck of the woods. I generally struggle to meet up with the group due to scheduling conflicts - the 9:00AM run really interferes with my beauty rest - but the moon and stars aligned on Thursday, and I found myself preparing for a cold run alongside a dozen or so brave souls.
We started from the shop, packed together tightly as people picked their pace. One runner immediately bolted to the front, and I found myself in the chase pack (we weren't really chasing, but we were running behind him) with Craig, Kelly and Frank. The first few kilometers consisted of us catching up on our latest adventures (we've all run together before), and discussing the merits of The Kids in The Hall's new show Death Comes To Town. I've yet to watch, but Craig tells me it's quite good, so I'll have to find some rabbit ears for my cable-starved television.
We eventually made our way from Uptown to the West Side, and my thoughts darted towards home. We were 25 minutes into the run, and if I left the group I could make it back to my house without waiting for a ride home. However, I felt pretty strong, so I decided to stay loyal to the group and see how far my legs would take me.
Turns out my legs were feeling pretty good. I thought I might start feeling fatigue before we made it back to Alex's shop, but I picked up the pace with about a kilometer to spare and finished strong. I didn't break any land speed records, but I did run for nearly an hour without any complaints. Thumbs up.
I plan on featuring some of my running friends in upcoming entries, but I need to cut it short for now. I'm in the middle of a visit, and an intense game of cards awaits. Wish me luck!
I finally broke my streak of solo runs on Thursday night, thanks to the West Striders. The running club meets at Alex Coffin's Fitness Shop every Thursday and Saturday at 6:30PM and 9:00AM, respectively, and you'll be hard pressed to find a friendlier group of runners in this neck of the woods. I generally struggle to meet up with the group due to scheduling conflicts - the 9:00AM run really interferes with my beauty rest - but the moon and stars aligned on Thursday, and I found myself preparing for a cold run alongside a dozen or so brave souls.
We started from the shop, packed together tightly as people picked their pace. One runner immediately bolted to the front, and I found myself in the chase pack (we weren't really chasing, but we were running behind him) with Craig, Kelly and Frank. The first few kilometers consisted of us catching up on our latest adventures (we've all run together before), and discussing the merits of The Kids in The Hall's new show Death Comes To Town. I've yet to watch, but Craig tells me it's quite good, so I'll have to find some rabbit ears for my cable-starved television.
We eventually made our way from Uptown to the West Side, and my thoughts darted towards home. We were 25 minutes into the run, and if I left the group I could make it back to my house without waiting for a ride home. However, I felt pretty strong, so I decided to stay loyal to the group and see how far my legs would take me.
Turns out my legs were feeling pretty good. I thought I might start feeling fatigue before we made it back to Alex's shop, but I picked up the pace with about a kilometer to spare and finished strong. I didn't break any land speed records, but I did run for nearly an hour without any complaints. Thumbs up.
I plan on featuring some of my running friends in upcoming entries, but I need to cut it short for now. I'm in the middle of a visit, and an intense game of cards awaits. Wish me luck!
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
So Long, Solo Runs
I’m trying to give you an update since my last post, but nothing interesting of notes has happened since Sunday. Either my life is getting increasingly boring, or my memory is shot. I’m not quite sure.
I do know that I am desperate to go for a group run. When I first started running I had a steady stream of partners that pushed my limits as a competitor, but over the last few years the number has dwindled. I don’t mind flying solo – it’s a great way to work out the mental kicks of a long day – but I am more apt to work harder or run longer if I am running with a group or a running partner. I am also more apt to start my runs at a decent hour; it’s a lot harder to procrastinate when you know someone is waiting for you.
That being said, I didn’t have a hard time running tonight. It was relatively warm outside – at least in comparison to the -30 we were treated to on Wednesday – and I was in an adventurous mood, so I went searching for the road that links Lancaster Avenue to The Reversing Fall Bridge. I found it after a little backtracking – it’s called Riverview Avenue, for those of you who were wondering – and used it to add an extra couple of minutes to one of my routine West Side runs. Eventually I am going to give Lower West a little bit of love, but for now I am content to avoid the hills as much as possible.
Avoiding people, well, that’s another story. Tomorrow I plan on joining the West Striders for their Thursday run, and if all goes well I will start making it a regular event. Hopefully they’ll take it easy on me.
I do know that I am desperate to go for a group run. When I first started running I had a steady stream of partners that pushed my limits as a competitor, but over the last few years the number has dwindled. I don’t mind flying solo – it’s a great way to work out the mental kicks of a long day – but I am more apt to work harder or run longer if I am running with a group or a running partner. I am also more apt to start my runs at a decent hour; it’s a lot harder to procrastinate when you know someone is waiting for you.
That being said, I didn’t have a hard time running tonight. It was relatively warm outside – at least in comparison to the -30 we were treated to on Wednesday – and I was in an adventurous mood, so I went searching for the road that links Lancaster Avenue to The Reversing Fall Bridge. I found it after a little backtracking – it’s called Riverview Avenue, for those of you who were wondering – and used it to add an extra couple of minutes to one of my routine West Side runs. Eventually I am going to give Lower West a little bit of love, but for now I am content to avoid the hills as much as possible.
Avoiding people, well, that’s another story. Tomorrow I plan on joining the West Striders for their Thursday run, and if all goes well I will start making it a regular event. Hopefully they’ll take it easy on me.
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