Turkeys, Tempos, and Tapering

It's Tuesday afternoon, and I am sitting at home trying to fight off some sort of illness. My head is stuffy, my stomach is rumbling angrily, and it feels like someone sucked all the liquid out of my brain. My running friends aren't too sympathetic; a few even suggested that a couple days in bed would force me to taper, leaving me fresh as a daisy for Sunday's marathon. We'll see.

My last scheduled workout was a sixteen kilometer run at marathon pace. Finding time to squeeze it in was nearly impossible; the run was scheduled on Thanksgiving, and I had a two hour drive and a huge family function already planned for the day. I also didn't know where I would run, as I was spending my day in Prince William (my fiancee's family is from the area) and had never run in the area before. I considered blowing it off completely, but decided that would be a bad idea. No need to slack off so close to the big day. I just needed to find a window of opportunity and jump through it.

I woke up first thing in the morning and immediately hit the road to Prince William. For those of you that don't know the area, Prince William is within spitting distance (not that I spit) of King's Landing and offers spectacular views of the Saint John River. I initially planned to run from Sarah's grandmother's house to King's Landing and back, but wasn't sure of the distance. I reset the car's odometer at the King's Landing exit, started driving, and hit the driveway right as the odometer hit eight kilometers. Perfect.

Now I had to find time to run. The first item on my itinerary was a walk/truck in the woods, which included a lot of bumpy back roads, beautiful scenery, and a few roasted marshmallows. I found a few stubby beer bottles during the trip, which I decided were antiques and therefore must be kept for posterity. Expect to see them on the mantlepiece next time you visit my house.

We made it back to Sarah's grandmother's house at 2:30PM, and I was informed that dinner would be ready in two hours. This was my opportunity. I quickly changed into shorts and a long sleeve shirt and bolted out the door, hitting my stop watch as I dashed down the driveway.

I wasn't sure exactly how fast I was running, but it was certainly faster than one of my easy runs. I ran strong up every hill (there were a few), supported by a tail wind that noticeably propelled me forward on a few occasions. I hit the turnaround in 33:22 (about 90 seconds faster than planned), but I knew I had my work cut out for me if I wanted to hold that pace.

I was blasted by the wind as soon as I turned around, slowing me to a crawl at times. Luckily, the route now mostly downhill, which almost made up for the loss of speed. I felt great, especially considering how fast I was running. I did slow a little bit on the last five miles, but hit the driveway in 1:08:16, which would be good enough for a sub 3-hour marathon if I could maintain the pace. Pass the turkey, please.

Hopefully I'll have something good to blog about between now and the marathon. If not, I'll see you at the starting line!

Sunday Is Run Day

So I guess the Spruce Lake trail isn't as tranquil as I thought; my friends Marta Kelly and Brent Bethune used the trail as part of their Sunday long run and ran straight into a bear. No one was hurt, but the bear stood on its hind legs, giving me the impression that it wasn't too fond of strangers. I might have to check that run off my list until hibernation season.

My Sunday run, a 30K from my mother's house to Chris Fudge's house in Hampton, was bear free, but Chris and I encountered a fair share of unleashed dogs during our travels. Most dogs were intent on following us to the edge of their driveway, but one aggressive mutt ran out into the road with the intention of nibbling some ankles. Luckily, a very apologetic pet owner stopped the dog before he made a meal of me. It's probably good that the dog didn't get a taste; the salt content alone would have sent his blood pressure through the roof.

Why the salt, you ask? Well, it was another sweaty scorcher, hovering around 30 degrees when I left my mothers house at 3:30PM. Luckily a cool wind provided some relief, as did a steadily falling thermometer throughout the run. That being said, it was still mighty hot, so I adjusted my pace accordingly.

It took about 10k to kick the run into full gear. I stayed up late the previous two nights (back to back gigs with Penny Blacks), and hadn't eaten as well as I usually do, which I think made a difference. However, the scenery was enough to keep me distracted, and I floated easily for most of the run. Knowing the area helped, as it allowed me to break the distance into short, manageable sections. In less than two hours, I was just outside of Hampton, and feeling great.

That feeling didn't last long. As soon as I hit Main Street my quads started seizing up, and my pace faltered. However, I was able to maintain my focus for the last 8 kilometers, and chugged steadily away, even taking a detour to ensure a 30K+ run. I hit Chris' driveway in 2:52 flat, and celebrated the day's activities with a frosty beverage and a couple of well deserved burgers. Pass the ketchup, please.

Next up is some more speed work. Not sure what I have planned, but I intend on moving relatively quick. I'll add some photos for your enjoyment shortly.

Many Apologies, and a Blast from the Past

If you've been following the blog over the last few weeks, you'll notice that my post count has slowed dramatically. I am getting out for my runs, and have increased my effort and mileage, but school assignments have kept me from writing about them. I plan on getting back on schedule after this weekend (last exam Saturday), but until then I'll leave you with blog I wrote when I was training in Halifax. Enjoy!

NEVER TRUST YOUR ODOMETER
So I was given a book in the hopes it would inspire me to marathon greatness, but instead it has made me feel like a chump. Ultra Marathon Man – Confessions Of An All-Night Runner basically makes my little blog look like an elementary school track meet. Think a marathon is tough? Try running 135 miles through Death Valley in California. Better yet, how about a South Pole Marathon? There goes my book plans.

That being said, a 20-mile run is nothing to sneeze at for the vast majority of the population, which is what I had scheduled for Sunday afternoon. The route was entirely unplanned, but the plan was foolproof – drive along the coast for 30+ plus kilometers, then hop out of the car and run home. I even had an accomplice – my neighbour Bethany – who was more than happy to drop me off in the middle of nowhere and drive away.

After a brief discussion, we decided that the most interesting route would run along the 349, down to Purcell’s Cove Road, and back along Chebucto to my house on the Commons. I checked the weather outside – it was frigid and windy – changed into a long sleeve running shirt and a pair of spandex (don’t worry, I wore shorts on top to keep the run PG), and jumped into the car.

After a few minutes, it became apparent that the odometer was a little off. “Are you sure it’s only 5K?” I asked while we were on Purcell’s Cove Road. I initially pooh-poohed the notion, but after about a half an hour of driving, I started taking the idea more seriously. However, I didn’t want the run to be too short, so we kept driving.

About 45 minutes later we pulled over at the end of a dirt road. According to the car, it was only 30 kilometers, but we couldn't go any further because we were at a dead end (somewhere called Bar Harbour Road) and I didn’t feel like trying to backtrack for an extra six kilometers. We were in the middle of nowhere, it was freezing out, and I was nervous, so I got out of the car and started running, teeth chattering with each step.

My only real checkpoint was a little store that was approximately 3.6 kilometers away from where I was dropped off. I usually cover that distance in 18 minutes, so when it took me over 22 minutes to hit the store, I knew that the odometer had played a nasty trick on me. I couldn’t really do anything about it, so I just kept running and hoped I would be close to my house when my legs gave out on me.

A lot of things went wrong on the run. First of all, I didn’t apply enough Vaseline to a few important areas, which started chafing about a half an hour into my journey. I was also greeted with a frigid headwind that left me cold and uncomfortable. Best of all were the relentless hills that seemed to never end. I was getting discouraged in a hurry.

I quickly shifted focus to my immediate surroundings, and came to the realization that we have a lot of coves in Nova Scotia. Sandy Cove, Duncan’s Cove, Herring Cove, Ferguson’s Cove, Purcell’s Cove. I don’t think I have a favorite yet, but I’m leaning toward Sambro Head. It’s a cove - it might be fjord - but it’s close to the water and that is good enough for me.

After a while, all discomforts drifted away, and I started to enjoy the run. Sure, it was cold and windy, and my inner thigh was missing a layer of skin, but I felt like I could run forever. Even the endless hills weren’t bugging me. I was a running machine.

I didn’t start feeling any discernable fatigue until about two and a half hours into the run. By that point I could actually see the city in the distance, so I was encouraged to keep a decent pace. I hit the rotary twenty minutes later, but instead of running up Chebucto as dictated by my original plan, I turned right onto Quinpool, grabbed some fuel at a convenience store, and added a couple of kilometers around the neighbourhood before stopping in front of my house. Total time ran – three hours, eighteen minutes.

How far did I run? I am not sure. Based on the car ride and my various additions, approximately 32 kilometers. Based on the Google Map Pedometer, I ran 37.2 kilometers. I won’t ever know exactly how far I ran, but I do know that I am ready for the marathon. Sure, it’s not an ultra marathon, but it’ll do for now. Now let’s taper.

Imperfect Timing

Fitting a run into my daily routine is becoming increasingly difficult. Some of it is due to my busy schedule, but most of it is due to procrastination. This is not a new phenomenon. If you don’t believe me, check out this excerpt from my previous blog:

“I am a terrible procrastinator, so it’s easy to find things to do when I don’t want to run. Usually it starts out with something constructive, like doing the dishes. Then, I check the messages on the phone. The phone is next to the computer, so then I check my email. From there, it’s a slippery slope to the television, which is one step away from a nap. If sleep takes over, and it has on occasion, it’s game over.” – Chuck Teed, October 11, 2006

Lately, I find myself pushing back the start time until it’s almost too late. Yesterday I didn’t get outside until well after dark (those of you who read the blog daily will note that I planned on running in the daylight), thus maintaining my streak of night time runs. Today I had a six hour running window, but didn’t manage to leave the house until I had less than an hour to spare. Guess what happened to the length of my run? If I don’t start focusing a short term goal (a race, for example), I am never going to make it to the starting line of the marathon.

Yes, I know I that I should be focusing on building a base, but I also don’t want to get into a rut, and these short runs are starting to get to me. I need to switch up the routine, so if anyone in the blogosphere has any suggestions, I am all eyes (I would say ears, but I imagine I’ll be reading your response). Drop me a line at kvchallenger@gmail.com, or post a reply below.

Running Against The Wind

It’s getting colder every time I step outside. The current temperature is -10 (-20 with wind chill), and it’s supposed to be even colder tomorrow morning. So much for saving money on heating bills this winter.

Luckily for me, it was only -8 (-17 with wind chill) when I ran earlier this evening. I didn’t immediately notice the difference in temperature when I stepped out of the house, but soon the wind was slapping me across the face and I was wondering if I had enough layers to finish my run in comfort. I decided the best bet was to find a route that would keep me sheltered from the cold, and hope for the best.

My quest led me to Seawood Lane. Big enough for one car to pass through comfortably, Seawood is surrounded by trees, which kept me protected from the arctic breeze long enough to warm up. Sadly, it’s only about a kilometer in length, so it wasn’t long before I was assaulted by the wind once again.

I think the urge to get out of the cold increased my tempo on the run. I pushed hard on the hills (both up and down), and generally kept a brisk pace. It’s probably the best I’ve felt since I started training, and bodes well for my long run tomorrow. My goal is relatively pedestrian – if I crack an hour, I’ll be surprised – but I need to start varying the distances or I’ll get stale. Hopefully the weather cooperates and I don’t freeze out on the roads.

Cool (Cold) Runnings

I’m getting sick. Not the down and out for days variety, but the lingering cough and cold sort of ailment that makes you miserable while you go to school or work. If I had my druthers, I would rather be forced to stay in bed, but something tells me I’ll be good enough for a class or two tomorrow morning.

I am also good enough for a run or two this weekend. At this point, the illness is lodged in my sinuses, which means it’s not adversely affecting my breathing. When it come to physical activity and sickness, my philosophy is ‘if it’s in your chest, take a rest, if it’s in your head, get out of bed,’ and until someone tells me otherwise, I’ll stick with it.

Speaking of cold, these runs are starting to get a little chilly. The last few days were around the freezing mark (32 degrees Fahrenheit for those of you in the United States), but tonight the temperature dipped down to about -5, and I could definitely tell a difference in my comfort level. My hands were cold, and my toes were freezing. It might be time for some new cold weather running duds.

Other than that, the run went without incident. In fact, this was the first time since I started training where I felt motivated to add an extra couple of minutes to the run. I decided against it at the last minute – groceries beckoned – but I’m feeling confident that a Sunday morning long run isn’t out of the question. How long has yet to be determined, but if I stay on my feet for an hour, I won’t complain.

KV Challenger - An Introduction

Let me begin this blog by introducing myself. My name is Chuck Teed, and I am a 32-year-old running enthusiast from Saint John, New Brunswick. I would call myself a runner, but I don't always run as often as I would like these days. A typical year consists of me hitting a race or two, but I haven't run a full season since my early 20s and my finish times reflect the lack of effort. I am definitely not the runner I was ten years ago.

While I won't break any land speed records this year, I still think I have one good marathon in me. I've run three marathons in my life, the best being a 3:23.38 on six weeks training. With the proper base, I think I could crack 3:10 and qualify for the Boston Marathon.

This is where the blog comes in. I am attempting a qualifying run at the Kennebecasis Challenge Marathon October 17, 2010, and I will use this space to keep people updated on my progress. I've blogged about my running adventures on previous occasions, and I found it a wonderful way to keep my training on track. I can't be a couch potato if people are watching my every move, you know.

Anyway, I should cut this entry short and rest up for tomorrow's run. We're expecting a big storm, and I need to hit the streets before I get blown into the Bay of Fundy. Wish me luck!