Week 8/17 HM Training - Run #1 13K with Aha! Moments

This run was a good start to my last week of Phase I: Road Work. Phew! Once I have this week under my belt, I plan on posting an assessment on how well I did with my training during Phase I.

Todays' run was excellent. Angus came with Wallace and I on my intended 11.5K run (The one I always do on Tuesdays with the my Thrill Hill) because it wasn't as humid as on previous weeks and was cooler with some rain. Perfect running conditions for both Angus and I. :)

There was nothing special about this run for the first 8K. In fact, when I look over my splits after the fact, they are significantly slower than what they should have been - I was running at my "hot and humid" pace rather than my normal pace. :( Clearly, I was having a lazy, uninspired run - ha! Stopping to clean up dog puke from the path was a pace killer as well. :( Angus was running so well and was enjoying the run when he surprised me with a sudden upchucking of his breakfast. The joys of being a responsible dog owner!

My run changed by the end of my 9th K when I was joined by a fellow runner from the DailyMile - Shawna. :) I'm very surprised that we have not seen each other out on the Thames Valley Parkway before because we run in the same area and on similar days, but this was the first time (the first of many, I hope). :) For the next 4K, I had someone to chat with and the companionship was wonderful. :) This turned out to be one of three aha moments I had on this run (that's right! I had three aha moments today!). For 4K, I concentrated on our conversation rather than the run itself. When we reached my turn-off point, I didn't say anything - I just kept running with Shawna because I was enjoying myself too much. It also occurred to me that if I kept running with her the way I was, I could run 13K instead today (Thursday's scheduled run). We ran together to the end of the park and when Shawna turned around to finish her run, I had only 1/2K left to run to complete 13K - woo hoo!

My first aha! moment? How much fun it is to run when you have a running partner. :) I know that this is really a no-brainer - this is usually advised to beginner runners/exercisers. I know from my races how much faster I run when I meet up with my friend who pushes the pace, and I enjoyed running with her regularly last spring. It's just that it has been sooooo long since I actually ran with someone else - this was my first time this year. I didn't realize how much I missed it until I experienced it again. This was an aha! moment because I truly realized how alone I feel sometimes. My recent post regarding my desire to join a half marathon running group next spring was underscored by this run with Shawna.

My second aha! moment? My faster normal pace is still there ... somewhere! :)

Shawna slowed her pace to run with me, but I improved my pace to run with her. My splits running with her were sub-7:00/km and I talked with her through them. This phase of training does not focus on pace at all - just endurance - and when compounded by the heat and humidity we have experienced, I have had quite a few slower paced runs. As a result, there's a part of me that is beginning to doubt that I can run a 2:20 half marathon in the fall, and another part of me that says to keep the faith - trust the training program. Being able to run at that faster pace while talking and extending my run to 13K helped the "keep the faith" voice grow stronger. :)

My third and final "aha" moment? My lack of running fellowship propels me to run multiple races. Shawna and I were discussing the various running groups in London (I will share more on that in tomorrow's post) and she referred to Sara, a mutual friend of ours (Sara was my mentor in my 10K running clinic and I have referred to Sara's positive influence on me before in this blog). Apparently it was a challenge for Sara to find other people to run with when she initially took up running so she signed up for all the races she could in order to meet other runners and to satisfy her desire for running with others. When Shawna shared this with me, it hit home: this is definitely one of the reasons why I enjoy running in both the London Honda Series and the Runpiker Series - it is the only time when I am not running by myself. I don't necessarily care about setting PR's all the time because it's the atmosphere - the camaraderie - the connection with other runners - that I enjoy so much. It's not the only reason why I focus on these races, but I recognized this aspect in myself in that story.

So sometimes a run is just a run, sometimes they rock, sometimes they suck, and sometimes a few light bulbs finally go off! :)

I have 10K + 8 striders scheduled for tomorrow. Once again, I am too busy for a Rock Bottom class (I have a girls' night out (GNO) for a friend's birthday scheduled). :( I really like those fitness/weight lighting/core/cardio classes at the Athletic Club - I want to get back on track with them when possible.

Wk9/D4 - An Unexpectedly Awesome LSD 13K :) :)

13K @1:30:12

Avg. Pace 6:57/km

Avg. Moving Pace 6:50/km

Roll me in chocolate and cover me with nuts !! What a great, great running week for me !! :)

First, there was my 10K race PR at the FCRR on Sunday. Then there was my successful first attempt at a hill workout on Tuesday, followed by a terrific experience with my first tempo run on Thursday. I honestly was not expecting to have today's whipped cream and cherry on top. :)

Backing up 24 hours ... I did attend my Kundalini yoga class last night. I was set to run to class, too, before a mini thunderstorm rolled in. I used my running time to cuddle with a quivering Wallace on the couch before it ended and driving instead (he has developed a fear of storms in the last year for some reason :( - poor little fella!). My yoga class was great as usual, and we focused on 'Reconnecting with the Psyche' after our warm-up exercises. I noticed how much 'easier' it was to hold my plank pose (improved upper body strength), and how my balance is improving with some standing poses. :) Perhaps it is just as well that I didn't run because I am sure my body appreciated the rest.

Today is the first time that I have ever headed out for a 13K run without feeling a little anxious. Even though I have run this length 3X before without walking, I still have it in my head that this is a challenging distance for me to run. Today is the first time I have truly felt confident about running it from beginning to end. :)

When I headed out with the boys into the sunshine and cool-ish breeze, I coached myself on making sure this was a nice and easy run. My training book instructs me to resist running fast, even if I am feeling faster, because today's scheduled run is all about building endurance and taking it easier after two separate, harder workouts earlier in the week. I promised myself to resist looking at my Garmin too much, and just to run at a pace that felt right to me regardless.

And I did just that. :) It was a gorgeous day so I spent my time people watching. There were quite a few people out in Springbank Park in this glorious weather so there was plenty to see. Three women doing yoga together in the sunshine. A significant number of elderly people out for a stroll. There were several families walking together and interesting to me, there were far more little dogs being walked today than medium or large dogs. There were other runners out, too, but less than the number of cyclists and walkers using the paths. A few people were out on rollerblades, although this seems to have decreased in popularity in the last few years. There were several canoes out on the river, which was picturesque, and the merry-go-round at Storybook Gardens was open officially for business. :)

That last paragraph is just my way of proving how I spent my time while running ... I concentrated on what was going on all around me rather than focusing on pace or distance or wondering how I was performing ...

I admit that I did look at my Garmin a couple of times. The first few times, my pace was 6:30 and 6:45, which made me feel great! And on the third time I checked, my pace was 7:30. This is when I decided that I wouldn't check it again until I reached a certain landmark (the dog park in Greenway Park) because this is when I would need to check it for distance.

I kept my promise. :) My dogs and I paced each other for another 5km+ before I reached the dog park. This was the first time that I checked my 'Distance' and 'Time' data fields: 12.2K and 1:25 and change. WOW !! I am sure my eyes bugged out of my head like a cartoon character because suddenly realizing that I was in a position to finish my 13K in under 1:30 made me gleeeeeeeeeful! :) :) So I started really running. How funny to realize that, in the 13th km, usually my most difficult km, I was able to find some energy to run faster. :)

But this is when life intervenes ... in a funny way. :) As I am running and grinning, thinking about the great, ego-boosting time I am about to accomplish, there is a confluence of park users. There is the lady walking her husky dog (not quite in control), the mother on her bike with her young daughter on another bike (they yo-yoed with me 3X for several kms), and a car rounding the curve, crossing our paths to enter the dog park parking lot ... and me! I see this all happening so I remove myself from the mix by jumping off the path away from everyone onto a grassy knoll with the intention of returning to the path when it's clear ... and this is when I am pulled to a full, dead stop. A 90 lb. dog and a 40+ lb. dog, in unison, figured that a grassy section on our run was meant as a 'pee break' for them! I couldn't be angry because the sight of the two of them together, peeing, looking up at me with relief, was priceless. :) :)

With their bladders emptied, we resumed running and I pushed the pace in an effort to finish my 13K before my watch showed 1:30. I looked like a crazy person, running down the path with my left arm held out and bent in front of me, watching the time data field on my Garmin, praying I could beat 1:30! I so wanted that to happen! :) But as it turns out, I needed an additional 12 seconds to run a full 13K, and after stopping my watch, I caught myself pumping the air with fisted right arm with happiness. :) :)

With a big smile on my face, I walked 2.16 km home, showered, and went out for a celebratory lunch with Benny {he had a great morning with his friends doing his passion/hobby and had done very well too! :) }.

As I type, I am feeling the runner's after-high, and Wallace is snoring loudly. :P I declared an earlier week in my training program a great one, but I have to say now that it's in second place because this week rocked! :) :)

Rest day tomorrow and a scheduled 8K for Monday. Happy weekend, everyone !! :)

Wk6b/D3 - The Drowned Rat 13K Run :)

13K @1:33:03

Pace 7:09/km

Historical Note: One year ago today, I walked/ran 4K in 30 minutes.

There are no stock images on Google of a soaked woman running with two soaked dogs so this one will have to suffice! :)

I was scheduled to run 11.5K today, and in spite of the weather reports, I was pretty determined to complete this run outside rather than at the fitness club on a treadmill. Ben checked the farmzone website and warned me that the radar indicated a heavy rain system was moving in our direction ... I had better get moving ... !!

Sure enough, Murphy's Law ruled the day. Although it had stopped rained for several hours in the morning, it started to drizzle again as we drove to the park. By the time we started our warm-up walk/Angus-religious-poop-time, it started to rain. :( About 3K into our run, I considered shortening it because of the weather; however, the truth was, I had committed to this run already in my head so by the time I reached an ideal "turn-around point," I still wasn't keen on shortening my scheduled run. I was already wet and the rain was "Vancouver-ish" light and warm so I figured I could handle it. :)

See how much I still pride myself on my "rain-tolerance" and my former "Vancouver-ite status" after all these years?!?! I moved back to Ontario in 2001, but my heart still remains there ... :) :)

And with pride, I now say, "handle it" we did! We ran in the rain for over an hour and a half, rain which didn't let up for one minute the entire time we were outside! :( Although it was windy, I was protected most of the time from the wind in the park except in certain areas. I covered up my Garmin with my jacket sleeve to protect it from the rain, and didn't bother checking it for mileage until near the end. I just concentrated on my run and tried to keep my pace consistent. I also focused on keeping my shoulders relaxed and my hands unclenched.

I let out a little "woo hoo!" as soon as we reached the turnaround point at the far end of the park, and then was rewarded by a strong, chilling wind blowing into me as we changed directions to head back. :( It was very tough running for awhile, but fortunately, the same trees protected us from the wind again on the return. However, when we did feel the wind, it was a lot tougher in the second half of the run than in the first. :(

While running back to my starting point, I thought more about this 11.5K. One of several reasons I "re-started" my Week #6 Road Work this past week was skipping the scheduled 11.5K in lieu of my Run for Retina 10K. I just got it in my head that I had to run "it" before starting "jumping" to 13K. My training program requires me to run 13K every Saturday for the next eight weeks so a "transitional 11.5K" was my motivating factor for being out in the damn rain in the first place!! :) :) Well, my mind must be a very odd, delirious place when I am running while wet because I started to think that perhaps running 13K would be better (?!@?*?!). Although it *sucked* being out in the rain and wind, we were out there already so why not add another 1.5K to really make it worth it? But more importantly, if I could run 13K today, I could convince myself that I was officially back at the level of running I was at on December 2nd, 2010. I could finally feel that I was moving forward with my running level/ability rather than "catching up." Make sense? Well, it did to me at the time! Poor drenched Wallace and water dog Angus were dragged along for an additional 1.5K, into the toughest headwind of all during this run, just so I could make this claim today. :) :)

And there you have it. I ran 13K in lousy weather conditions, stopping only to let Wallace defecate, Angus pee, and to pick up fallen water bottles 4X ... grrrrr. Those water bottles were *popping* out of my new water belt at the slightest provocation. :( I think what I may need to try next is using my old water bottle belt as the dog leash attachment belt (since it is already stretched to bits), and then wear my new water belt at the same time for me. It will look ridiculous, but if it saves me the time needed to stop and scoop water bottles, I don't think I care too much about appearances!

On a side note, I just created a new addition to my blog in the right column. I am going to track my 13Ks for the next two months. I am not scheduled to run anything longer than 13K until I officially start my half marathon training in June; therefore, I will track my pace improvement (positive thinking!) in these runs until then.

By the way, as I type this post, it has not been raining at all ... Murphy's Law! What'd I tell ya? :)

Rest day tomorrow - Week #7 Road Work on Monday.