The countdown begins...

My marathon is less than two weeks way and I can feel it. Everything is tired - my legs, my head, my heart. Tonight, I did one last 8k tempo run and it hurt. A lot. Which tells me I need to get serious about tapering if I'm to have any chance of running a PB ("personal best" time) in Fredericton on May 12th. For the next 11 days, I plan to run easy, eat well, sleep more than usual (well, try to, at least) and think positive thoughts.

Last night helped in that respect. I was invited to do another "intro to chi running" session at the Bedford Running Room. My audience was a group of newbie runners - all women - keen to learn whatever will make running feel easier. After the session, I joined the group for a slow 5k along the waterfront. It was a large, soft, spring evening and the company was good so I enjoyed it thoroughly.

I'm too exhausted to write more tonight so I'll sign off now, but here's an update on last week's training:

Total distance: 41 kms
Number of runs: 4
Longest run: 17 kms 
Speed training: 1 x 6 kms

Remembering Boston, believing a better world is possible

It's been just over a week since the horrific attack on the Boston Marathon and I, like many others, am still reeling. I can't begin to imagine what it must have been like - for the people who were injured or killed in the attack, and for the thousands of runners and supporters who participated in the event.  However, since others have already written far more eloquently and with more insight than I ever could, the only other thing I'll say about it is this:  If the bombers thought their attack would discourage runners and spectators from participating in future events, they were mistaken. Running is all about the triumph of the human spirit. It's about hope, courage, perseverance and community. The memorial runs that have taken place around the world since last Monday (including here in Halifax last night) underline that fact.

Wordless Wednesday

Running lessons: You can!

Peace Park on a misty April day

This week was my second toughest week of training before I run the Fredericton Marathon on May 12th. I have to admit, it felt like it. After 8 weeks of hard training - not to mention, all the other stuff I've been doing - I'm darned tired and looking forward to having the race behind me.  

A quick catch-up

The last few weeks have been incredibly hectic - hence, the long silence - and, after 10k yesterday and another 26k today, I'm too pooped to write much tonight.

The short version is that marathon training continues to go well, though I'm definitely feeling its effects. I increased my total kilometrage at a reasonable rate but may have increased the intensity a little too quickly. I went from doing very little hill or speed training to doing a session of each per week and it seems my body's not entirely happy about it. When I saw my chiro and massage therapist last week, both noted my legs were extremely tight and encouraged me to stretch more. And by encouraged I mean they inflicted enough discomfort working out the knots in my calves, quads, neck and shoulders that I feel motivated to be much more conscientious about stretching and doing yoga in the coming weeks.

Of course, part of the stress on my body has nothing to do with training. Work is very busy at the moment, we're in the midst of a major kitchen renovation, and I'm planning our next European adventure in June.  Added to which, I haven't been sleeping all that well and we did a four-day birthday visit to PEI over the Easter weekend. (I hope to write a more detailed account of that trip later this week.) No wonder I'm tired.

In any case, after a reasonably restful day yesterday and lots of time with family and friends today, I feel I'm starting the new week reasonably refreshed.  Good thing. My schedule calls for me to do hills, speed work and a 29km run by this time next week. Yikes.

For those who enjoy seeing pictures from my runs, here are some from the two runs I did along the Charlottetown waterfront in PEI last weekend. Temperatures were cool (around 0 degrees C) but the big blue sky and brisk winds were positively intoxicating!

And here are a few pics from my 26k along the South Shore today. Again, the weather was stunning!

I feel fortunate to be able to run in such beautiful places.

For the geeks in the crowd, here are the stats for the past two weeks:

March 25 - 31
Total # runs: 4
Total kms: 45 kms
Longest run: 19.5 kms
Hill training: 1 x 7 hills
Tempo runs: 1 x 8 kms
Other training: yoga (1 hour)

April 1-7
Total # runs: 3
Total kms: 44 kms
Longest run: 26 kms
Tempo runs: 1 x 8 kms

Happy running and writing, friends!