No Pictures!

It's been four weeks since the Tely and I have been struggling with whether or not to write a blog about my experiences. But now that the two people who read my posts have asked "When is your next blog coming out?", I figured maybe I should go ahead and put it all down on paper, so to speak.

Race day. I stood in my corral with Lori and Renee, with our three ascending bib numbers, and we discussed the usual race day topics. What was our hoped for finish time? (1:51) Are we sticking together for the entire race? (Yes. Unless Lori wants a PB) Will we cross the finish line together with our bibs in order for an awesome photo op? (Maybe. Refer to last) Do I have time to have one last pee? (No)

The weather was nice enough that I didn't need to wear a garbage bag at the start line, although Lori had opted to wear a lovely green cardigan. Once the starting pistol was fired and we crossed the mat, I double checked to make sure we were all still together. Renee was by my side and there was a green cardigan somewhere far ahead, weaving in and out of the pack of racers, trying to break free of the group. Guess the PB won out.

We chugged along, making great time. This was probably one of my more enjoyable times doing the Tely. It's the first time I've run with someone else and the time and distance did seem to go by much more quickly. Before I knew it the crowds were getting bigger and I could tell that we were nearing the end of the course.

Somewhere around mile nine Renee's brother Robert caught up and offered to run with us as an additional support/encouragement to help Renee get her desired goal. I was pretty happy about his appearance because Renee had said something about her legs cramping up and I didn't want to go through another baby deer/treadmill experience and have to carry her over the finish line alone.

Luckily her legs held up and we crossed the finish line side by side, proudly displaying our numerically ordered bibs, with a chip time of 1:52:25. A little slower than we had hoped but still and PB for Renee.

I couldn't wait to see the pictures. Normally after a race, I sit at the computer as the race photos start to show up on Facebook and I tag everyone I know. This year, by the time I got home, other PRCers had already started the tagging process so I figured I would just let them find my photos too.

As the day went on, my news feed started to fill up with photos of everyone I knew who had run the Tely. All other news was non-existent. However, there were no tagged photos of me. Maybe everyone was just celebrating and the photos would come later.

The next morning, still no tags. The next week, nothing. What gives?

So I sat down at the computer and started looking for photos. My favorite photographer, Larry (of Larry's Running Photos) was where I checked first, but he had been out of town and didn't take any pictures this year. But East Coast Running had taken some shots:

Hmmm. Must be something better than that.

Doug Noseworthy? He didn't take any (or at least post any) after 1:46.

Finish Line Photo?

Seriously???

I was starting to feel like Zsa Zsa Gabor the time she played Sonya Lamor on that episode of Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. No pictures.

After much searching, the best photo I could find of myself, Renee and our bibs was taken by Perry J. Howlett.

Oh well. No biggie. So what if there's no photos of me doing the 90th running of the Tely 10? At least my name would be printed in the Telegram along with everyone else.

Except it wasn't. All times from 1:54:03 to 1:54:58 were somehow cropped out of the paper. Nice.

So, you can see why I was reluctant to write about my race. It's almost as if I wasn't even there.

But no worries. I'm sure I'll make up for it at the Huffin Puffin half.

I've Never Been So Happy To See A Pylon

I looked back at the blog from my first half marathon and it was so mushy and gushy and all "I can't wait to run another half!" that I nearly threw up.

Now, after my second half last week, I'm ready to quit running all over again. 

Don't get me wrong - the race wasn't horrible. The weather was perfect, not too hot or too windy. The part of the route that went up the trail FOREVER was a little (a lot) sucky, but all in all, not that bad.

I started out running with Renee. She was smart and decided that she should do the 10K instead of the half. The first 8K of both races was the same route, so we stuck together and I quickly realized when she turned back toward Bowering Park and I headed back down Waterford Bridge Road that those 8K were the best part of the run. 

Having someone to run with keeps your mind off the fact that you are torturing yourself with running a race. As soon as I was on my own the only company I had was my brain and my brain hates running even more than I do.

I was literally on my own. There wasn't another runner in sight. If I looked really hard I thought I could see one lady way ahead in the distance. I refused to turn around and see if there was anyone behind me. I didn't need that pressure. 

I soldiered on in what felt like a ghost town. Seriously, where was everyone?? There must at least be a marshal around somewhere. Was I still on course? I realized then that I was supposed to keep an eye out for the turn for the second lap when I did the first run down Waterford Bridge Road but was too busy chatting with Renee and forgot to look for it. My brain kept telling me that I had missed it. I still couldn't see any other runners and by now I had fully convinced myself that I was so far off course that I might as well just go straight down town and have a doughnut at Tim's.

But then, like a hero in the night, this guy materialized at a water table and was pointing me down a hill toward the trail. 

I've run this trail many times, but always in the other direction. I'd convinced myself that even though the trail was on a slight incline all the way to Paradise, it really wouldn't be that bad. Lies.

Now that I was on the trail, I could see a few more runners. It was a comfort to know that I wasn't on my own anymore. I chugged along, watching the lady in front of me turning back every two minutes to see how close I was getting. I knew then that I would catch up to her. I was inside her head and that's never a good thing to have happen to you when you're racing. It's why I never look behind me.

I made some remark about how much running sucked as I passed her. I think she grunted a similar phrase in return. A kindred spirit.

The trail went on and on and on. I kept thinking, "The turn around must be close," but it wasn't. When I saw Batman up ahead of me I felt a little better, knowing there was someone close by that could tell the ambulance driver my details if need be. I kept watching his back, waiting for all that yellow to turn around and face me, letting me know the end was in sight. But he kept running for what seemed like an eternity. 

Eventually I started to see familiar faces as they made their way back down the trail. At first I was happy to see all my PRC peeps but I quickly realized how far ahead of me these people should be which meant I still had miles and miles to run up the trail. I wanted to assume the fetal position right then and there.

But then I pictured the soldier running behind me in his combat boots, carrying his rucksack on his back and I knew that I had to keep going.

And then, just like the guy at the water station, there it was:

I've never been so happy to see a pylon. I think I heard angels sing.

The route back down the trail didn't seem quite as long. I caught up with Batman who didn't look at all pleased to see me. I watched a few others who were still slogging up the trail and felt their pain. Corporal Rucksack was there too and I let him know that the worst was almost over.

With the park in sight, I picked up my pace. I seriously wanted this to be over. I nearly collided with a woman who decided to walk the last few meters. I ran faster, past more walkers. I wanted to shout at them, "The finish line is right there! Why are you walking?? RUN! RUN! RUN!" 

I had hoped to finish somewhere between 2:30 and 2:45. When I ran under the clock it read 2:29:22. At the time I didn't much care, I was just happy to not be running anymore. But I guess I'm pretty happy with that number.

I know we all have bad races and even though my time was great, I still felt like this race belonged on the naughty list. I didn't feel good after and I spent the afternoon wondering how I could get out of doing the Huffin Puffin Half without Renee getting mad with me.

Who knows what the summer will bring. Maybe when the Tely is done I'll be rearing to go for half #3. Or maybe I'll retire from running yet again, take another hiatus, go on strike. 

I guess I'll have to wait and see what's beyond the pylons.

Nerds

Guess who's getting a Tely shirt this year?

Against my better judgement I have signed up for Tely #3. Not that signing up for the Tely is a bad thing, it's just that I'll be on a plane for 12 hours on the Friday before the race. That gives me one day to recover from jet lag and the 6 hour time difference. Shouldn't be a problem, right?

Last year, Snap, Crackle, Pop and I tried to get ascending bib numbers but it didn't quite work out. To increase our chances of success this year, we came up with a new plan.

Geniuses.

But, our brilliance paid off and now all three of us have bib numbers in a row.

Why were we so determined to have numbers together? I'm not sure really. It would look neat in pictures? Would make for an interesting story? We thought it would be cool?

Maybe Marc's answer is more accurate: We're nerds.

Regardless of our reasons, we're registered for the Tely. The hype and excitement is already present within PRC. We have a few first timers this year and the anticipation is almost palpable.

What is it that makes this race such a force? Why do so many people have it on their bucket list?

Could it be the fact that it's been around for 90 years? Maybe it's because it's not quite a half marathon but it's more than a 10K and it's a great stepping stone to prove that you can go the longer distances. Or maybe we all just want to be a part of something amazing. And it's pretty amazing when you're running down Military Road towards the finish line.

A Familiar Face

Have you ever had one of those moments when someone asks you to do something and you wonder if they have lost their mind?

This happened to me a little over a month ago. I was at home, sitting by the fireplace, enjoying a relaxing evening, discussing something that I'm sure was earth shattering with Sugar when out of the blue I received a text from the PRC President.

"Wondering if you'd be interested in taking over the role of PRC's Training Coordinator." Or something to that effect.

I remember staring at my phone and thinking, "Did she send this to me by mistake? Maybe she mixed up my number with someone else who actually trains."

Maybe I should rewind to the end of January. At the beginning of the year, I was nominated for the role of training coordinator along with two other more deserving candidates. I had been on the executive a few years back and I did want to give it another go, but training coordinator? Seriously? Have you seen my training plans?

With a bit of encouragement from some of my fellow runners, I decided to accept the nomination. I didn't win, but apparently the race was quite close, with all three of us only a few votes apart. A month later, when the successful candidate had to step down, I was the next person in line.

I hesitated. Did I have what it would take to come up with training plans for our best runners? Me, who avoided hills, strides and tempo runs like they were the plague? Did they really want me to be the spokesperson for our Learn to Run program, teaching our newest runners exactly what I thought of running?

PRC has had some great training coordinators in the past. I knew I didn't have to reinvent the wheel when it came to program - all the training plans from the last few years were there for me to build on. Plus there are hundreds of training plans online. I'm sure I could tweak them with my own personal style.

I agreed to give it a shot and got straight to work. The USR is coming up soon so a half marathon program would be a great place to start.

I quickly discovered that training plans are boring. BORING. B-O-R-I-N-G. I flipped through the one running magazine I own for inspiration (Canadian Running, July & August 2014) and came across the article on PRC member Todd Ralph. I realized that seeing a familiar face would make me stop and see what was on the go. Maybe that was the key.

I tried to think of runners that most everyone would know, even those just starting out. It didn't take long to come up with three different plans: Just Running a Fewer (beginner), Run a Little Mo (intermediate) and Train Like Usain (advanced).

Each week, I've been posting a weekly training photo of these accomplished runners, along with a running schedule and a fun fact about their lives or running careers. I also post my own personal training program, called "I Just Want to Finish". Here is this weeks plan:

This last plan has been receiving quite a lot of praise.

So far things are going well with my new position. Our spring Learn to Run program is off to a great start and I managed to recruit lots of volunteers to help out (they were all voluntold). I've learned a lot about runners and running over the past few weeks. Seems this new job is teaching me much more than I anticipated. Maybe it will make me a better runner. Maybe it will encourage me to do the things most runners do when they train.

Or maybe I'll just sit here and eat a Big Mac.

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

It's over. For a while there I really thought we had something but things don't always work out like we planned, I guess. Maybe I got caught up in the initial excitement of a new relationship and didn't see the warning signs. I thought I had finally found exactly what was missing in my life. I gave it everything I had but in the end, it just wasn't enough.

I've officially ended my relationship with my Sauconys.

The inside of the heels of my first pair practically disintegrated. I figured it was because I was too lazy to untie them and all the sliding on and off had worn down the lining prematurely. When I bought my second pair, I was more diligent - always making sure to take them off and put them on properly but it didn't take long to realize that irregardless of my efforts, these shoes were doomed to the same fate.

Obviously my feet and my sneakers weren't getting along as well as I had initially thought.

I was heartbroken. These sneakers were the first shoes to make me hate running a little less. They were comfortable and made me feel like I could conquer the world. Well, maybe not the world, but at least a half marathon.

I knew I had to do what was best for me and so I took my inserts out of my Saucony's for good. The next few weeks were tough - I had to stop myself from going back and giving them one last try. Maybe I ended it too soon? What if I never find another sneaker? Will I ever be able to run in comfort again?

Time is a great healer and eventually I summoned up my courage and figured it was time to get back on the saddle. I decided to start looking for my newest shoe relationship at a different location so I wouldn't be tempted to return to my old habit of buying Sauconys. As I walked into the store and made my way to the shoe section. I was grateful to note that while there were several pairs of Sauconys, there were more pairs in other brands. I scoured the wall, trying to decide where to start. 

Almost immediately my eye was drawn to a section of trail runners. My first thought was "I run trails - maybe this is a sign." I sized up each pair, rejecting shoe after shoe for various reasons - they were Sauconys, they were a hideous color, they looked like something grandma would wear - until I came to a pair that were a wide width. 

If shopping history has taught me anything, it's that my feet enjoy a wide width shoe. This particular display model was also my size so I figured it couldn't hurt to give them a try. They were black, which is a little boring, but maybe boring would make a nice change. They felt pretty good on my feet but the real test would of course be how they felt while I was running,

Unfortunately the store didn't have a treadmill, but the clerk assured me that I could return them after I tried them on my own treadmill if things didn't work out. I bit the bullet and bought them. 

Sugar was paying attention to my feet that evening as I laced up my new sneakers. He informed me that I was tying them to tight. I've always tied my sneakers loosely (or so I thought) but Sugar insisted that I have them even looser. He's been known to be right at least once before, so I figured I'd give him the benefit of the doubt. 

As I ran, my feet kept coming out of the shoe slightly with each step I took. All I could think was "I'm going to get blisters the size of Montana", but by the end of 5k, everything was still feeling fine. No blisters, not even any hot spots.

All in all, it was a pretty successful first date. I felt slightly optimistic that our second date could possibly go just as well.

Now that we have run almost 100 kilometers together, I have to say, I am very happy with how things are working out. I'm ready to commit to running my next half with these shoes. June 11th - be sure to save the date.

Saved By A Water Fountain

Did I ever tell you about my first experience entering the world of fitness? I was in my second year of university and still undecided about which field of study to enter. One afternoon I ran into an old friend who had enrolled in MUN's Phys Ed program. As we talked, I thought to myself, "That's what I should do! I've been wanting to get in shape and what better way to do it!"

I went home and signed up for my first class. I was pumped, so excited to get out there and get started.

On the first day of class we had to meet on the soccer field by the Phys Ed building. I was looking the part in my new MUN sweatshirt that I bought for the occasion, so happy to finally have made a decision about my future. Our first task was to run laps around the field. No problem! I always considered myself a good sprinter so running slower around the field should be a piece of cake.

Like a lot of newbies, I started off faster than I should have. I was doing my best to keep up with the others who obviously had been running since the age of two. I managed several laps before my lungs started burning and my classmates starting passing me one by one.

I remember thinking "Surely the instructor is going to tell us to stop any minute now." I ran another lap, convincing myself that this would be the last one, the whistle would blow and we would get to collapse on the field. Didn't happen.

My legs felt like they were on fire. My new sweatshirt felt like a survival suit. I was dying. I was being lapped. Who knew that you had to be in shape BEFORE you joined the Phys Ed program?

As I got to the end of another lap, I knew I couldn't go on. I stopped next to the instructor and told him I needed to go grab some water. He directed me to the fountain inside. I headed in, walked straight through the building and out the other side. Then I went home and dropped the class.

I kept thinking about that experience as I ran with the group last week. The other RK's were AWOL for various reasons so I ran with Batman and some of his posse. I started out running with most of these people when I first joined PRC, but over the past few years, they have all improved so much that I can't keep up with them anymore. However, on this night, there I was, smack dab in the middle of the group, not at the back, not being lapped, not dying, no burning lungs. I was keeping up with the others and all I could think was how impressed that girl at the PE Building would be with me now.

I've learned a lot about running since my university days but I think the most important lesson I learned is if you want to enjoy running, you have to run for yourself and do what works for you. Which is why I train the way I do:

The best part - I can wear my PRC sweatshirt for most of this training and not have to worry about overheating. Or where to find the closest water fountain.

21 K, Here We Come!

Well, hello!

Yes, yes, it's been a while. In my defense, there really hasn't been much to talk about since last October but I will do my best to catch you up.

Let me see...what have I been up to since the Cape....

First of all, I did not punch Pete Soucy in the face and I hold no ill will towards him (anymore). I went on vacation and gained five pounds. Then it was Christmas and I gained another five pounds.

That's pretty much it. Oh, and I did some running. 5k here and there but nothing too strenuous. Then I signed up for another half marathon. Or three.

Some PRC members decided on another destination race, this year in Hamilton. Sugar registered for his 3rd full marathon and I chose the half. Well, I didn't really choose it, it more or less chose me. It was a sort of naturally occurring registration. No other distances were even considered. Well, maybe the full for a brief insanity ridden second, but that moment passed with surprising speed.

After registration the next step was to think about a training schedule. I still had my calendar from the Maritime Race Weekend, so I modified that to fit the dates leading up to Hamilton. Snap, Crackle and Pop were unsure about travelling for a race this year but they all wanted to register for the Huffin Puffin Half so naturally I agreed to run that half as well. The HP is seven weeks before Hamilton and I figure it will be a good indicator of how things will go in Ontario.

I modified our training schedule again to work with the HP and noticed that the USR falls into our new time frame. If we are going to run this race again (which we are) we might as well do the half instead of the 10k.

So there you have it. I've committed to three half marathons this year. Goodbye Christmas weight.

Our training begins this week, which is why I decided it's time to start blogging again. It keeps me accountable and more likely to run. The training plan we have will keep us going all summer. You might think it's a bit earlier to start training for something in June, but if you've read any of the previous blogs, you'll know that we don't train like regular runners. For example, here is our schedule for this week:

Slow and steady is how we roll. Or run.

21 k, here we come!

Cape to Cabot (aka Let's Punch Pete Soucy in the Face)

It's been just over a week and I finally feel like I'm ready to talk about it. Because I refused to even think about it for so long, it's kind of difficult to actually put the entire thing into words.

I finished the Cape to Cabot.

Now that's it's over, I can look at my sneakers without hyperventilating. My compression pants no longer cause cold sweats and my PRC shirt once again makes me think of fun runs instead of the Bataan death march.

The weeks between the half marathon and the Cape were somewhat stressful at my house. All I could think about was trying not to think about the race. My hip and knee were still sore from my first training run from Cape Spear and I had convinced myself that I would not be able to finish the course. I even considered backing out altogether. I had a plan to wait until Saturday night before the race and then tell Lori that I wasn't going to run. Can't tell her too early or she'll talk me back into it.

Maybe it was a coincidence, or maybe she's psychic, but over the next few days Lori managed to talk me back into running without even knowing I was quitting. She kept texting things like "I'll regret it if I don't start" or "It doesn't matter if I don't finish it" or "I just need to try and see what I can do".

Sugar's daily weather updates for race day didn't help with my stress levels. "Three degrees and pouring rain for race day". Shut up. "Up to five degree now and scattered showers". Shut UP. "Changed to five degrees and overcast". SHUT UP.

Because there was nothing I could do to stop it, race day arrived. We got up at dark o'clock to have breakfast and left shortly after to make it to the shuttle buses by 6:00 am. 

The ride to Cape Spear was interesting. When a vehicle can barely make it up a hill you have to wonder why you thought it was a good idea to try and run said hill. Maybe I could just stay on the bus and hitch a ride back.

There are so many runners outside the bus warming up. There's a lady doing yoga. That couple over there are having what looks like a picnic while they wait. There's a guy in a garbage bag trying to keep warm and a guy wearing what looks an awful lot like a hazmat suit.

At 7:50 am I got kicked off the bus and had to make my way to the starting area. I went as far back as I could because I knew I'd eventually end up there anyway. We sang the Ode, the gun was fired and off we went. 

My plan was to run slower than usual, even on the flat parts so as not to re-injure myself. I'd done the calculations and knew that if my average pace was under 9 minutes per kilometer, I would finish the race in the three hour time frame. 

I don't remember much of the race itself. I do remember forcing myself to slow down running down several of the hills. I remember a man at the 5 k water stop looking at me with concern and asking if I was alright. Did I really look that bad? Maybe I'm having some sort of breakdown and don't even realize it. 

I also remember getting past the 10 k mark where the pain started during the training run and realizing that I was going to be able to finish the race. 

Southside Road, Water Street and Harbour Drive were wonderful. I ran along at my usual pace feeling pretty good. The stress was gone and my app was telling me I was going to be finished in less than three hours, even with Temperance and Signal Hill left to go. 

Photo credit: Canvassing the Neighborhood Photography

Enter the piper. There is seriously nothing more encouraging than having someone pipe you up Temperance Street. I felt a little like Braveheart. The real Braveheart, not the monkey with the lightning bolts. (Video)

I did walk some of Signal Hill, because let's face it, it's awful. I could hear the shouts from my fellow PRCers at the top and I knew that in a matter of minutes it would all be over. I could go home and never speak of this whole experience again.

Photo credit: Ron Earles

I ran down the finish chute passed a sea of yellow jackets but all I could really think about was getting over the finish line. I was almost at the mat before I realized that Sugar was there, looking just like National Lampoon's Uncle Eddie, waiting with my medal, ready to place it around my neck. That moment made it all worth it.

I think I asked someone where I could find Pete Soucy so I could punch him in the face. Since he was long finished, we took a few pictures, gave a few hugs and headed for home, no worse for the wear. 

I survived. 

I've been asked since, "Will you do it again next year?" My answer - no. But then again I also said I'd never run a half marathon or do the Cape to Cabot, so I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

I Ran a Half Marathon

I am officially a half-marathoner.

On Saturday, September 17th, 2016, I ran my first half at the Maritime Race Weekend in Nova Scotia, but I really don't feel any different. I thought there would be a huge sense of accomplishment, success or pride when I rang the bell in Eastern Passage to let the world know that I just ran my first 21.1 kilometers but in all honesty, all I really felt was that I just finished another long run with my friends.

Was it was because my thoughts were on Sugar as he completed his second marathon? Maybe it was because Paula wasn't able to run with us due to an injury. Or maybe it was because we had already run 20.9 kilometers a few weeks before and a running an extra 200 meters really didn't seem like such a big deal anymore.

Photo courtesy of Neal Bagnall

Of course it could be that we really didn't treat this race as a race. To us, it was more of a stop at every water table and dance with the marshals kind of race. A take a break at the Temptation Station and eat chocolate kind of race. A pose for the photographers like we're super models kind of race.

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't all shits and giggles. Getting up at 4:20 am to eat a breakfast of Gatorade, bananas and un-toasted bagels was not a highlight of my trip. Neither was getting off a shuttle bus an hour and a half before the race and having to wait outside in the cold for the sun to come up. It's at moments like these that you really start to believe that you will never sign up for another race again.

But then the sun comes up, the cannon blasts and you're running along with your peeps like there's no other place in the world you'd rather be.

Except a cruise ship. Nothing trumps cruise ship.

We managed to run the majority of the race together. There were a few times when Lori forgot who she was running with and when her natural pace took over she surged ahead. But we would eventually reunite and continue on towards the finish like the three musketeers. 

One of our pit stops was the Temptation Station around kilometer twelve. There were chairs to sit in, chocolate to eat and an amazing view. Another half marathoner stopped and asked for orange slices. There were none. She looked like she could really use a pick-me-up so I offered her some of my Rice Krispie cookies. As per usual, I received a look that says "Are you on something?" I explained the merits of the cookie and she reluctantly took a small square, probably to make me go away more than any belief that what I was saying had any truth to it.

We soldiered on. Renee's knee started acting up and so did Lori's IT band. At about the 19 km mark, our friend from the Temptation Station caught up to us once again. This time she was full of questions. How many squares do you take on a run? When do you start to eat them? How often do you eat them? Store bought or homemade? 

And then she was gone. Flying down the road to the finish line ahead of us.

You're welcome.

Even with all our pit stops, photo ops and injuries we managed to finish the race under our three hour goal with a chip time of 2:56:36.

Highlights of our trip:

1) I bought a visor. 

2) There was a Starbucks in the lobby of my hotel and it's Pumpkin Spice time.

3) Hills in Nova Scotia are not the same as hills in Newfoundland.

4) The Lower Deck was 10 feet away from my hotel.

5) I ran a half marathon.

If I have to give a summary of what I learned that weekend or what I took away from the experience it would be this: once you run a half marathon, you'll want to run half marathons instead of 10 K's. After all that training there's no way I'm going back to shorter distances. My next year's Huffin Puffin will be a half and our destination race next fall will be a half. I never thought I would ever run the distance, but now I can't imagine NOT running it. 

Call Me Sophia

"Picture it, Random Island, 1985...

A group of school age children are playing outside - hopscotch, tag, jump rope, war, riding bikes. Suddenly, the street light comes on and everyone groans because they all know it's time to go back inside. Nobody wants to go home because being outside is way more fun."

My kids are staring at me like I'm on a day pass from the Loony Bin.

In actuality, I'm trying to convince them of the merits of coming with me for a run.

The weather was crap last night so I skipped the group run. Since I hate the treadmill, I also skipped running at home with a promise that I would run in the morning. As I laced up my sneakers this morning, a conversation I had with my eldest came to mind. I had suggested to him a week or so ago that he should join our LTR program the next time it was offered. To my surprise, he seemed to consider it. I thought I would float the idea again this morning, see if he wanted to try some intervals.

"No."

The beauty of being a parent is you can counter the "no" with "yes" and win automatically. In the end, we reached a compromise. The kids would come with me, but they would bike while I ran.

After a lengthy struggle with the bike rack we made our way to Neil's Pond. My two Ronnie's took off down the trail, laughing all the way because I was so far behind. They'd stop and wait for me every once in a while with a look of "poor, slow mom" on their faces.

But by the time we made it around the pond the first time, I could tell they were starting to wane. They turned towards our vehicle, but I was having none of that. My "One more lap!" was met with looks of misery, but they pushed on. Sort of.

One stopped near the gazebo and started walking, pushing his bike next to him. The other kept pedaling, but it wasn't long before I was passing him. Seriously?? I'm 40 years old and I can outrun an 11 year old on a pedal bike. Those kids need to get out more. Looks like I have a new motivation to keep me running.

After lap two they sat on a rock on the side of the trail, looking like they had just finished a marathon, while I ran on a little further to get my 5k. I have to say, I really enjoyed this run. Maybe it's because the temperatures were ideal for a run. Maybe it's because it was only 5k. Or maybe it's because I was able to spend some time with my kids without iPads stuck to their faces.

Despite being disproportionately tired, Thing One and Thing Two seemed pleased that they managed 4k on their bikes/feet and even hinted that they might do this with me again.

I'm going to hold them to that.

Four Weeks and Counting

I seriously wish the half marathon was this week. We've been training forever and I'm really looking forward to going back to doing regular easy, shorter, lazy distance runs.

I did two noteworthy runs this past week. One was an 18 K run with Renee on Sunday (she wrote about that over at the PRC blog) and the other was at the Thursday night group run.

On Thursday, my regular peeps were AWOL and since most everyone seemed to have ran in the morning, we were down to a skeleton crew. It was hills night and with the C2C ever present in my mind, I couldn't skip them, even though there wasn't anyone there to hold me accountable. In fact, the group I had figured on running with weren't doing hills at all. However, I made the mistake of asking, "Is anyone doing hills?"

Carol Ann heard me and the next thing I knew, I was running with her towards Mockingbird. Carol Ann is a much faster runner than me and she was obviously running a little slower so I could keep up. Being aware of this, I attempted to run faster so she wouldn't have to go too slow.

Mistake #1.

Carol Ann chatted away while I responded with grunts while trying to breathe. This should have been the first sign that I was well out of my depth, but Carol Ann was very encouraging and really seemed to believe that I could keep up with her.

We made it to the hill and connected with the others that Carol Ann usually runs with - Cathy B, Ed M and the Energizer Bunny, Madeline. If there was a flashing neon sign that said "SIGN TWO - YOU ARE OUT OF YOUR DEPTH!" it couldn't have been more obvious that I was well out of my league with this group.

I think I did six hills to their eight and was about to make a break for it at the top after my last repeat, but they caught me trying to sneak away. I was then informed that instead of heading back our usual route, we were running the opposite direction and adding in a cul-de-sac. I tried to decline and play the "I'm too slow for you" card, but it didn't work. I followed along, like the kid brother, lagging behind the group while the others ran in circles at the end of the road until I caught up. Again, I tried to pick up the pace so the others wouldn't be waiting for me.

Mistake #2.

When we make it back to the community center Carol Ann said we did around 8 K. I was glad that Sugar was already back and waiting for me so we could leave right away. I could already start to feel the strain in my body from the extra exertion. I hadn't fueled for the extra effort because, let's face it, I really hadn't planned on putting in any real effort at all.

I spent the rest of the evening reading all the positive posts about our run on Facebook while I lay in bed trying not to die. I calculated our pace to be about 6:30, hills included. I'm not that great at math, but I'm pretty sure that means our pace on the flat sections was under 6:30. Looks like I added tempo runs to my training.

There are only two more long runs before the half and I don't think I've ever looked forward to finishing something so much. I know the C2C will be on the horizon when we get home but I've decided to stop thinking about that race and just run it on the day. Right now, all my energy is focused on Halifax and being done with training for a while.

Four weeks and counting.

It's the Final Countdown

Running Calendar

Week of August 14 - 2 groups runs + 18 K training run (3)

Week of August 21 - 2 group runs + 19 K training run (3)

Week of August 28 - 2 group runs + 20 K training run (3)

Week of September 4 - 2 group runs + PRC Five and Dime (3)

Week of September 11 - 2 group runs + MRW Half Marathon (3)

September 18 to October 15 - C2C training (12)

October 16 - C2C (1)

October 17 - quit running

The countdown is on. Cue Europe.

By my calculations I have 28 more runs left to complete before I can quit.

Ok, maybe I won't actually quit, but my life will stop revolving around running. I won't be getting up early on my one day off to go on a long run. I can stop pouring over Google maps, looking for routes that end near a coffee shop. I can spend a Friday evening out with friends and not leave early because I have to run in the morning. I can miss a run and not feel like I have to make it up. Basically, I can stop thinking about running altogether. 

But until then, the training continues. 

There are 32 days left before the half and it's getting harder to schedule the Rice Krispie long runs together. Luckily there are enough PRCers doing long runs that we can join in with them if our schedules allow. And sometimes, other PRCers are able to join us.

Take this week for example. Renee was working and Paula was on vacation so on Sunday morning I met Hardcore Lori and Roller Derby Amanda at Peter Barry Duff for a 17 km run. We set out on a route that I chose because it had a couple of nice hills. I figured if I have to train, might as well train for both the half and C2C at the same time. 

It was a bit of an odd route - lots of side roads and backtracking that caused a bit of confusion and the possibility of getting lost. The two major hills were horrible and I had to stop myself from thinking that they weren't even half the length of the ones we'd see at C2C. Maybe I will quit after all. It's the only way to make sure I never register for another race again.

Hills aside, the run was a success. Amanda, who is a much faster and stronger runner, ended up running 19 km because of all the running back and forth she did making sure we were still nearby and not lost on a side street somewhere. Myself and Lori finished our 17 with no ill effects which continues to make me confident that the half will be just as successful.

My FitBit was pretty pumped about the whole thing too. 17 km is now my longest distance and I know that adding four more clicks won't be a problem. Sorry 4.1. Can't forget that point one.

32 days and counting!

Knowledge = Fear

Nothing makes you question your sanity for registering for the Cape to Cabot like running up hills.
Thursday night's hill repeats took on a whole new meaning. I've run that hill hundreds of times but my first trip up this week made me panic. Why did I ever think I could run the C2C? There's no way I'll be able to do it. I'll die. They'll find me at Maddox Cove Road curled up in the fetal position praying for an earthquake that will reduce all the hills on the Avalon Peninsula to rubble.

The same thing happened on Saturday at the Figure 8 race. I thought the run would be fairly easy considering I had home field advantage, but when I started up hill from Octagon Pond back to the T'railway, all I could think was that in October I'll be followed by an ambulance for 20 kilometers, which is probably a good thing since I'm going to end up in one before the race is done.

Maybe I'm over reacting. Maybe I should do some research, figure out exactly what I'm in for. Knowledge will slay the fear.

I decided to look at the course elevation. There are four up hill sections. For some reason I thought there would be more. Race starts out downhill for one kilometer. So far so good. First uphill is one kilometer followed by another kilometer downhill. See, that's not so bad, right?

Hill number two is two kilometers. That's a long way up. It's like running Neil's Pond, only all uphill.

Ok, don't panic, that's probably the worst of it.

Downhill for two kilometers, followed by uphill for three kilometers.

I was wrong. Knowledge feeds the fear fire and it's like Guy Fawkes night over here.

After pacing back and forth trying to stop from hyperventilating, I give the elevation chart one more glance. Downhill for three kilometers followed by three kilometers flat along Water Street. That I can do. I think I'll ignore the final slog up Signal Hill Road for now. Most people walk at least a portion of that section and I know I'll do the same.

That's enough knowledge for one day. I don't think I can handle knowing any more.

Instead, let's think about how this will be my last race of the year. Maybe of my life. Maybe I'll quit running after this. I'll become a race volunteer. Or I'll start sleeping in on weekends. Think of all the drawer space I'll have when I get rid of all my running clothes.

Yeah, that probably won't happen.

I'm sure Renee and Paula will be at Cabot Tower with tea when we finish racing. That's a good thought. I'll have an awesome new running shirt - Sugar says his C2C shirts are some of his favorites. I'll have that really amazing medal with the Forget Me Not's on it. I'll finally get to go to the post race reception. And I hope that I'll be able to say that I'm glad I did it.

It's going to be okay. I think it will really all be okay.

That is, until I run hills again this week.

I'm Not Sure What Just Happened

I'm not sure what just happened.

One minute I'm scarfing down a bag of Nibs while watching Ice Age: Collision Course with my kids and the next thing I know I'm looking at the confirmation of my registration for the Cape to Cabot.

What did I just do?

I blame Lori. She decided that running her first 5K, 8K, 10K, Tely and half marathon wasn't enough accomplishment for one year and added the C2C to her list. She was panicking all day and suggested I do the race with her.

Um, no.

But she had planted that seed somewhere in the back of my mind. Never mind that I swore I would NEVER run the Cape. Never mind the visions of all the strong PRC runners I've witnessed struggle up the Munn Mile, looking like death. Never mind that it's promoted as the HARDEST and TOUGHEST race in Northeastern America.

I should never have checked my messages after the movie. Lori had sent a screen shot of her registration confirmation. I checked with Sugar to make sure he had registered and casually mentioned that "Lori wants me to run the C2C with her." "Do it," was his response. No doubts there.

It's probably sold out by now. It sells out fast. I'll just log in and then I'll know for sure that it's sold out and I have a good excuse.

24 spots left. 

There's no going back now. This brings a whole new meaning to our hill training.

One thing is for certain - if Lori decides she wants to add her first marathon to her list this year, I'm definitely looking for new friends.

Tely Train of Thought

It's Tely morning. 6 am.

Do I get up now or wait for the alarm to go off? I'll get up. It's not like I'm going to get back to sleep.

Should I still wear my singlet? It's foggy out there. Might be coolish. Don't want to be cold at the start line. Let's check the forecast. 16 degrees. That's 26 degrees once I start running. I'll stick with the singlet.

I should eat breakfast first, give it time to digest. A bagel and a banana should be good. And a Rice Krispie square. Get the rocket fuel in before I run. Should I have tea? I'll have to pee 10 times if I do. Maybe I'll just have a small cup. Use one of those teacups I have that are covered in dust in the cupboard. Yeah, let's do that.

I should put Body Glide on my feet today, just as a precaution. Don't want to get blisters. Should I wear my hat? It makes my head hot, but it blocks the sun from my eyes. But there's no sun right now and the forecast says not to expect any until after 10 am. I'll be finished running by then. No hat. I wish I had a visor like Sue or Ironman. Maybe I'll get one at the Maritime Race Weekend Expo.

I just made tea in the biggest mug in the house. Oh well, maybe I should wear a Depends under garment today.

I have one million messages from the girls. They are a little freaked out about getting to the race on time.

It's 7:35. Time to head to the start line. I'll park near Coffee Matters and walk up the trail with Sugar.

Hey, there's Ed doing a warm up run along the trail. He's stopping to have a chat.

It's a short walk, but that was a lot of talk about poop.

I wonder where the girls are? Text says in the 2 hour corral in the middle. There they are. Paula looks terrified. I'm sure she'll do fine.

There's the gun! And we're going...nowhere. Am I running for time? I don't know. Depends on the heat. And how I feel as I get going. Ok, here we go, a slow walk to the start mat. Push start on my phone. Let the fun begin! Don't start out too fast! Slow it down. You don't want to burn out too quickly.

I think it's starting to rain. No, I was wrong. It's starting to pour. Everyone's laughing. At least we're all good humored about it.

The weather man lied. That's the sun right there, beating down on my hatless head. I'm spending all day Friday before the half marathon shopping at the Expo in Halifax this September. I'm going to buy several visors. Maybe I'll buy some Bermuda shorts too because I'm going to end up with runner's tan. Tan lines just about the knees. Looks real nice with regular shorts and bathing suits.

I think I've lost the girls. Should I try and find them or keep going? I think I hear Renee talking. Maybe they're closer than I think.

Oh look, there's my parents! Smile and wave. No kids. Guess they're smart and stayed in bed.

I wonder if Aaron will be out taking pictures today. Better practice my running smile.

Kilometer three! I have the cold sweats. That's not a good sign. That means heatstroke. I think I better slow down for a bit. Don't want to be delusional by kilometer five. Although there's a good argument to be made that I'm already delusional since I'm running in this humidity.


That's a better pace. More to the beat of Thin Red Line. Alan Frew, I'm depending on you to keep me going. Shadows fall over me. 

There's Kim P passing me again. She's really rockin' it! She's really improved with her running since last year.



Water station up ahead. I think I'll be okay with my Gatorade. Plus there are one million people there in desperate need of fluids. The cups hitting the ground sound like someone is making Jiffy Pop. I wonder if you can still buy Jiffy Pop? I like popcorn. Maybe I'll have some when I get home.

Kilometer five! Time for Rice Krispies! Yes, lady, I'm eating cookies while I run. And they're delicious.

That's a big line up at the porta potties. And it's all women. Except for that one guy who doesn't realize all the other guys are standing in the woods behind him. If I could stand in the woods I'd stop now too. That giant mug of tea has turned my insides into a water bed full of jumping children.

Over and over, Her shadow falls over me.

Half way there. Gatorade. Cookies. It's HOT. H-O-T. Hot. hOt. hoT. HOt. hOT. HoT.

hot.

All for the thin red line.

I wonder if they'll have the hoses spraying at the fire station? I could use a cool down. Gotta try and keep my feet dry though. They're already wet from the rain and I can feel hot spots forming. I predict blisters.

I'm sure I just heard Renee again. She probably yelling at her brother. I still don't see her though. I can't stop to look or I'll never start again.

So many people walking now. The heat is ridiculous. Glad I have my fuel belt. A lot of people have nothing with them. I would still be in Paradise if I wasn't drinking every kilometer.

I love Cornwall Avenue. It has trees and shade. Think I'll run on the right where the sun can't find me. Shadow falls over me.

Another water station. More Jiffy Pop. I should go to Sobeys on the way home and see if they still sell it. Should pick up a few other things while I'm there. I think tea bags are on sale. Think I'll take some water this time and pour it over my head. I wonder how much further to the PRC pit stop? I could use a cold sponge right about now.

There's Aaron. Saw him too late. He probably already has my picture and I'm guessing I'm not smiling. Hopefully I don't look too much like death. Or insane.

Gina can't be much farther. I can see yellow! Bring on the candy and the sponges! Sorry lady, I think I just sprayed you with sponge water! My bad.

That kid has a sign that says 2.5 kms to go. Is he trustworthy do you think? He looks innocent enough but you never know.

The crowd of spectators is getting bigger. That means I'm definitely nearing the end. Good thing too cause my hip is starting to ache. And my legs.

There's the turn to Bannerman Road. Not yet. Still too far out. Wait for it. Wait for the right moment. Don't get caught up in the sudden rush of people going past you.

There's Newly Engaged Ryan offering me water. I'm too close to the finish to slow down now. Now! Go now. Increase your stride. Pick up the pace.

There's the clock. What does it say? I need to get closer or else get glasses - it starts with a one! I'm under two hours. PB! RUN! RUN! RUN! RUN! RUN!

Over. Done. Dying. Walk. Walk. Walk. Walk. Walk. Medal. Water. Banana. Walk. Walk. Walk. Walk. Walk. Yellow. Go. Eat. Drink. Walk. Walk. Walk. Walk. Walk. Tree. Shade. Stop. Stretch. Breathe.

Where's Sugar? Wonder how he did. Batman is sitting on the ground and can't get up. There's Renee! I wonder how Paula is doing? And where's Lori?

Everyone is discussing their time. Mine is one hour something. I didn't even look at the other numbers when I saw that I was under two hours.

There's Paula and Collette! Paula has her knee bandaged and she's in tears. Joy or Pain? Maybe both. Maybe more pain than joy. But she crossed that finish line upright.

We did it. All four of us got a PB. Well, since it was Paula and Lori's first Tely, the automatically get a PB, but myself and Renee also beat our previous times. And of course, like all crazy runners, we're already talking about "when we do this next year". I wonder when registration opens?

My Results: 1:49:53 (chip time). 12:36 faster than 2013

Team Results: Rice Krispies placed 6th (out of 6 teams)

The Race Nemesis

If you are a regular participant in road races you have undoubtedly discovered that you have a race nemesis. A race nemesis is that person you see at every event who is just slightly faster and 99% of the time crosses the finish line just ahead of you.

The race nemesis plays a very important role. Their main purpose is to motivate you to dig deep, to encourage you to push yourself just a little harder, to make you believe that you can catch them if you really put your mind to it. And to drive you slightly crazy when they beat you yet again.

My race nemesis is called Walter.

I know his name because it's always above mine in the race results. He probably doesn't even know I exist and yet he is one of my biggest motivators.

For three years Walter has beaten me at every race (except one) that we have entered. For three years he has unknowingly encouraged me to try and catch him.

So when I spotted him at the starting line for the Mews 8 K on Sunday, running along Mundy Pond Road for a warm up, I decided for the first time this year, I was going to try for a personal best. My last PB was three years ago and it was time to try and change that. Sorry girls, you're on your own.

A last minute bathroom break left me racing to the start line with about 10 seconds to spare before the starting gun. I didn't have time to find Walter so I decided that I would just run on my own and hopefully spot him somewhere along the route. If I could keep up with him, I was fairly certain I could beat my previous time.

Sugar

I managed to find Renee and Paula and we ran together for a few minutes before I decided to pull ahead and see if I could catch a glimpse of Walter. I don't know why I chose him as my person, but I think it had something to do with the fact that he wears a headband when he runs. I am partial to a runner in a sweatband. 

I wasn't running with my phone so I had no idea what my pace was or how many kilometers I had clocked. I tried to listen to the voice feedback from the apps of the runners around me for some clue but I was too preoccupied with finding Walter to really take in any data or do the math to see where I was.

I pushed onward but as I neared King's Bridge Road, I realized that my chances of running across the finish line with my motivator were quickly diminishing. I hadn't even been able to catch a glimpse of him this time around. Then I saw the clock and I realized that despite not finding my pace bunny, a PB was within my reach. I crossed the mat with a chip time of 51:12, five seconds faster than my best Figure 8 time and a minute and a half faster than my last Mews. And it's all thanks to Walter. I never would have ran like I did if I hadn't been looking for him.

So Thank You, Walter. Maybe next time I'll get that finish line photo. For now, this one will have to do.

Walter and I after the race

Oh, and just a word of encouragement to those who have yet to finish ahead of their nemesis - there's one thing you should always remember:  you're someone's race nemesis too.

Just Like Bad Underwear

It's less than three weeks to the Tely. When I really think about that I can't help but wonder how it crept up so fast. Just like bad underwear, as Sugar would say.

I'm not panicked or freaked out. I've put in the time training and I know what I need to do to have a good run. I have good shoes, I know how to fuel and hydrate and I've got a bazillion PRCers running with me. Bring it on.

It seemed like the majority of the running community decided to run the Tely route on Canada Day so I jumped on the bandwagon. Snap, Crackle and Pop were either out of town, running other races or had previous commitments so I joined another bunch of PRCers (I will call them Batman's Angels, or BA for short) for the practice run. BA were doing the full Tely route, but since I only had 15 K to do (yes, I said ONLY) and planned to finish at Quidi Vidi where Sugar would be waiting after his run, I started further along the route, between the one and two mile markers.

It was humid. For the first eight kilometers or so, everything I was wearing or carrying was pasted to my body. I felt like a roll of Saran Wrap. Or Scotch Tape. But at least it was overcast, or it was for the first half hour of the run. Then the skies cleared and the sun came out in full force, beating down on us like ants under a magnifying glass. As we passed the Village Mall, I decided to cross over to the opposite side of the street where there was at least partial shade. Many of the other ants followed my lead. 

It was difficult to run in the heat and I started having flashbacks of Tely's past. I kept reminding myself that it would be different on race day - the firemen will be out with the hoses, Gina will have the PRC pit stop set up, there will be water tables around the next turn. And maybe it won't be this hot on July 24th. 

When I reached the Mile 10 marker, BA were all lying in the grass enjoying cold beverages and relishing being finished. I stopped for a brief chat before heading on to the lake where Sugar and his Crisps were waiting to take me out for tea. 

I made it to the lake and hit the finish button on my phone. My FitBit app always has an encouraging message for me after I finish a run. This time it was "Bring it!" I thought it was fitting considering my next long run will be the Tely. It pretty much sums up how I feel.

And maybe it's also fitting that the map showing my route looks like a smile. My app is happy and so am I - this is the longest I've run since my last Tely and I felt great after. No aches, pains or discomfort of any kind. 

With every long run, I'm more and more encouraged that the half marathon will be a success. It's only eleven weeks away and I'm sure it will be another pair of bad underwear. I think when Maritime Race Weekend is over, I'll buy myself a nice pair of bloomers. 

Lessons Learned

This was supposed to be an easy running week with a couple of 5 K's and an 8 on the weekend, but with the Tely getting closer, I started questioning my training plan. Originally, there were 2 weeks between each long run which I thought would give my body time to adjust to all the extra strain it was undergoing, but I began to notice one week after a long run, I felt able to do another. 

As the weekend approached I mentioned to the girls that we didn't have a 15 K scheduled before the Tely and if we wanted to run that distance, we would have to move our 14 K up to this weekend. Even as I write this I'm trying to figure out what exactly has happened to me. How did I get from not wanting to run at all to adding an extra 15 kilometers to my schedule? 

We decided to run the T'railway from Coffee Matters in Paradise down to Biped on Water Street. If you take the trail right to the train station before heading to Biped, it's exactly 14 kilometers. Plus now that Biped has its own coffee bar right in the store, it's the perfect spot to finish a run. 

Before we set off, the girls surprised me with t-shirts they had made. It all started when the lovely Wendy Wall referred to us as "The Rice Krispie Group" one Saturday morning at Coffee Matters. Shortly after that, Batman gave us all nicknames.

And it's only gotten weirder as time goes on. Sugar is now referred to as Sugar Crisp and Molly has been dubbed Tony the Tiger. I'm trying to figure out who could be Toucan Sam and Count Chocula. At Maritime Race Weekend we'll all be Captain Crunch. I'm starting to think the next PRC group photo will look something like this:

But I digress.

There were five of us running this morning - Myself, Lori, Paula, Renee and Joyce. Things started out on a bad note when both Joyce and Renee realized that their iPod's were dead and they would have to run 14 K without music. At 5 K Renee had to drop out because she was feeling light headed. Then Paula ran out of water and by the time we reached Water Street she was feeling the effects of the heat and loss of fluids. Biped was an oasis in a 14 kilometer desert.

Within a few minutes of entering the store we were all eating yummy treats and drinking tea. They had all the necessities for runners - bananas, granola bars and my personal favorite, snowballs. Renee joined us for a snack and all the horrible parts of the run were forgotten. This was the longest, warmest run we've done to date and it was a good reminder of how things could be at the Tely. We have one long run left to get all the kinks out before July 24th. We've all learned a few lessons and I'm sure our 15 K next week will see a huge improvement.