Long Overdue...

Wow... it's certainly been a while since my last post...

Wish I could say that it wasn't (as it always seems to be) , but life has been busy with my "two jobs" (normal work... and supervising the construction of our new house).  But, with winter closing in, and with the end in sight for the new pad, Sarah and I are both wanting to get as much done as we possibly can.  This has meant a lot of extra-curricular sauna and deck building the last couple of weeks (next week... the fence).

Admittedly, the first four weeks of the training program have suffered.  I still manage to get in around four runs a week though, and I certainly can't complain about the quality of the runs... so all in all, it hasn't been THAT bad.

With more time in my horizon I'm hoping to be able to stick to the training program I have a little better.  That means I should be able to at least get in another run each week (fartlek hopefully... I love fartlek runs... and I love saying... fartlek).  I'm also looking forward to getting back to spin class and starting to fit in some swimming each week.

Today's run was a quick 5 miler.  Next week the mileage ramps up again.  Here are my splits:

Splits - Base Run (5 miles)

I was really happy with this run, and with my running in general this week, as I was able to pull off two training runs below a 5:00 min/km pace (within my zone 2 average heart rate).  Combine that with putting on some post Ironman weight (back up to 198 lbs), and I think I have a good case for having made some running strength gains regardless of the hapless schedule I've had.

I'm really looking forward to seeing what can happen with some solid training time put in in the next few months (maybe I can even speed up on that stupid hill on the way home... kills me every time!)

Almost There

Three weeks after IMC and my legs are finally starting to "come around".  This morning's run was one of the first where I actually felt like I could push a faster pace without jacking my heart rate through the roof... well, at least for the first half of the run.

Base Run Details

The second half of the run I found I had to slow myself down every so often as my heart rate (and pace) was creeping up.  Regardless, I was happy with the fact that I'm feeling less snail like in my running shoes.  That's definitely one step in the right direction.

Backpacks Suck

For whatever reason I decided to run after I dropped my car off at the dealership for servicing this morning. "What an easy way to combine a commute and a training run together" I thought...

Ugh, all I have to say is running with a backpack sucks! I've seen people running to and from work before and wondered how the heck they managed with those massive bags on their backs, but now I know... they're just THAT f***ed up!

I suppose it's a great training tool to put in your arsenal... a big counterweight that adds about 5 - 10% to your mass (depending on who you are of course). Combine that with the constant struggle of keeping your elbows further back than normal so your choice of luggage doesn't wrap around your torso at every stride (so as to keep your face free from damage... yes, backpacks don't ALWAYS act as a counterweight), and wow, you've got one great way to train for strength (mentally and physically) AND agility.

Really, I guess it wasn't all THAT bad... the worst part was probably when my work shoes flew out of my backpack onto MacLeod Trail (during morning rushhour). Who knew that you needed to tie your zippers together in order to keep them secure while running? Guess those f***ed up guys would. Fortunately for me, I had a trusty mini-lock on hand.

Run Details

Needless to say I won't be running back to get my car today... at least not with a backpack "in tow"!

Yowza!

Just had to share this one with everyone out there. Check out how big the blister was on my left foot... yikes!


Oh well, at least it didn't impact the first "training run" since IMC. Though I haven't yet officially started my program, I did get out for a quick 5k run. Only reason really being to get in a little volume prior to the start of the training program for the Hypothermic Half, as well as to simply get the legs "back into the swing of things".

On that front, I still found my heart rate high relative to pace and perceived exertion. Though my average heart rate was 155, I had to consistently hold back on the pace later in the run in order to keep it below 161 "on the spot" (161 is my aerobic threshold if you really wanted to know).

Run Details

I'm still hoping that this is the difference between my body trying to recover versus how it reacts during taper as pre-IMC I could sustain much faster paces at a similar average heart rate. Guess we will see how the next week or so goes!

Bloggity, bloggity, take two...

Well, after two weeks of well deserved time off (more so to let my feet heal from Ironman), I had my first run yesterday. Low and behold, it actually felt pretty good (this is surprising, considering that I've been off my feet for a while and because it wasn't just a "ease" back into it kind of run... it was actually a 10k road race in Canmore - the CAUSE 10k).

The race conditions were perfect. It was a little bit chilly in the morning, but the weather perked up quite a bit by the start. The course itself was quite nice. Though a good chunk of it was through the city streets, the rest of it was through the trail system in Canmore, following the river and giving good mountain views. It was a nice way to "break up" the whole ordeal.

Of course, the day itself was that much more special as it was an "anniversary race". You see, September 13th is the day that Sarah and I were married, and for whatever reason, we thought it would be fun (and somewhat fitting) to race together. I'll admit, it was pretty cool crossing the finish line hand in hand.

As for the race itself, it went quite well for an "easy" 10k (given that we are only two weeks out from finishing IMC, Sarah and I both wanted to take it a little slower... something about the need to recover properly?). In actual fact, I think it was a perfect example of pacing on our part... the first 5k being fairly slow, and the last 5k getting much faster. In the end, we had a pretty big negative split on this race.

Splits for Canmore CAUSE 10k

Oddly enough, I don't think my heart rate really matched perceived exertion. I actually was quite surprised at how high my heart rate was (usually it's the other way around... this was a first) as I felt I still had quite a bit left in the tank at the end of the day. Given that we ended up with a 0:47:01 (well, Sarah actually beat me by 1 second, but who's counting?!), I'm hoping that this is an indication of how much I've improved my running this last year (as this is only 46 seconds off my 10k PR... where I left is ALL on the table). Maybe a new 10k PR isn't that far off in my future?

Regardless, I think this race gives me a great reference point and baseline for my future half marathon training. And at the very least, it was a good, fun race to have completed with my better half. I'm definitely looking forward to many more years of the same! (maybe one year I won't have to hold her back while we run together... man those short legs move fast!)

Bloggity, bloggity, boo...

Star date 2009.09.08... initial entry in ye ol' blog. News for the day comes in two parts... first it appears as though my training will be changing focus from a February half marathon focus to a January half marathon focus... this in light of my lovely wife signing up for Ironman Arizona this November (which means that our December run is likely not a good idea... thereby making a second trip to Arizona in January highly likely).

Looks like this is my last week to rest on the ol' laurels... next week it's back to the ol' grind (though I may still enjoy the odd cheeseburger or four). Though maybe the Phoenix Rock n' Roll Half may be a good training run?