BC Cross Country - the plan

My last few days of running has been good and quite enjoyable, not great mind you, but at the very least consistent enough to move me in a familiar direction. Tuesday evening saw me returning to CHGC where I ran a series of short(er) intervals. During each segment I gave myself something specific to focus on, e.g., a quick turnover, running strong out of the corners... breathing. The session went by without any hiccoughs although I couldn’t help but notice that my lungs were a limiting factor. Oh to be fit again.

Running home from work today, I detoured once again over to CHGC and ran a 2-k race pace time trial. More fun and games.

With the race only two days away I’ve been giving some thought to strategy and have come up with a few options:

1. Run as hard as I can for as long as I can – unfortunately I only see this tactic working for the elites and those insufficiently fit where the race becomes pure survival... a distinct possibility.

2. Start in the middle of the pack and move up - my thinking is that mentally it’s better to gradually move up during a race then to repeatedly be passed (as happened two weeks ago).

3. Surge on the down hills – I’d like to think this option favours me but I’d be kidding myself, that and without seeing the course the hills may not be significant enough.

4. Surge on the up hills - I think this requires more guts and fitness than technique and as I lack the latter (fitness) I would probably end up digging myself an early grave.

5. The final sprint – now we’re talking... sandbag most of the race and then surge 500 meters from the finish, still accelerating over the line.

Although the jury is still out, I’m leaning toward a combination of options #1 and #2… aim to build throughout the race, but I can guarantee I’ll feel like hell the way. Isn’t that what XC is all about? My real objective though, and I recognize it’s slightly out of my hands, it to finish before the first competitor in the Senior Men’s race (they run the Masters at the same time, we do four laps, 8-k, and the Senior Men do five, 10-k). This may not sound all that ambitious, but with the likes of Jon Brown competing with his 27:18 10-k PB, and my 8-k PB of 27:28 I could be thoroughly humiliated. Still, it’s bound to be fun.

Training:
Tuesday: 1:06:57 with 4x [2’ (1’) + 1’ (30”) + 30” (30”)]
Wednesday: easy 53:00
Thursday: 58:24 with 2-k TT

Good to be Back

Congratulations go out to Mike for his solid performance at the PEI Marathon where he finished with a stellar time of 3:21:06 and to Grellan who despite having difficulties with his calf persevered for a 3:45:07 in Amsterdam. I want stories.

After forcing myself to endure an easy week in an attempt to kick this dastardly cold, I decided to wind things back up this weekend. With Carter lacing his shoes with far more frequency, it wasn’t too difficult to convince him to join me for a workout. We jogged our way over to CHGC and after warming up under a hot autumn sun began what unfolded into an enjoyable session: 4x2’ (1’) + 6x1’ (30”) + 10x30” (30”). It was great having someone to keep me honest whether in my attempt to chase him down or having him shouting encouragement. Notwithstanding my laboured breathing, my legs felt smooth and I started to feel like my old self again.

Fast forward a few hours, and I woke up Sunday morning with a stiff back and an equilibrium that was cockeyed. Like the Irish Rovers say, “it might have been the whiskey”, but this time I assure you it wasn’t. I walked around the house for a good hour feeling remarkably like you would after a beer mile. Easing into the morning with some Neocitran and coffee, I later decided to give my long run a go, picked up Sam, and made our way over to Beaver Lake. From there we looped around what has now become old faithful, but not before me breaking out into an unnatural sweat after running for only a few minutes. I know I’m not in top shape but it was ridiculous. The run was good but Sam unfortunately rolled his ankle half way through and had to make his own way home, flagging down a good samaritan on the back roads of Thetis. I continued (he told me to, honest) and felt surprisingly strong if it wasn’t for the last hill on our route… it’s a bastard.

Training:
Thursday: easy 41:18 with 4xstrides
Friday: easy 36:34
Saturday: 1:09:33 with 4x2’ (1’) + 6x1’ (30”) + 10x30” (30”)
Sunday: easy 1:39:05

Cross Country Preparation

It always amazes me the tricks my body can play. Typically, but not always, prior to a workout I feel like crap.

This morning was no different.

Once awake, the upcoming session was playing in the background of my mind like a frighteningly sinister orchestral tune. The jog over to CHGC was no different what with my legs feeling heavy and once again unresponsive. Still, with the literal line in the dirt drawn and my watch started, my legs kicked into drive and I was away under truly West Coast fall conditions. Running around the upper loop, I could hear a foghorn in the distance as a steady drizzle poured down. I felt strong, rabid and wet.

I hope everyone has a great weekend. For those racing, Mike and Thomas, all the best. As for me, it’ll be back out onto the trails to try and retrace last weeks epic route.

Training:
Thursday: easy 51:10
Friday: 1:10:32 with 2x4’ hard (4’) + 8’ tempo + 2x4’ hard (4’)

And yet a few more

Learning from Tuesday’s mistake, i.e., not being prepared for a longer warm-up, I left work on Thursday and proceeded to take a much more direct route to Cedar Hill than I had a couple days prior.

I decided to change the workout slightly, opting for more variety than what was scheduled. The plan was 3x 60”, 45” 30” and 15” with the walk/jog back down as recovery and an additional 1’ between sets. Working these shorter hill sessions is such a stark contrast to previous marathon preparation and although lung searingly painful, surprisingly enjoyable. With no varsity teams out that day, it was just the hill and me and unlike last week, I was able to jog home on legs that didn’t feel completely wrecked.

Yesterday, I was up early and after a glass of water and a couple pieces of toast I was out the door and jogging to work, and following the previous days lead, opting for a more direct route.

I hope everyone has a great weekend and all the best to those racing in Toronto.

Training:
Thursday: 1:14:25 with 3x(60”, 45”, 30”, 15”) hills (1’)
Friday: easy 35:04

More Hills

Had you asked me on Monday how my weekend runs had gone I would have replied fine, the company was enjoyable and the pace comfortable. Easy. I believe the problem rests though in my thinking of the runs in isolation. Alas, as I was out for my easy jaunt on Monday afternoon it felt like the second game of a double-header, one where I went hard early on and was now paying the price.

Yesterday was better.

Slipping into my new job was been relatively easy thus far, so much so I decided to run home from work yesterday. Not thinking, I opted to run through the old neighborhood, randomly making my way through Beacon Hill Park and then tracing my way down the streets of Fairfield before taking a more direct line for Cedar Hill Golf Course. My prolonged 40’ warm-up left me good and limber (and slightly fatigued) before I even started the workout. I ran a series of 1’ repeats on a long gradual hill on the east side of the course before switching over to a brutally sharp beast on the west side for my 30” kickers. The session was made all the more challenging as both the men’s and women’s Varsity Cross Country teams were there running their own workouts which unfortunately assisted in keeping me honest. The buggers.

This morning then, on the heels of yesterday workout/long run (the furthest in probably two months), I limped my way to work all the time asking myself what I was doing. I think I like early morning runs when it’s dark out, somehow the miles seem to pass more easily. Perhaps the darkness lulls the brain into thinking it’s all still a dream.

Enjoy the roads.

Training:

Monday: easy 31:34

Tuesday: 1:23:45 with 5x1’ hills + 8x30” hills

Wednesday: was 38:57 with 6xstrides

Cedar Hill Golf Course

Although the pain wasn’t instantaneous, thank God for small miracles, the indifference and unresponsiveness in my legs was immediate.

I haven’t run any workouts at Cedar Hill Golf Course (CHGC) in years, and reacquainting myself with a session of tempo miles might not have been the best of ideas. The plan was simple, 4x mile with 1’ recovery. Having not raced in months I’m unsure of my current fitness but aimed (perhaps ambitiously) to hit somewhere between 6:00 – 6:05 mile/pace. Even if you take into account the rolling terrain and the bark mulch footing, I was hopelessly disappointed.

I met Hicham at the start of the upper loop and after a light warm-up we “eased” into the first mile. It was about the 1200m mark that I started to second-guess myself on competing in my first cross country season later this fall. What have I gotten myself into?

6:27, 6:16, 6:29 & 6:23

Hicham was a trooper and completed a fifth mile whereas I, after licking my wounds, decided to limp back home in anticipation of a cold beer.

Training:
Wednesday: easy 38:15
Thursday: 1:19:35 w/ 4x mile tempo (1’)
Friday: day off (unscheduled)