Helen's Running Journal
April-May 2002
What's the point of waking up in the morning if
if you don't try to match the enormousness of the known
forces in the world with something powerful in your own life?
Don De Lillo
2002 Goals: Complete a Half-Ironman Triathlon
and
Sub-4 Hour Marathon
- Week of April 1
- Monday DAY ONE OF TRAINING!!! I've been looking forward to this day for so long! It's great to have a purpose again, to run with a goal in mind and focus on each workout.
Pouring rain meant that my first workout of the season was done inside in a gym on a treadmill. Much like last year, I warmed up on the elliptical trainer for 30min at a fairly intense level, then moved to the treadmill for another 30min. I ran steady for 10min, then did six hills at 3% grade for 1.5min, with a 1min rest between hills. The final two hills were certainly difficult, but I loved the way my stride felt at the end.
- Wednesday I've just registered for the Ottawa Half-Marathon, which takes place in 36 days. Oh boy, better get running. Check out the spot where my sweetie and I will be staying, called the Benner's Bed and Breakfast. We've even got a balcony! The plan: he runs the 10k on Saturday evening, we celebrate with a pasta meal afterwards so that I can run the 21k the next morning.
The registration must have inspired me this evening. My threshold workout was incredible, aside from the wind and rain. My legs felt strong as I started down Charlotte Street towards Parkhurst/Inglewood. This was the first run since last year with my heart rate monitor on; my heart rate wouldn't budge above 145 for the longest time until I started my 10min threshold. I had a hard time elevating it even running at a very strong pace. For the final 30min of the run I couldn't keep it below 155, which for last year was quite low. I'm sure I was going MUCH faster than any threshold I did last year, but my heartrate wasn't following. Hm, interesting.
- Sunday Because of iffy weather, I rescheduled my Saturday long run for today. My judgement proved yet again impeccable: by the time we left the Y, the afternoon was sunny and clear with a good breeze. Running felt perfect as the cold air seemed to clear my lungs right out. We left at a steady pace, perhaps a bit faster than I would normally start a long run. My legs felt great - yet more proof that taking a day off before a long run is actually a good idea when I can make myself NOT run (very hard). We looped around Parkhurst/Inglewood, down Rookwood Avenue, and through Wilmot Park. First time through Wilmot Park since last year! The lack of snow got us thinking about the trail by the river, which turned out to be in excellent condition! The river is remarkably low for this time of the year and doesn't look like it will be flooding anytime soon.
We trotted across the (crowded) pedestrian bridge while discussing the establishment of religion in New Brunswick and stopped at the trail patrol cabin on the other side. I was beginning to get a bit tired, which surprised me - we hadn't even completed an hour! We decided to keep going until Alexander School in Marysville, then turn around. My right knee and hip began acting up around the 1hr10min mark, but that didn't stop me from a nice little sprint just before finishing up at the Y.
- Week of April 8
- Monday I did my speed workouts (4x400m) at the gym tonight. I'm not quite sure why I put down such an easy workout in my training program, but I think it's a good idea to do so once in a while. The first two sets were done at 7.1mph, the final two at 7.2mph (I write this down for future reference.) Easy stuff!
- Wednesday It was one of those days when my legs felt like concrete pillars as soon as I started running. That's usually a sign of a long, miserable run ahead of me. I think it's simply the result of fatigue, since the past two days have been relatively easy. I ran across Wilmot Park for the first time this year, down tot he Sheraton, and along the river until the pedestrian bridge. My heartrate was going crazy: 155 to 159 at what seemed like the slowest pace ever. I picked up the pace just before the pedestrian bridge for my 15min tempo, but it seemed like I was barely moving. My heartrate went over 165. This is bad, but definite proof that I'm tired.
- Saturday I took Thursday off after barely surviving Wednesday's tempo run. And Friday's run became the equivalent time on the elliptical trainer at the gym. So by Saturday I was raring for a good long run. The weather was wet, so I overdressed to make sure that my legs would be warm even if they got soaked.
We left the Y and did much the same route as last week. This time I emphasized a slower, steadier pace at the start to avoid struggling at the end. I had also brought money for the Gatorade at the Irving gas station in Marysville. The wind was very calm and the river was misty, a rare sight during the afternoon. The trails were empty. All to say that running conditions were ideal. Both of us felt much better than last week. I started having hip problems not long after leaving the Y, and the pain progressed down through my thigh as time passed. I also developed blisters, something that hasn't happened to me in years. We had initially aimed for 18km today, but ended up running almost 20km.
- Week of April 15
- Monday I'm glad I started this year's speed workouts with some easy ones. Hopefully I'll have a better record of doing them than I did last year. Hopped on the elliptical trainer to warm up for 30min, then on the treadmill for 6x400m sprints. I must have picked up speed in the last week, because I managed all of them easily at 7.2mph. Even the sixth one at 7.3mph was easier than the fourth sprint last week at 7.2mph! Who knows, maybe I'll be doing Boston next year!
- Tuesday I know, I know. According to the training program, I should have been biking and swimming today. But it was 18C and clear, and by late afternoon I simply had to go out (addiction, anyone?) I decided to check out the Northside Trail to see if the last remaining piles of snow had cleared up. As I left the apartment, I could tell my legs were tired from yesterday's sprints, but they improved considerably after 30min or so. This is also about the time that it began raining cats and dogs, along with the occasional rumble of thunder. The trail is indeed clear!
- Wednesday Tonight's tempo run seemed so much easier than last week's. Maybe that's because I started the tempo 15min into my run, rather than waiting until 20min or even 25min. I was also running later in the evening as the sky was getting darker. For some bizarre reason, I seem to run more easily when it's dark. I ran along the river until the pedestrian bridge, crossed, and continued straight until Marysville. It turned into a quietly exhilerating run, the sort that makes addicts out of runners. The evening was still, everyone was inside because of the wet weather, and I seemed to be running in this incredibly smooth, peaceful state. What a great way to end the day.
- Thursday Very misty and peaceful weather this evening. I think I would have enjoyed running outside in these sorts of conditions, but I ended up at the gym on the elliptical trainer and treadmill doing a 10km equivalent workout. I like the trainer; nothing quite strengthens my legs like 35min on that thing. It makes my stride a little shorter but much more powerful and regular the following day. I also have much less difficulty keeping a steady pace over long distances.
- Friday Taking yesterday's advice, I stuck to the elliptical trainer this evening and did my usual 30min. Gave the treadmill a rest in preparation for tomorrow's long run.
- Saturday A cool and breezy day for running. We left earlier than usual, and this time our departure was from my apartment rather than the YMCA. Things went wrong for me almost right from the start: I had eaten very poorly for breakfast and within minutes of running I had bad cramps and stitches throughout my entire torso. These got worse until I finally stopped for a few minutes and put my head down. The pain was gone and didn't return.
We had decided to do something of a figure eight: run the east side of the Northside Trail, stop at the Marysville Irving for Gatorade, continue up towards the Penniac bridge, return to Marysville along the old road, and return home. We kept a slow and steady pace, even up the hills on the old road. It wasn't until we were on our way back that I started to get hungry and dizzy, making for a tortuous return. Eating habits must change! I'll break out the good ol' oatmeal next weekend.
- Week of April 22
- Monday Ran at the gym tonight, doing my 35min warmup on the elliptical trainer followed by 3x800m sprints. I pushed myself a little harder than usual for the sprints (which is partly why I did only three rather than four of them): each sprint was considerably faster than the previous one. I finished the third at 7.4mph for four minutes. I can't wait to get out on a track to do these speed workouts, especially on hot summer days when finishing a set of sprints seems incredibly gratifying.
- Wednesday At last, sunny weather. I left the apartment around 7:30pm, enough time to run in during one of the quietest parts of the day. My pace felt incredibly slow and my heartrate was quite high, two signs that usually point to fatigue. But running on a clear, crisp evening like this one always makes it worth the pain. I did my 2x10min tempos. It seemed I didn't have to accelerate all that much before my heartrate was at 170. This in spite of taking yesterday completely off. The return from Marysville was spectacular. The rivers, although flooded, were perfectly calm, and ducks were everywhere.
- Friday Nothing special, just some time on the treadmill. Actually feeling pretty good, but then again, I've had two days off this week.
- Sunday We were quite busy yesterday and so put off the long run until late afternoon today. I had a special treat for this run: a GPS unit from work! What a blast! I tracked our route on the map, looked at our speed (Average moving speed was 10.4km/h), measured distances very precisely (24km), and got to see it all on a map of Fredericton! We also brought PowerBars with us to keep from collapsing of hunger along the way.
It was a very warm and sunny afternoon when we left, but the sky clouded over when we were on the other side of the river and just arriving at the Irving Station in Marysville. Tip one: I bought Gatorade instead of Powerade this week, and this seemed to make quite a significant difference in terms of sustaining energy levels. Our pace was a little brisker than usual, and we headed to the Penniac Bridge and turned around in good time. My hips bothered me quite badly the entire run. By the time we were crossing the St. John River both of us were pretty anxious for the run to be over. The temperature had dropped a lot, the wind was brisk, and the sun was gone. The final 3km were tough.
- Week of April 29
- Tuesday I ended up leaving the apartment quite late last night for Golf Club Road. The temperature was, as usual, completely different from what was on the Weather Network, which meant I had to cut my run short since I was getting cold. The run itself was nice. Not great, just nice. I think running on the trails when the snow is gone makes all the difference. The hills on Golf Club Road were easy (except to my hips, which complained quite loudly).
- Wednesday A beautiful, warm, sunny afternoon meant I was raring to go for a run by suppertime. I had the best intentions, really: I was going to start along the river, cross over and go to Marysville, all the while enjoying the sun and the sights. My legs had other plans. The first 15min were truly horrible: the run was a jarring, disasterous experience. I haven't really given my legs a break since Sunday, when I ran 24km. I ended up cutting today's workout short and going back to the gym.
- Thursday I finally took a day off.
- Friday I didn't want to overdo tonight's workout before doing 18km tomorrow. So I hopped on the elliptical trainer for 35min and took things pretty easy. I'm glad I took yesterday off: my legs still seem tired.
- Saturday Wow: sunny and warm today!! After a week of rain and misery, this is quite a shock. I still made sure I was dressed warmly since the wind was very strong and I didn't want to cool off suddenly on my return. We set out from the YMCA, crossed Wilmot Park to the Sheraton and ran along the riverbank until the pedestrian bridge. My legs were stiff and still tired but I found a comfortable pace and didn't seem to be suffering the sort of cramps and stitches that had bothered me in previous weeks. My hips, however, were another story. I think it's due to the fact that my legs are more muscular than in previous years and therefore prone to tightening. Gotta keep up that stretching.
We ran down the Gibson Trail to Marysville, made our usual pitstop at the Irving, and came back on the Devon Trail. The windspeed had increased over the course of our run and heading across the bridge was rough. The run was surprisingly exhausting.
- Week of May 6
- Monday Feeling very rested and refreshed today! (About time.) I opted to put off my morning run until late evening at the gym so that I could do my speed workout on the treadmill. The Ottawa Half-Marathon is less than a week away and I really, REALLY don't want to be pounding my legs on asphalt. I also reduced the 4x600m sprints to 3x600m, but picked up the pace in each subsequent sprint.
- Wednesday Headed out to Marysville for a nice tempo run this evening. They were short: 3x8minutes, and for once very pleasant. Still, as I was running I couldn't help but remember how fast I felt last year during these tempo runs after the Quebec City Half-Marathon. How come I haven't been able to return to that? I think I haven't been pushing myself as hard as I could run, and I'm probably much stiffer than last year.
- Sunday The Ottawa Half-Marathon. Woke up this morning to overcast skies, cold temperatures, and the threat of rain. Oh misery: what do I wear? I finally went with long tights and two shirts. Ate my waffle breakfast at Nickel's, along with two cups of horrid coffee. Then off to the start line. I didn't warm up at all (mistake #1), and started too far back in the crowd (mistake #2). When the horn went off, the largest-ever crowd for the event was slow in getting to a run, MUCH slower than previous years. We shuffled by a group of Hawaiian dancers cheering us on, then the 1km mark. I looked down at my watch, expecting to see 5:30min. What a shock: instead, it had taken me EIGHT MINUTES to get through one kilometre! It was truly disappointing, since those 2.5 minutes were the minutes I was trying to eliminate from last year's time of 1hr54min to get under 1:50. I also knew I couldn't make them up in the remainder of the race. I am simply not that fast or strong a runner in the first half of a run.
From that point until about 12km I ran quite angrily. I was disappointed in myself, angry that I had started so far back at the start line, angry that my body seem physically incapable of running faster, angry that people who were passing me were people I would have cruised by last year. There was no Gatorade left at the 10km water station, another dent in my plans. I even started to feel tired.
However, by the time we had reached the little park past the Central Experimental Farm, I was beginning to feel stronger. The downhill stretch to Dow's Lake put a little pep in my feet, as did a cup of Gatorade. My stride got longer and stronger and I started passing more and more runners, including those who had seemed so swift earlier on. By 20km I was starting to my final sprint and feeling great: not too winded, not weak. When I finally caught a glimpse of the finish line a mere 200 metres ahead, I went all out into a sprint, and, unlike last year when a sprint didn't get me past anyone, this year I flew by every other runner. That sprint and that feeling alone were worth the trip from Fredericton.
There are lots of other factors working here as well. I had been eating worse than usual in the past two days; I had eaten far too late the night before; I had been tired and going on little sleep for the past two nights. Not warming up with a least a few laps was not a bright idea. Hitting a Gatorade station earlier in the run might have made a difference. And running in heavier trail shoes rather than lighter, more cushioned road shoes made a larger difference than I had initially thought. I was much stiffer than usual because I hadn't been doing yoga on a regular basis at home. In short, I didn't do this very well. Failing to plan is planning to fail. So from now on:
- Get new shoes: lighter, narrower, and more cushioned.
- Do more stretching: for longer time after each workout, and do yoga at least twice a week.
- Run harder during workouts: remember Quebec City, and push myself more.
- Week of May 13
- Friday After four days off I decided that I was tiring of crossing out skipped workouts on my training schedule. Earlier this week I had bought a new yoga tape and had tried it out a few times. Then this evening I got a new pair of running shoes. Breaking with my cherished Nikes, I went to the local sports shop and tried on New Balances, Sauconies, and Mizunos. I finally walked out with a fantastic pair of Mizuno Waveriders. Wow: these things are like slippers, at about half the weight. As soon as I got home I strapped them on and headed out into a beautiful, clear evening. I don't know if it was the yoga or the shoes - probably both - but I FLEW to the Sheraton, along the river, to the other end of the pedestrian bridge. I can't believe what a huge difference a few ounces in each shoe made. My heels felt like they were kicking my hamstrings and my stride was quite long and high. What a GREAT run. A record time of 25:42 to the end of the bridge and 36:57 for the entire route.
- Saturday Doing a 20km run after only one run in a week didn't seem like a wise idea, so I stuck to the same route as yesterday. I was considerably more tired today and the speed didn't seem to come as easily as yesterday; my heartrate stayed over 160, something it rarely does except on tempo workouts. I did, however, run even FASTER than yesterday. Woohoo!
- Sunday Even more tired today, which showed up in a high heartrate and very sore legs as I made my way to Marysville, looped around Marshall Street, and came back. It was an incredibly beautiful afternoon, the first time it's felt almost summer-like in a long time, and the first time I've run in sunshine.
The yoga is making a significant impact on my stride. One thing I had forgotten about in Ottawa was using music to inspire me as I was running. It was only in the final few kilometres that I remembered the effect Sting's Desert Rose could have on my motivation and speed. Indeed, the final five kilometres when I started moving at a strong pace in the half-marathon were the five kilometres I "played" the song in my head. One more thing to remember for the next race.
- Week of May 20
- Thursday How could I NOT go for a run on this spectacular, beautiful, sunny day with the temperature over 20C when I left the apartment after supper? Haven't seen a day like this in a long time. Before leaving I was worried that the run I had planned - a fairly long one to Marysville and back - would be a bit too much for me: my heartrate was extremely high before heading out, and my legs were beginning to feel quite exhausted. I did feel slow as I started down Charlotte Street, but the remainder of the run was unusually good. In fact, this was one of the first runs where I didn't seem to suffer from sudden lightheadedness and dizziness.
- Friday Just a nice, short run on the treadmill at the gym this evening. I really do seem to be running faster and more smoothly than a few weeks ago. Since I was wearing an old pair of Nikes, I'm guessing that this change for the better is a result of yoga.
- Sunday The weather was perfect for a run - yesterday. Which meant, of course, that I was busy doing other stuff and that I could only get out for my long run today when the temperature was cool and wet. Oddly enough, I still had a great time running. I felt good as soon as I started running and that feeling lasted the entire 24km. The run was remarkable for one particular reason: discovering that I get motion sickness when I look straight ahead on long, straight stretches of the trails! Go figure! I remembered a refreshing long run last autumn when I had spent most of the time looking off to the side in order to admire the fall foliage. Since that run I've been combating nausea and lightheadedness on runs over 40min. So for some reason today I decided to try looking at the trees on my right side while I was running, especially on long straight stretches. Sure enough, the nausea disappeared almost immediately when I did, and I could run faster and more easily. But when I turned my head to look forward, I'd feel sick to my stomach and had to stop. The only explanation I can come up with is that when I look ahead, I focus on a single point and my eyes are fooled into thinking I'm not moving. But my stride tells the rest of my body that I'm actually bouncing forward. The two conflicting messages confuse my brain and make me feel nauseous. Hard to believe that I don't get motion sickness in any other situation but running!
- Week of May 27
- Tuesday Yet another spectacularly beautiful evening. No wind, no clouds, warm evening sun. And a million bugs. Well, at least I didn't go hungry.
I couldn't wait to get out this evening just to test my motion sickness theory. I ran while looking in just about every direction and it's confirmed: I get sick when I look straight ahead as I run. I do best when looking off to my right or left at shoulder level, generally looking into the trees. So last night I ran for 1hr20min without stopping for the first time in ages. The pace was a slow crawl since my legs were in agony, not having recovered from Sunday's long and fast run. Hip problems were apparent after the run when doing yoga, but not when I was moving.
- Thursday Went out for a late night run, partly because it was one of those times when I NEEDED to run, and partly out of guilt for skipping yesterday's workout (legs were in bad shape.) By the time I left the apartment the evening was very quiet with only a light rain. I made my way across Wilmot Park to the Sheraton, then along the Green to the pedestrian bridge. I was running a bit slower than last week, but felt absolutely great: smooth pace, quick rhythm. The evening had this beautiful stillness to it that made the run almost an ethereal experience. It seemed I had the path and city to myself, and nothing was moving. What a great run.
- Saturday Today was one of my worst runs ever. A stomach flu has been circulating in Fredericton and arrived at my door yesterday. This morning I decided, for whatever silly reason, that a long run was just what I needed to feel better. What was I thinking? I should have heeded the warning signs when I had to stop after six minutes of running, on my way to Odell Park (which was actually worth getting out for.) Running along the Green wasn't so bad, but by the time I got to Marysville I was doing a 1min walk/1min run pattern. It was awful. It was embarassing. And my first triathlon is in less than a month.
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Last updated September 6, 2002 by Helen Rooney
