T.S. Eliot’s The Return

Some day, if you are lucky, you’ll return from a thunderous journey trailing snake scales, wing fragments and the musk of Earth and moon. Eyes will examine you for signs of damage, or change and you, too, will wonder if your skin shows traces of fur, or leaves, if thrushes have built a nest of your hair, if Andromeda burns from your eyes.

Do not be surprised by prickly questions from those who barely inhabit their own fleeting lives, who barely taste their own possibility, who barely dream. If your hands are empty, treasureless, if your toes have not grown claws, if your obedient voice has not become a wild cry, a howl, you will reassure them.

We warned you, they might declare, there is nothing else, no point, no meaning, no mystery at all, just this frantic waiting to die. And yet, they tremble, mute, afraid you’ve returned without sweet elixir for unspeakable thirst, without a fluent dance or holy language to teach them, without a compass bearing to a forgotten border where no one crosses without weeping for the terrible beauty of galaxies and granite and bone.

They tremble, hoping your lips hold a secret, that the song your body now sings will redeem them, yet they fear your secret is dangerous, shattering, and once it flies from your astonished mouth, they—like you—must disintegrate before unfolding tremulous wings.

Beckwith Park (session #1)

The door gently closed and I reluctantly paced out onto the street, my legs already heavy and any motivation left lacking. After countless sun-drenched days the clouds had returned together with an uncommon towering humidity. At this point I couldn’t help but remember a quote from an ultra t-shirt, “pain is inevitable, suffering is optional”. I was to run my first scheduled workout since completing the Ottawa Marathon in late May and I was already being tested.

The session was to be a combination of 200s and 400s but as we’re now a one-car family, and with no reasonably close track I was left with little alternative. In hindsight, I think this worked out for the best as I’m flirting with the idea of jumping into what may be my first cross country season later this fall.

Nobody could ever say I wasn’t a creature of habit, and so I trudged along to Beckwith Park and traced a 200m section out on the grass. My plan was to run an out-and-back on this portion and then use an undulating pathway around a small pond (approximately 500m) for my next piece.

30.3, 32.3, 1:48.8
29.9, 29.7, 1:44.3
33.3, 33.7, 1:46.8
34.3, 33.5, 1:42.2
34.8, 34.9, 1:40.8

The workout unfolded a good deal better than I had anticipated. My turnover definitely fell off on the latter 200s but I managed to maintain my momentum and worked the rollers on the 500s. After posting a 1:46.8 for my third 500 I was worried that I’d opened too fast and made sure to push the remaining two, the last one leaving me gasping for air.

A good session, felt content afterwards.

Training:
Tuesday: 1:00:07 with 5x (2x200 (1’) + 500) (3’)
Wednesday: easy 30:31

Feeling Good

Despite having not put in much speed work, I’m really happy with how my body is responding at the moment. Taking it easy the last few months has really allowed me to recover and build a comfortable base.

Saturday saw seven of us tackle Mount Finlayson, some for the first (and probably last) time. With four members of the group working towards the Great Lake Walk in late September, our bi-weekly runs are becoming more challenging with race just around the corner. The highlight was definitely the view from the 419 meter (1,375 feet) summit. The following email was waiting for me at work this morning:

“My legs are screaming, I hate Mike. Okay, I can hardly walk today. Stairs are not on the agenda for today. Is anybody else sore?”

Mission accomplished!

Yesterday, Hicham and I looped around what has quickly become one of my favourite routes; around Mount Doug and McMinn Parks, and circling Rithet’s Bog… while avoiding all the major climbs in the area (his request not mine).

Training:
Saturday: very easy 2:19:35
Sunday: rolling 1:21:26

A Lesson in Proprioception

Hicham’s schedule, not mine, called for some one minute repeats but with nothing to lose at this point I decided to keep him company. I remembered that Tergat would run a similar workout on one of the Polo fields near his house and with that in mind I talked Hicham, after a longer warm-up, into running the session up on the playing fields at Beckwith Park. I’d been up there previously in the week and the grass is in excellent condition (probably the best I’ve ever seen)… thick, healthy and tall (3”-4”).

The park are a combination of about four or five soccer pitches which makes it a great place to run 1’ repeats without having to replicate track conditions, i.e. running in a tight circle. After easing into the first few we were in full form and flying by six. After #8 we decided to quickly kick off our shoes and run the remainder barefoot… I loved it! I felt like a child again and it provided some needed inspiration to keep me honest.

After the w/o we laced up our shoes and head home and it was then that I could feel every muscle in my foot and lower leg that is usually kept in check by wearing shoes. Definitely something to repeat.

Training:
Thursday: 58:17 with 12x1’ (1’)
Friday: Day off (scheduled, coincidently not feeling 100%)

For Cliff

Keep in mind that what I’m about to share is my opinion and based solely on experience, AND that everyone you ask will give you a slightly different answer.

At first glance, structuring your week to run a tempo on Monday, hills on Wednesday and a long run on Saturday leaves enough time for recovery (check). Make sure you also play around with your weekly periodization to aid with recovery. Don’t get tricked into thinking that you don’t need recuperation, everyone does sooner or later.

I believe that one aspect of racing a marathon that people tend to overlook is specificity. It’s important to keep in mind both the route and that it is an endurance event. After looking at the course, the first 17k is gradually downhill with the remainder flat (apart from the last mile). With this in mind, how long are you planning on running hills, i.e. how many weeks/months? How are the w/o’s structured, 30” vs. 3” or perhaps just running a rolling route?

Although hills build strength keep in mind that you will plateau and that Toronto is not a hilly course. I’d advise a) doing hills at the beginning with a few sprinkled in at the latter stages or alternating right from the outset, i.e hills one week, with shorter tempo (1k-3k repeats) efforts the next. You might want to have the third week hill & tempo free… an easy week? As for the duration, I think it’s a good idea to do at least one midweek run that is moderately long (building to 1h30).

As for the long run, I’d really try to hit 3h recognizing that the longer you run in training the easier race day will be.

As for Monday, what type of tempo sessions are you planning? If you’re going to mix up the hill sessions with some shorter tempos, I’d try and make the Monday intervals longer. As you get closer to race day (6 weeks out) you might want to consider dropping the Monday session and working some longer tempo pieces into your long run.

Examples you could use are below:

M (long tempo): 2x10’-15’ tempo (2’); 3x2M tempo (2’); 6xM tempo (1’); 8-10x1k tempo (1’); progressive (15’/10’/5’) descending from MP, HMP & 5kP

W (hills/tempo): 5-8x30” hills; 4-6x2’ hill; 5x1k (2’); 3xM (2’); 8-12x1’ (1’) on recovery week; or 2x90” (90”) + 4x1’ (1’) + 4x30” (30”) + 4x15” (15”) again on an easy week.

S (long run): build to at least 2h30; 3xM tempo + 1h easy + 3xM tempo; 2h with 6M MP building to 12M MP

Hope this helps?!

Hot in the City

“It's hot here at night…” okay, I’ll save you from the rest of Billy Idol’s lyrics but I thought they were fitting given the evening we had yesterday. Granted it’s not as humid as some eastern/southern climes, only 38%, but as I looped around Beckwith Park I was sweating profusely in the balmy 28C sunshine.

I had planned on an easy jaunt around Mount Doug but when I discovered that the Prairie Inn Harriers were running on of the summer Wildcard Workouts at a park I decided to opt for some social running.

Despite not running anything faster than a few quick strides since late May, I was surprised at how I responded, particularly as the 800m loop was on lush, thick grass. The highlight was finishing the workout prior to the water park shutting off and enjoying a rewarding soak.

As for this evening, my calves hurt for the first time in months.

Training:
Tuesday: 58:15 with 4x (800m, (1’), 500m) (1’)
Wednesday: easy 40:23

Sinking Like a Sunset

Despite a good start, by midweek my training had all but ended. I intended to get out on Thursday but was held up late that afternoon selling our 2-door car and then spent the rest of the evening packing for our short holiday. To make matters worse I brought my running kit with me to Galiano (one of the Gulf Islands) but the only used it for swimming in the ocean… go figure.

Therefore, after a four-day weekend consisting of little sleep, copious amounts of food and numerous pints, I intend to make this week count.

[The photos were taken from the deck where we were staying which helps to explain why it was difficult to get out for a run. Ally’s father is a lucky man.]

Training:

Monday: day off (scheduled)

Tuesday: hilly 1:11:02

Wednesday: 33:02 with 6xstrides (1’)

Thursday: day off (unscheduled)

Friday: day off (unscheduled)

Saturday: day off (unscheduled)

Sunday: day off (unscheduled)