Experts will tell you, and I agree wholeheartedly, that all runners, from back-of-the-packers to the elite, should maintain a running log. It's important to keep track of how you felt, how far you ran, what the weather was like and what you ate so you can look for patterns in your performance and determine what factors led to your best runs.
I've reached what I believe is the "runner's high" on only a couple runs so far in my running career, the latest one being just a few days ago. When writing in my training journal about my 8-miler last Sunday, I summed it up this way:
Best run of my life!
My perfect run had nothing to do with pace or distance. My perfect run was made up of the euphoric feelings that overwhelmed me at a number of different points along the route, the feeling that I could keep going and easily run another eight miles and the feeling that I never wanted this run to end (although somewhere deep down, I was quite happy to press the stop button on my watch). Only a few months ago, while needing the assistance of a cane to get around, I doubted if I'd ever run again, so this day ended up being my defiant response to a wonky back that has had me questioning my ability for a year now.
Here's how it unfolded...
6:12 AM
Hmmm, overslept. This can't be good. Better get up, look out the window and decide whether or not we're going. DM doesn't like it when I make the call too late.
6:14 AM
Blue sky and sunshine? Are you kidding me? I must be dreaming, we haven't had a Sunday like this since...I can't remember when we last had a Sunday like this.
6:25 AM
Checked the latest weather forecast and updated the website with the "GO-GO" message. Weather is supposed to hold for most of the day. Hope they're right for a change.
6:30 AM
Have an idea for a new page on my website. Probably shouldn't start this now, but, oh what the heck.
7:51 AM
Geez, where did the time go. Half bagel with peanut butter, get dressed, fill my water bottles and we gotta' move.
8:25 AM
Arrive at our Club's meeting place, most are already there. Must be the sunshine that has everyone so eager. Turn on my iPod and start warming up. I see the sun and walk towards it staring at it through my sunglasses - I can see it smiling at me, this is going to be a great day. Shirley sees me, walks over and questions why I'm all alone. "Just getting into my little space," I reply. Eminem's "Lose Yourself" puts me in the right frame of mind - talk about timing.
8:37 AM
I check my watch and ask the group why we're so late getting things going. Mary apologizes claiming it's her fault. Not totally believing her, I laugh it off to myself all the while thinking her sister Heather is the culprit - doesn't matter though, they both get a free pass with me - two of the good ones for sure. Away we go to start our formal group warm-up.
8:42 AM
Off and running. Here we go. I clap the group on by and tell them to enjoy every moment and then it's my turn to start running. "Nice and slow," I tell myself - that's my mantra for today. The group makes its way up the first street together. Some of us are going too fast - hope they don't pay for it later.
8:47 AM
OK, five minutes gone, time to settle into my pace - going for eleven minute miles today. A quick look at my watch, yikes, I'm on ten minute pace. "Nice and slow," I tell myself and back off to eleven minute pace.
8:53 AM
My watch beeps to tell me the first mile is done 10:59 pace - like clockwork. Boy I'm glad I've got my sunglasses today. It's the first Sunday in a while that we've needed them for UV and not ice pellet protection.
9:00 AM
"Nice and slow," I tell myself. I see a pickup truck coming towards me with large side mirrors aiming for my skull. "He'll move," I tell myself. Turns out he was a she and no she won't. I step off the side of the road into the ditch to avoid the certain pain of the mirror smacking off my forehead. "Nice," I think to myself.
9:04 AM
Mile two done. 10:54 pace. When I reach the next street I'll take a sip of water.
9:08 AM
Time for water - is it on my left side or is that Gatorade - can't see 'cause my coat is covering my belt. Let's see, I never get this right. I'm thinking right side so I'll go for the left. Damn it, that was the Gatorade, quick switch, couple of sips and back to the running. I think I'll run with the traffic on this street. It's not busy and my legs could use some time running on the opposite slant.
9:15 AM
Mile three behind me, 10:56 pace. I'm on today, everything feels right. Something's gotta' give. Wait, the left side of brain is trying to takeover, c'mon, right side, right side. I think it's safer running with traffic to my back. Seems they swerve to avoid me when they know I can't see them. Could be blog topic. Man it would be cool if you could blog while you're running. Let me think about that, I'm sure there's some way to pull that off.
9:26 AM
Another mile gone at 10:58 pace. I couldn't run this consistently on a treadmill. What a day. Haven't seen many cars. When did all these houses get built. Have to get out more often. Time for some Gatorade. Which side was it again. Man, I have no short-term memory at all. DM would laugh. Even funnier, I pulled the wrong bottle out once again. Quick sip, chase it down with some water and back at it.
9:36 AM
Five miles in, latest one was at 10:56 pace. I'm getting warm. I roll my toque up over my ears and hope my sunglasses don't fall off my head - they weren't cheap but the sales girl who sold them to me was really cool. There's Tim Horton's - do I need the washroom for any reason? Nope. Feeling good all around. Long, gradual downhill coming. Looking forward to that. Wasn't looking forward to getting the crap scared out of me by another runner who caught up to me; at least she turned, smiled and said hello as she passed. I can't help but notice she's in shape - sometimes I wish I was faster.
9:47 AM
Another mile finished, this one at 10:43 pace. Too fast Marky, "Nice and slow," I tell myself again. A final water break. Don't care what I take in now - whatever I pull out of my belt I'm drinking. Can't get this one wrong. I hope the rest of the group remembers to drink something.
9:54 AM
Hmmm, must be dehydrated. That looks like Chris up ahead. He wouldn't be here. What's my name? Where do I live?
9:55 AM
Spoke with Chris and hi-fived him. Feel better now. Not hallucinating.
9:58 AM
Seventh mile complete - 11:05 pace. Too slow Marky. One mile to go, let's pick it up.
10:07 AM
Should be done now. Quick look at the watch, yikes, still need a quarter mile to make 8. Ray's not gonna' like this.
10:09 AM
Last mile completed, fastest one of them all - 10:34 pace. Press the stop button on my watch, turn around and start walking back towards where I thought we would finish. Pump my fist at my side and let out an audible "YES!". That was amazing.
Looking forward to next Sunday.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Where x equals y
As I creep closer to the ripe old age of forty, there are a few things, where running is concerned, that I can shout from the rooftops with great certainty.
First, like fine furniture of the same era, I creek and crack with just the slightest of movements compared to just a few years ago; a condition that seems to worsen in colder temperatures for both the furniture and me.
Second, and along the same lines as my first point, I am no longer indifferent to running in cold weather - I much prefer bodily warmth and dryness before, during, and after a run.
Third, and along the same lines as my second point, I am without question turning into a fair-weather runner; this wouldn't be such a big deal if I lived in a fair-weather region, but I don't, so as my tolerance for running in rain, sleet, snow, drizzle and some of the other stuff my hometown throws at me diminishes, the chances that I skip a run or two will no doubt increase in the years ahead.
Finally, and completely separate from my first three points, being a member of a running club made up of your co-workers brings you closer, a lot closer, to them.
Lately I've been thinking about our club and the way we interact with each other and how our relationships have changed since we all decided to strip down to our skivvies and pound the pavement together. I am a hundred times more in tune with everyone in the club and I have had general, every day conversations about life's little moments and other obscure topics with most members that I would never have with "just a co-worker"; in the past, our conversations would have been limited to financial statements, purchase orders and company policies.
And it's not just that I am getting to know these people better, I feel an almost sibling-like attachment to them and I've found that their health and well-being matters more to me than ever before. When club members get sidelined with injuries, illnesses, or other personal matters, I hope, with great sincerity, that they are able to recover quickly because without them, the group is missing a part of its sum, x doesn't equal y, there's no yin to our yang, our feng is without shui.
We've been challenged, big time, since we started our half marathon training in January, x hasn't equalled y very often. Most of us have been struck down with illness or injury at some point over the past few months, and during the few brief periods when that wasn't plaguing us, the weather has provided a further slap to the group's face. But I'm a great believer that tenaciousness and commitment win out over everything. Stick with it and you'll be rewarded. And that will make crossing the finish line in Halifax that much more special for all of us.
I just hope the weather's warm.
First, like fine furniture of the same era, I creek and crack with just the slightest of movements compared to just a few years ago; a condition that seems to worsen in colder temperatures for both the furniture and me.
Second, and along the same lines as my first point, I am no longer indifferent to running in cold weather - I much prefer bodily warmth and dryness before, during, and after a run.
Third, and along the same lines as my second point, I am without question turning into a fair-weather runner; this wouldn't be such a big deal if I lived in a fair-weather region, but I don't, so as my tolerance for running in rain, sleet, snow, drizzle and some of the other stuff my hometown throws at me diminishes, the chances that I skip a run or two will no doubt increase in the years ahead.
Finally, and completely separate from my first three points, being a member of a running club made up of your co-workers brings you closer, a lot closer, to them.
Lately I've been thinking about our club and the way we interact with each other and how our relationships have changed since we all decided to strip down to our skivvies and pound the pavement together. I am a hundred times more in tune with everyone in the club and I have had general, every day conversations about life's little moments and other obscure topics with most members that I would never have with "just a co-worker"; in the past, our conversations would have been limited to financial statements, purchase orders and company policies.
And it's not just that I am getting to know these people better, I feel an almost sibling-like attachment to them and I've found that their health and well-being matters more to me than ever before. When club members get sidelined with injuries, illnesses, or other personal matters, I hope, with great sincerity, that they are able to recover quickly because without them, the group is missing a part of its sum, x doesn't equal y, there's no yin to our yang, our feng is without shui.
We've been challenged, big time, since we started our half marathon training in January, x hasn't equalled y very often. Most of us have been struck down with illness or injury at some point over the past few months, and during the few brief periods when that wasn't plaguing us, the weather has provided a further slap to the group's face. But I'm a great believer that tenaciousness and commitment win out over everything. Stick with it and you'll be rewarded. And that will make crossing the finish line in Halifax that much more special for all of us.
I just hope the weather's warm.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Six more weeks?
I've never been much of a Winter-time runner, in fact, I always used to take the months from December to March, off completely from running. Lately though, I've been enjoying some cold-weather runs so much so, I'm kind of glad Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow.
And while the thought of a longer, colder Winter has at least one of my fellow Running Club members rolling her eyes, I'll state my case for why cold-weather running is as great, if not better, than its summer-time equivalent.
First, I like being able to dress for the cold - as the temperature drops, the number of layers increase until I'm comfortable - if I warm-up, I can take something off. Not true for fair-weather running - as the temperature rises, we run out of things to take off and are then tortured by the heat for the rest of our run only to finish resembling something between steamed broccoli and a cooked lobster.
Second, when you reach back to take a swig from your water bottle in February, your thirst is met with a cold and satisfying treat. In August, the water that has been nearing the boiling point since you started running thirty minutes ago, mixes with your sweaty lips producing warm swamp water, at best - now that's refreshing, not.
But what I find most appealing about Winter running is it's kind of our way of fighting back against the weather gods who seem determined, at times, to keep us in doors. Even after metres of snow, inches of freezing rain and more gale-force winds than Old Man Winter himself thought he could ever muster, we head out for our regular Sunday run. You can huff and puff, but you'll never blow a runner down.
I could go on, but in all honesty, while I'm loving running this Winter, I too look forward to the day I can run once again in shorts and a tee. Maybe it's easiest to say that I just love running.
Now Jill, you can stop rolling your eyes - oh and dress warmly.
And while the thought of a longer, colder Winter has at least one of my fellow Running Club members rolling her eyes, I'll state my case for why cold-weather running is as great, if not better, than its summer-time equivalent.
First, I like being able to dress for the cold - as the temperature drops, the number of layers increase until I'm comfortable - if I warm-up, I can take something off. Not true for fair-weather running - as the temperature rises, we run out of things to take off and are then tortured by the heat for the rest of our run only to finish resembling something between steamed broccoli and a cooked lobster.
Second, when you reach back to take a swig from your water bottle in February, your thirst is met with a cold and satisfying treat. In August, the water that has been nearing the boiling point since you started running thirty minutes ago, mixes with your sweaty lips producing warm swamp water, at best - now that's refreshing, not.
But what I find most appealing about Winter running is it's kind of our way of fighting back against the weather gods who seem determined, at times, to keep us in doors. Even after metres of snow, inches of freezing rain and more gale-force winds than Old Man Winter himself thought he could ever muster, we head out for our regular Sunday run. You can huff and puff, but you'll never blow a runner down.
I could go on, but in all honesty, while I'm loving running this Winter, I too look forward to the day I can run once again in shorts and a tee. Maybe it's easiest to say that I just love running.
Now Jill, you can stop rolling your eyes - oh and dress warmly.
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