Old Friends

Given the concern I had after Tuesday’s workout, I rounded out the week in fine form. Moreover, with the upcoming week scheduled for rest and recovery, the timing couldn’t be better. The achilles is far from better (70%), but I’m able to train and barring anything stupid… let’s just say I’m hopeful and leave it at that.

Yesterday morning I took advantage of having to go to the office and opted to run my workout at an old stamping ground, Beacon Hill Park. Not only was the terrain familiar, but the event was a repeat of my inaugural session with Jon, 3x10’ tempo. Only this time around I was on my own (sans Jon & Co).

I didn’t know what to make to the morning, but with a the temperature markedly cooler than it has been and gentle sea breeze blowing up off the water the day couldn’t have been better. The intervals were going to be the longest I’ve put in since Boston, and so I approached them with caution; not only was the plan to descend the set but I made sure the build into each piece with only the last 2’-3’ a test. My achilles was sore during the warm-up but otherwise I was happy with how it held up. Despite running alone, I was pleased with the effort and I truly loved being out there. The enjoyment I’m finding in my running at the moment hasn’t gone unnoticed.

Hicham put the bug in our ear last night, and this morning Carter and I joined him out at Thetis Lake (my first time back out in months). Those two are going to have to stop letting me lead, as not wanting to break tradition I opted for my usual start, and one that had our heart rates spiked in minutes. With both of them packing excuses that would have left most runners at home, the only words that escaped their mouths were ones of enjoyment. I owe them for today.

As it was, I capped the week off with two solid runs and even better friends. Here’s to the week ahead.

[photo: Thetis Lake]

Training:

Saturday: 1:00:15 with 3x10’ (2’) 10kE

Sunday: easy 1:27:50

Weekly mileage: 6h00’42”, +/- 84k or 53 miles

Dilapidated Beauty

It was part of his standard morning routine, Michael stumbling weary-eyed down a darkened hallway so that the cat could be let outside. Afterward, it was water in the old red kettle, bread in the toaster and then typically a return to doorway so that the cat could be let back inside. This morning was no different than most. Avoiding a minefield of shoes and the cat, now underfoot, the door swung open with an accompanying sound not unlike a train thundering through the London Underground. Two sets of eyes strained to look beyond the front steps, out past the shrubs and into the stormy morning. Neither would be overly eager to head out there today.

Yesterday was a homecoming of sorts. A day that saw the return of a multitude of familiar faces to a location that is hallowed for most runners in Victoria. A day that brought out the best in everyone, under conditions that could not have been much worse. And yet were so welcome. Allyson and Isla were there, wrapped up in Gore-tex and wool and under skies that continued to ensure an appropriate level of saturation.

There were 170 teams of 4, and their accompanying support crew milling around the lake front. Everyone trying to stay dry underneath insufficient shelter. For a rare few it was a damp muddy hell, but for everyone else competing in the 12th annual Harriers Thetis Lake 20-k Relay the day was just the thing, wonderful.

Training:
Monday: day off (scheduled)
Tuesday: 50:54 with 5-k Thetis Lake Relay in 18:36
Wednesday: A.M. easy 39:51, P.M. 37:42

Coffee, Peat and Running

After returning from three weeks in the UK, it has taken almost an entire week for me to adjust to what was once my regular routine. This was of course complicated with me started a new job on Monday.

This weekend helped rest the clock.

Friday I stayed out good and late which put the end to me waking at 5:00 a.m. feeling alert and rested (mind you I’m in desperate need of some sleep now).

On Saturday, we met up with some good friends at what might be my new favourite coffee house. Jim was distracted and unsettled which was probably a result of his ridiculous idea to abstain from mochas prior to his race in Toronto next weekend. The self-denial ended the moment the cup touched his bottom lip. A few hours later Carter and I were out tracing the local trails in what established itself as my long run for the week. A frequent training partner and good friend, it was great to be able to set the tone for the season ahead. With the arrival of fall and the X-C season, I’m looking forward to rebuilding my fitness in preparation for my marathon build later this winter.

And today, Sunday, it was out onto my favourite trails around Thetis Lake unfortunately feeling not nearly as comfortable as I’d like. And so the weekend all too quickly wraps up with me sitting here nursing a wee dram of scotch and dreaming of the days and weeks to follow.

I hope you all had a good one.

Training:
Thursday: easy 31:23 with 7xstrides
Friday: day off (unscheduled)
Saturday: easy 1:18:16
Sunday: hilly 1:07:47

Like the good old times, but better

Out of the dense temperate rainforest we ran. The drizzle soothing, we climbed a twisting trail as it ascended another relentless hill. A combination of sweat and precipitation sprayed the skin with each foot strike. With each slap on the softened forest floor, my shoes absorbed moisture as energy rose through my arches and ankles. My quads burned on the abrupt ascents. It was a pure carnival of pain, but I loved each stride because running distilled my purpose and enjoyment.

Okay, I’ve bastardized a quote of James Tabor’s but I wanted to try and capture the essence of my recent weekend. After a relatively comfortable few weeks, I unwittingly upped the volume and delight.

Thursday was spent looping through Rithet’s Bog with Hicham in an attempt to reintroduce our legs to some speed work. The idea was some to do some structured strides; he runs too fast.

Saturday was brilliant. After a fortnight away, I was back running with the Great Lake Crew. I’d let a few of my friends know we were meeting at 8:00 a.m., and was presently surprised to see the entire gaggle at Thetis Lake. We looped through some of my favourite trails, hitting Seymour Hill, Centennial and Marsh Trail. The real kicker though was heading back out to Thetis 24 hours later, but sadly, for me I was with a companion who had fresh legs. Not wanting to become a creature of habit, we looped up Scafe Hill and Stewart Mountain, returning home later that morning only to tell Ally that my legs felt like they were training for an ultra marathon they’d forgot to tell me I had registered for.

Two weeks is too short, I can’t wait to do it again.

Training:

Thursday: 56:24 with Moneghetti strides 2x90” (90”) + 4x1’ (1’) + 4x30” (30”) + 4x15” (15”)

Friday: day off (unscheduled, opted for 1:20:54 up-tempo ride after watching too much of le tour)

Saturday: undulating 1:59:22

Sunday: hilly 1:45:59

Our house, in the middle of our street (almost)

Yesterday I returned to one of my favourite areas to run, Thetis Lake Park. The variety of trails and terrain is almost limitless, and with the possibility of running 3+ hours and not retracing a footstep, time passes in an instant. I’ve had some of my best (and most challenging) runs at Thetis, where adventure is a given, and the company I’ve kept unmatched. The park is also going to host three of my next four races as I prepare for Phoenix and with my trail running ability needing drastic improvement the more time I can spend there the better. As it was, Hicham dragged me around for a steady 70’ and after dropping him off (and licking my wounds), I headed back out and although the pace eased up almost immediately the effort didn’t… more time needed.

Tomorrow evening we get possession of our very own house, and with having to deliver a bank draft to the lawyers this afternoon I decided to forego my usual Monday recovery routine and run the cheque in. I was hoping to do several strides but after four weak attempts, I stopped for the day.

Training:
Sunday: 1:38:49 easy
Monday: 44:38 with 4x strides (1’)

Short and Sweet

Short – yesterday after work I felt more exhausted than I had in quite some time, but given the week that’d just ended I was desperately in need of a run. Moss Rock, Ross Bay Cemetery, the lower trails of the Government House (still don’t know the proper name) and then back to my street, not where I live, but a street that I own… where I proceeded to complete 6x 20+”, these strides feeling as good as they get. It looks like the legs are slowly coming around!

Sweet – today, I met an abbreviated clinic group out at Thetis (with an additional guest runner, thanks Carter) and took them on some of my favourite trails in the park; what I call Seymour Hill, the log crossing to McKenzie Creek Trail and my shoe tree, Upper & Lower Thetis and home via the stairs… an epic run and a fantastic way to start the l-o-n-g weekend!

Training:
Friday: 31:01 with 6x strides (20”)
Saturday: easy 1:26:43

My Shoe Tree

I love traveling west, the jet lag is nearly worthwhile. After listening to the first two periods of the game (Canucks won in the second OT period, there is no way I could've managed that) my eyelids grew terribly heavy and I was in bed just after 9:00. However, after tossing the cat out at 12:00, I was wide-awake at 1:30, then again at 4:00, 4:30 and finally was out of bed just after 5:00; nothing like getting an early start to the day.

Following a lazy morning, several cups of Twining Earl Grey tea and some spring-cleaning, Ally and I drove out to Thetis Lake on morning bursting with sunshine. It seems I brought the good weather back from England, who would’ve thought?

I hadn’t been out on the trails in months and was looking forward to a favorite route of mine. After a quick goodbye, I was off bearing east looping around Seymour Hill, the legs cursing the rude awakening (a series of three steep hills). Off the hills and onto Highland Road for a short segment before turning left at McKenzie Creek Trail, looping around Prior Lake and toward… my shoe tree (not as shown in photo).

For over a decade, I’ve had this burning desire to locate a piece of Americana folklore, the shoe tree. Unfortunately, my searching has been in vain and about seven years ago I decided to cut to the case and instead make my own shoe tree. Since then, I’ve gone out on there on numerous occasions (old worn out trainers in hand) either by myself or with MD, RC or MT throwing a disproportionate amount of the Asics 2000 series into the tree (I think I started with the 2040s). Today, I managed to secure the shoes on my second hurl and after committing the view to memory (for those dark rainy days) I continued with the jaunt, joining the Upper Thetis Lake Trail and following them back to the barking lot.

Training: an easy 51:16, legs felt okay, I think the run was 6' too long