Yesterday I ran most of my 12 kms and then today I ran just under my 25 km long walk. I killed on my run yesterday....yeah, yeah...I know this is a walking race but I do love my runs. I run really slow so I'm not out there ripping up the streets or anything. I haven't run much lately and I've been missing the feeling. So...yesterday....ran probably 2/3 of the 12 km then today I ran almost 1/2 of my 25 km.
I was suppose to go 29 km but between the running yesterday and today and that I only had 4 hours to get my walk in....had family coming over and it wasn't light out until 6:15 am and I was out the door at 6:30. We had everyone arriving around 10:30. I think I did rather well....25 km in 4 hours and I wasn't pushing either the running or the walking all that much.
I have learned to take along water/gatorade and some little thing to eat...today was some gorp. I was training for my 1/2 marathons without any water or bars and it really showed in my times and how I felt. Now if I'm out for more than 1 1/2 hours I take some water and if I'm out for more than 2 1/2 hours the gatorade is added and some little protein/carb treat.
Now back to my legs....they really hurt today...but in an interestingly good way. I know I've gone a distance and got some running in, so I'm happy how things turned out. I'm now powering back the fluids to keep up with the sweating I did on the run.
Tomorrow is a rest day so my legs should get back to normal...and maybe a little assistance of some tylenol will be needed tonight.
Sunday, 11 September 2011
Saturday, 10 September 2011
Working and training don't mix
Where did this week go? It seems to have gone in a blur and I haven't got all my training in!
I work 12 hour shifts and usually this doesn't cause too many problems until I do 3 days in a row...and there fore less days to train. You say there are 4 other days in the week? You are right! But on sundays are my long training days and therefore mondays are rest days. So this week I did a 12 km run/walk on tuesday...worked wed/thrus/fri and just came back from another 12 km run/walk. Today I threw in a couple hills and some running to make it the interval/hill workout. Tomorrow is my long walk and I'll try to throw in some running in there too!
Now the weather hasn't been helping either! Don't get me wrong...it's BEAUTIFUL out and sunny and hot!....but that means I have to get up early to get my workout in before the heat bogs me down. Plus, now that fall is approaching the days are definately getting shorter and I did get a 3 km walk in with the dog after work on wed but the lack of light only gave me a 40 min window to get out and walk and home again.
So this is the testing of my mettle....will I quit because it's hard to get the workout in? or that it's taking so much of my time? or I have to get up really early on my days off?....well.....I haven't quit yet and with only another month left to train....I think I'm up to it!
Walk on my friends....walk on!
I work 12 hour shifts and usually this doesn't cause too many problems until I do 3 days in a row...and there fore less days to train. You say there are 4 other days in the week? You are right! But on sundays are my long training days and therefore mondays are rest days. So this week I did a 12 km run/walk on tuesday...worked wed/thrus/fri and just came back from another 12 km run/walk. Today I threw in a couple hills and some running to make it the interval/hill workout. Tomorrow is my long walk and I'll try to throw in some running in there too!
Now the weather hasn't been helping either! Don't get me wrong...it's BEAUTIFUL out and sunny and hot!....but that means I have to get up early to get my workout in before the heat bogs me down. Plus, now that fall is approaching the days are definately getting shorter and I did get a 3 km walk in with the dog after work on wed but the lack of light only gave me a 40 min window to get out and walk and home again.
So this is the testing of my mettle....will I quit because it's hard to get the workout in? or that it's taking so much of my time? or I have to get up really early on my days off?....well.....I haven't quit yet and with only another month left to train....I think I'm up to it!
Walk on my friends....walk on!
Tuesday, 6 September 2011
Where did the summer go?
Holy Guacamole! It's September already. We've had the long weekend...and I actually had it off this year, and it was nice and sunny too. I'm starting week 12 of my marathon training....it's getting hard. No the actual training isn't as hard as I thought it might be.....but it's the amount of time I need to get it done.
With the 1/2 marathon training the longest run/walk was about 20 km....and I'm up to 29 km this week for the long walk. It's a huge amount of time committment....and I'm not sure if my husband actually truely understands that!
He is really supportive of my training but he does sound surprised when I tell him I'll be out for about 4 1/2 hours....'What?'..... no kidding!
I've been having second thoughts of doing this but then I tell myself that I only have 2 more weeks of intense training, then 2 weeks of tapering and then it's the marathon. I keep thinking about how good I'll feel when I'm done and how proud I'm going to be with myself for sticking to the training. I'm not sure if I'll have any buddies to do the marathon with by that time....I'm hearing rumblings of 'sore hips', 'sore knees', and such....at least there will be a couple hundred of us starting out on the early bird marathon time of 0630!
The days are getting shorter now and I'm having to now think about my training after work...where will I go and how light will it be? I get off work at 1915 and it takes 30 mins to drive home...then I will get out and go for at least an hour....and those are my short runs for the week...I've just completed my medium walk with Charlie. He's sleeping on the couch beside me as I type....he has fun and we even stopped to at the river so he could swim!
So here goes another week of training and another week of talking myself into staying with the program...sigh!
Happy walking or running everyone!
With the 1/2 marathon training the longest run/walk was about 20 km....and I'm up to 29 km this week for the long walk. It's a huge amount of time committment....and I'm not sure if my husband actually truely understands that!
He is really supportive of my training but he does sound surprised when I tell him I'll be out for about 4 1/2 hours....'What?'..... no kidding!
I've been having second thoughts of doing this but then I tell myself that I only have 2 more weeks of intense training, then 2 weeks of tapering and then it's the marathon. I keep thinking about how good I'll feel when I'm done and how proud I'm going to be with myself for sticking to the training. I'm not sure if I'll have any buddies to do the marathon with by that time....I'm hearing rumblings of 'sore hips', 'sore knees', and such....at least there will be a couple hundred of us starting out on the early bird marathon time of 0630!
The days are getting shorter now and I'm having to now think about my training after work...where will I go and how light will it be? I get off work at 1915 and it takes 30 mins to drive home...then I will get out and go for at least an hour....and those are my short runs for the week...I've just completed my medium walk with Charlie. He's sleeping on the couch beside me as I type....he has fun and we even stopped to at the river so he could swim!
So here goes another week of training and another week of talking myself into staying with the program...sigh!
Happy walking or running everyone!
Tuesday, 30 August 2011
Are we ever really satisfied?
Well, we did complain for so long about how cold and rainy it was over the winter and spring and that it took summer sooooo long to get here....and here it is and now we are complaining about the heat! Are we never truely satisfied?
We can ask that of any runner or walker....are you truely satisfied with that last walk?, the pace? the route? or even the distance? It seems we are forever meeting or beating our goals and then instead of congratulating ourselves we immediately set a new and better goal.
Take this last run/walk I did...granted it was supper hot, I left home at 0800 but I should have started at 0600 (see? already complaining) and I brought water, gaterade and a granola bar....I set my pace and off I went. I went for 25 km but I felt unsatisfied because I was suppose to go for 25.5 km....how is it that I couldn't be happy with one when it was only .5 of a km out from the other?
Ah...that is the life of a runner or walker....always striving for something better...better times, better distances, better feeling, better pace...well...you get the picture.
A little update on our marathon group. We are now down to only 3 people from 6. It turns out 2 people never even registered....chickens!....and one person dropped out. I have to confess that I have felt like dropping out myself at times. I mean....training for a marathon takes time and alot of it! It's hard and don't we all like easy if it is offered to us? But...and there is a but...I have set this goal for myself this year and darn it...I'm sticking to it....even if I have to do the thing on my own. (well, not truely on my own there will be thousands of people there, but you know what I mean!)
It's week 11 and our long walk is 27.5 kms...sigh....I'll endeavor to get up earlier this week to get out on the roads before the sun comes out.
Happy Sept long weekend to everyone......
We can ask that of any runner or walker....are you truely satisfied with that last walk?, the pace? the route? or even the distance? It seems we are forever meeting or beating our goals and then instead of congratulating ourselves we immediately set a new and better goal.
Take this last run/walk I did...granted it was supper hot, I left home at 0800 but I should have started at 0600 (see? already complaining) and I brought water, gaterade and a granola bar....I set my pace and off I went. I went for 25 km but I felt unsatisfied because I was suppose to go for 25.5 km....how is it that I couldn't be happy with one when it was only .5 of a km out from the other?
Ah...that is the life of a runner or walker....always striving for something better...better times, better distances, better feeling, better pace...well...you get the picture.
A little update on our marathon group. We are now down to only 3 people from 6. It turns out 2 people never even registered....chickens!....and one person dropped out. I have to confess that I have felt like dropping out myself at times. I mean....training for a marathon takes time and alot of it! It's hard and don't we all like easy if it is offered to us? But...and there is a but...I have set this goal for myself this year and darn it...I'm sticking to it....even if I have to do the thing on my own. (well, not truely on my own there will be thousands of people there, but you know what I mean!)
It's week 11 and our long walk is 27.5 kms...sigh....I'll endeavor to get up earlier this week to get out on the roads before the sun comes out.
Happy Sept long weekend to everyone......
Thursday, 18 August 2011
Training while out Sailing
On a sad note...one of the girls have already dropped out. That had made me think that I would rather do a 1/2 instead. Why?....it would be easier, I've done it many times before, I just ran/walked a 1/2 on my latest training run and isn't it human nature to go the easy route without having to push yourself? No...I'm sticking to the
full...it's my goal this year.
Charlie and I did 2 runs around Stanley Park in Vancouver...each being 10 km's. The while in Naniamo Harbour we did 14 km around NewCastle Island Park-trail runs and in various lengths....then Charlie went back to the boat and I finished with a 8 km walk. The while on Gabriola Island we went 8 km's....4 kms up hill ( 3 km of them a 12% grade) and 4 km downhill back to the beach.
So, yes, even though it was hard to organize and had to get out early, I was able to maintain my training while on holidays.
Now back to reality and to my usual road routes.
Saturday, 6 August 2011
Calf cramps...the pains of walking
Wow....how much is walking different than walking? I tell you it's alot different...different muscles, gait and prolonged times out there with the training. My calfs have been hurting for a few weeks now but the last few days have been almost painful. It was painful the one night I woke with a charlie horse but I was able to relieve it fast with flexing my foot....thank goodness.
So I read a few articles about calf cramps and exercise. I basically knew most of what I read....drink lots of water, potassium, and stretching. I know I've been bad about the water and most likely that is my problem. Now you can't correct that all at once because that causes a whole different problem! Stretching is now reinstituted into my exercise regime and I pretty much eat a banana a day and lots of veggies...so potassium is covered. My calfs are feeling better but on todays 19.5 km walk I could feel a few twinges. Nothing that stopping to stretch every 30 or 40 mins can't help.
Added to my calf problems, I have sore toes...and the middles ones are a little swollen. Now I tribute that to the trail running I've been doing and all the toe bashing that happens in the runners. No...I haven't got the dreaded and weirdly honoring runners black toenails...just the swelling and pain.
I never knew that walking could be so painful and soooo very different than running. I'm getting into the 3 plus hour long walks and have got my camelback hydration system out of the garage. Also, I think I'm going to have to start bringing some food along too!
So many things to learn....and I have to keep the dreaded feelings of 'taking on too much' away....I find myself thinking we should have just signed up for a 1/2 marathon but no....this is going to be fun!
So I read a few articles about calf cramps and exercise. I basically knew most of what I read....drink lots of water, potassium, and stretching. I know I've been bad about the water and most likely that is my problem. Now you can't correct that all at once because that causes a whole different problem! Stretching is now reinstituted into my exercise regime and I pretty much eat a banana a day and lots of veggies...so potassium is covered. My calfs are feeling better but on todays 19.5 km walk I could feel a few twinges. Nothing that stopping to stretch every 30 or 40 mins can't help.
Added to my calf problems, I have sore toes...and the middles ones are a little swollen. Now I tribute that to the trail running I've been doing and all the toe bashing that happens in the runners. No...I haven't got the dreaded and weirdly honoring runners black toenails...just the swelling and pain.
I never knew that walking could be so painful and soooo very different than running. I'm getting into the 3 plus hour long walks and have got my camelback hydration system out of the garage. Also, I think I'm going to have to start bringing some food along too!
So many things to learn....and I have to keep the dreaded feelings of 'taking on too much' away....I find myself thinking we should have just signed up for a 1/2 marathon but no....this is going to be fun!
Friday, 5 August 2011
Longest wooden trestle in Canada
It now connects the Trans Canada Trail so one doesn't have to hike all the way down, cross a river, and hike back to the top again to continue with the journey....or go the 90 km out of the way detour set up on the local road connections.
It spans the river valley about 114 feet high above and for about 617 feet across. It's awe inspiring. We enjoyed the views from both sides and it looks like they are creating a network of trails down by the river too.
It's a great place to head off and go for a run or walk. The day I went it was early in the morning so parking was plenty and it was quiet on the trail. But 1 hour and 1/2 later...we got back to the car after passing family after family on bikes or foot, and there were more cars circling around the parking lot looking for spots to park. The moral of the story is get up before the general crowds even think of leaving the house!
Our training is going well. Charlie is on all my training walks except the long distance ones....he's still too young. This weekend is 19.5 km and I hope to meet up with some of the DOA's to walk 2 1/2 hours...either that I'll be listening to my usual podcasts and music on my own!
As you can see I haven't been able to get 4 days a week in but I'm pretty close to the total km's needed for the week. My calfs are complaining already but I will try extra stretching and see how that does. I should be getting everyone together soon because it's almost the '1/2 way' there mark....yahooooo!
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