Sore Feet, Soul Intact

Here's the general formula: run 32 km. Instantly feel better about yourself and life in general.

Of course, this doesn't happen every time (see Long Distance Do-Over: Update or The Yin and Yang Of Running). And more often than not, it happens when I least expect it. Here's the shakedown on what happened this weekend...

With gal pal The BB Creative in town, who I haven't seen in a very long time, we set out on the town on Friday night ready to par-tay. Which we did. And which I paid for on Saturday, which ended up being a total bust of a day. Clearly, I'm getting too old to keep up with the young'uns.

So, surprise surprise, after I slept in today, after spending all day yesterday in Hangover City trying to rehydrate and basically just keep food down, and after having neither picked a route for my long run, nor organized all my supplies the night before (as is my regular routine), I woke up less than enthused about having to run for many hours. 

© BMO Vancouver Marathon

But perhaps I was destined to have read this great article by Jeff Gaudette yesterday, in which he writes about the importance of learning how to pace properly and running by feel. Because when I set out late in the morning having no mental preparation for today's run, those tips kept going through my mind. So I told myself, "Okay. Just relax. It doesn't matter how long this run takes, so long as you don't kill yourself trying to finish." And then things turned out spectacularly! I love it when a non-plan comes together.

Today's run: 32 km. Weather: cloudy and cool, with some light, and wonderfully refreshing, intermittent showers. Feeling: sore legs and feet, but pretty darn happy.

Interlude: And Then We Went to a Book Signing

This intermission has been brought to you by Neil Gaiman.

Happy fan.

The master writer was in town a few days ago and my husband, myself and some friends were fortunate enough to have tickets to the sold out reading and book signing. Rather than attempt to recap the event when others such as Philip Harris and Jennie Ramstad have so aptly done so already, what I will comment on is this: the man is a marathon book signer. With more than 1,000 fans in attendance, many with copies of his new book, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, but then others with back items as well (one back item per person only, please) it's not hard to imagine the many hours that lie ahead for that person who has promised to "sign until his hand falls off."

Not being the first stop on this tour, one volunteer at the event told us about how Mr. Gaiman had been icing his hand before the reading in Vancouver, and how they were holding ice in the back as well, just in case. Fans were called up according to randomly chosen row numbers; we were fortunate enough to only have waited about an hour however, it took others more than four hours. Four hours waiting! Can you imagine? But then, can you imagine four straight hours of book signing? 

If Neil Gaiman can sign books for his devoted fans, night after night, for more than four hours and still have a smile on his face, it makes me think that taking more than four hours to complete a training run or to finish a marathon is certainly something I can do as well. Guess it's just what people do when it's something they really love.

Today's run: skipped. Having had a late night for the book signing followed by an unintentional early morning (I still woke up at 5:30 am the next day without an alarm, ugh) really threw off my sleep pattern. Thought I'd treat myself by getting back on track before tomorrow's long run.

P.S. Before he left town, Mr. Gaiman stopped for a chat with Stephen Quinn at CBC Studio Q. For those interested, the interview can be found online here (0:24:13-0:46:15).

Long Distance Do-Over: Update

It's done. That's all I have to say about that. Not every run can be fun, right? At least I completed the distance.

Today's run: 29 km. Weather: cloudy to start, but cleared as the morning went on. Was also a bit muggy. Feeling: I don't want to talk about it.

At least I got this nice shot: view of Burrard Civic Marina and Granville Island.

Long Distance Do-Over

I've got 29 km on the schedule for tomorrow and, thanks to my Garmin stats, I can see that the last time I tried to do 29 km, I added a big ol' DNF to the description.

What does DNF stand for? DID NOT FINISH.

I'm not sure why I included this inspiring detail in my running records... sorry, scratch that. I know exactly why I did this. The main reason was because I wanted my record-keeping to be thorough and accurate; that run is when I got hurt last spring.

Tomorrow will be the first time since then that I'm attempting this distance as a training run. Am I a little freaked out about having to run this distance tomorrow, as a result? Yup. Sometimes a little knowledge (even in the form of my own workout data) can be a dangerous thing. 

But plenty has happened since then. I recovered from my injury and went on to successfully complete another marathon! So my plan is to run that same route tomorrow, that 29 km distance - and finish it. I'm looking forward to the challenge.

Today's run: 6 km. Weather: overcast and cooler than it has been recently. Feeling: fine, other than the anxiety thinking about tomorrow's long run.

Tomorrow's run: update to come.

I Live in Utopia

You all know how much I love the west coast. I find it brilliant and beautiful - in the rain, and in the sun. 

Running has created an opportunity to truly appreciate this wonderful city I call home. As I'm sure all you runners would agree: there's no better way to experience a place than by foot. 

Long distance running provides even more occasion to be connected with my city's beautiful surroundings. Getting up to over 20 km on these long runs gives me the opportunity to really get out of my familiar neighbourhoods and out to places I never normally run. 

For example, I was out today on a route I haven't run in more than a year and it was spectacular to see the scenery once again. While I went past million dollar houses, yacht and tennis clubs (yes - plural, if you can believe it) there was also opportunity to find private beaches and quiet spaces. I was able to see the city from not-so-familiar vantage points. I saw stand-up paddlers and kayakers push off for their early morning work outs. I ran along the beach front and on gravel paths - not a customary practice on my regular routes. I ran past not one, but two, groups of tai chi practitioners. I even shared a brief moment with a cute, wild bunny rabbit who probably wouldn't have been caught dead closer to the main areas of the city.

And of course, I didn't have my camera! But here are some lovely snaps taken by others who have also found the beauty in this wondrous place I am privileged, happy and thankful to call home.

Today's run: 26 km. Weather: warm and sunny. Feeling: tired but amazing.

Path to Kitsilano Beach.
© Stephen Rees

Point Grey foreshore.
© Susan Smith

View of Vancouver from Jericho Beach.
© Dawn Coyote

It Ain't Natural: Tips for Long Distance Running

A typical view of the weather
over the last few weeks.

Today: cloud.
What the...?

Saturday is typically the day before my long run and so I've always felt a little conflicted about what run to do on Saturdays, given this fact. I'm certainly not going to do a speed workout. I also don't want to run anything longer than 10 km, since I'll be out forever the next day anyway.

Today, I decided on an unmonitored 6 km. (My definition of unmonitored: without any form of heart rate, pace, or distance measurement device i.e. sans Garmin and heart rate monitor). So I'm out there today, fully meaning to take it easy, and I realize that I'm running pretty fast - or, at least I think I'm running pretty fast. I mean, there's no way to verify this since I'm unmonitored. But it feels fast, anyway.

This got me thinking about a conversation I had recently with a friend of mine. He's one of those guys who is a natural athlete. Like, he may have never really done a sport before but as soon as he gets into it, he just naturally kicks ass at it right away. Basically, one of those really annoying types. 

... so he's just recently taken up running, and is (of course) excelling at it already. But we get to talking about how he finds it challenging to run any slower - or rather, that it's hard to slow from his natural pace. 

Out there today, unmonitored, I was definitely running my natural pace; this is the pace where my running feels really good. But this pace, for me, is also unsustainable. I discovered this back in 2009 when I was training for my first marathon and, as I mentioned in my interview with Running Toward the Prize: "When ramping up my base mileage, I found I was completely exhausted after running distances that I had never before accomplished in training... I'd be tired for days."

This next statement, perhaps, is more a reminder for me than it is for you guys, particularly as I've been known to harp on about not being a speedy runner: I am definitely not slow. I can run a decent pace, and I think I proved that (mostly to myself) at the BMO Vancouver Half last year. However, by pushing my pace in that race I also ended up hurt and unable to run the full I'd planned on running that fall.

Talking recently about natural pace and then having that epiphany on today's run really made me think about how I needed to alter my running when I started to burn out during training for that first marathon. At the time, one of the Team Diabetes trainers provided some really great advice which was vital in salvaging my training plan; without it, I'm not sure I would have successfully finished that race. I wanted to share some of those tips with you here, in case you find yourself struggling to complete longer distances and you're not sure why. Here is what she told me:

• If you want to do heart-rate training first figure out your maximum heart rate. This is equal to 220 minus your age. During your runs, train within 60-80% of your maximum heart rate; long runs should be in the lower end of that range. As your fitness level increases, it will take more exertion on your part to get your heart rate in the zone. Note: fat is burned as energy after about 30 minutes of running and maximum fat burning happens between 55-60 % of maximum heart rate. Work outs above training heart rates burn more glycogen for energy and cause more lactic acid build up and muscle cramping and result in slower recovery.
• It is always best to focus on completing a distance the first time you attempt it. Work with your current fitness level and build from there. By pushing yourself beyond what your body can recover from week to week, you are setting yourself up for injury and disappointment. It takes many years to build a strong base for long distances and to be the person that will be running marathons in their 80s! You should be able to talk comfortably during your long runs. If you are running alone, try singing occasionally to check in with yourself.
• Specifically regarding marathon training for those new to long distance running: Your long run pace should be between 8:30 to 9:30 minutes per kilometre if you are following the "to complete" program. If you are going faster you are stressing your body to the point that it cannot recover by the next quality workout.   
• Walk breaks work! Remember to take walk breaks from the beginning (she's referring here to John Stanton's walk-run method). Do not wait until you think you need them.  If you get close to the end of your workout and want to skip the last walk break, go ahead, but be sure to take them early, even if you are feeling you don't need them. They are built in as mini recovery periods to speed the overall recovery of the stress that endurance running puts on the body.

--

Sidebar: my natural-athlete-newbie-running-friend, after apparently making some snide remark about what a slow runner I am, apologized about it a few days later. I didn't actually notice he'd been a smart ass, but was still grateful that he took the effort to make reparations. Kudos to you for not being a douchebag runner!

Long Run Sunday Quickie

Happy long run Sunday! It's been a fun weekend, but a few late nights combined with running in the heat has left me absolutely spent. I'm gonna sleep well tonight! Anyone else run today?

Today's run: 23 km. Weather: warm and sunny. Feeling: slightly sluggish and a little slower than usual, but pretty pumped at running a distance I haven't run since August 2012 (thank you, Garmin, for keeping track of that for me).

In honour of Bruno Mars' amazing performance in Vancouver last night, here's a little Locked Out of Heaven for all y'all. Hope you had a great weekend!