Week 10 - Day 3 LSD

Breaking the 20km barrier with this run and route. I didn't get a chance to run in the morning as I had to take Mackenzie to a gymnastics competition for 7:30 AM at UM and didn't finish until 11AM. I was still very tired from the night before and took a nap and by the time I finally got out for my run I thought the weather would hold.

But I was wrong to think that, I was wearing my cold weather tights, and spandex long sleeve baselayer followed by a Patagonia fleece lined long sleeve along with my sunglasses and hoo-rag and Mizuno's. The roads were still very ice patched with a lot of puddles to jump and the trail run at Kildonan park was just boggy.

Kildonan Trail behind the golf course

By the time I got to Chief Peguis bridge the wind started to pick up, the trail leading to the bridge had a lot of melting and the gravel was very moist and sticky already making my shoes and feet completely soaked. I was able to make my way to Henderson Hwy, the Chief Peguis trail run was fairly dry and the wind was at my back and it was still sunny, by the time I got to Lagimodiere Hwy the weather started to turn. It took me 1:28 to get to the 13km mark and as I was making my way back the weather turned.

If you look at the map where the big red box says 'You are Here' here is Lagimodiere Blvd which is 13km/8mi from home.

Not bad since I had to run up 3 hills with my feet soaked and I was feeling miserable.

 My hands were red from the cold and my stomach started to hurt. I think it was a combination of the Lara Energy bar and the mix of gatorade/water in one of my flasks that got my stomach all gurgly.The run back to the Kildonan trails was even more boggy, but maybe by then my feet were so soaked and cold I started to not care. I kept thinking to myself that I should call home and get picked up...but I also wanted to see if I was mentally tough enough to finish or just dumb...I started on the slippery slope of dumb.

This was the run back home going to Chief Peguis bridge. Every step I took into the ice broke through soaking my feet...blah.

Weather started to noticably drop on my way home. This is the Chief Peguis bridge west ward home and me forgetting to bring/wear gloves.

The run down Leila Ave was just as bad, as the whole sidewalk was just one big puddle or ice sheet having to make me run on people's lawns which were still piled thigh high of snow. I ended up basically walking the last 3-4 km's happy to be home fully soaked and miserable. I figure by next month, hopefully with all the snow melted away, I'll be able to run this same route with better times.   

On Leila Avenue, puddle jumping one too many times, slipping and falling 2km from home soaking my left side in a dirty puddle. Hands were red from the cold.



Week 10 - Day 1 SSD

Was sick yesterday so I missed my speed workout. Got out this evening and did an SSD run. Needless to say it was a challenge to run along the sidewalk as it was lined with puddles and jagged ice that I had to hop left/right to avoid. I ended up getting my trail runners soaked along with my footpod which I'm hoping is water resistant. Can't wait until all this melts, at least my legs are getting a good work out with all this hopping and body shifting to keep myself from getting too wet and also balanced.

Week 10 - Day 0.5 SSD

Spring is finally coming around, although with the morning run the ground is still very icy, hard packed and treacherous from the thaw and freeze over night, good thing I chose to run in my trail runners. I know I can be a trail runner with all of the running I've been doing the past 3 months. Zen breathing is getting easier and I'm not noticing it as much anymore.

Week 9 - Day 4 Recovery run

Felt good going into this run. Got a call from Connie at the 4km mark, so I ended up walking the last two km while we talked on the phone regarding the days events as she came in from St. Paul MN for a weekend visit with her family.

Week 9 - Day 3 LSD

Felt good going into this and I'm very happy with my pace. The run up to Chief Peguis bridge and back provided some hill training. Once again, my only complaint is the roads were iced over and jagged and there was a South Westerly wind chill that affected my hands although I was dressed more appropriately with wool gloves, but the sweat wicks out of my gloves and freezes with the air. My feet felt comfortable with better woolen socks and I had my Hind baselayer, Nike pro-combat dri-fit long sleeve, another thin long sleeve polyester layer and my Nike Element Thermal along with a toque and hoorag and sunglasses. Mizuno's were worn.

Week 9 - Day 2 Tempo Run 10k

Felt good going into this but at 9k I slipped and lost my concentration. Again the weather to me was a big factor as the temperature was starting to drop and my concentration was waning. Also ran in my Mizuno Wave Inspire 8's after a long absence. They felt different from my Brooks Pure Cadence's. Not bad, just different. Going to chalk this for mental training because there were moments I really wanted to quit.

Week 9 - Day 1 Interval Pyramid

2 min warm up
1 min interval 1 min recovery
2 min interval 2 min recovery
3 min interval 2 min recovery
4 min interval 2 min recovery
5 min interval 3 min recovery
then reverse the pyramid.

Pace 5:31 to 5:42 min:sec/KM

Week 9 - Day 0.5 SSD Run with Osty and Rob

Ran with Osty and Rob again, treacherous ground as it snowed yesterday making the ground feel sandy. I was practicing zen breathing of inhale L-R-L exhale R, inhale R-L-R exhale L. The cadence and timing took a bit to get used too and I noticed that I had to breathe in a little longer but I did notice how I wasn't struggling with breath and my legs felt better. Have to practice being able to breathe at a quicker pace and rate in cadence with my turnover.

Week 8 - Day 3 LSD

Felt so cold today. -30 WC and I could never get warm, especially my hands and feet. I have to make sure I dress more prepared for the cold, especially with my hands as that was so bothersome making it a huge struggle to keep going forward. I didn't struggle fitness-wise, more just being cold all around. Glad I got in the mileage though.

Had a huge snotcicle coming from my mask

Week 8 - Day 2 Tempo Run 10k

Felt really good today despite a stressful week at work. But I did not do any extra running, making way for just the prescribed workouts on the calendar. I upped my tempo run to 5:37 - 5:47 pace, only struggled through the last 1.5km

Week 8 - Day 1 Intervals 10x400

Intervals 10x400 1 min recovery between sets. Cold night with a windchill but the road was dry for the most part which made a big difference in my pace. I was running faster than my prescribed pace, actually felt slow, but didn't want to push it hard and kept on said pace. I really can't wait for spring...

Week 7 - Day 4 OverTraining Run

Burned out...tried to run and I was able to but then I started to hurt. First it was my quads, then my achilles and I realized I was hurting all over. Stopped my run short. Texted Sean about this run and he told me I'm overtraining, my competitiveness is getting the worse of me. I have to dial it back and get in some rest. 

I have to thank Sean Ostermann for giving me focus when I start getting into this mode. I wish I could train more with him but with our families, work (even though we work literally in the same building about 50 feet away) and everyday responsibilities makes for training together a little difficult. I'm hoping by the time summer starts rolling we'll be able to get in more training together, especially hill training.

My training and marathon buddy Sean Ostermann

Week 7 - Day 3 Tempo Run Bonked

I am tired. And I bonked, this run. I was supposed to go 10k distance and really hit the wall at 8k. My cardio was fine, in fact I found that I was breathing very steady and easy, it was my legs that quit on me. And looking back at my training log, I'm at the crest of overtraining. The Week 7 Day 1.5 LSD run with Osty and Rob really killed my legs with running in what felt sand. The other issue I had this day was I worked from 1-6am, got home and slept until 9am and couldn't go back to bed so I was pretty sleep deprived.

Week 7 - Day 2.5 SSD with Aggie

Ran the Kildonan course with Aggie. The pacing was easy as I concentrating on form and foot striking. The last KM I pushed Aggie to run hard and she really kept pace with me.

Week 7 - Day 2 Interval

Pyramid interval: 1 min hard 1 min recovery jog 2 min hard 2 min recovery jog 3 min hard 3 min recovery jog Repeat 3x. Of course doing this around the neighborhood instead of a track, in the middle of winter on a cold night.

Week 7 - Day 1 LSD

Slushy day today, head was not in the run until 9km into it. Everything felt very hard today, feet and calves were sore. Slipped on the way back at 14k so I slowed down a bit and just took my time getting home.

Week 6 - Day 4 Recovery run

Ran 4x around Kildonan park with Aggie