It's been a very interesting last 4-5 weeks. I figured I'd be running full time a long time ago, but this has not been the case. The achilles didn't respond to anything I did too it, so I ended up finally getting into physio (shoulda done that the first week). It's coming along, but still stiff at times (got a night splint) and tender, but my physio seems to think it's better that I think it is...
The good thing has been I purchased a hybrid road bike. it's more road bike than mtn bike and although it's a cheaper model, it's definitely smoother than anything I've been on before. if there's one thing I can actually handle when injured it's bike riding for 2-3 hours. I've only just got the bike, but I've had a couple 90min runs mixed in with some pool workouts at the Glen (where I have lived this summer) as they have two pools there and I was able to find a cheap pool running belt (BIG % is a plethora of cheap sports crap!!!). Mix that in with a few runs and things are coming along. Now, I just have to to get hold of my 'love handles' get in some SFU and Bellingham runs and hope that the Fall is not like last year (October meltdown).
At they very least it looks as though I may have a part time training partner this Fall. A young kid we've been working with at our school ran some great races to win the two distance events (1200 and 2000m) at this yrs BC Summer Games. He's still a work in progress but he shocked the hell out of us in running a very aggressive 1200m (we didn't think he'd win as the other kids have more pure speed and have been running 2:04/05 800m), but he simply bullied his way to the front with 2500-300m to go and then kicked like a mad man to win. Slow time, but he closed in 63.
In the 2000m he ran somewhat similar, but we also expected he had a good shot to win. The final times made his dominance in the race look close. The way he handled himself in the race (controlling the tactics and strategy and being patient and smart) shows he has come a long way. He simply took off with 100m to go, much like the change of pace work we had given him over the last few weeks of training (good 100m with 300 to go and then another hard surge with 100m to go), worked wonders. It was one of those things where we know he needs to get in good position with 200m to go, as he doesn't have the pure leg speed so we felt that he needed the mental routine of practice surging to run better races tactically.
Considering eh has done all his training on his own, doesn't belong to a club and is in hist first year of the sport shows the potential we felt he had...
Monday, August 2, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
The patience train...
(some pics of tank)
...is beginning to leave the train station. My supposed minor achilles (it has never really been bad) simply won't go away. Having said that it's been no help from me. I figured it responded so well to initial ice, rest, etc...that I'd be completely rolling in 2-3 weeks.
Well it hasn't gotten bad, but it has also been stubborn. I tried running earlier this week (3 weeks off) and it flared up. Now this could simply be tightness and the buildup of scar tissue making things feel painful, but I am not willing to take that chance.
I figured this would simply be my down time, but that time is now getting antsy. I had originally figured I'd be rolling on the track by now, but alas I sit here and....and well sit here some more.
Once again I get to live vicariously through the high school kid we are coaching. Good story as he qualified for the BC Summer Games in the 1200 and 2000m, but his 2000m trails race was one for the ages. I should preface that this kid kinda drives us nuts becuase he can be scatterbrained (don't know anyone like that).
So at the trials he is running a great race (I wasn't there but heard all about it) and he is sitting on this kid on lap 4 when with he hits the 200m mark and takes off. Oh oh....he thought he was on lap 5. Apparently, he has this huge lead and hit the line and then realizes he has another lap to go. Right then and there the kid showed us what he is really made of as he retook the lead until 200m to go and then puts down another kick. He hangs on til the last few meters when he gets passed to place 2nd and confirm his spot on the team.
Now we just have to get him to the start line in a month of so and see what happens.... should be interesting.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
I am still here....
...but it's been a busy last few weeks (school yr ending and the high school track season being in full swing), and a tweaky achilles has put me in limbo mode. Initially I was get in the gym and hammer myself into the ground, but getting my rear to the gym has been...well...a challenge. Instead, I've taken the take a week off, get the achilles dealt with (it's not bad and I don't want it to get that way) and move on....
In the mean time it's living vicariously thru some of the HS athletes we've been working with and see if they can achieve some good results. And this is where this post begins....
We have a grade 12 student who had never gone out for a school team in her life. Over the past 18mths she began doing the school's Sun Run clinics and in the fall came out for XC. Now this is the sort of kid you root for because she has the guts, resiliency, attitude and determination to show up and train. She was our team leader in XC even though she was at best our 7th runner. Unfortunately, she lacks the 3rd main ingredient to being a successful distance runner and that is plain simple pure talent.
As this student began coming out for track we decided we would do everything possible to get her to meets (she never misses a practice and even took up the javelin). Early in the season we went to a meet in the states. We had a free entry in all events and the only way to get her into an event was the 400m. She ran as hard as she could and afterwards still had a smile on her face (once she recovered).
But alas just when one thinks that luck in life never comes into play things happen to those who have that sort of attitude that deserves recognition. We had one of our local HS teachers, and former national team walkers, agree to hold walking clinics.
Now I know what you are thinking...WALKS!!!!.....but I've had a great degree of respect for walkers since I was in grade 11 and had a walks guy show exactly how fast they are (I could barely keep up with him when running).
I realized then and there that this kids lack of pure talent was no factor (if she could learn walking technique, which is more relevant). The result has been a kid who qualified for the BCHS champs and will probably be our highest open individual placing.
Life can often be full of terrible things, but every once in a while ol lady luck smiles on you. I'd be lying to you if the lady luck was only for her because in watching her succeed (with more tangible results) I've been able to remember that often things do work out for those who deserve it.
In the mean time it's living vicariously thru some of the HS athletes we've been working with and see if they can achieve some good results. And this is where this post begins....
We have a grade 12 student who had never gone out for a school team in her life. Over the past 18mths she began doing the school's Sun Run clinics and in the fall came out for XC. Now this is the sort of kid you root for because she has the guts, resiliency, attitude and determination to show up and train. She was our team leader in XC even though she was at best our 7th runner. Unfortunately, she lacks the 3rd main ingredient to being a successful distance runner and that is plain simple pure talent.
As this student began coming out for track we decided we would do everything possible to get her to meets (she never misses a practice and even took up the javelin). Early in the season we went to a meet in the states. We had a free entry in all events and the only way to get her into an event was the 400m. She ran as hard as she could and afterwards still had a smile on her face (once she recovered).
But alas just when one thinks that luck in life never comes into play things happen to those who have that sort of attitude that deserves recognition. We had one of our local HS teachers, and former national team walkers, agree to hold walking clinics.
Now I know what you are thinking...WALKS!!!!.....but I've had a great degree of respect for walkers since I was in grade 11 and had a walks guy show exactly how fast they are (I could barely keep up with him when running).
I realized then and there that this kids lack of pure talent was no factor (if she could learn walking technique, which is more relevant). The result has been a kid who qualified for the BCHS champs and will probably be our highest open individual placing.
Life can often be full of terrible things, but every once in a while ol lady luck smiles on you. I'd be lying to you if the lady luck was only for her because in watching her succeed (with more tangible results) I've been able to remember that often things do work out for those who deserve it.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
I actually made to the start line, nevermidn the finish line...
I am now officially mesmerized I actually made it to the Sun Run starting line. Because as of Sunday evening I had contracted Carter’s flu like symptoms, which apparently have turned out to be Norwalk (sp??). I originally thought I just felt kind of fatigued from the race, but as the day wore on I could feel there was something more to this uggghhh feeling.
I ended up calling in sick to work later Sunday, was being bed ridden for Mon and was only beginning to feel ‘human’ later Tues. By later in the day on Wed I was back to normal (a relative term I know), but of course with Julie being a nurse I also learned that Norwalk sticks around much longer (and is still catchy) up to two days after symptoms. So I finally went back to work on Thurs.
The worst part was Carter’s b-day party on Sat meant the sickie hit parade was on. By today’s count 16 of the 21 people at the party have also come down with said virus. Oh the fun that sick little kids create.
It might help to explain my hurting legs so early on in the Sun Run (maybe????) and my lack of energy over the latter parts of the race. It just felt hard from the get go. Oh well, maybe this is a needed rest.
I ended up calling in sick to work later Sunday, was being bed ridden for Mon and was only beginning to feel ‘human’ later Tues. By later in the day on Wed I was back to normal (a relative term I know), but of course with Julie being a nurse I also learned that Norwalk sticks around much longer (and is still catchy) up to two days after symptoms. So I finally went back to work on Thurs.
The worst part was Carter’s b-day party on Sat meant the sickie hit parade was on. By today’s count 16 of the 21 people at the party have also come down with said virus. Oh the fun that sick little kids create.
It might help to explain my hurting legs so early on in the Sun Run (maybe????) and my lack of energy over the latter parts of the race. It just felt hard from the get go. Oh well, maybe this is a needed rest.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
What a week....
It was exactly one year and one day ago that I found out what really matters. I have led an interesting life (a natural results of your father being in the RCMP and living in many different places), but last year changed everything. Why……simple…the birth of our first child. His birth (being as stressful as it was) caused both great hardship and great joy. The joy being how he has responded to his birth (we both believe he wouldn’t have made it through the weekend of his birth if my wife hadn’t had the feeling that something was wrong and had gone to the hospital), and turned into a tank of a child, who is eternally happy (even when he pukes you can still get a smile out of him).
It is when things go awry that I find myself with the simple concept that his life almost never began and that always bring me back into the real world. Today is such a day (being mothers day and all) when I can take a look back and realize that I cannot imagine much worse things than the birth of my child (I am still traumatized), but also how his resilient personality (yeah he has one) puts a constant smile on my face.
I've mentioned this before and if there's anything I've learned about myself (more so in recent times) is the requirement to become 'emotional' when I run. The past week has been a mess in regards to actually being able to focus on the Sun Run this week, and my performance showed as much. I cannot say it was terrible, but I also know it wasn't great. It was simply...'there'.
Back in high school when I played hockey I played my best when in an absolute emotional frenzy. I was one of those obnoxious (yeah imagine that!!!) player s that played on the edge and chirped away. Over the years I found that some people were able to get themselves up for any race. I was not one of those people. I could train at a high level, but I needed that extra little bit to race well.
What I also found was that getting ready to race for me was a buildup of events. I knew when and where I was going to run my best months in advance. But where problems sometimes arose (especially over the last two years has been in life getting in the way (not an entirely bad thing, but sometimes bad timing). Such was this past week.
Things began with our school track city championships on Monday. I enjoy the coaching, but the length of some of these days is exhausting. I got home around 8:30, never ran and went to sleep at 9:15. Not seeing Carter brings a great deal of stress and impatience on my part, so it was like a double whammy. Unfortunately, Tues was not much better. Because I hadn’t read any emails On Mon I messed up practice time and showed up at 5:30 (the time we had been showing up at). In turn I also had to cover our track practice as my coaching partner wasn’t there that day. Wed was another long day as I had to go to White Rock for another HS track race and didn’t get home til 6:30. Thurs was going fine til Carter was about to go to sleep and then proceeded to vomit all over Julie. That meant another late night as I was able to get in a short hill workout just it got dark around 9ish, go home and then had to go find a 24 hour drugstore to get fluids and Gravol for carter (who apparently had been puking non-stop since I had left). So another late night led to another early and long day as our final day of city championships took place. Now it was a beautiful day, but the sun and walking around are the last things I want to do before a bigger race. But wait…it gets better. I end up in bad traffic going home, get there late and can only put in a short run before I head downtown for a VIP shindig for the Sun Run. It was fine, but I would much rather have been relaxing at home. The adventures of this week don’t end there. Carter’s birthday was on Sat, s once again no down time and the to top it off I go out for a short run, come home and Julie now has what Carter had.
As always a moral…….Yeah!!!! I was totally ready to race on Sunday morning (insert sarcasm here)…. So after all this whining my Sun Run result is put in perspective (BTW I was top master and ran 30:57, but had a poor last km and was hoping for a much better time). …and that is some of our HS kids look as though they may be on their way to being successful in this sport, my wife had her first even Mothers day and most importantly Carter had his first ever birthday (or as I say to my wife, every day he is alive is a good day for me). I might be exhausted right now (not from the race), but I cannot complain.
It is when things go awry that I find myself with the simple concept that his life almost never began and that always bring me back into the real world. Today is such a day (being mothers day and all) when I can take a look back and realize that I cannot imagine much worse things than the birth of my child (I am still traumatized), but also how his resilient personality (yeah he has one) puts a constant smile on my face.
I've mentioned this before and if there's anything I've learned about myself (more so in recent times) is the requirement to become 'emotional' when I run. The past week has been a mess in regards to actually being able to focus on the Sun Run this week, and my performance showed as much. I cannot say it was terrible, but I also know it wasn't great. It was simply...'there'.
Back in high school when I played hockey I played my best when in an absolute emotional frenzy. I was one of those obnoxious (yeah imagine that!!!) player s that played on the edge and chirped away. Over the years I found that some people were able to get themselves up for any race. I was not one of those people. I could train at a high level, but I needed that extra little bit to race well.
What I also found was that getting ready to race for me was a buildup of events. I knew when and where I was going to run my best months in advance. But where problems sometimes arose (especially over the last two years has been in life getting in the way (not an entirely bad thing, but sometimes bad timing). Such was this past week.
Things began with our school track city championships on Monday. I enjoy the coaching, but the length of some of these days is exhausting. I got home around 8:30, never ran and went to sleep at 9:15. Not seeing Carter brings a great deal of stress and impatience on my part, so it was like a double whammy. Unfortunately, Tues was not much better. Because I hadn’t read any emails On Mon I messed up practice time and showed up at 5:30 (the time we had been showing up at). In turn I also had to cover our track practice as my coaching partner wasn’t there that day. Wed was another long day as I had to go to White Rock for another HS track race and didn’t get home til 6:30. Thurs was going fine til Carter was about to go to sleep and then proceeded to vomit all over Julie. That meant another late night as I was able to get in a short hill workout just it got dark around 9ish, go home and then had to go find a 24 hour drugstore to get fluids and Gravol for carter (who apparently had been puking non-stop since I had left). So another late night led to another early and long day as our final day of city championships took place. Now it was a beautiful day, but the sun and walking around are the last things I want to do before a bigger race. But wait…it gets better. I end up in bad traffic going home, get there late and can only put in a short run before I head downtown for a VIP shindig for the Sun Run. It was fine, but I would much rather have been relaxing at home. The adventures of this week don’t end there. Carter’s birthday was on Sat, s once again no down time and the to top it off I go out for a short run, come home and Julie now has what Carter had.
As always a moral…….Yeah!!!! I was totally ready to race on Sunday morning (insert sarcasm here)…. So after all this whining my Sun Run result is put in perspective (BTW I was top master and ran 30:57, but had a poor last km and was hoping for a much better time). …and that is some of our HS kids look as though they may be on their way to being successful in this sport, my wife had her first even Mothers day and most importantly Carter had his first ever birthday (or as I say to my wife, every day he is alive is a good day for me). I might be exhausted right now (not from the race), but I cannot complain.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Rolling with the punches...
…well I ran just over 31:20 for 10km at the Times Colonist 10km in Victoria. I cannot say it was a great race, but then again I don’t think things seem as bad… ( back in the day this would have been an unmitigated disaster). It’s funny how (a good word choice???) I still need some reason (based on some semblance of pressure/emotion in my case) to be able to run well. No matter how hard I try I cannot get up for many of my races and instead only pick a few to focus on during the season.
I’ve said this before how jealous I am of guys who can run the same day in day out. I can training that way, but I have never really been able to race that way. I have always needed that extra nudge to get to my potential. In today’s race such a situation occurred. Well sorta….. I don’t think I am really physically ready to race well yet, but also being a masters means I can win a division (and hence some $$$) without really pressing myself. Yeah, I know an easy way out, but in the past I never would have run such a race unless it meant something emotionally. So in this case I simply get a chance to see what I need to do, where my fitness is and how things are progressing.
Today showed that in some respects I am much closer to where I want to be, but that I also need some things to work on. I think most of us from the mainland who train with Richard Lee were fatigued and this explains some things. In my case I could feel the fatigue, but more so I could also feel the lack of any real willingness to lay it on the line. But I also think much of this has to do with not having that emotional edge (too relaxed!!!) and also in my hips/back.
The early parts to the race were difficult til about a mile and then I really relaxed. I felt great, until we hit some longer hills and then I felt as though it was a real struggle and I slightly fell back. Unfortunately, I couldn’t gain on the gap although the pack never really opened it up on me til I really packed it in around 8km. But, as always I try to take the positive out of this (and the negatives). In this case I really need to work some mechanical issues (my right hip was killing me on the warm down and throughout the day), but I also split 24:50 through 8km and running around 3:05s for the first 5km felt pretty easy. 31:20 may not seem like much, but I can tell I am much closer to breaking one than this race indicates
Training since my last post
Sat: AM 42 mins good run with Kao PM: tempo planned 20min-60s-10min-60 sec-5min, but a couple of mins into the 10min I swallowed a bug and my asthma went into over drive. I ended up shortening things up a bit felt terrible after
Sunday: 1 hr 56 mins good run
Mon: 56 mins ..it’s a down week and I have essentially had three 90+ mile weeks in a row.
Tues: 6 x 800m off 3mins ….I avg’d 2:14, but began at 2:16 and the last there were 2:13s…felt like I had some jump
Wed: 72 mins…legs banged up from tues, but still a decent run
Thurs: monofartlek at Mundy park…..decent considering how my legs felt on Wed. Maybe a bit quick (15;40 for a loop) considering racing on Sunday
Fri: 58mins..felt much better
Sat: AM 30mins at Mundy with the dog PM 20mins plus drill, strides and even some core work
Sun: 31:23 (split 15:2?? High for 5km and 24:50ish for 8km…then packed it in the last km as I was in no mans land and my main goal had been achieved…..’collect a paycheque’…
I’ve said this before how jealous I am of guys who can run the same day in day out. I can training that way, but I have never really been able to race that way. I have always needed that extra nudge to get to my potential. In today’s race such a situation occurred. Well sorta….. I don’t think I am really physically ready to race well yet, but also being a masters means I can win a division (and hence some $$$) without really pressing myself. Yeah, I know an easy way out, but in the past I never would have run such a race unless it meant something emotionally. So in this case I simply get a chance to see what I need to do, where my fitness is and how things are progressing.
Today showed that in some respects I am much closer to where I want to be, but that I also need some things to work on. I think most of us from the mainland who train with Richard Lee were fatigued and this explains some things. In my case I could feel the fatigue, but more so I could also feel the lack of any real willingness to lay it on the line. But I also think much of this has to do with not having that emotional edge (too relaxed!!!) and also in my hips/back.
The early parts to the race were difficult til about a mile and then I really relaxed. I felt great, until we hit some longer hills and then I felt as though it was a real struggle and I slightly fell back. Unfortunately, I couldn’t gain on the gap although the pack never really opened it up on me til I really packed it in around 8km. But, as always I try to take the positive out of this (and the negatives). In this case I really need to work some mechanical issues (my right hip was killing me on the warm down and throughout the day), but I also split 24:50 through 8km and running around 3:05s for the first 5km felt pretty easy. 31:20 may not seem like much, but I can tell I am much closer to breaking one than this race indicates
Training since my last post
Sat: AM 42 mins good run with Kao PM: tempo planned 20min-60s-10min-60 sec-5min, but a couple of mins into the 10min I swallowed a bug and my asthma went into over drive. I ended up shortening things up a bit felt terrible after
Sunday: 1 hr 56 mins good run
Mon: 56 mins ..it’s a down week and I have essentially had three 90+ mile weeks in a row.
Tues: 6 x 800m off 3mins ….I avg’d 2:14, but began at 2:16 and the last there were 2:13s…felt like I had some jump
Wed: 72 mins…legs banged up from tues, but still a decent run
Thurs: monofartlek at Mundy park…..decent considering how my legs felt on Wed. Maybe a bit quick (15;40 for a loop) considering racing on Sunday
Fri: 58mins..felt much better
Sat: AM 30mins at Mundy with the dog PM 20mins plus drill, strides and even some core work
Sun: 31:23 (split 15:2?? High for 5km and 24:50ish for 8km…then packed it in the last km as I was in no mans land and my main goal had been achieved…..’collect a paycheque’…
Saturday, April 17, 2010
....My 'Magical Place'...
….the term I use when training finally hits a groove. I’ve always said (to anyone who would listen), be patient, put in the volume and let the workouts come to you, not the other way around. I am finally starting to see the results of said action over the last few weeks. Even with my ‘meltdown’ session a few Tuesdays ago I knew that training was coming around (especially my tempo run a couple of weekends ago where I was running longer and quicker and easier than at any time all year).
Due to an ‘experiment’ when I first moved up to 5 and 10km I knew I had to get in more volume, I decided to put any semblance of ego aside, take my lumps in training, not force things and see what happened. The end result was what I referred to as ‘magic’. Of course ‘magic’ is defined as when one gets to the point in training where training recovery days and workouts drop noticeably (and in my case the drop is very noticeable). Now if the patience isn’t there then that ‘magic’ can go backwards (read overtraining). Bit also going through that period where your workouts suck because you are simply gaining fatigue (or the ‘calm before the storm’), when finally recovery catches up fatigue and then training becomes a daily joy.
The ‘magical place’ is also when any mental issues are taken care of. There is no I am tired, there are no bad days on running (well maybe every 3-4 weeks, but those tend to be more medium days rather than the bad ones that may have occurred in the early stages). There is simply having gotten beyond the mental and physical fatigue of earlier training.
The ‘magic place’ doesn’t yet mean I am race ready, but it does mean I am close. It’s simply the one quick, yet huge step, to racing at one’s best. I love the ‘magical place’…..
Last week:
Mon: AM 43mins PM 55 mins
Tues: 5 x 1600m off 3mins (around 4:50 +/-)
Wed: 80mins
Thurs: 30mins of 45-50 sec hills
Fri: 65mins
Sat: AM 30mins, and then spent all day at a track meet in the US PM 25mins tempo. (Actually quite good considering the long day)
Sunday: 1 hr 45min (shockingly easy and quick)
Mon: 70mins
Tues: 2 x 1600-1200-800 (off 3mins) 1600s – 4:41/2; 1200s – 3:30/1 and 800s – 2:17/18 (I think…as I recall, but in every one I dropped it down on the last lap and to say this was a controlled session is an understatement. I just hope this is the trend and not the exception)
Wed: 85 mins...too easy of a run considering Tues session
Thurs: monofartlek plus 5mins hills…once again it felt too controlled considering the paces I was hitting)
Fri: 70mins cruisy, very relaxed, yet quick
Due to an ‘experiment’ when I first moved up to 5 and 10km I knew I had to get in more volume, I decided to put any semblance of ego aside, take my lumps in training, not force things and see what happened. The end result was what I referred to as ‘magic’. Of course ‘magic’ is defined as when one gets to the point in training where training recovery days and workouts drop noticeably (and in my case the drop is very noticeable). Now if the patience isn’t there then that ‘magic’ can go backwards (read overtraining). Bit also going through that period where your workouts suck because you are simply gaining fatigue (or the ‘calm before the storm’), when finally recovery catches up fatigue and then training becomes a daily joy.
The ‘magical place’ is also when any mental issues are taken care of. There is no I am tired, there are no bad days on running (well maybe every 3-4 weeks, but those tend to be more medium days rather than the bad ones that may have occurred in the early stages). There is simply having gotten beyond the mental and physical fatigue of earlier training.
The ‘magic place’ doesn’t yet mean I am race ready, but it does mean I am close. It’s simply the one quick, yet huge step, to racing at one’s best. I love the ‘magical place’…..
Last week:
Mon: AM 43mins PM 55 mins
Tues: 5 x 1600m off 3mins (around 4:50 +/-)
Wed: 80mins
Thurs: 30mins of 45-50 sec hills
Fri: 65mins
Sat: AM 30mins, and then spent all day at a track meet in the US PM 25mins tempo. (Actually quite good considering the long day)
Sunday: 1 hr 45min (shockingly easy and quick)
Mon: 70mins
Tues: 2 x 1600-1200-800 (off 3mins) 1600s – 4:41/2; 1200s – 3:30/1 and 800s – 2:17/18 (I think…as I recall, but in every one I dropped it down on the last lap and to say this was a controlled session is an understatement. I just hope this is the trend and not the exception)
Wed: 85 mins...too easy of a run considering Tues session
Thurs: monofartlek plus 5mins hills…once again it felt too controlled considering the paces I was hitting)
Fri: 70mins cruisy, very relaxed, yet quick
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