Week 6

Total distance run this week: 34.25 km
Number of runs: 4
Tempo runs: 1 (4.25 km)
Longest run: 18 km
Other activities: 21 km cycling, yoga
Total training time: 7:20

A bit of a tough week. About Wednesday, I started to feel really tired and listless -- like maybe I'd overdone it in the preceding couple of weeks. After consulting with my TNT coaches, and reading up a bit on the symptoms of overtraining, I decided I'd better bring the intensity down a notch and give my body a chance to catch up. To that end, I ran a really easy 7k on Friday, rather than my scheduled 6k tempo run, and cycled half the distance I planned. It must have paid off because my long run today felt great -- well, mostly great anyway.

I headed out earlier than usual (just after 7:00 am) when the temperature was still only 20 degrees and ran the first 12k under overcast skies. A light breeze kept me cool as I ran along the canal and through the Central Experimental Farm. Unfortunately, as the morning wore on, the sun broke through the clouds and the temperature rose significantly, so the last few kilometres were a bit tougher, though I still managed to maintain almost the same pace throughout.

I've gotta say, I'm loving my Garmin (see last week's post on my new training tool). It has a heart rate monitor, as well as a GPS mapping system, which I finally figured out how to use today. It was great to be able to keep an eye on how my body was reacting to changing conditions. And the handy-dandy little chart the Garmin software produced when I got home shows my speed and heartrate throughout. Looks like I maintained a slow enough pace to get the most out of my run, while still saving enough energy to hit the jazz festival tonight -- right after I take a nap! :-)

Week 5

Total distance run this week: 32.3km
Number of runs: 4
Tempo runs: 2 (6km each)
Longest run: 16km
Other activities: 42km cycling
Total training time: 6:30

A pretty decent week of training overall -- though I found today's long run a bit tough. It wasn't hot (only about 23 degrees) but the humidity shot up to 80-90% while I was out so I had to slow down in the second half to offset its effects. Perhaps I wasn't well enough hydrated either. In any case, not one of my best runs, but perhaps next Sunday's will be better.

I picked up a new gadget this week that I hope will make it easier to reach my training goals for Chicago - a Garmin Forerunner 305. For the uninitiated, Garmins use GPS technology to track a runner's time and distance. The one I bought also has a heart rate monitor. I'm hoping it will help me run more consistent paces. After more than 7 years, I know what my normal long slow run pace feels like, but am still strugging to find and keep tempo and steady run paces.

One of the big advantages of my new Garmin is that I don't have to stick so rigidly to a planned route in order to ensure I run the scheduled number of kilometres.

For example, when I left home today, my plan was to cross the canal at Carleton University and run down Prince of Wales drive to Dow's Lake. When I got to Carleton, however, the path through the arboretum looked so inviting I ran along it instead, even though I knew it was a shortcut to the lake. Without my new Garmin, I would have been hard-pressed to figure out how to adjust my route from that point on to make sure I ran the full 16km -- but, with it, no problem. As I neared my own neighbourhood, the Garmin told me I needed a bit more distance, so I spun around the block once more before heading back to the house. I think I'm going to like this. Long runs could get a whole lot more interesting in the coming weeks.

An amazing run!

An awesome training run tonight -- more special because I didn't expect it to be. My schedule called for a 6km run at a steady pace. When I headed out a little after 6:30 p.m., it was still 25 degrees, I wasn't properly fueled, and I didn't feel much like pushing myself, but nevertheless I finished the run a few minutes faster than planned. That's not ideal either, of course, but it goes to show that the right motivation is a powerful thing. Whenever it started to hurt, I just reminded myself of how much harder it would be to go through cancer treatments, and how much I want to run well in Chicago -- for Kirsi and for Jon.

I was euphoric when I finished my run and realized that, despite a short walk break at the midday way point, over the full distance, I had averaged 6:00 per kilometre, my tempo pace. I really didn't think I had it in me. Now -- if only I can hang on to this resolve for the next four months! Maybe I really can run a personal best in Chicago.

The first month

I'll try to post weekly accounts of my training from here on out, but here's a summary of what I've been doing in the past month to bring you up to speed:

Week 1: May 18-24

• Total distance: 24km
• Number of runs: 4
• Longest run: 9km
• Other activities: 2 long walks on the beach while I was home in NS!
• Total training time: 4:30

Week 2: May 25-31

• Total distance: 24km
• Number of runs: 4 (including a 4km tempo run and 5km steady run)
• Longest run: 11 km
• Other training: none
• Total training time: 4:40

Week 3: June 1-7

• Total distance: 22km
• Number of runs: 3 (including a 5km tempo run and 5 km steady run)
• Longest run: 12km
• Other training: cycling 42km
• Total training time: 5:10

Week 4: June 8-14

• Total distance: 29.5km
• Number of runs: 4 (including a 6.5km tempo run and a 5km steady run)
• Longest run: 14km (plus a few "strides")
• Other training: cycling 42 km; yoga class (90 minutes)
• Total training time: 7:30

Today was my hottest long run so far. I headed out shortly after 8:00 am but it was already more than 20 degrees. By the time I landed home almost 2 hours later, temperatures had soared to 27 degrees. However, I'm happy to report that I felt fine throughout. I was pretty well hydrated when I left, and took half strength gatorade along, put on lots of sunscreen and stayed in the shade whenever possible. For the last 5km I was running into a light breeze that helped to keep me cool too.

So far, so good. My plan is to focus on making the most of my mid-week runs and cross-training while my long runs are still relatively short. In general, I do my "tempo" runs at a 6:00/km pace (though I did one that was a bit faster this week) and my "steady" runs at about 6:30/km. My goal race pace is 6:45 so I am hoping those training times will get me there. Guess we'll see.