Spring is here...we hope

The weather's been weird lately - far too warm  for February and early March. Mind you, I'm not complaining. It's tough enough to get back to regular training without the frigid temperatures we usually have at this time of year.

A couple of weeks ago, we had snow but it was so warm it didn't hang around long - though it sure was pretty while it lasted. It was so wet it clung to everything, creating a gorgeous winter wonderland. Husband and I took Jackie to Peace Park early enough to savour the effect before it melted off the trees.

It's a good thing Jackie's got brown ears and a pink tongue, or we'd have lost her in all that white stuff.

It was easier to keep track of her when we headed out for a short run up river the following weekend when the snow was mostly gone.

I finally signed up for the Bluenose 15k a few weeks ago, so it's time to get busy training. I'm hoping Jackie will accompany me on shorter runs and she's done pretty well the few times I've taken her - trotting along steadily, with only occasional stops for pees, water, and stick-chewing. Last week, we started a trail training class, which should help. She loved running and playing with the other dogs but we were all pretty tired by the time we got home. It turns out paying attention is almost as tiring for Husband and me as it is for her.

It will be interesting to see how my Bluenose training goes now that I've dropped a few pounds and had a long break. I've lost a lot of fitness and flexibility in recent months so it'll take a fair bit of patience I expect.  Most years, I maintain a solid enough base throughout the year that it's relatively easy to transition to longer distances when spring arrives but, after running so little these past few months, my base has eroded to the point that even 5k feels like a workout.

I'd be lying if I said I was okay with that, but I refuse to let myself be discouraged. After all, when I started running regularly at 40, I was 20 pounds overweight, desperately out of shape, with very little running experience, and I still managed to do things I never thought I would - like complete 9 marathons, a 50k ultra, and a slew other shorter races.  I may be older now (56 in a few weeks) but I've succeeded in keeping my weight down and still enjoy running enough to want to do it regularly, so there's every reason to believe I can find my way back to a comfy training groove soon. Here's hoping anyway.

Speaking of weight, Husband and I are continuing to track what we eat and avoid foods that don't agree with us and it seems to be paying off. We're no longer losing weight - which is fine since we're  happy where we are - but we're eating heaps more veggies, feeling better and no longer gaining, which is terrific. We're also expanding our repertoire in the kitchen. A couple of weeks ago, I cooked five spice duck breast with balsamic jus for the first time and it was pretty fantastic, if I do say so myself.

In other news, I've been busy making my way through a few more books on photography. I find them inspiring - but only theoretically, since I don't have a lot of time or energy for taking photos at the moment. I'm hoping that will change when the weather warms up and there's more daylight. In the meantime, I try to spend time each day "seeing photographically" and capturing images like these with my iPhone.

Finally, just because I so seldom mention her, here are two photos of Her Highness. She really is a beautiful girl - especially for an old lady of 15.

I hope spring has arrived where you are! Are you training for a spring race? How's it going so far? What tricks to you have for getting back to regular training after an extended break? When and how do you feel inspired to take photographs?

Creative November Challenge Day #13: Running woes

It was an odd weekend. Since I had an extra day off (today being a holiday for us government workers), I thought there's be plenty of time to do all the things I wanted to do - cooking, running, yoga, reading, painting, writing, and photography. Instead, most of the weekend got eaten up walking and playing with Jackie, discussing renovation ideas with Husband and tackling various chores. As we prepared to return to the city tonight, I was feeling more than a little frustrated that the time had gone so quickly and I had so little to show for it.

It wasn't a total loss. I managed to do some reading yesterday - finishing Hillbilly Elegy and making my way about halfway through Fifteen Dogs - and this morning I did some baking so we had fresh cheese biscuits for breakfast, then spent most of the afternoon practicing yoga, writing and painting.

My frustration mostly stemmed from the fact that I didn't run all weekend. I headed out first thing Saturday morning intending to run 5k but only got about a hundred metres from the house before the cold, windy conditions prompted me to turn back. Since I hadn't remembered to bring warm gear with me, I thought I'd try again Sunday or today when I hoped the weather would be better. As it turned out, the weather was better but still not warm enough to run without the headband and gloves I'd left in the city.  

After skipping my run today, I have to say I felt pretty discouraged and disappointed with myself - until it occurred to me that maybe it's time to stop beating myself up just because my running's not going as well as I'd like it to. The reality is I've trained consistently most of this year, despite health and other issues - so not running for a week or two isn't really such a bit deal. In fact, it might even be a good thing if I use the break to rest and make plans for the winter season.

The trouble is I don't feel like a "real" runner if I'm not running 3-4 times a week, including a long weekend run - which is ridiculous when I stop to think about it. After all, I've run regularly for more than 15 years now and completed dozens of races - including 8 full marathons and a 50k ultra. Not a real runner? Clearly, I need a more sensible definition.

Given my age and how little time and energy I have for training these days, it's no surprise running feels harder than it used to but that doesn't mean my running days are over. It just means I may need to change things up a bit, set more realistic goals and be patient as I work towards getting back into shape this winter - hopefully, with Jackie along for company on at least some of my runs. We've only tackled short distances together so far but she really seems to enjoy it so I'm hopeful she'll be inspiring me to get out the door a lot more often when she's older. Until then, I'll try being a little more gentle and patient with myself and trust that my inner runner will feel more like hitting the road after a few weeks of rest.

Here's a video of Jackie on the beach last weekend. As you can tell, she loves to run. I hope I can teach her to run slowly enough to let me keep up!

Why ain’t it always summer?

It’s been a good few weeks at our house. I took several long weekends and we did our best to make the most of them – heading for the beach whenever the weather cooperated. Unfortunately, it seems fall has decided to arrive early so we had to dress warmly whenever we ventured out this weekend. I’m still hoping for one last warm day on the beach but I’m not counting on it. The upside is that the cooler temperatures are better for running, walking and hiking – and we’ve done lots of all three in the past two weeks.

There were our usual outings to Risser’s Beach to take Jackie for walks and swims...

...but we also spent a very pleasant afternoon hiking along Hirtle's Beach and around Gaff Point...

...and another at the Kejimkujik Seaside Park.

 

Kejimkujik was particularly lovely because we took a yummy picnic lunch and had the whole beach to ourselves for a couple of hours. I could have stayed there forever.

My running’s been going reasonably well too – well enough that I've signed up for a second race this fall – a half marathon at 9RunRun in Stittsville, Ontario, near Ottawa. It should be a fun event, and I’m looking forward to the trip since it will be a chance to spend quality time with close friends who live nearby. Between now and then, I'll tackle a 15k event at Maritime Race Weekend along with my usual training runs. I don’t have firm time goals for either event – though I'd like to run the half marathon in 2:15 or less. To this point, I've completed a couple of 17k training runs, as well as a strong 8k at race pace, so 2:15 should be do-able if my training continues to go well.

As summer draws to a close, I’m reading the Anne of Green Gables series again – which is why I'm humming “Why Ain’t it Always Summer” (from the musical) as I write this. I loved the books the first time I read them as a child in PEI and am enjoying them even more the second time around. In challenging and uncertain times - which these most certainly are - Anne’s joyful optimism is good for the soul.

Assuming Trump doesn’t get us all blown up, I’ll write again soon. Until then, happy running and writing!

P.S. I've resisted the urge to include umpteen photos of Jackie in this post, but you can see plenty of recent photos of her on my Instagram account if you're interested.  

Running lessons: Tough times make us stronger

Another week of training gone and, with just 12 weeks until Cabot Trail Relay, I'm beginning to feel a tad nervous.  So far, I've managed to complete all the long weekend runs on my schedule but I've been much less consistent about midweek runs. 

Last week, for instance, I only ran 3k on Tuesday evening before slowing to a walk because I was feeling woozy. I'm not sure what the problem was - maybe tired from all the running the week before (37k in total) or maybe fighting a bug of some kind. Thank goodness my energy returned to normal this weekend - especially given the challenges posed by the weather. 

Let me back up. The weekend before last was fantastic for running - spring-like with mild temperatures, little wind, and fog no less! I had to strip down to my running bra at the midpoint of my 8k on Saturday morning fun.  Seriously!

Since the weather was so mild, Husband and I headed down river for a walk on Risser's Beach in the afternoon. There wasn't much to see but it was mellow wandering along listening to the waves and shaking out my legs in preparation for my long run the next day.

Sunday morning, I crawled out of bed earlier than usual and headed to Prince's Inlet to join my buddy David's for a favourite run out to Second Peninsula and back. This is Dave at our turnaround point at Bachman's Beach. I didn't bother to try to take other photos since it was still so foggy.

The run was "easier" than some I've done lately because the weather was so lovely and there were many fewer hills involved but, at 17k, it still felt challenging - maybe because we ran early enough that I didn't have time to stretch properly first. In any case, it was - as always - great fun running with David and catching up on his news.

By contrast, this past weekend's runs were much tougher. Husband and I set out after breakfast Saturday morning, intending to do 8k up river and back, but the wind was so strong and cold we turned back after about a kilometre and finished our run in Peace Park, where we could be out of the the wind for the most part. By the time we'd finished two circuits of the park, Husband had had enough so we headed back to town, where he dropped me so I could run a last few kilometres back to the house before calling it a day.

The forecast was for calmer weather yesterday but, unfortunately, the forecast was wrong. We woke up to only marginally warmer temperatures (-7C) and even stronger wind. I couldn't imagine tackling my planned workout, which would have involved fighting heavy headwinds for six 500-metre climbs up Logan Street hill. Instead, I opted to do my hill repeats on a 500 metre stretch of Aberdeen Rd., which was mostly out of the wind.

Even with little wind, those six hills felt hard. After completing just two, the gremlins in my head were having a field day - loudly insisting I was too damned old to run North Mountain and might as well throw in the towel now, walk home and plop myself down by the fire for the afternoon. Fortunately, after training for nearly 30 long distance races, I've learned a few tricks for dealing with the little blighters. "First off," I growled under my breath, "I am not too old!  Second, every one of these climbs will only last 3 and 4 minutes - which is no time at all. Third, plenty of people have way worse things to deal with than this - illness, depression, addiction, breakups. If they can deal with their stuff for weeks and months at a time, I can most certainly run uphill for half an hour! So bugger off and leave me alone!" Which they did.

Of course, it helped that I could feel the training starting to pay off. The hills felt easier than they have in a few of years. If I stick to my training plan, there's every reason to hope I'll be strong enough to run leg 9 in a reasonable time. I just need to be patient and keep working.

Ahhhh...there's another of those wonderful lessons that resonate in the rest of my life. The reality is that many of the best thing in life only become possible through concerted and consistent effort - fulfilling relationships, satisfying work, and good health - to name just a few. Of course, you might be lucky enough to have some of those things drop in your lap but mostly you have to work for them.

Another lesson is that it's often the tough times that make you stronger and happier in the long run. Sure, I might have preferred mild, calm conditions for this weekend's runs but the cold and wind made for more intense workouts overall and forced me to confront my gremlin so, as training runs go, they were actually pretty awesome.  In life it's the same. Shit happens and you can't imagine  you'll ever get through it, but you do. And usually you end up wiser, stronger and more confident because of it - which is also pretty awesome.

And, with that, friends, it's time to curl up by the fire to read a bit before bed.  Hope spring is in the air wherever you are. Happy running and writing.

Five ways to tell if your training is going well

It’s February, the toughest month in many Canadian runners' calendars - when the weather outside is frightful, we've put on extra weight as a result of eating too many holiday goodies, and we're just ramping up our training for spring races.  

When our bodies feel sluggish, we're still getting into a good training groove, and there's little to show for it yet, motivation can be hard to find – which is why it’s important to recognize and celebrate even small shifts that tell us we're training well.  Here are five of my favourites:

1.  I sleep soundly and wake up refreshed.

When my training is going well, I get just enough exercise to go to bed physically tired but not so much that I'm over-training - telltale symptoms of which are insomnia and a failure to recover fully between workouts.

2.  Walking down stairs feels good.

Pushing too hard and not taking time to stretch and cross-train often leads to muscle tightness and joint pain that can make it hard to walk down a set of stairs. Training well means getting enough rest and doing what's needed between workouts to keep my joints and muscles limber and pain-free. I know I've been stretching and resting enough when I can do a long run one day and walk downstairs easily the next. 

3.  I can put on my socks without sitting down or leaning against a wall.

To run well, you need good balance and flexibility, as well as a strong core. When I can balance on one leg to put on my sock, I know my body is balanced, strong and flexible enough to run well. Yoga, stretching and core exercises help keep it that way.

4.  I look forward to being outside.

When my body's revved from training, I like to be outside as much as possible - even in cold, stormy weather! I look forward to participating in winter activities (like skiing, snow shoeing, sledding, and skating) while soaking up some wintry sunshine. Reminding myself that "winter runs make summer bodies" doesn't hurt either. 

5.  I crave healthier food.

My body's smart. When I pay attention, it tells me what to eat so that it's properly fueled for training. Fruits and veggies seem more appetizing, junk food and alcohol far less appealing. I crave healthier options that will make me stronger, lighter and faster.

What about you? How do you know when your training's going well?

And now the real work begins...

On the running front, I got serious about training for CTR this week - increasing my distances somewhat, adding regular hills and stretching more consistently in an effort to keep my hip flexors from becoming too tight. By yesterday afternoon, I was feeling the effects. My last run of the week - an easy 5k with husband - felt harder than it should have, which reminded me that I'll need to pace myself. There's a long road hard between here and Cabot Trail Relay, so I'll need to be smart and strategic to avoid burning out before I hit the start line.

Which is a nice metaphor for what lies ahead for all who participated in the Women's March on Saturday. It was wonderful to see so many people take a stand against Trump and - more importantly - for progressive change, but now is when the real work begins.

As I scanned my Facebook news feed this morning, I was reminded that one of the big challenges will be healing wounds within the women's community. There are a myriad of divisions based on race, ethnicity, economic power, social status, gender identify, union membership, etc. that need to be acknowledged and addressed as quickly as possible - both because it's the right thing to do and because it's the only way to move forward together.

And move forward we must. The agenda that Trump, Putin and the like are pursuing in an entirely self-serving one that's bound to make things worse for most people - not to mention the planet. The one thing that inspires some optimism is that so many people seem to understand the danger and want to do something about it. Here's praying that all who participated in a march - or even just cheered from the sidelines - will get involved (if they're not already) in working on one or more issues they care about. March organizers are providing practical advice to those who may not know how to begin through an initiative they're calling 10 Actions in 100 Days.

Here at home, things seem slightly less grim - but I've no doubt there are people who are angry and cynical enough to try playing from Trump's playbook in order to get themselves or their candidates elected. Hopefully, my fellow Canadians - Harper fresh in their minds - won't fall for it, and our concerns about what's happening south of the border will translate into action here at home.

My friend Keith posted a wonderful rant on his blog this weekend, which I highly recommend. He's right. We need to remain hopeful, and get busy doing what we can to make the world a better place.

In the weeks ahead, I'll try to blog regularly about my CTR training for those who are interested. So far, the weather has made training relatively easy this winter (see photo at the top of this post) but, as February approaches, I'm braced for colder temperatures and a lot more snow. I live in Canada, after all.

In hope and solidarity,
Jan

Because it's there...

I've just done something that may turn out to be very, very foolish. I volunteered to run Leg 9 of the Cabot Trail Relay at the end of May. Here's how the organizers describe it:

17.84 km Rating 5 (start time: 1955hrs) Time to put on the reflective vest! This leg makes Smokey look like a piece of cake. North Mountain in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park climbs 385 km & reaches the top at 6.2 km then falls back to sea level. The route then levels off to finish at Mountain View Motel & Restaurant on the right at Pleasant Bay. Night will have fallen completely. The restaurant will be open and there will be two portables in the parking lot.

The road in the photo at the top of the post is a portion of the route. You can check out the elevation chart here.

I watched my friend David and 69 other runners complete Leg 9 in 2013 in total awe. How, I wondered, could anyone run up such a steep grade for 6.2 kms? Even more impressive were the downhill portions of the leg - more than 6 kms in length and just as steep. I was so damned proud of David. He did fantastically well and returned the next year to tackle the even tougher Leg 10 to the top of MacKenzie Mountain.

I've already run CTR four times - completing legs 1, 5, 12, and 14 - and my plan is do it just once more in honour of my 55th birthday in March. Given that it's likely to be my last CTR, I figured I might as well make it a good one, and running one of the mountain legs been on my bucket list since my first time out. I can't say why really. To quote George Mallory, "because it's there", I suppose.

That said, I confess to a moment of panic when the email arrived saying I'd been slotted in to run North Mountain. I've not done much hill training the past couple of years, and I'm a long way from being in top condition so it's not going to be easy. However, this isn't the first time I've taken on a big challenge. In the fall of 2013, I completed Cape to Cabot, the "toughest race in eastern North America". Comparing elevation charts for the two races, C2C actually has more ascents overall. And I ran C2C just five weeks after completing a full marathon, which made it more challenging.

Of course, the reality is that the hills on the C2C route are more spread out and I was three and a half years younger. Also, I ran it more slowly than I plan to run North Mountain. On the upside I've got nineteen weeks to train and three more years of racing experience. In addition, I'm determined not to let my teammates down.

I spent some time this week sketching out a training schedule. The goal is to run 4 times per week and include hills in nearly every run. For instance, two nights this week I changed my usual route so I could run up and down a long steep hill I normally avoid. I'll also do plenty of structured hill training as well as regular core workouts and yoga to keep everything in balance. I found some new strengthening exercises I'd like to build into my program as well.

For the rest of this month, my plan is to focus on solidifying my base and enhancing my diet to include more leafy greens and proteins. In early February, hill and speed training can begin in earnest. If the weather isn't cooperative, I'll hit the gym instead. Stay tuned for regular updates once I get underway.

In other news, Husband and I just spent an awesome weekend with two of our darling nieces. The girls live in the country and only get to the city now and again, so we had great fun showing them around and introducing them to the joys of public transit, the Museum of Natural History, the trampoline park (Get Air), the Emera Oval, and beavertails. They seemed to enjoy their time with us, but truthfully we enjoyed it more. They're at such fun and interesting ages, and were so appreciative of all that we did together. 

I offered to put her hair in a ponytail but she preferred to let it go wild

 

Showing off her gymnastics moves on the trampoline

With Husband on the ferry

First ride on a city bus

Littlest who skating on her own!

The weather here hasn't been too cold and miserable so far this winter. We've had a few brutal days here and there, but there have been lots of mild mornings like this too.

Hope winter's going well, wherever you are. Happy running and writing!

Running lessons: Take everything into account

Spring flowers at Shubie Park

Last weekend was supposed to feel since my schedule called for two relatively short runs - 16k and 10k - after a couple of tough midweek workouts. Unfortunately, the weekend wasn't quite as restful as I hoped.

Husband's away for a couple of weeks so I decided to avoid the stress and aggravation of getting myself and the cat to the country and stayed in the city. As the weekend approached, I imagined I'd tackle a few chores, do a bit of cooking and rest as much as possible.

Riiiight.

Of course, that's not how the weekend unfolded. Admittedly, both Saturday and Sunday began gently. It was a warm, sunny weekend so I started both days on the back dip sipping coffee, then doing yoga in the sunshine.

But that's where the relaxation ended. As soon as coffee and yoga were out of the way, I launched into a long list of chores - gardening, grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning - before lacing up my shoes to go running.

Saturday's run was the nicer of the two. I did 8km - mostly along the Dartmouth Harbourfront Trail. The trail is one of my favourite routes in summer because it offers terrific views of downtown Halifax, George's Island and the harbour. Not surprisingly, there were lots of other people out enjoying the day and heaps of spring flowers!

Shubie Park

On Sunday, I ran to and through Shubie Park as far as Vivien's Way (one of my favourite places), figuring I should opt for a more challenging route since I only planned to do 20k. There's plenty of up and down in Shubie, which I hoped would help break in my new shoes. As it turned out, my shoes broke me instead. By the time I shuffled out of the park, my legs and feet weren't at all happy - bad news given the race is less than a month away.

It's particularly frustrating because my new shoes are the same model I've been wearing for several years - Asics Nimbus - though a size smaller than my last pair, which chaffed uncomfortably. The new shoes don't chaff but, for whatever reason, my legs and feet don't feel good in them. Clearly, wearing them to run 42.2k isn't an option. :-(

Of course, my legs might have been unhappy for other reasons. My hamstrings and lower back got a serious workout while I was gardening. In retrospect, I probably should have left gardening until after the marathon but the warm temperatures made me want to get outside, and I could tell the garden appreciated my efforts. I swear I could watch the irises growing Sunday morning!

I wore the shoes again last night for an 8k tempo run and concluded it's the right shoe that's an issue, which has me wondering if the answer is to run in mismatched shoes - a new shoe on my left foot and an old one on my right. I'll maybe try that this weekend and see how it goes. It'll look silly but that's the lesser of two evils in my books.

The high point of the weekend was a trip to Truro to visit my 94 year old Aunt Ruby. It was good seeing her but a little sad too. She doesn't have much memory left so quickly forgets when people visit. As a result she feels lonely a good deal of the time. Fortunately, the staff at the facility are good to her and she appreciates their kindness so there are plenty of bright spots in her days. It also helps that she still has a wonderfully sly sense of humour. I hope people say that about me when I'm her age!

After such a full weekend, dragging myself out of bed Monday morning was painful, which made me realize I'd frittered away whatever benefits I should have gotten from running less. I can't do anything about that now but it was a good reminder to take everything into account - particularly in the final weeks leading up to the race. I'll be running less but that doesn't mean I should plan on doing extra chores and activities. The point of tapering is to rest, rebuild and mentally prepare for the challenge that lies ahead. Given that, I need to spend the last three weeks resting as much as I can between workouts.

I checked the Calgary forecast again this morning and it's still hot as hades. My niece (who grew up there) assures me that Calgary weather is quixotic and could cool off considerably in the coming weeks. I hope she's right about that. I've been overdressing for all my runs in an effort to prepare for warm temperatures but, realistically, I'm in no condition to run a full marathon in summer heat:-(

As I write this, I'm listening to news reports on the horrific fire in Fort McMurray. Needless to say, I'll be keeping the folks there in my thoughts and prayers in the coming days. Bless the firefighters and other first responders who are risking their lives to get the fire under control and help those fleeing the flames, and my sincere sympathies to all who've been affected.

Running lessons: Training well sometimes means running less

The big news last week was that I turned 54. How the heck did that happen? It feels like only yesterday I was 25. On the upside, at least I'm still running regularly - something I could never have imagined when I was 40 years old and 25 pounds overweight. It seems some things really do get better with age. :-)

I was more than usually busy at work and at home last week so there wasn't much time for celebrating. However, Husband made one of my favourite meals - homemade pizza - and gave me a huge bouquet of flowers (so huge, it filled three vases!) and friends and family from all over the world sent messages so it was a nice day, all in all.

Even Her Highness got in on the act - deigning to let me take her picture without being too grumpy about it.

I'd hoped to do a little more celebrating on the weekend but, as it turned out, I was too pooped to do much besides prepare to go running, go running and recover from running. :-)  I'm only half kidding. If fact, I slept in until 10:30 Saturday morning - a sure sign I was tired. By the time I awoke, the sky was filled with dark, threatening clouds so I rescheduled my long run to Sunday and opted to do an 8k with Husband instead.

I used Saturday afternoon and evening to rest up for my long run. By the next morning, the weather had cleared somewhat so I hit the road early and managed to finish most of the run before the rain started again - just ahead of the polar vortex that roared in late that afternoon bringing high winds and snow. Ugh. Needless to say, I was glad I finished before the weather turned truly nasty.

It took a little under 3.5 hours to run 28k so I had plenty of time to think about what more I need to do to prepare for the Calgary Marathon. Since I'm already logging long distances, I feel good about my chances of completing 42.2k, though there's still lots to do.

First, in order to get to the start line healthy and uninjured, I need to avoid viruses and over-training. My resting heart rate's too high at the moment, which likely means I've been pushing too hard and making myself vulnerable to both. Given that, I've altered my training plan for this week so that I can run less and get more rest in anticipation of returning to more intensive training next week.

Second, I need to do more work on strength, flexibility and form. Hill training is helping to improve strength and form, but my legs and hips are still too tight so it's clear I need more time on my yoga mat. I also plan to do this core workout once or twice a week. I completed it once last week and was surprised at how challenging it was. I had no trouble doing the exercises but my shoulders and hamstrings were unexpectedly sore the next day. Fortunately, I felt much better following my first session this week.

Third, I need to do more runs on flatter routes. It may sound strange but I've always found hilly courses easier than flat ones. My personal best marathon time is the 4:36 I clocked in San Francisco! The problem with flat courses is that, since there's no variation in terrain, the muscles in my legs don't get to much chance to change things up. Calgary appears to be the flattest course I've ever run so I want to do what I can to prepare for it.

Finally, I need to work on mental preparation. Anyone who's ever run a marathon can tell you that running 42.2k is as much a mental feat as a physical one.  The confidence that comes from training hard and consistently is a big part of it, but you also need strategies to deal with all the things that can happen on race day - illness, bad weather, lost gear, you name it. Something won't go as planned - guaranteed - so the goal is to be ready to handle whatever that is.

For me, the biggest part of my mental preparation for Calgary will be setting reasonable expectations and focusing on enjoying the event as much as possible. As a friend reminded me yesterday, Calgary is a little over 1000 metres above sea level, and it's very possible I'll find running at altitude harder than I expect, so it will be more important than ever to listen to my body and focus on having fun rather than finishing in a particular time.

In closing, here are a few photos from my long run last Sunday. The trail by the river has been extended 2.5kms past Cookville Bridge now. I hadn't been that far up the river in a couple of years so enjoyed checking it out. The views were lovely and peaceful - even on a grey day.

I finished my run with a loop through Peace Park, one of my all time favourite places. Though the day was so grey, the subdued colours reflecting on the river had their own appeal

Hope everyone has a great week! If you have marathon training tips to share, I'd love to hear them.

Happy running and writing!

Let the training begin!

Well, the decision's made. I booked my ticket yesterday, then spent an hour or so writing up a training plan for the next 11 weeks.  Here's what it looks like:

Given my current level of fitness, it's relatively ambitious so I may not be able to follow it strictly. I'll have to pay close attention to how my body responds to ensure I don't overdo it and end up sick. However, provided I complete the long weekend runs, hill training, and at least one other run each week, I should be fit enough to go the distance. If I complete most of the planned tempo runs and do some LSRs on hilly routes as well, perhaps I'll even run something close to my personal best time of 4:36. Time will tell.

To be clear, I'm not going from 0 to 60 here. I started training months ago, and have been slowly rebuilding endurance and consistency since. I wasn't sure I'd attempt marathon this spring but I wanted to be in good enough shape to go for it if the weather cooperated and life didn't otherwise conspire to prevent it. Now that tulips are poking out of the ground and I'm recovered from the flu, I'm optimistic I can get where I want to be by race day.

You'll notice I've broken up a string of 30+ km runs with a 16k in week 7. Depending on how my body responds, I might replace another of the 30+ km runs with a shorter one. What I've learned training for other marathons is that running really long distances every week gets exhausting - especially if I'm doing hill training and tempo runs as well. To avoid injury or illness brought on by over-training, it's often better to do them every second week and give my body time to recover more fully in between. (Jeff Galloway and other running coaches recommend that approach so I know I'm on solid ground.)

I haven't found a great deal of information on the marathon course in Calgary. I have the impression it's hillier than one might expect. The official site mentions there's a steady climb between the 10k and 20k marks and rolling hills for the second half so it's certainly not flat. In general, I prefer a route with some hills since changes in elevation mean using my legs in different ways. On the other hand, long slow climbs are tough. I'm convinced that's partly what caused issues for me in Fredericton three years ago. I'll need to watch my pace carefully to avoid a repeat in Calgary.

Whatever happens on race day, it's sure to be a fun weekend. I'm planning to stay with my sister and her family for much the time I'm there, and joining forces with my blogging/running buddy, Keith, to take in some sights. If time permits, I'll also visit family friends who operate Chinook Honey in Okotoks, just south of the city. When I fly out on Tuesday, I'll head west to Vancouver to spend a couple of days visiting a beloved cousin and a few friends before jumping on a flight home.  All in all, it promises to be a great trip.

But, first, I need to complete another 10.5 weeks of training. Wish me luck!

What about you? Do you do LSRs every week or break them up to give you body a break?  What's the longest distance you run when training for a marathon? Have you ever run Calgary? What did you think of the course?

Wishing for a crystal ball

Our country house - March 2015

It's been a busy few weeks - with lots of changes at work and at home - added to which, I was sick with flu. I only went running a few times and even that felt like too much. I'm still recovering from an attempt to run 22k on Saturday. I covered the distance but walked most of the last 3k. I'd hoped to follow it up with a 8-10k recovery run on Sunday but felt too sore and tired to hit the road again. Instead, I did a little yoga, poured a glass of wine, and snuggled in by the fire to listen to the wind howling outside.

The big news is that we've decided not to sell the country house for the moment. We'd had quite a few showings since Christmas but, the more it seemed it might actually sell, the less we wanted to let it go. Things came to a head last weekend when we got a low-ball offer and I realized I had no interest in making a deal. After contemplating the offer for a couple of days, we rejected it and took the house off the market. Lots could change for me at work in the next while, so it seems best to keep our options open until things settle down a bit.

The fact is we both love the country house. It's not grand, by any means, but it's a comfy old place with high ceilings, lovely bright rooms, and plenty of privacy. It sits on about 4.5 acres (1.8 hectares) of forested land, complete with a brook and walking trail, and there are no neighbours close enough to bother us. One of the best things about it is its location - close to the river, our favourite beaches, and an assortment of walking trails. Whatever the season, there's never a shortage of beautiful places to run. And we enjoy being able to visit with family and friends who live in the area regularly.

Another big issue for me was giving up my current commute to work. The plan was to sell both houses and buy a new one in a rural community close enough to the city that I could commute by bus. In theory, that sounded like a great idea but the reality of trading my daily cruise across the harbour for an hour or more in traffic didn't excite me.

Of course, there are disadvantages to our current arrangement. For starters, there's the cost and effort of maintaining two houses. But, even with those, it didn't feel right to give up a home we like so much while my work situation is in flux. I don't expect to lose my job anytime soon but it could happen, in which case we'd likely move to the country and sell our wee city house instead.

We love these massive old trees but the middle one
leans towards the house and they're all quite decrepit

The interesting thing is how good both Husband and I feel about the decision now that it's made. Neither of us has had a moment of regret, which tells me it was the right one. Now that we know we're staying for awhile, our summer plans include starting a new veggie garden, shingling the barn roof, and dealing with the old white pines threatening to fall on the house. Of course, we'll try to spend plenty of time at the beach too.

Taking the house off the market also means I can focus on training for my next marathon without worrying I'll be side-tracked by a move. My preferred goal race - the Calgary Marathon - is a little less than 11 weeks away, which means I only have 8 or 9 weeks left to train intensively. A strong finish is still within reach so long as I avoid getting sick or injured again, but I don't have much wiggle room.

Truthfully, I'm not sure how much I want to run another marathon. I certainly wasn't feeling like it last Saturday. On the other hand, I've made good progress since the new year. The extra weight I put on last fall has mostly turned to muscle and running hills feels easier than it has in some time. With another 9 weeks of training, I should have no trouble going the distance, even if I can't manage a PB. The question is: Will that be enough? Do I want to put myself through another two months of hard training to run another relatively slow 42.2k?

Of course, just finishing a marathon is an accomplishment and I always enjoy the training even more than the race itself. Long slow runs are a perfect opportunity to meditate on life, the universe and everything. In addition, it would be nice to visit Calgary again. I haven't been in 15+ years and my sister and her family live there, as do several good friends, so I'm sure I'd enjoy it.

Unfortunately, given all the uncertainty and our decision to take the country house off the market, I doubt Husband will join me for the trip. We want to be cautious about spending too much on travel until we know what's happening with my work - hence my desire for a crystal ball. It would much easier to splurge a little if we knew what the future holds. Unfortunately, as we learned when Husband's sister died unexpectedly last year, there's no way to predict. (A reality underscored by the book I read last weekend, When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi. Highly recommended.)

When all is said and done, all you can do is examine the options, then do what feels right and trust that things will work out for the best. If I train for the marathon and something goes awry, at least I'll have a nice visit with my sister and a few friends. And maybe I can run the half marathon instead.

There, I've just talked myself into booking a ticket - though I think I'll wait until after my long run this weekend to register for the race.

How about you, friends? How do you decide which races to run? Do you plan your events around your vacations or vice versa? How do you make decisions when common sense and your heart's desire are at odds?

Singing the no bling blues

I learned last week that the Bean There, Ran That Marathon doesn't offer a finisher's medal. Seriously? I understand why there are no medals for shorter races but - call me superficial - when I make the effort to train for a half or full marathon, I expect a medal.

Ya gotta love the taper!

I finished up the last of my pre-CTR training sessions this past Thursday, then settled in to taper for the relay, which gets underway Saturday morning. I have to say, I felt ready for the rest. Though I hadn't been training very long, my body was already feeling the worse for wear. Too many tough workouts back to back, I guess.

Husband and I planned to kick off our 25th wedding anniversary celebrations with a weekend trip to explore the coastline between Shelburne and Parrsboro but, when it became clear Sunday would be grey and rainy, we opted for a day trip instead.

First thing Saturday morning, we headed out and, after a leisurely stroll along the Shelburne waterfront, drove to Cape Sable Island and stopped for a short walk on The Hawk Beach. We were fortunate to arrive at low tide when the "drowned forest" is visible. A woman working at the visitor's centre in Shelburne mentioned it but we had no idea what we were looking at until after we got home and googled it. Apparently, the tree trunks sticking out of the sand are petrified and around 1500 years old. Very cool. (Click on the photo for a larger view.)

The sun shining brightly and the white sand reaching out into shallow waters made it nearly impossible to discern sea from sky.

I didn't mention it to Husband at the time but I had an ulterior motive for wanting to drive to the tip of the Island and back. The roads we took make up the route for the Nova Scotia Marathon, which takes place in late July. I haven't decided yet whether I want to do a half or a full marathon but the route is so beautiful I'll be tempted to do the latter.  

Just as we were leaving the Island, we stopped to savour more views of the white sandy beaches that circle the island and were amazed to see kids in swimming and playing in the water. Brave little souls. 

Our next stop was in West Pubnico, where we enjoyed a delicious lunch at the Red Cap Restaurant (a slice of rappie pie to share, followed by haddock with lobster sauce for me, and pork schnitzel with mushroom sauce for Husband) before driving to the end of the road to get a closer look at the massive Pubnico Point Wind Farm, which we'd been admiring as we drove down the coast. 

I was impressed by how quiet these massive windmills were - even when we stood directly under them!

From Pubnico, we headed straight up the highway to Church Point, to get a quick look at St. Mary's Church (the largest wooden church in North America) and its impressive 185 ft spire, before we meandered our way back to Yarmouth. Our last major stop was at Mavillette Beach just before suppertime. It was too cold and windy to linger but we definitely want to get back for a visit soon.

At Yarmouth, it was time for another celebratory meal - this time at Rudder's Brew Pub and Seafood Restaurant. We weren't expecting much from the food (we mostly went there for the beer) but the it was actually quite good. Husband had beer-battered haddock, which was flavourful and perfectly cooked. I went for deep-friend bar clams, which were also beautifully tender and delicious.

By the time we made it home late Saturday after more than 13 hours on the road, we were pooped, so the rest of the weekend was pretty low-key. Sunday, we hung out by the fire, mostly reading though we managed an 8k run late afternoon when the rain let up. Monday, Husband headed off first thing in the morning to help our friends with a roofing job, while I went for a motorcycle ride, wrote a little, read and made a delicious supper (if I do say so myself).

I also spent some time with my camera, trying to figure out how best to use different kinds of light - for example, morning light pouring in a window...

...evening light peeking over rooftops...

...and midday light shining brightly from above.

Obviously, I enjoyed the spring flowers as well. I love it when our perennials flower.

That's it for this post. It's time I headed home to welcome my sister-in-law from Ottawa and finish packing for our Cabot Trail adventures this weekend. Look for a full race report early next week. And send positive thoughts our way please. The forecast's not great and I feel woefully under-trained so I expect my run's going to feel a bit tough. Here's hoping the fun outweighs whatever suffer-fest may lie ahead.

Happy running and writing!