Postcard from Purgatory

Not that yesterday was much of a workout, but nonetheless I was still surprised how good my legs felt this afternoon. As I ambled through Oak Bay and along the waterfront, I was silently amazed with the evenness of my “steady” pace. I felt upright and my hamstrings seemed overly engaged (or I was acutely aware) during every stride… I was a horse trotting.

Unfortunately, any remote resemblance to the aforementioned four-legged animal ended as the timer on the watch face indicated 41:XX. Ah well, I enjoyed the saunter home all the same, unfortunately my planned 75’ ended a tad premature. I seem to remember having a similar difficulty the last time I was ramping up the mileage… desperately trying to crack the 70’ barrier but always washing up short.

So where does this leave me? Well, as a few people (thanks Thomas and Chris) pointed out, I should stick with the base miles and not get distracted with this weekends race. That said, given I was going to do a workout [4x1k (1’) + 1h easy + 3x1k (1’)], and that I’d like to race, what do I do come the day? I’ve been trying to convince myself to do the w/o mid- race but I would invariably become “that guy” the one who annoys everyone in the vicinity so have pretty much nixed that idea. So, how about race pace, given a general lack of fitness (relatively speaking) how about 10 miles at marathon pace? Oh to be fit again.

On the home front, it looks like it’s a done deal, financing, title, inspection, insurance, they’re all in the bag. All that is left to do is lift the conditions and sign away the deposit… which we’re saving for tomorrow.

Training: 1:05:05 steady

Fast action absorption needed!

No this isn't a call for some Kleenex, but rather a direct message to the body informing it that we are in desperate need of training, ASAP. Of course, everyone knows that with the race this weekend there isn't the time for my body to benefit from any key workouts, and, I know I'd probably be better off doing less rather than more, but... it never helps to try.

And so I found myself today, on a very hot September afternoon (perhaps the hottest since late June, and certainly the hottest prior to race morning), standing at "Mile 0" and launching myself repetitively into a series of mile tempo runs (fingers crossed).

I’d checked the schedule before leaving the house, heading out the door with my sights on 5:59s. That said, I wasn’t all that surprised when I split the first mile in 5:46 (I’ll never learn), 5:59 for the second, 5:47 for the third and I closed it out with a well rehearsed 5:56. Had I tried to alternate marathon and half marathon pace I couldn’t have done better.

As far as the house is concerned, well, we’ve been busy; to the lawyers regarding the title (all okay), insurance (check, new oil tank within the year though), house inspection (check, built like a tank so we were told)… financing tomorrow and we’re all done.

I tell you though, Maui couldn’t come soon enough!

Saturday: 1:26:07 easy
Sunday: 59:56 easy with Carter, couldn’t have been better
Monday: 46:41 with 4x mile (1’)

Desperate Times

Courage, it couldn't come at a worse time… as a result of my lack of fitness, and running deficit, this morning I decided to step up to the plate (with complete disregard to the program mind you) and throw in a workout for old times sake.

So, while most of the city was either crawling to work or school, I was out running circles around Beacon Hill Park desperately trying to increase my VO2 Max. I’m certain the workout wasn’t the best use of my time but at least it gave me the satisfaction that I was putting in a few miles, sweating, and with a few tempo pieces this weekend perhaps next weeks half marathon won’t be the complete calamity I fear.

There is no question in my mind that it/I will hurt, and I’m utterly confident I won’t run anywhere near the time I did in March (let alone last year), but at I’m hoping to hold my head high and perhaps finish with a grin on my face.

As expected I did fade during the session but I could see, if only briefly, glimpses of brilliance. With the sun on my face, and the salty fresh Pacific breeze on my face, I was brought back to a place to so long ago…

On the house front, we have a home inspection in 40’… have to run.

Training: 53:05 with 12x 1’ hard (1’)

Back to school

While sitting here at the computer, I’m watching an icy fog roll off the waters and gradually creep across the neighborhood, the deep solitary sound of a foghorn in the distance. There is no doubt in my mind that the dog days of summer have left and it’s time to head back to school, or at least, back to the basics.

Since having registered for the Maui Half Marathon, this last week couldn’t have been filled with more distractions. We spent the weekend on Galiano helping Ally’s mother clean up her property. This week, in-between a hectic work schedule, we’ve put an offer on a house while also juggling doctor appointments, having additionally opened up our house to some good friends before they bugger off and move back to the UK next Tuesday.

Alas, my running, and desire to head out, has taken a back seat at a time that could not have been worse (well perhaps slightly).

More later, I just got off the phone with the realtor… they accepted our offer, got to go! This is bloody lovely!

Tomorrow then, I’ll run, I promise.

Training:
Friday: 1:09:06 with 5x strides (1’)
Saturday: 1:59:35 leisurely
Sunday: day off
Monday: 30:06 easy (late night)
Tuesday: day off
Wednesday: 57:21 with 2x 90” (90”), 4x 60” (60”), 4x 30 (30”) & 4x 15” (15”)

Days remembered, a beginning

I wasn’t going to run today, not that I didn’t want to or that it wasn’t on the schedule, but with work busier than it has been in months and the days quickly booking up with meetings, well, I left the office closer to 5:00 rather than my standard 3:00 and as such I’d lost my running window. That said, after watching a rented episode of Rome (thanks Lawrence), and the missus fast asleep, it appears an alternate “late night” window has presented itself.

Running when it’s dark reminds me of a) running in the late afternoon during the wet coast winters we all so dearly love and b) days remembered, days when my life as a runner was forged.

It was during the second of year of my university career, and although I ran, I wouldn’t have called myself a runner. Runners were fast, or if nothing else, defined by qualities and attitudes that I didn’t then posses. As fortune would have it I befriended a graduate student who was living in our dorm and who was (or at least used to be) a runner. The informal nods in the hall turned to casual conversations (I can only guess disguised as opportunities to assess one another’s ability). Regardless, with defenses down, we began weekly jaunts, which then progressed to a weekend night long run. First 15k, which felt much longer back then, but not near as long as the first time Eric dragged me around his favourite 21k loop… tonight I remember it like it was yesterday, the first time in my life that I ran half-a-marathon. If I only knew then were that road would take me.

As so, as soon as I finish posting this, I’ll be lacing up my shoes for a late night stroll, nothing epic, but enjoyable all the same.

Thanks Eric.

Training: I’m just leaving, I’ll complete this in the morning

P.s. 23:47 easy, I didn't say it wasn going to be long (felt good)!

In desperate need of conditioning

“Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare.”

As I walked to work this morning, Americano in hand, it dawned on me that my fitness is nothing short of, well, it is just short. This is all fine given my current long-term goal, but as the Royal Victoria Half Marathon is fast approaching I’m a wee bit apprehensive.

I haven’t been doing a fraction of what my clinic members have been putting themselves through. With this in mind, and in desperate need of some conditioning, I registered for the Maui Half Marathon in mid-September. I raced there last year while on a short holiday, and given we’ll be there on our honeymoon in a few short weeks (and yes I cleared it with the missus first) I thought racing would ensure me at least one solid effort while on vacation.

This evening I met the clinic and led them on one of their last Herculean efforts, 4x 10’ (2’). I’ve been thoroughly impressed with their training and tonight was no different.

Re: house hunting, we drove around and looked at four more houses and have decided to follow-up with one. That said, we have our eye on one that hasn’t come on the market yet and are crossing our fingers as the kicker is going to be the listing price.

Training: easy 1:08:45

The Big Easy

I left the house today wanting to find my rhythm. I'm not sure where I left it, perhaps on the armchair beside Kawabata's The Master of Go, or at the hospital while I was having one of my many x-rays. Regardless, my lack of rhythm has once again reared it's ugly head just like it did in grade 4 during my first school dance. It was my first ever slow dance, Anna Hibernick had placed her hands on my shoulders (still at an arms length apart), and not knowing any better I followed her lead and did the same. I'm forever thankful for Anita running out onto the floor, grabbing my hands, and putting them on Anna's waist. Alas, I digress. No... when I was out on Sunday I couldn't help but notice that my rhythm, my easy gait, was missing. I miss the fluidity that is gained when putting in the miles, the way the shoes seem to glide along the street and the smooth carriage of ones arms, I miss it all. So today, I set out to try and recapture that rhythm.

Today was pretty simple, 5 strides was all the schedule called for; done and done.

Training: 37:07 with 5x strides (1')