DR's running blog

30.5 k, 2:48:00 (5:28 / k)

8.3 k, 35:45, 4:18 / k tempo run

8 x .65 k hill repeats on 16th up to warden, start at bench on path

 10.4 k total

10 k, 50:00, 5:00/k, steady run

13.2 K, 56:06, Fartlek 4:13 / K, 6:47 / mile

8.1 k, 37:40, 4:40 / k, steady run

29.3 k, 2:40:00, 5:28 / k long slow distance

8k tempo, 33:45, 4:13 / k

9 x .65 k hill repeats, ancaster, am so heat was not a problem

 1st repeat 3:10, the next 8 under 3:00

4-4:30 jog back down, 11. 7 k total, time = 63 minutes

11.7 k total in 

slow run w/ rr group 5:39 / k for 9.3k

fast fartlek run, 55:00, 13k, 4:14 / k

9 k, 40:50 , 4:33 / k, steady run

1 k warmup, 5 k in 22:30 (4:30 / k), 5 k in 21:50 (4:22 / k), 2.18 k in 9:20 (4:17 / k)

total 12.18 k in 53:40 (4:25 / k)

21.3 k, 1:47:30, 5:03 / k

hill repeats 10 x 650 m on 16th btw kennedy and warden

avg time up 2:57

avg time down 4:41

total time 1:18:00 13 k 

10 k slow, foot feels a bit dodgy, and don't want to push it with race Saturday

Test Run for Marathon in 5 weeks.

 Humid day, some rain. Nice course through the middle 20 k out on the Leslie Spit surrounded by Lake Ontario. First race as part of the Running Room group. As there were a number of looping areas where you would meet those ahead or behind you, I really enjoyed seeing friends during the race and encouraging eachother with a yell as we passed by.

 Goal was to run 2:15:00 or better - did not reach that. Went out too fast, struggled some in the middle, finished strong, passed several runners in the last 5 k. 23rd place overall out of 650 runners. Still under Boston pace - 4:34 / k.

  Went out too fast, running just behind the top runners (felt great at the time but paid for it later) ran the first k in 4:00, first 4 k in avg 4:10 or so, then gradually reduced the pace. Struggled in the middle of the race, passed by several runners, stomach cramping around the 8k-13k mark. Another negative was the water stations, had to stop to take water, hard to drink from the paper cups at speed or even a slow walk. Still prefer that to the fuel belt though. Have to get a better strategy in place for the marathon. a :10-20 stop/slowdown at each station is a lot of lost time. However I was determined to take in as much water as I could and took 1.5 packets of Eload gel as well. Tried Gatorade early on, stopped due to cramping (blamed the Gatorade). After I stopped the Gatorade there was no more cramping - could be a coincidence, who knows.

Settled into a pace from 13-18 k, wind and rain became an annoyance, around the 18-19k mark the doubts started to hit me, as I checked my pace, thinking ahead to the marathon and questioning my Boston qualifying goal "if I am struggling with pace at 18 k, how will I possibly maintain for 42.2?"  Then I kicked myself in the butt, told myself to focus only on today, only on the next step, saying "all right..today..lets go" and repeating it and it fired me up and got me going. At the same time a guy came up from behind and tried to pass and I just turned it on gradually and wouldn't let him pass. When I turned it on he fell back and I could hear him struggling and then he dropped off. I heard him cough and wheeze and that made me feel good!

 For the next 5-6 k it was tough sledding but I kept it going, I settled into a 4:40 pace or so, running by myself for the most part. Once I hit the 25k mark I got a boost as I was passing people who had flown by me 10-15 k earlier and now were struggling. I saw a guy I knew about 500m ahead, he was still running strong so I tried to gradually catch up and I did that over the course of 2 or 3 k, passing a few others in the process. Finally caught him at the water station with 3 k to go, then with 1.5 k to go I surged and pushed to catch another guy. Ran hard to the finish, and very happy to see Andrea and Jazzy at the finish line waiting for me.

What did I learn in my tuneup?

1- Qualifying for Boston is going to take a HUGE effort, discipline to stick to the plan and some luck too.

2- Going out too fast hurt me. Have to bang out 4:30 k's over and over, nothing faster, nothing slower.

3- I need to be more efficient at the water stations and have a definite plan for hydration and gels. Was the Gatorade the cause of the cramps?

4 - My pre-race food plan proved to be a success as I did not have to make any pitstops during the race. No issues with injury or much soreness as of 1 day later. cold bath + icing my left foot last night likely helped.

Despite my struggles and slower time than I hoped for there are some Encouraging Factors looking ahead:

I did not taper for this race...humidity was high...I finished strong...I have 4 weeks to train hard, including speedwork...

8.3 k, slow jog, 48:00, recovery from race saturday, left foot is stil a bit sore, iced after run

7.4 k, steady/easy, 37:00, 5:00 /k

speed work at crothers track

 3,000 m jog

 2 x 1200 m at 4:00/k pace,  1 x 1600 m at 4:00/k pace

w/ 1 lap in between 

2,000 m cool down jog

10 k easy with rr group, 57:00, 6.25 mi

13 k fartlek, fast run 54:30, 4:11 / k

down donald cousens, back up reesor to major mac, west to ninth line and south to whites hill

8 k, 5 miles, 4:45 / k

32.4 k, lsd, 2:54:00, 5:22 / k

8k tempo, 33:00, 4:08 / k pace