I woke up on April 22nd and looked at the newspaper. The Boston bombing and subsequent aftermath and investigation etc. still dominated the headlines. “It’s been a week… only 7 days.” I thought to myself. It felt like longer, so much had happened in those seven days, yet I still hadn’t had the chance to really commemorate the victims, the survivors, and runners of every stripe. Until that day. I’d been looking forward to this for the past few days – the ever awesome PavementRunner kicked off a #BostonStrong event for any city that felt like it, and Phaedra from Blisters And Black Toenails took up the organizational torch. While I had run a mile with the boys the day after the bombing, I still wanted to do this one because:
Running with other people, especially those united in a message like this one, really underscores how running is a community, and frankly, too much of how I engage with that community is merely over the internet, and not in person
High Park is pretty.
Evening events are ones I often have to skip since they collide with dinner and bedtime for the kids, but both my wife and I are runners, and we both feel emotionally affected by the tragedy, so while wrapping the entire family up in this thing wasn’t quite a no-brainer, it was something we both wanted.
I found myself getting inspired, and the next thing I knew, I was plotting a way to add a soundtrack to the event. I packed a stereo we used to stick in the back of our Chariot to blast out music during the Levac Attack, and I knew I had a Neil Diamond CD so we could play Sweet Caroline (the unofficial Red Sox anthem) and I grabbed a few extra Dropkick Murphys songs for the iPod (which docks into the stereo). I modified a #BostonStrong bib Phaedra provided to use the numbers 416 and 905 (the most common area codes for the Greater Toronto Area), and figured we’d attach them to the stroller.
Represent!
After picking up the family and heading over to the Grenadier Restaurant parking lot. People were asked to wear the Blue and Yellow of the Boston Marathon; in our case, my wife wore the yellow, and I wore the blue – both from previous years of the Sporting Life 10K (which she is doing again this year). I was a little surprised to see how many people had actual Boston Marathon gear on… these were serious runners who had qualified and run the world’s most prestigious marathon in the past.
When the official start time hit, Phaedra thanked everyone for coming, and mentioned how we were all in solidarity of those that wouldn’t have been able to finish their marathons. It was a short speech, and soon the mass of blue and yellow was off. It took us an extra 10 seconds to get the kids strapped in, so we were at the back, and we were not going to be gaining much ground on the group. Phaedra hung back at the first curve to make sure we were doing alright, but overall, the group was leaving us behind. I had thought the course was meant to take us North out of High Park for a few blocks, but just shy of the entrance the pack turned back making the route a nice loop back. The loop closed back near the restaurant making one lap just over a mile, which was where we lost sight of everybody.
Courtesy of Blistersandblacktoenails.blogspot.com
I’m not going to lie, that irked me a little bit; maybe everyone who runs Boston is fast, but I thought the idea of being in it together was an important one, and I had come a fair distance and kept my kids up past their regular dinner and bedtimes for this, hoping that the crowd would provide them a little bit of distraction. Still, as a family, we were going to stick this out and finish our planned 5k. It’s their loss, since they didn’t get to hear my sweet tunes.
Shark Boy is 3 years old and had a lot of questions about what we were doing, and that in addition to the natural inquisitiveness of that age, is not shy about garnishing his investigations with the ubiquitous “why?”. I tried to explain that Boston was a city, and a lot of people were sad there, and we wanted to show them that they didn’t have to be – sue me for trying to keep things simple, and some details I simply didn’t want him being exposed to. The next thing I know, I’m saying that some bad men had hurt a lot of people; I still thought I was within safe territory, but then he asked HOW the bad men had hurt the people. Oof.
The way it was working out, it would take 3 laps to finish the 5km. The Lightning Kid was starting to get impatient (i.e. tired, fussy, hungry) with the whole thing, and the last lap was pretty much a torture of screaming. We split up so I could get him back to the parking lot faster, while Shark Boy tried his hand at running about a half kilometer. His enthusiasm warmed my heart with pride, but I think we need to teach him about pacing if he wants to last as long as a kilometer. He also needs to learn about watching his step, since he tripped within the first 10 strides. He would have made better time if he hadn’t stopped for “hug breaks” with his mother; I can’t hold that against him, in fact, he may have discovered a new running method! Imagine instead of walk breaks or water stations along a race, you could get a hug from your mom… maybe you’d get a personal best!
The Grenadier Restaurant kept their cafe/snack bar section open long enough to feed us, and then we packed it all in and got the kids home for a late bedtime routine. I’m still sad and sorry for what happened on April 15th 2013, but if I can take a little solace in something that came from that day, it’s that it gave me an opportunity to make April 22nd 2013 a special day. For a recap from within ‘the pack’ head over to Blisters and Black Toenails.
Dieting is generally decried as a method to lose weight. The right way to do it is to adapt good nutritional principles and exercise regularly to avoid any ‘yo-yo’ effects. Dieting generally tries to get desired results within a limited time frame, often by introducing extreme, dogmatic restrictions – no this, no that. Smart lifestyle decisions are like financial investments – it’s best to take a long view. Something called Dietbet came along a little while ago. The premise was simple: put money down on the idea of you losing weight. The goal is to lose 4% of your current body weight in 4 weeks. Somebody smarter than me decided that was realistic and within healthy limits. You can not ‘weigh out’ early, and there is a system to date-stamp the weigh-ins using pictures and ‘words-of-the-day’. The pot, which is the sum total of everyone’s bet buy-in minus the administration fee is split by everyone who makes the goal. The idea caught on like wild-fire; having cash on the line seems to be a great motivator, and it also taps into our social instincts like wanting to be part of a group and competitiveness. I’ve had several opportunities to join Dietbets with other fitness bloggers, but I’ve always turned down the opportunity. There’s the anti-diet reasons I mentioned above, there was the lack of real desire to lose weight and the knowledge that with life being as it is, I wouldn’t stick to all the restrictions I’d need to in order to achieve the goal.
I signed up for a bet that started April 17th. Why? Tell ‘Em Jerry!
Long story short (on details at least), I had an old friend let me know he felt I was letting myself go, and while I first accepted the message as heartfelt concern, the razzing and jokes that preceded that and followed it got on my nerves. You can rib me, and I will let it roll off my back and laugh along, or you can speak earnestly and have me listen to what you have to say, not both. So I’m going to let my annoyance be my motivation; the best revenge is, as they say, living well. Furthermore, I know there’s going to be a period where I’m going to deviate from the nominally healthy long-term lifestyle in the other direction. On vacation for example, there will be less workouts, less intensity, and more calories. It’s a fact of life, so why not swing once to the skinny, then to the not-so-skinny. My life just has a certain amount of variability, and while that can be stressful both mentally and physiologically, I wouldn’t have it any other way. You can follow the bet here, but I won’t be posting about it on the blog that much – I simply don’t find the topic of weight loss to be that interesting. If you’re thinking about joining a game, I can recommend Katy from Fit In Heels, hers is starting in a few days.
Everyone has to talk about the tragic events at the Boston Marathon. Maybe it’s cathartic, but in spite of the fact that at this juncture everything that can be said has been said by people before me, and yet, I can’t leave the topic untouched.
Most of us (including me) try to make sense of the events:”Who could have done this? Why would anyone do this?” We try to rationalize something that could never make any human sense. It occurred to me, that this instinct to rationalize comes from our empathy, and our desire to try and see another person’s point of view, no matter how insane or evil it is, comes from the same place that makes it unthinkable for us. We humans think of other humans, not targets or assets. And that gives me comfort too.
There were lots of ideas of how to show solidarity with those affected. Wearing race t-shirts, running for 103 minutes (for the 3 dead, and another 100 because I guess people like long runs), running for 26.2 minutes (for the 26.2 miles of the marathon), or simply running a mile silently. I was actually having a good, if busy, day today – I had a productive flow going at work, and we got some good news regarding the Lightning Kid’s overall health, but I worried about missing my chance to say something, to do something, regardless of how small and insignificant these gestures can seem in the shadow of enormous tragedy.
When I got home from work, just before dinner, I put on my marathon shirt…
And took my boys out for a run. Just a mile, and I had to negotiate that Shark Boy would be able to ride his bike immediately after, but I dedicate that run to Boston, to the Boston Marathon, and to runners everywhere.
Amanda a.k.a. MissZippy is hosting a link-up party, where everybody talks about the Best Run they had recently. I haven’t been running very much since the Chilly Half-Marathon, so I thought I’d have nothing to talk about.
Then Saturday happened. I had a block of time in the afternoon, but not much ambition. The Lightning Kid had been running a fever, as we discovered that mid-day. My wife wanted to take Shark Boy shoe shopping (he ended up with a pair of Saucony’s!). Taking the Lightning Kid out for some fresh air in the Chariot seemed like the ideal solution: he’d get some rest and some fresh air. After I strapped him in, and started up, I realized how long it had been since we were out together. He fell asleep pretty quickly, and with nothing but time on my hands, I figured I would try and turn this into a long, slow, distance workout. I took my time, and since the Virrata’s are still new to me, I kept my pace easy and my stride as soft as possible. The weight of the Chariot made it easier to not over-stride and heel strike for the most part. As I made my way into Centennial Park, I decided to extend the distance a little by trying to complete a circuit around the Ski Hill. There was still some artificial snow to cross, which was a little tricky with wheels and light shoes, but no harm done. Once I had completed the lap around the hill, I climbed up the service road for one of the best views of the city; if I had known I’d be writing this up days later, I’d have taken some pictures. On the way back down the hill, the Lightning Kid woke up. I was worried he’d get cranky due to feeling under the weather, but his spirits stayed high, and he babbled a little as if to confirm:”Hey, we haven’t done this in a while!”. I started taking a different route home with the idea of extending the run some more, but I noticed I had missed a call on my cell phone; I picked up the voice mail from my wife saying she wanted to go grocery shopping and whether I’d want to swap kids with her. I was just next to the grocery store when I got the message, and when I returned her call, she was already at the store. So I cut the run short, and joined the rest of my family at the grocery store… I even got some input into a few extras we should buy. They say you shouldn’t shop on an empty stomach… that goes double for a post-run stomach!
I took my first outdoor bike ride of the season today. The weather was sunny and not too cold, so I enjoyed myself, though I know I’m rusty. Still the opportunity gave me a chance to think about the little things that go into having a successful ride, especially when 1.) cycling is not your strength and 2.) you’re pressed for time. I have a few blogger friends who are transitioning into triathlon this year and I thought of the things I could tell them to help them have less hiccups. Alternatively, if you’re not a total novice, but (like me) you lack confidence on the bike, this may help you.
Getting a Route
I used a route that I’ve been using for a couple of years now. I was hard up to find a route I could train on without having to drive to a rural area; otherwise most of my training time would have been eaten up by traffic lights and traffic fights and be a lot less safe. I wanted to know what other cyclists were doing, so I looked at the online website for the Garmin app. All (publicly published) rides in my area were visible on a map; apps like Endomondo, DailyMile etc. could offer similar functionality.
Essentially, it’s a 4km route that I can do multiple times to get rides of 20-40km. It’s in an industrial area, so there’s little to no traffic on weekends (especially earlier in the morning), it’s nearby, so I’m not far from home should I be needed, or, should I need help myself (I could walk home if something catastrophic happened to the bike while leaving me OK), and it’s more or less flat. While I didn’t do it this way last time, the better direction seems to be clockwise; this makes most of the turns right hand turns which is safer (assuming traffic drives on the right side of the road – sorry U.K. and Australia etc.!). If your route (like this one), comprises both lefts and rights, remember the order of preference when putting the route together.
Right turns are preferred to lefts.
A left at an all-way stop is better than a traffic light.
While driving to a rural area is a preferred way to have long uninterrupted rides, the time cost for the drive and for putting the bike onto/into the car etc. makes it less appealing.
Handling the Ride
Since this isn’t a commute in heavily (or even moderate to lightly) driven roads, some of the safety guidelines might be a little… flexible. I’m not going to tell anyone to break the laws of the road, but if you approach a four-way stop and can see for hundreds of meters in all directions, you might not come to a full stop and say… roll through the intersection. Let’s face it, on our training/racing rides we don’t have a full complement of lights, mirrors and such, because they cause drag and extra weight. So we’ve already made some compromises on safety choices. If you pick a route that spares you from most of the dangers of traffic, you should be able to safely reap the benefits and keep moving at a more useful speed.
Having said that, you still need a few guidelines and tips to stay safe:
Stay alert. Scan the big picture for what’s going on, and yet don’t ignore what’s about to come up under your wheel. A pothole, or skid-worthy gravel could ruin your day almost as much as a collision with a car (but not quite).
If you find yourself having to stop (or slow down to a great degree), GEAR DOWN. You want a lighter gear that you can start in again easily (more on this in point #4). Your bike doesn’t stop on a dime and you should have enough time to descend down the gears assuming you followed rule #1.
Here’s some help if you are new to “clipless” pedals (that attach to your shoes) or toe-clip pedals (with the little baskets to hold your feet). A lot of people panic a little at the notion of not being able to get their feet out in time. Figure out what your ‘lead’/favourite foot is (which would you kick a soccer ball with? Which foot would catch your balance if you were pushed suddenly from behind? Or maybe you’re just better at releasing that foot). Now, pull that foot out before stopping, and when the bike is about to stop, lean to that side – usually leading a little with your head is enough. Your lead foot should be able to touch the ground when the bike is on a lean, and you won’t even need to remove the other foot under most circumstances.
If your other foot is still clipped in, get the pedal to the 10 o’clock position (or somewhere between 9 and 12 o’clock). When it’s time to start again, you’ll be able to simply push down on that pedal; let’s face it, though you should use all 360 degrees of the pedal’s cycle, the easiest is the push down. Since you’re in a low gear, you’ll get a nice push for little effort.
Keep turning the pedals without clipping in your foot (or feet) that were removed. Once you’re up to a decent speed, your balance will be better, and you won’t be steering all over the road when you have to concentrate on clipping your feet in.
Other Tips
Eyewear. Protect those eyes – when you’re going faster, the dust blown in by wind is dangerous.
Inflate those tires. If you can’t read the PSI rating on the tires, at least make sure they feel basically rock hard to the touch. Riding on soft tires wastes tons of energy.
Bring a water bottle. It’s not just the effort that dehydrates, but the wind blowing into your mouth, down your throat contributes too.
Have you picked up any tips or strategies that can help those of us on the road who are less than Tour De France worthy (no, doping doesn’t count)? What do you wish you had known when you were first getting started on the bike?
I’m in the midst of developing the next phase of my training before the triathlon season, but I’m since I’m not finished yet, I thought I’d share a little discovery with you. This machine [add official name] was added to our corporate gym at the end of 2012. The rope is looped so it can be pulled continuously. The arm (that houses the pulley at the top of the rope loop) can be tilted to allow a more horizontal type pulling, but most people seem to be using it in the configuration shown.
There are 7 different resistance settings
There are 7 different resistance settings:
“…all 7 settings have DYNAMIC RESISTANCE which allows the rope resistance to vary with the speed of the rope”
The instructions say to use Rope Resistance Level 1-3 for 10-20 minutes as a cardio workout, and the levels 4-7 for 20-40 seconds (in 3 to 5 sets) as a Strength workout.
I was excited about using it to increase upper body strength and endurance in general, but the specific motion of climbing up the rope (pulling down)is very important to me: 1.) it’s a lot like a front crawl stroke so I figure it can pay dividends to my swim 2.) it’s going to strengthen my upper back and the supporting muscles which are my biggest weakness (I can’t do pull-ups, and even hanging from a bar feels hard to me). The first few times I used the machine, I mostly did a 1-minute session on one of the harder settings (6 or 7) as part of the endurance phase of a Matrixcircuit.
Then someone offered me a challenge. Apparently some of the runners were doing a pyramid style workout with the machine: 1 minute pulling the rope up (like you were pulling a bucket up from the bottom of a well), 1 minute pulling the rope down (like you were climbing it) – on the hardest setting. Drop the resistance down a level, then repeat. This continues until you’ve done both directions, all resistances for a 14 minute workout. Then you record the distance travel in meters, which is available from a little readout in front of the bench. So far, I’ve recorded 582 meters and 605 meters… the record is 784!
What’s the new/crazy apparatus at your gym? Love or hate?
Apparently in Crossfit, there’s a saying: write down a list of your strengths and your weaknesses, then throw out the list of strengths, and work on your weaknesses. This is certainly wise, and in reading various fitness blogs, the phrase I probably run across the most, is: “I really need to work on my…”. What about doing the opposite? What about acknowledging the parts of your training where you’re a total Rock Star? Self-doubt and criticism will come unbidden anyway, we should be making room to pat ourselves on the back from time to time. Without further ado, here are my top 5 strengths:
I start slow. That sounds like a negative, but hear me out. I can remember my first (only) marathon. I had put myself in a corral based on the time I thought I could achieve and then I looked around. Old men, runners with no shoes, runners a lot heavier than me. I began to get down… was I underestimating myself? No, I thought, I had spent a lot of time training, and a big part of that was getting to know my body, and what it was and wasn’t capable of. I had trained for my race, now I needed to race my training, I told myself. I could easily have gotten psyched out and adopted an aggressive pace early to try and get ahead of those I thought I “should” have been beating, but that would have ruined me for the latter parts of the race. Sure enough, I did pass some of those people who had probably made that exact mistake. Being able to be conservative has helped me not only in endurance sports, but in grappling tournaments for jiu-jitsu. In Crossfit and workouts inspired by that philosophy, I like doing RFT (Rounds for Time) better than AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible [within a time limit]), since I find I can estimate how I’m going to be able to get the exercises done. I’ll take very small breaks as needed and be able to keep a fairly even level of activity and intensity, rather than having an awesome first round then being close to dying thereafter.
I finish fast. I may not have the fastest time, or even the best time for what my physical abilities are, but when I cross the finish line, it looks like I’m in a race. I was raised with the German concept of “Endspurt” which is a burst of speed for the end that you are either a) given (like a ‘second wind’) or b) make happen or c) both.
Hills. When I see a hill, I attack it like it insulted my mother then stole my bike. I treat it as an obstacle to be overcome – no moaning and complaining, just get it behind you. I’ll pass people going up hills in a race; hills still affect me, and take a lot out of me, I just find the best time to recover is shortly after you’ve crested it. Some people will re-pass me on the flats or whatever, I just don’t like prolonging the pain of going uphill by going slowly. That goes for running or biking.
Flexibility. I’ll run with a slower partner. I’ll ride with a faster group. I’ll push a baby-jogger. I’ll go out in the freezing cold, snow, dark, whatever. I love trying new ways to train and/or exercise. I don’t train in the evenings usually, just because I have to be so protective of my sleep, but mornings would be fine by me (if the kids would stay asleep and in bed). I’m definitely able to work out while tired and sleep deprived.
Humility. That one is going to look strange in a post that’s pretty much tailor made to show off, but I am aware of my own short-comings. More importantly, I don’t compare myself to others much. This is my hobby, and while there are those that are better and faster than me (some even while having the same or more commitments to work and family etc.), beating myself up over why I can’t do the same simply takes the fun out of my hobby and pass-time. I do what I can, when I can, and I want to have fun doing it… that has to be good enough.
Enough about me… what are your strengths? What makes you a Rock Star? Listing one strength is good, listing 5 is better!
I was sent a pair of Saucony Virratas by Saucony (via Fitfluential) for review purposes free of charge. I was not compensated in any other way, or asked to give a positive review; all opinions are honest and my own.
Introduction
The idea behind barefoot/minimalist running is that the stride we’ve developed through having running shoes with all their cushioning and stabilizing technology has given us an unnatural stride that is actually what is behind most running injuries. Running more like our evolutionary ancestors would enable us to run more efficiently and safely, and the way to promote that kind of running is to wear as little as possible on your feet. I can remember seeing people do marathons and half-marathons completely barefoot (except occasionally a little duct-tape) as far back as 2005, but the movement (and subsequent product development and marketing machine) really grew over the last few years.
I did like the theory, and I was willing to give the practice a bit of a try, though I didn’t want to send my entire running technique back to square one. A few years ago I bought a pair of Merrell Trail Gloves to play around with a little; I took them on a soft trail that I thought would be ideal for the experience – I wouldn’t need the extra cushioning I’d come to expect from my road running shoes. Unfortunately that trail was also very hilly – I ended up really aggravating my Achilles tendons (both of them!) and I got blisters to boot. Since then, I only used those shoes under controlled circumstances on the treadmill, or for other activities (playground with the kids, weights, spinning). I understand and like the theory of minimalist running, but I have severe reservations about its practicality when it comes to my goals and lifestyle.
The Virrata is “remains is a feather-light, ultra flexible shoe with advanced cushioning that promotes a powerful stride and allows your foot to move the way it was meant to.”* (quoted from the Saucony website). It’s what the call a zero drop shoe, but with cushioning. The zero drop means there’s no modification to your foot’s natural profile – your heel isn’t any higher off the ground than the ball of your foot. And for people like me, the cushioning could help deal with the realities of hitting the hard ground.
Image courtesy of Saucony.com
Initial Impressions
When I took the Virratas out of the box, I didn’t notice anything terribly different about them… because they were still stuffed with paper. Once I took that out I nearly threw them in the air because they were so much lighter than I expected. Obviously they wanted as little weight as possible for that natural feel – they’ve chosen lightweight materials, but also created a very open mesh for the top of the shoe; they’re highly breathable and intended to dry quickly. I noticed the sole right away also. It was thick enough to be noticed, and make me believe it would provide some cushioning, but I could also tell the flexibility would give it a very responsive feel. I couldn’t wait to run in them!
Image courtesy of Saucony.com
Let’s go to the video!(This was made using Coach’s Eye for the iPad and WeVideo)
Virrata Outdoor Run
Due to the *Chilly Half Marathon*, and the taper that preceded it, I hadn’t taken the Virratas out on a run; running a race in brand new shoes is no-no, especially if it’s a long distance (for you), though apparently *Fitness Cheerleader* did it. Once I had a few days to recover, I decided to take them out for a quick run on the sidewalks (Kovas, of Midwest Multisport Life says the Virratas are *not so good on the snow*, so I skipped the trails).
I hadn’t noticed any more soreness in my larger, more major leg muscle groups, but upon starting my run, I did feel it in my ankles. While the Virratas have great cushioning for a zero-drop/minimalist shoe, that’s still not as much as I might be used to. The good news is that they are also very responsive, I found myself making the slightest adjustment and the ankles didn’t hurt as much (they joints may have simply needed to get warmed up).
Running in them felt very natural; there was no ‘whoa this is new/different’ sensation in them, and what I love is that my pace was in keeping with with my race pace from the weekend: 5:48, 5:42, etc. At first I took that to be a good indicator of how natural the shoe and I fit together, but upon further reflection, I think I would have been slower in my old shoes, since I was still in recovery and trying to take it easy. I think the light weight of the Virratas might have turned what should have been a slow, easy (and short) run into one with a more respectable pace!
Still when I think of the lightweight materials, I have doubts as to how they’ll stand up to my average runs, which typically include gravelly trails and mud, roots, rocks in addition to pavement and the cement of sidewalks. The Virratas will probably occupy more of a novelty slot in my shoe rotation, but I’ll certainly enjoy running in them more than I thought I could considering they’re a minimalist shoe. If I can integrate them into my training, it will help my running technique and strength in my feet and some of the other, smaller stabilizing muscles needed for running. Like they say: Find Your Strong.
Done! I finished the Chilly Half Marathon in 2:02:14! While I was hoping for a finish time less than 2 hours, I think I can say I left it all out there on the course, and there wasn’t going to be a faster finish for me no matter what I did. Let’s get into some details…
My wife dropped me off in downtown Burlington sometime after 9:30 and took the kids on a play-date rather than try to keep them happy in the sub-zero (Celsius, in case you’re reading this in the U.S.A!) temperatures. City Hall was open and available to stay warm and take bathroom breaks, but I found it so crowded I wouldn’t have been able to guess where the back of the line was, so I opted to use a local Subway restaurant instead (I later bought cookies from them to make up for mooching).
As the start time approached people started lining up in the corrals according to what their estimated finish time would be. I saw some pace bunnies struggling to get to the right position (hint: 1:55 is faster than 2:00), but I’ve never used them much myself (I’ll try to keep my eyes open for them but I use my Garmin instead). Having the crowd fill in help stave off the cold a little bit, but just about everybody had to jog on the spot a little to stay warm, whether or not that was their usual pre-race habit. There seemed to be a false start where the crowd started to advance, then stopped, but finally (about 10:10 or so) we were off. I had plenty of time to start my music playing and start both Endomondo and my Garmin before crossing the start line chip sensor (the chips are disposable ones attached to the race bib – very convenient).
Straight down Brant street toward the lakeshore and then a right (west) we went. Once I start running, I usually warm up right away, but this time I think it was at least 2 km before my fingertips stopped hurting. I hadn’t taken as detailed a look at the race course as I should have: I knew we were heading toward the Burlington Skyway bridge, but would we actually be running on it? That would be a unique experience but also very cold… the western turn-around point was at the base of the bridge.
I was feeling good, and though there was temptation, I kept myself from running too fast so that there would be plenty left in the tank (both fuel/energy wise, and from a muscle fatigue perspective). I was nearing the start point (about 5 km) when I noticed my phone was playing from the intended running playlist, but rather shuffling between the whole collection (neat Endomondo feature: if you go to the link and click ‘Playlist’ on the left, you’ll see what I was listening to!); the Scherzo from Beethoven’s 9th was not what I had in mind! I took a walk break at the top of a hill and made the change. My Garmin did something weird and I have yet to figure out why: it gave me lap alerts for every kilometer about 330m early, even by it’s own measurement. For example, it called lap 10 complete at 9.67 km and lap 11 complete at 10.67 km. I got used to that, and actually found it handy to show how that particular kilometre was ‘trending’. At the actual kilometre markings, I still had the Endomondo app calling out my pace times. One thing I did better than usual on this race was not over-hydrate, but I still found myself needing to take a pit stop around the 13 km mark. I had increased my pace in anticipation of the rest and lost time, so I don’t feel like this actually cost me anything in terms of my average pace. With the course having two out and backs, there were plenty of opportunities to see other racers going the other way and maybe even a few high fives. There weren’t as many of these as I would have expected, but I’m one of the worst people for that sort of thing – I was fairly focused on running my race. In fact, I later realized that I hadn’t enjoyed the view of the lake at all, I think the flat light of the overcast day made me forget about the water. I found that my heart rate was occasionally getting too high even when my pace was lower than I wanted it. The trick I found was to take my hat off; as I cooled off, my heart rate seemed to get lower for faster running. My Achilles tendons were flaring up increasingly as the kilometres ticked off, but I was keeping the kind of pace I wanted: mostly around 5:40 to 5:45 km. I thought that was the pace I wanted for a 2 hour time, and according to my original plan 5:42 should have been it, but as I neared 16 km I began to realize the math was wrong – upon review I see there were a few 6 minute kilometres. I think I knew it was too late to make changes, but I couldn’t give up either. I started increasing my pace, and after the 18 km mark I really started hauling it (there is no tomorrow!)
At the 20 km mark, I got a call from my wife. I tried to ignore it, but ultimately took the call; thanks to the Jaybirds, I didn’t have to stop or slow down to fiddle with the phone. She was having trouble finding parking and ultimately she and the boys wouldn’t be at the finish line in time to see me cross, but I couldn’t hear a word of that at the time. Nor would she have been able to make out my guttural grunts and gasps as I was giving it my all on the last kilometre. As I crossed the finish line, I stopped the Garmin and saw 2:02. I was a little disappointed, but not too much, as I didn’t really feel like I had made any real mistakes on the course or done a poor job of training for the race. One of the volunteers handed me a bottle of water, and I think he was checking my level of consciousness the way they do for Ironman finishers… I got my breath back and a hold of myself and thanked him properly. There were good post-race snacks, including PowerBar protein bars, bananas, and juice boxes. Once I had reunited with my family, we looked for one of the restaurants that would be serving chilli and beer without being to crowded for a family with two small kids. We foundMelodia, and though they didn’t have seating in their main floor area, they were nice enough to open their second floor for us (they would later fill up to the point where they needed that space too). We added to our meal of chilli (and a Carlsberg that went down soooo nicely) a Mediterranean inspired cheeseburger and grilled cheese (on a pita!). I tried hard to keep our kids from ruining their nice tablecloths, but it ended up being me who spilled a whole bowl of chilli on the floor… I hope my tip made up for the inconvenience! I had a Epsom salt bath when I got home and I’ve been taking it easy ever since – I think the last of my muscle soreness will be gone by the time you read this. I’d really recommend this event – I think I might do it again next year. At any rate, I want to make a March/Mid-winter race a tradition; training for it has kept me more focused and disciplined, and the outdoor runs have done a lot to keep my winter mood up.
