Here is the Brazil 135 and Arrowhead 135 report from Barb. I sent it to Pano at Trainharder.com and he graciously published it:
Trainharder.com
Almost as cool as her report, Barb is allowing Carrie and I to crew for her at Badwater in July!! That's bound to be just about as challenging as doing the race. It's also a big help if you crew to getting accepted into the race one year....Hmmm.
What impressed me most is her prep for those two races, something I haven't taken as seriously myself since Ultraman in '06.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
It's been a long time since...
...I biked three hours (last Thursday) - some time last year
...I swam 2900m (last Wednesday) - Ironman 2007
...I ran over an hour in length - Gibraltar last November
...I ran an hour and a half - last week
...I ran over two hours - last Sunday (2:02)
...I felt this good running - ?
Of course now that I seem to be feeling pretty good and starting on some pace workouts (6:30 per mile) and hill runs, I can imagine the feeling won't last. I only have the last two years to fall back on to emphasize this. I can't remember the last time I was gearing up for a race without some kind of concern or injury. I suppose it was in early 2008 when Spartathlon was the big one on the radar and I was running well in the spring and everything seemed to be going as planned. Then I learned my lesson by running too many races too soon, a lesson that I won't repeat. Speaking of Spartathlon, Canadian living in America, Glen Redpath, ultrarunner extraordinaire, has contacted me for advice on the race. Seems he's wanting to do it this September which can only mean that my Canadian record is most definitely in jeopardy. He should be in the running to win it so it will be an honour if my record falls to him.
So another reason I'll soon break myself again is that the plan I meant to follow starting in January I am only getting into now. Whenever I put down on paper what I should do, that's when I push myself too far and overdo it. Plus I'm trying to catch up to where the Comrades plan is now, which is a long run of 26 miles. I only hit 16 on the weekend, 12 last week, and 8 the week before. What's the old adage? Only increase your weekly mileage by 10% at at time? At that rate I wouldn't be close to being ready for South Africa. This week is a 20 miler followed by a 22 or 24 the week after. Yikes, was that my bones groaning?!?!
On a more interesting note, Barb Owen from Maple Ridge and extremely talented ultrarunner, has completed two of three races this year entailing 135 mile runs. First off was Brazil 135 through the hotness and humidness. Two weeks later was the Arrowhead 135 in Minnesota. In February. With temperatures cold enough to freeze clothes to your body should you be unfortunate enough to let yourself sweat, Barb trudged through brutal conditions to become the only woman to finish this year and only the second woman in the race's seven-year history to cross the line in the time allowed. Next on Barb's list is the Badwater 135 mile race through Death Valley. She has her application in so hopefully she'll be accepted into that one and try to complete all three in one year. I'm awaiting permission to publish here her account of both events. Stay tuned.
Next on the "man, are there ever a lot of athletes better than me" list, is Greg McHale (that's him on the right). Greg is Denise McHale's (remember Denise? First Canadian woman at the World 100k in Gibraltar and Canadian record holder for the 100k, and recently won the Yukon marathon outright. No wonder she has no time to write entries in her blog!) husband and an adventure racer. He decided to enter and complete the Yukon Arctic Ultra race that started last week and he finished yesterday - 8 days and 6 hours later. Did I mention it was 430 miles? In the Yukon? In February? Yes, that's a bit of an adventure.
I had a revelation while running the other day: I'm considering all my pre-40 years-old racing times to be defunct. Now that I've crossed over into middle-age, all my times are now new. SO, if I run a marathon again before I'm 50, the time to beat is 2:57 that I did last fall in Kelowna. When I'm 50 it starts all over again.
Carrie got me a copy of Chasing Legends for Valentine's Day, so anyone wanting a screening can let me know!
...I swam 2900m (last Wednesday) - Ironman 2007
...I ran over an hour in length - Gibraltar last November
...I ran an hour and a half - last week
...I ran over two hours - last Sunday (2:02)
...I felt this good running - ?
Of course now that I seem to be feeling pretty good and starting on some pace workouts (6:30 per mile) and hill runs, I can imagine the feeling won't last. I only have the last two years to fall back on to emphasize this. I can't remember the last time I was gearing up for a race without some kind of concern or injury. I suppose it was in early 2008 when Spartathlon was the big one on the radar and I was running well in the spring and everything seemed to be going as planned. Then I learned my lesson by running too many races too soon, a lesson that I won't repeat. Speaking of Spartathlon, Canadian living in America, Glen Redpath, ultrarunner extraordinaire, has contacted me for advice on the race. Seems he's wanting to do it this September which can only mean that my Canadian record is most definitely in jeopardy. He should be in the running to win it so it will be an honour if my record falls to him.
So another reason I'll soon break myself again is that the plan I meant to follow starting in January I am only getting into now. Whenever I put down on paper what I should do, that's when I push myself too far and overdo it. Plus I'm trying to catch up to where the Comrades plan is now, which is a long run of 26 miles. I only hit 16 on the weekend, 12 last week, and 8 the week before. What's the old adage? Only increase your weekly mileage by 10% at at time? At that rate I wouldn't be close to being ready for South Africa. This week is a 20 miler followed by a 22 or 24 the week after. Yikes, was that my bones groaning?!?!
On a more interesting note, Barb Owen from Maple Ridge and extremely talented ultrarunner, has completed two of three races this year entailing 135 mile runs. First off was Brazil 135 through the hotness and humidness. Two weeks later was the Arrowhead 135 in Minnesota. In February. With temperatures cold enough to freeze clothes to your body should you be unfortunate enough to let yourself sweat, Barb trudged through brutal conditions to become the only woman to finish this year and only the second woman in the race's seven-year history to cross the line in the time allowed. Next on Barb's list is the Badwater 135 mile race through Death Valley. She has her application in so hopefully she'll be accepted into that one and try to complete all three in one year. I'm awaiting permission to publish here her account of both events. Stay tuned.
Next on the "man, are there ever a lot of athletes better than me" list, is Greg McHale (that's him on the right). Greg is Denise McHale's (remember Denise? First Canadian woman at the World 100k in Gibraltar and Canadian record holder for the 100k, and recently won the Yukon marathon outright. No wonder she has no time to write entries in her blog!) husband and an adventure racer. He decided to enter and complete the Yukon Arctic Ultra race that started last week and he finished yesterday - 8 days and 6 hours later. Did I mention it was 430 miles? In the Yukon? In February? Yes, that's a bit of an adventure.
I had a revelation while running the other day: I'm considering all my pre-40 years-old racing times to be defunct. Now that I've crossed over into middle-age, all my times are now new. SO, if I run a marathon again before I'm 50, the time to beat is 2:57 that I did last fall in Kelowna. When I'm 50 it starts all over again.
Carrie got me a copy of Chasing Legends for Valentine's Day, so anyone wanting a screening can let me know!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Chasing Legends
Here is a site describing the movie Carrie and I just got home from, and how you could buy a copy if you wanted to:
Chasing Legends
In a word - awesome. One of the best movies about sport I've ever seen. If you've ever ridden a bike you'll like this movie. Whether you're 8, 18, or 88, you'll like this movie. It'll make you want to get on your bike and ride.
Chasing Legends
In a word - awesome. One of the best movies about sport I've ever seen. If you've ever ridden a bike you'll like this movie. Whether you're 8, 18, or 88, you'll like this movie. It'll make you want to get on your bike and ride.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
What to say, what to say...
Okay, I know. But first, two little rants.
The first has really nothing to do with running or riding or sports in general. Merely something that irks me. It has to do with Craigslist and how people conduct themselves in terms of responding to emails from me and coming to look at items I have for sale. I feel some examples would better illustrate this:
I have a tent-like shelter on Craigslist at the moment that I bought but turns out is too big in my backyard (long story). I have it on there for $225 which is a very good price as the size is 12'x 12' and Canadian Tire sells the same type of shelter that is 10' x 10' for $230. The day after I put it on someone emails me to say they have $150 cash, would I take that? Choked I emailed back a simple, "Nope". It's like putting your car on there for $8000 and someone, sight unseen, asking if you'd sell it for $5000. I had another person this past weekend email and say they were 'very interested' and could they come look at it on Saturday or Sunday. I called and talked to them and we agreed Sunday at 11:30 would work. 11:30 came and went as did the rest of the day with no word from them. Now, in this day and age of instant electronic messaging and cell phones, how hard is it to AT LEAST email and lie if necessary to say you can't come and look at it. Just say, "We can't make it today, will have to re-schedule". That took three seconds to type. It's not like I put my whole day on hold but I did hang around until 12:30 to be sure. It's that kind of inconsideration (inconsiderateness? non-consideration? you get the idea) that drives me crazy. I've never done that to someone. My other example is when you email someone and ask if a certain item is still for sale and they don't respond one way or the other. I emailed a guy about a winter bike for me - cheap, winter transportation, $5-600 - and never received a response. The next day I emailed again asking to please just let me know if he still had it. Literally two minutes later I got my answer: "Sold" was the one word answer. Now would that have been so hard to do after my first email? In-con-siderate. No respect.
Rant #2: Riding my bike to work in the dark, getting no respect from drivers.
Okay, I'm lit up like a Christmas tree on my bike when I ride to work at 6 in the morning in the dark. I know drivers can see me because on longer stretches of road, especially with no cars coming the other way, most cars give me a wide berth, pretty much going in the whole opposite lane to get around me. They can see me because I have three red blinky lights on my backpack, one on my helmet, and three on my bike. On the front I have two white lights on my forks, one on my helmet, and a huge, 900 lumens, sun-like light as my main headlight. So when on a stretch of road with no cars oncoming, I have to question a driver's common sense when they don't even give me one extra inch of room almost like they didn't see me. Then there are those idiots who, at any time of day or night, will still pass me on a narrow stretch of road or a curve when there is oncoming traffic. There is no way for them to give me room and are forced to get a little too friendly. I hope more drivers pay attention to the many "Share the Road" signs that have been put up in the Lower Mainland lately.
Whew, I feel better already. So what's been going on the last three weeks? I started my program of walking/running a little after the New Year. I did the first two weeks running every second day in the trails wearing my fivefingers shoes and when I couldn't make it outside I was on the treadmill in racing flats. After these two weeks I noticed similar sensations in my left foot like when I had my stress fracture last year. I switched to my regular trail shoes and that seemed a bit better. I've kept running and it hasn't got any worse, though the feeling is still there. I did my first road run on Monday since Gibraltar on Nov. 7th. A whole 4.25 miles at 7:00/mile pace. I wouldn't be telling the truth if I said I wasn't sore yesterday with the quads and IT bands complaining the most. I'm going to try and add ten minutes to every second run up until about an hour then I'll figure out a plan from there if I'm not wrecked again. On the up side my biking is feeling phenomenal. I've been doing nearly hour rides to work then the usual thirty-five minute trips home every day and with the hills I'm feeling pretty strong. Throw in a two hour ride on the days off as well. The goal is to do overnight up and back trips to Whistler and maybe Penticton this summer. Throw in a few Mt. Baker rides and life is good.
The first has really nothing to do with running or riding or sports in general. Merely something that irks me. It has to do with Craigslist and how people conduct themselves in terms of responding to emails from me and coming to look at items I have for sale. I feel some examples would better illustrate this:
I have a tent-like shelter on Craigslist at the moment that I bought but turns out is too big in my backyard (long story). I have it on there for $225 which is a very good price as the size is 12'x 12' and Canadian Tire sells the same type of shelter that is 10' x 10' for $230. The day after I put it on someone emails me to say they have $150 cash, would I take that? Choked I emailed back a simple, "Nope". It's like putting your car on there for $8000 and someone, sight unseen, asking if you'd sell it for $5000. I had another person this past weekend email and say they were 'very interested' and could they come look at it on Saturday or Sunday. I called and talked to them and we agreed Sunday at 11:30 would work. 11:30 came and went as did the rest of the day with no word from them. Now, in this day and age of instant electronic messaging and cell phones, how hard is it to AT LEAST email and lie if necessary to say you can't come and look at it. Just say, "We can't make it today, will have to re-schedule". That took three seconds to type. It's not like I put my whole day on hold but I did hang around until 12:30 to be sure. It's that kind of inconsideration (inconsiderateness? non-consideration? you get the idea) that drives me crazy. I've never done that to someone. My other example is when you email someone and ask if a certain item is still for sale and they don't respond one way or the other. I emailed a guy about a winter bike for me - cheap, winter transportation, $5-600 - and never received a response. The next day I emailed again asking to please just let me know if he still had it. Literally two minutes later I got my answer: "Sold" was the one word answer. Now would that have been so hard to do after my first email? In-con-siderate. No respect.
Rant #2: Riding my bike to work in the dark, getting no respect from drivers.
Okay, I'm lit up like a Christmas tree on my bike when I ride to work at 6 in the morning in the dark. I know drivers can see me because on longer stretches of road, especially with no cars coming the other way, most cars give me a wide berth, pretty much going in the whole opposite lane to get around me. They can see me because I have three red blinky lights on my backpack, one on my helmet, and three on my bike. On the front I have two white lights on my forks, one on my helmet, and a huge, 900 lumens, sun-like light as my main headlight. So when on a stretch of road with no cars oncoming, I have to question a driver's common sense when they don't even give me one extra inch of room almost like they didn't see me. Then there are those idiots who, at any time of day or night, will still pass me on a narrow stretch of road or a curve when there is oncoming traffic. There is no way for them to give me room and are forced to get a little too friendly. I hope more drivers pay attention to the many "Share the Road" signs that have been put up in the Lower Mainland lately.
Whew, I feel better already. So what's been going on the last three weeks? I started my program of walking/running a little after the New Year. I did the first two weeks running every second day in the trails wearing my fivefingers shoes and when I couldn't make it outside I was on the treadmill in racing flats. After these two weeks I noticed similar sensations in my left foot like when I had my stress fracture last year. I switched to my regular trail shoes and that seemed a bit better. I've kept running and it hasn't got any worse, though the feeling is still there. I did my first road run on Monday since Gibraltar on Nov. 7th. A whole 4.25 miles at 7:00/mile pace. I wouldn't be telling the truth if I said I wasn't sore yesterday with the quads and IT bands complaining the most. I'm going to try and add ten minutes to every second run up until about an hour then I'll figure out a plan from there if I'm not wrecked again. On the up side my biking is feeling phenomenal. I've been doing nearly hour rides to work then the usual thirty-five minute trips home every day and with the hills I'm feeling pretty strong. Throw in a two hour ride on the days off as well. The goal is to do overnight up and back trips to Whistler and maybe Penticton this summer. Throw in a few Mt. Baker rides and life is good.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Starting the New Year right
So the New Year started out with a splash at our usual spot at Crescent Beach (5th year running) with six of us going in and out very quickly. I know I said I was starting my running program on the 1st but, what can I say? I didn't. I did, however, do it on the treadmill on the 2nd at work. 10x 1min walk, 1min run. Whew what a workout. Yesterday I strapped on the Fivefingers and went through the trails near the house doing the same workout. I was wanting the trails because of the softer surface but with the cold we've had lately the ground was like asphalt anyways. Still a feel-good workout. Actually yesterday was a mini out of order triathlon: Swim 1600m, run 3 miles, bike to work 18km.
The swim pretty much went how I thought it would: crappy. Three weeks without running - no problem. Three weeks without riding - ha! I wouldn't even notice. Three weeks without swimming and I'm sinking like a rock all over again. I'm hitting it again today to keep the fun rolling.
The swim pretty much went how I thought it would: crappy. Three weeks without running - no problem. Three weeks without riding - ha! I wouldn't even notice. Three weeks without swimming and I'm sinking like a rock all over again. I'm hitting it again today to keep the fun rolling.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Two New Records!!
That's right I've worked so hard lately that I've managed two more personal bests:
1. No running for the last 54 days - not sure what the previous record for me is but for sure it's less than 54 days.
2. The longest I've ever gone without posting an entry on this site - 36 days.
About the blogging: it's not like I haven't thought about writing things, and if the record was for not writing AND thinking about writing then the record would only be a day or two. It's been for a couple reasons: nothing to write about except being hurt or sick and people can only handle so much of that. Also while being hurt or sick I haven't had much motivation for writing. I think Denise McHale has the record for length of times between posts.
As for the lack of running, most would know I had shin issues before, during, and after Gibraltar. The 'after' issues lasted a lot longer than they ever had before. I didn't see a doctor or anything because I know from the past what needs to be done for this: rest. And rest it I have. It took about a month before I couldn't feel any discomfort, then I thought I'd give it another couple weeks to be sure. I think in the past I've rushed my recovery from the shin splints only to have them resurface a few months later. Of course I've still been riding my bike and swimming a fair bit. I was up to 2400m swimming up until three weeks ago when The Sickness came, then all forms of exercise halted.
I started getting this cough which steadily got worse and worse until it was accompanied by a fever and body aches. I hit it with every over the counter concoction I could find but nothing touched it. I was getting no sleep because I was hacking on and off throughout the night. Long part of the story short: I finally got some antibiotics because I have a respiratory infection. I'm on day 5 and feel better but still have a lingering cough. Tomorrow being the start of a new year I'm going out to do start the big comeback. I'm going to do it in my fivefingers shoes to kill two birds with one stone: start running slowly, and start running minimalist again, but slowly. This will be done on the soccer field as well to provide even more protection.
My sister gave me a little program from when she had a stress fracture a while ago and it basically entails running for a minute, walking a minute, a few times a week for a week or two. Then it moves up to the unimaginable two minutes of running x4 for a couple more weeks. You get the idea. Slow is the way to go.
Scott Corsie from Penticton is responsible for me signing up for a couple more races. In his quest to finish the Canadian Death Race he wants to do some races beforehand so we're going to sign up for Dirty Duo and Diez Vista. Not that I'll be in shape for either one doing mostly road work in prep for Comrades but it'll be fun nonetheless.
1. No running for the last 54 days - not sure what the previous record for me is but for sure it's less than 54 days.
2. The longest I've ever gone without posting an entry on this site - 36 days.
About the blogging: it's not like I haven't thought about writing things, and if the record was for not writing AND thinking about writing then the record would only be a day or two. It's been for a couple reasons: nothing to write about except being hurt or sick and people can only handle so much of that. Also while being hurt or sick I haven't had much motivation for writing. I think Denise McHale has the record for length of times between posts.
As for the lack of running, most would know I had shin issues before, during, and after Gibraltar. The 'after' issues lasted a lot longer than they ever had before. I didn't see a doctor or anything because I know from the past what needs to be done for this: rest. And rest it I have. It took about a month before I couldn't feel any discomfort, then I thought I'd give it another couple weeks to be sure. I think in the past I've rushed my recovery from the shin splints only to have them resurface a few months later. Of course I've still been riding my bike and swimming a fair bit. I was up to 2400m swimming up until three weeks ago when The Sickness came, then all forms of exercise halted.
I started getting this cough which steadily got worse and worse until it was accompanied by a fever and body aches. I hit it with every over the counter concoction I could find but nothing touched it. I was getting no sleep because I was hacking on and off throughout the night. Long part of the story short: I finally got some antibiotics because I have a respiratory infection. I'm on day 5 and feel better but still have a lingering cough. Tomorrow being the start of a new year I'm going out to do start the big comeback. I'm going to do it in my fivefingers shoes to kill two birds with one stone: start running slowly, and start running minimalist again, but slowly. This will be done on the soccer field as well to provide even more protection.
My sister gave me a little program from when she had a stress fracture a while ago and it basically entails running for a minute, walking a minute, a few times a week for a week or two. Then it moves up to the unimaginable two minutes of running x4 for a couple more weeks. You get the idea. Slow is the way to go.
Scott Corsie from Penticton is responsible for me signing up for a couple more races. In his quest to finish the Canadian Death Race he wants to do some races beforehand so we're going to sign up for Dirty Duo and Diez Vista. Not that I'll be in shape for either one doing mostly road work in prep for Comrades but it'll be fun nonetheless.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
