Did That Just Happen?

I've been having a tough time with my running. Lack of motivation to stick to my training schedule, and feeling anxious about choosing between running and school work has sometimes left me paralyzed. The result has been a less-than-best effort put into, well, anything I'm doing right now.

In other words, definitely not winning at life at the moment.

I didn't run at all last week, which has put me slightly behind on my long mileage. This can be disheartening, as it only serves to feed into the mentality of, "Maybe I should just give up on training completely." But, miraculously, I forced myself out there today. It wasn't great, but it was better than nothing. Also, I don't know many other people who ran 19 km today, so I have to remind myself that any long distance is a good thing.

Sometimes after doing long runs I think to myself, "Did that just happen?" It sometimes feels a bit surreal, especially after periods of blah. But I have GPS and heart rate data to prove it, so it must've happened. Small wins, right?

Today's run: 19 km. Weather: dry and cool. Feeling: okay.

Side note: a male runner who passed me today said, "Nice gait!" At first I was all like, say what now? But then I found it funny - and a little flattering. He may or may not really know what good running form looks like, but it was still nice for him to say.

Props to everyone who ran the Pacific Road Runners First Half in support of Variety - The Children's Charity of British Columbia today. Hope you all enjoyed the race, and the brief periods of sun we had this morning!

I think gratitude, in any form, is a wonderful thing. Here's a little video from Variety saying thanks to the Pacific Road Runners for all their support over the years. Enjoy!

I, Long Distance Runner

Years ago, I blogged about some quirky traits people inherit when they get serious about running. After four marathons and many, many miles, I like to think I've also learned a thing or two about myself over the years:

• I am a long distance runner. 
• The first five or six km of any run is what I need to really warm up and settle in. 
• I'm no expert, but I don't need unsolicited advice about running. I know where to get good advice, thanks. Besides, not all advice works for everyone. 
• I like to run alone - not because I'm anti-social but because, as a wise man and fellow runner (The Oatmeal) once said: "The buzzing roar of the world is nothing compared to the noise inside my head. But when I run, the world grows quiet." 
• I also like to run alone because it affords me the opportunity to really pay attention to my body, run by feel, and allow my thoughts to drift in and out, as needed. This isn't possible if I'm running with someone else.
• And no, I'm not fast - but I love it, so I do it anyway. 

I love long distance running! Long distance running's my favourite.

Here's to introspection! Hope you're all staying warm despite the polar vortex. 

Today's run: 16 km. Weather: cold (we broke a record!) but sunny and glorious. Feeling: blessed. Totally.

Running Round-Up: New Year, New Marathon Edition

Happy New Year, friends! I hope all of you had a chance to wind down, sleep in and de-stress over the holidays. And now, here we are: 2014! I've had a lot on my mind but no single topics that warrant their own blog post, so here's another round-up for you on what I think about when I think about running (or, when I'm actually running). Hopefully my mind will stop wandering all over the place when classes start again on Monday.

Marathon Training
I've signed up for marathon #5 and realized this week that I've never before run a marathon in May. I realized this, when I went to work out my marathon training schedule earlier this week only to discover that I should have started training last weekend. Oooops. No matter... having missed the first two runs in the first week out of 18 total weeks of training is not a big deal. It just made me chuckle, is all.

My last ever marathon training schedule??

What a Difference a Day Makes
As per my schedule for this week, I ran 6 km yesterday and another 6 km today, which is more mileage in one week than I've run since October. And yesterday was a great day to start as well, as it was raining and cold...which most people would find depressing, but I find rather glorious: fewer people around the seawall, that certain aura of mystery that only rain and fog can bring i.e. you know, like X-Files' style. That cool quiet is part of the reason I fell in love with the west coast in the first place. Today was also glorious, but for other reasons. The city started its day enveloped in a thick, pea soup-like fog, but opened up to filtered sunshine and dry weather. Two very different days, but both amazing. Rain or shine, I guess I just have a love affair with this place. 

Vancouver fog: late 2013
© Alexis Birkill

Bit of Worry
Having let my fitness lapse a bit since marathon #4 at the end of September, and likely having put on a little turkey weight over the holidays, I'm definitely feeling a bit sluggish out there. The past few runs have been slow and plodding, and have pretty much taken up my entire morning. Being a slower long-distance runner than most (that's not being humble, it's fact) means that other runners are knocking off higher mileage in less amounts of time. Given that I have to commit more time to training because I'm a slower runner, deciding to train for a May marathon in my last semester of my graduate degree with three months to go before I have to defend my thesis makes me worry whether I've bitten off more than I can chew. I must be nuts, right? At the very least, it will be a good experiment in time management. We'll just have to see.

Slow and Steady
Speaking of plodding, on December 31, John Stanton's page on Facebook posted this status update: "Enjoy your run today...there is someone out there that is more happy than you...running a lot slower." Me being me, I commented with this: "I'm the slow one! No one is slower than me so, you're welcome, everybody!" The nice thing was, I got six likes and a few encouraging replies. Not a bad way to end the year.

Hope 2014 has been good to you all so far! What races are on your list for this year?

Running Round-Up: Santa Claus is Coming to Town Edition

Christmas is nearly here and, if you're like me, you're probably feeling a little terrorized by the Blerch right about now. Here's what I've been doing lately to try and keep my fat little cherub buddy at bay.

Cycling = Torture
I've had a teensy bit of a cold this past week but wanted to remain active, so I opted for some light indoor cross training. Although I have access to both upright and recumbent bikes in my apartment building, I have to say: I hate them both. 

I've never much enjoyed cycling. There was a time in my teens, when I took up mountain biking for about a year, mostly because my brother was into it and I wanted to give it a try. But I didn't really see the appeal then, and I still feel the same today.

However, I will concede this: cycling is a good workout. Even the stationary bikes kick my butt every time. It's obvious that cycling is not my sport of choice, but for a bit of cross training action it's a good option.

What do you do to cross train?

The Weather Outside is... Quite Nice, Actually
After a week and a half of being plunged into a deep freeze, the west coast settled back into its normal, rainy and temperate self. I went out for an 8 km run this morning to get a bit of fresh air and try and pre-empt the turkey-shaped muffin top that is bound to make an appearance in the next day or so. I also experimented a bit with the panorama settings on my camera phone - check it out.

Along the False Creek seawall

English Bay

My Holiday Running Wardrobe is Sorely Lacking
When getting ready for today's run, I had a sudden urge to adorn myself with a Santa hat. Sadly, I don't own one! Note to self: make sure to get a Santa hat for next year's holiday running.

Regardless of what festivities or religion you subscribe to, from Five by 35, I wish you all the best this holiday season! Stay happy and healthy out there, my friends. 

Running Round-Up: Arctic Outflow Edition

Hello friends! And merry (early) holidays to you all. My apologies for being MIA: insert usual school and end of term excuses here. Let's get to it, shall we?

Baby, It's Cold Outside
Canada is in a deep freeze right now courtesy of some cold Arctic air that's been pushing into the region. Unlike our prairie neighbours to the east, the west coast is thankfully not experiencing wind chill values below -40°C, although -14°C with wind chill is certainly much colder than us fair-weather Vancouverites are accustomed to. The one good thing about all this? Clear, sunny skies, and brisk running. Check out these gorgeous shots I captured on this morning's 5 km run (all unfiltered).

Science World and downtown Vancouver

Looking northward on the Cambie Street bridge

False Creek, downtown and mountains

Really? Really?
Whoever is writing the status updates on John Stanton's Facebook page has been a little preachy as of late when it comes to food and, quite frankly, it's getting annoying. For example:

• As a runner your food is your fuel…select your choices wisely
• Reward yourself with a run…rather than with food
• Think of your food as fuel for your performance …make your choices wisely
• As a runner you eat for performance … a non athletic person eats for pleasure …make your choices wisely

Don't get me wrong. I understand how important it is to make smart and healthy food decisions. But everything in moderation, right? Perhaps that includes reading these Facebook updates as well.

Announcement: Number 5!
I am officially registered for marathon #5 and I'm super excited! On Sunday, May 4, I will be alongside thousands of other walkers and runners at the BMO Vancouver Marathon as I endeavour to complete this "marathon" journey (ha, get it?). It's the marathon I've always wanted to run, in the best city on earth, in my own backyard. I cannot wait.

I'm planning to be on the blog more in the next few weeks, once I'm finished with everything for term. If you're in town and want to join me on a run, followed by a delicious, rewarding and satisfying meal of our own choosing (take that, Stanton), hit me up! 

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's the long weekend and am neither running nor stuffing my face with bird. Some big sections for my thesis are due on Thursday, which I am well behind on, so I'm spending this beautiful holiday chained to my desk. C'est la vie.

But I would like to spend a moment to give thanks, since this is what this weekend (in Canada) is about. Thanks to my husband, family and friends who have supported my crazy running habit since I really got into it four years ago, and to all of my readers! 

I'm also, of course, grateful for my health and for being able to run. That being said... it's flashback time! Three years ago during Thanksgiving weekend, I ran marathon #2: the BMO Okanagan Marathon. And this morning, runners in Kelowna are setting off on their own Okanagan journeys. Here's my Facebook note entry and images from my second full marathon. Enjoy!

--
Hello from Kelowna, and Happy Thanksgiving!

The results are in, and it's official... I'm under five hours!

Gun Time: 4 hours 56 minutes 40 seconds
Chip Time: 4 hours 55 minutes 27 seconds
Overall: 406 out of 471
F Group: 167 out of 204
F 30-39 Division: 60 out of 71

I've always said I was a slow runner, but this is still a big accomplishment for me. After last year's marathon in Victoria (read: 5 hours 27 minutes 54 seconds), I never thought I'd break the five-hour mark. Take that, marathon!

Overall, it was a nice race. The day started out a bit windy and soggy, but after about an hour in, the weather was perfect. There were sections in City Park that weren't blocked off so well, but the volunteers and traffic control on the course were great - and a deer even ran past at one point, less than 10 feet away, going in the opposite direction! 

Kudos to the husband for being so supportive in my running endeavours, and for being such a great spectator! Who else would be willing to get up at the crack of dawn to stand outside for five hours, just waiting for his wife to run by a few times?? Thank you, Matt ... I love you!

Screen shot of my Garmin data from the run on October 10, 2010.

Surrey is Done!

Marathon number 4: check! 

It's been more than a week since the Surrey International World Music Marathon (sorry for the delay, loyal blog followers) and I'm still pretty pumped for the finish. Here are the details from the weekend.

Spot the Five by 35-er!
© Surrey International World Music Marathon 2013

For those not from 'round these parts, Surrey is about an hour from where my husband and I live in Vancouver. We'd planned to stay in a hotel close to the start line, so we could sleep in a bit and save on travel time the morning of the race. But a friend from the area had offered up his place to my husband and I for the night before and as a base for race day, and we were more than happy to accept - particularly since the marathon was scheduled to start at 7:30 am and transit was not running early enough to get full marathoners to the Central City start line in time. 

© Global BC 2013

It wasn't a great day, weather-wise. The entire weekend saw wind and rainfall warnings for the entire lower mainland, which made me very nervous right up until I crossed the start line. Even though it was gusting and cold when everyone started to line up in the race corrals, it warmed up almost immediately, and it stayed that way except for the last hour or so when it started to come down in buckets. I mean, who doesn't love torrential rain?

Having been sick and out of commission for most of September, I'd decided to pace this race quite more conservatively than the other marathons. As a result, I ran a slow race - yes, even slower than usual! - but I finished smiling, so that decision couldn't have been all bad. In hindsight, I think I'd subconsciously set two goals for myself, based on last year's outing in Saint John:

1. Minimize the possibility of mental breakdowns on the marathon route; and 
2. No ugly crying after crossing the finish line.

And I managed to achieve both, so... well done, me! 

The race itself was two loops: an urban run winding through Central Surrey, which took runners through residential districts, as well as green and woodland areas such as Holland Park and Green Timbers Urban Forest. 

Thank you, Garmin data

It was organized well enough. Although, based on my personal experience and the comments I saw on Facebook and Twitter, it seems as though there's plenty of room for improvement - probably not a surprise, given this is only the second year for this fledging event. The best thing about the race, by far, were the cultural stations lining the course. This race is touted as the "International World Music Marathon," and it certainly lived up to that name. According to the event organizer's website, a total of 34 performance stations encompassing 18 distinct cultures lined the course. All of the entertainment was great! And the variety of music, dancing and cultural aspects was definitely something I've never before experienced in a marathon. Well done to all of the entertainers and volunteers at the music stations! (I think Korea was my favourite; their performance was great each time I ran by. The United Kingdom's highland dancers came in at a close second.)

As for downsides, I hate to say it, but there were plenty...

On the communications side of things for runners, the website was awful. I'd registered online months ago through the marathon's official Running Room registration portal, yet there was no way for me to confirm my registration using the Surrey Marathon's website. Each time I emailed about this, the replies I received did not fully answer my questions. Not being provided with a straight answer left me with some anxiety, since I was never assured whether I'd registered properly after I'd already been training for weeks. 

In terms of logistics and deciding on how to get to the start line, months ago - when I'd first registered - the website indicated that organizers had arranged for TransLink to run one train early enough to get runners to the area on time, which was great. But only days before the race, this changed completely; the website updated with an advisory indicating that no trains would be able to get runners to the start line in time. And while organizers announced that a shuttle service would be provided, shuttles ran only between another train station and the start line, which meant that, unless a runner could get to that particular train station, they were pretty much shit out of luck. So thankful that our friend offered to be our shuttle service! But it leaves me to wonder how and to what degree other runners were inconvenienced.

Then there was the course itself. The route was pretty great, I've gotta say. And there were plenty of very eager and wonderful volunteers, pointing runners in the right direction... except in Green Timbers, the second time around (the second of two loops). A few of us full marathon stragglers were left to fend for ourselves in the park, where we ended up off-route because there was no one stationed at key turn off points to say, "That way." Not that getting lost in the woods after running 36 km isn't exciting, but I can think of better ways to get my kicks, ya know? Thankfully, some kind locals noticed what had happened, pointed us in the right direction, and major crisis was averted. 

Because of the dreadful weather conditions, the marathon also decided last minute to move the recovery area, along with all of the water and food from the finish line, to an indoors area at the nearby SFU Surrey Campus. This would have been fine, except after running 42.2 km the last thing I was going to remember was, "Oh yes, that's right. The recovery area is now indoors!" As a result, I didn't get any food right after the race, and only managed to get a hold of some chocolate milk thanks to my husband and friends who took good care of me after I crossed the finish line. I realize this was an entirely situational decision on the part of race organizers, necessitated by Mother Nature, but it would have been nice to see some signage or a few volunteers at the finish line directing people towards the food.

Based on comments provided on the marathon's Facebook page and the Twitter feed for #WeRunSurrey, Surrey locals did not seem very happy about all of the traffic closures, with comments ranging from mildly annoyed to white-hot rage. Not that I necessarily agree with these unhappy people, but even my friend had trouble getting around - and he's a local who's lived in Surrey a long time who had all of the traffic advisory information. It would therefore appear that the road closures could have been made a lot clearer.

So... yeeahh. Despite the inadequate information, lack of transit service, disgusting weather, getting lost in the forest, and the no-food-at-the-end scenarios, it was a decent enough day, all things considered. Would I run it again? Probably not. But it was cool to have the opportunity to run Surrey and to finish another marathon.

But the volunteers were phenomenal - as always. The entertainment was extraordinary. I got a shout-out at the finish line by legendary race announcer and emcee Steve King. And one of my friends surprised me right at the end of the course, at the 41 km mark! Definitely some great things to be thankful for. 

Special thanks to my pit crew: my husband (of course!), and friend who put us up and kept my husband company while I took five and a half hours to finish. Speaking of which, here are my results...

Gun time: 5 hours 32 minutes 58 seconds
Chip time: 5 hours 32 minutes 33 seconds
Pace: 7.53 minutes per km

Race swag... and dinner plate-sized hardware!

I placed 7 out of 10 in the Female 30-34 category (not 35, yet!), 69 out of 91 females, and 170 out of the 180 who finished the full marathon. I certainly brought up the rear on this race, but hey - it's another one for the books, right? And I'm one more marathon closer to the goal. 

Only one more to go: BMO Vancouver Marathon, here I come!