Are you going to be a wimp?

Running is a big question mark that's there each and every day. It asks you, “Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?”
- Peter Maher, Irish-Canadian Olympian and sub-2:12 marathoner

…I’m weary, my stomach aches and I’d like to get to bed early; today, I think I was a bit of both.

While jogging to Oak Bay my legs felt constricted and lifeless. Doubtless, it had more to do with the power lycra shorts & long tights I was wearing, but when my legs are unresponsive before a track workout it usually means I’m in for a good one. Don’t ask.

As it was +1C (and falling), after taking off my tights and a quick hello to Chris (my cohort for part of the evening), I jumped right into the workout. This could’ve been a mistake on many counts but perhaps most noticeably when I went into the second corner only to discover the entire back stretch covered in a very thin and dastardly layer of ice. A smarter runner would’ve run elsewhere (or worn spikes) but I carried on, destined to decelerate for 150m of every lap.

As expected the legs felt good and if it wasn’t for my stomach the workout would have been first-rate. Instead, I enjoyed a dull ache by about 1000m of the mile, only to have it reoccur passing through 200m of the 800 and unfortunately intensify. Tonight though, unlike similar situations, I don’t think it slowed me, rather fueling some frustrated anger. Bugger. I really have to sort out my nutrition. The times and HR (AHR, MAX) are as follows:

5:39.3, (155, 163), 2:38.8, (158, 165)
5:39.2, (156, 163), 2:40.7, (157, 165)
5:39.5, (157, 162), 2:41.4, (155, 164)
5:39.3, (155, 164), 2:39.1, (156, 164)

The jog home was cruel. With a damp toque and gloves, and a drained body I felt like Luke stumbling out of the snow cave on Hoth… only I didn’t have Obi-Wan Kenobi to guide me on my journey.

Training: 1:30:58, AHR 136, MAX 165, 4x(1600, 90”, 800, 3')