I guess I’m allowed to post a pix that I hate

It was a good day, an okay day…am allowed to say I’m happy I did stuff.

Someone else recently posted something about social anxiety, as I read it, and reread, and more I did, the more I thought, THAT’S ME!

I have to say though, I don’t know. Is it something I can hide….or fool others or myself ….?

As the day goes by, I put a virtual check mark next to anything……driving to get my car’s tires torqued, yeah done…had to talk to other people, and got that done….so a check marks and giving myself a pat on the back…not huge, but for me to leave my couch, from being in front of my TV and from my laptop is something…..then walked into COSTO, did some shopping, crossed with someone I hadn’t seen for a while, and yeah got it done, another getting out and about check mark..

Then getting home, throwing my gear on and went for a run……again, normally, I woud have said, I did a few things, that’s enough…now to cocoon?…..I’ve planned to run a lot for what’s left of 2023, so the goal was that I had to get outside, but still, amongst people?

Actually there weren’t a lot of people out on the trails, and actually no runners, just really dog walkers…but still I got outside, and out….and it was okay, and it felt good…

I stopped by my Running Room store for a social visit aftwards, and that felt good too…chatted with two I guess still are co-workers….it was good, we chatted…and then went home and made dinner for the family

I’ve always had this……..not well, understanding or trusting myself, or being comfortable with myself….

Always feeling out here on my own…

I have to admit, I like organizing things like this, but am constantly shocked when anyone shows up…..

I’m not someone that attracts, I occasionally feel like a bit of a fraud, and I’m pretty sure there’s other reasons that people show up and join in and run with me….I’m usually not someone other people think of, or if they do, I’m like their 3rd or fourth choices….and seriously, I wouldn’t think about me either…..

This is from years ago, another group, another run…….I do hate pictures of myself too….but yeah orgainzing is good, I think this is one of the runs, training runs I’d organized and people that weren’t even a part of our usual group, they just joined in

Ywah…I don’t know if you even get over this type of stuff…but at least it has a term social anxiety…..or maybe just depression?…..

But, maybe, just maybe there’s a path out of this?

Last night was good…a good run with friends, and Christmas lights!

Yep, it still surprises me when I organize stuff and stuff happens……

For our second Wednesday in a row we checked out even more Christmas lights….and it was fun and fine.

I felt strong, and because I was the only one that knew the route (yes, I got lost at one point…things look different in the dark)…..I got to lead…the planned route

This is what we did

So I think we took only one turn……

The attempt to get rid of 10 lbs before January 1st continues…..to do that, I need more runs like yesterdays.

My diet is fine…lots of water, and honestly our meals have always been all about veggies and healthy food…..tonight is all about tofu…at 65 I don’t imagine I’ll ever be slim again, but at least healthy and fit would be a good thing….

I seem to have an issue when it comes time to hit the gym or the pool…..running is okay, I just step out my front door, and spinning on my bike training can be done at home in front of my laptop…..but getting into my car and driving somewhere to pump iron on a regular basis, will it happen?…maybe…

Today’s work out will be a short run soon……and oh yah, COSTCO!

Yep, Run Club Wednesday….

I’ve been thinking lately, I haven’t missed a Wednesday since……way back when

This evening I wasn’t feeling my best, actually not at all day….so at about 430 I said (well to myself) that I’d just go out, send my crew on their way and then go home…..but well, I guess I got caught up in the moment and ran anyway…..and it felt great…

Just short of 7K…..not a bad pace, we had I think 15 runners out, a lot of different paces, no one ran alone, and I had fun…….for me, that’s what it has to be…..

And there were Christmas lights……….so great!

So yeah, sometimes, I guess no does mean yes……or never take no for an answer when it’s your head talking

So I do this…I instruct run clinic…pretty much have been doing so since about 2006.

New runners, those learning, those with a lot of experience…half and full marathoners…some huge clinics, some smaller….100s, to 15 maybe…..sometimes 5..

COVID short of shut that down…I was instructing for the company I work for, the Running Room…so they shut that down, first because all their stores were shut down….then when everything opened up again, it took almost 6 months before run club, group runs began…..and then virtual clinics on Zoom…..that all started up in 2022? maybe…but really expect for that COVID break my life have been split up in groups of 10 weeks for most clinics, to 18 weeks for the half and full marathon clinics…

I do get paid for those…and I guess that’s okay, they do take over my life……it’s not a lot, if split in per hour, there are times when I think of nothing else….

In person vs Zoom meets have their pluses and minuses…..Zooms are all recorded, so those unable to attend still benefit and don’t miss anything…..and a Zoom meet can reach out to places of the planet where an in person clinic just isn’t possible…some have been people in remote places..and it is kind of cool to have people as far away as Peru, the Yukon, Minnesota, Newfundland, and northern Vancouver Island all in the same virtual clinic…..

And the recordings mean that those with access can rewatch over and over again forever…which, you just can’t do with an in-person clinic….

The in person clinics…..there’s that connection, and in person coaching, and encouraging……and in person cheerleader as opposed to a virtual cheerleader…..it’s hard to correct biomechanics for instance from afar….and, well, accountability….with a clinic with two in person training/group runs and the clinic run, corrections can be made, but also, those in the clinic are accountable to just show up….

Now I’ve taken a different step…..I’m yes taking on another Zoom/virtual clinic, but on my own, without the Running Room safety and on line presence………..

Today was day two….with 3 in attendance, and I talked for almost an hour about setting up a training schedule and stiking to it…

This was my day two of doing this……….and yes I can talk for an hour about almost anything running related…..

I hope this gets bigger….it’s kind of cool, maybe stupid, but I’m just doing me for free, a free clinic …

no safety net, I should be able to use guest speakers, but, well….I’ve got the free time, I’ve got that Zoom account, so why not…..?

Today’s topic was all about setting up a plan

Next week…..effort. heart rates, VO2 Max…..and how to make use of all that within that training plan…

Tonight felt good, postive….felt right.

w

After 3 pretty good days….today felt like a good day to rest and recover….

I’m still figuring this out….at almost 65, how do workout and rest days work?….Recovery days, when….?

So today, a little stiff and sore, so chill…eat well, healthy green-ish food (dinner this evenings was chicken with a salsa sauce with a little heat, rice and stir fried veggies….)…..

At some pont, getting the bike trainer out felt like the right thing to do, to get rid of some of that lactic acid build up….

Just 45 minutes playing around with the gears and watching YouTube videos..

That felt good…yes I watched way too much TV…but finished off another shot at Stranger Things (when’s the next season!?)…….attempted into something called the OV, and am making a concerted effort never to watch or engage with the news…

Have to keep this up…

Hitting the weights on Tuesday was a good idea….I haven’t pumped iron since pre-COVID…so instead of loading up the bar with 45lb plates, so starting again with 10lb plates…..and more machines than free weights…..but yeah, sore in all the right places today….

Tomorrow, back at it……think I have a whole day of freedom, so a run, back to the weights….and work on an upcoming Zoom clinic….hopefully this time it’ll work, and I can get myself on my way..

I may still will head out for a run at some point, but today seems like a good rest day, a day to get caught up on things..I do have a virtual zoom meet planned for 6:30 this evening…I’ll see how I feel after dinner.

I did something, because I think something should be said, and wrote a letter to the editor

I thought my words were balanced…I won’t post the on-line reactions and critiques…..but wasn’t surprised.

Anyway my one job today is to order flowers for my daughter’s bday..and have them delivered when it’s pretty much guaranteed to embarrass her, because that’s what dads are supposed to do.

So it begins…my very first virtual clinic via Zoom….without a safety net.

The first night. A small group, but well, I’ve got spare time, I have a Zoom account, so why not use it?

This going to be a challenge and interesting…walkers, runners, those just beginning, some with a lot of experience….I’ll cover all bases every week……

I guess I think running is something to be shared..so I guess that’ll be this clinic….every Sunday, without a net…

Normally I teach clinics backed by the Running Room and their platform……..now, well, it’s just me…

Because, I couldn’t think of a good reason not to….

Just finished binge watching this two season series….not bad. it was okay, but it makes you think.

If say, the world was about to end. Say You knew that a planet ending rock, an asteroid was going to impact the planet in 5 hours…….what would you do?

Yes we’re all eventually going to die…..but what if this was the senario?

I’m going to have to sleep on this…..but, well, that would be the difference, you wouldn’t have that luxury….what would you do? what would you say? who would you say it to?

Would you hold hands with someone, hug someone….try to contact someone?…..

You would only have 5 hours. Is that even time to think? it would have to be a reaction, an automatic action….

So, why wouldn’t you do that one thing now?…Say that thing now? Make that connection now without impending doom?

Again, we never know when we’ll pass on. Even those on that death bed, with so many days, hours, months, don’t know the exact moment……and if you didn’t say those final words, say you loved that one person, you wouldn’t have a second chance.

I wonder, how many regret not doing that……someone important to you, leave the house to go for groceries, is there a guarantee they’ll come back? What if?

Again an okay series, but it makes you think….and maybe, act?

So yeah, a new virtual Zoom clinic tomorrow evening…this ones different.

I usual do this with my Running Room providing my support….a platform, tomorrow, it’s flying without a net….

It began with me posting this on one of my many Facebook groups

(2) Why not a Warren’s virtual clinic..if I do this will anyone come? | Facebook

and, well..people started say hell yes…..

It’s going to be an offseason about everything maybe 10 weeks, maybe forever……so today’s job, one of the jobs, clinic prep for day 1.

It’s New York Marathon eve….that’s tomorrow morning…..who’s idea was it to have a marathon on the morning of a time change?…yes I did it on 2009, the morning after Halloween in New York City, and after setting those clocks back 1 hour….so, less sleep…..but I did it, it wasn’t the fastest I ever ran, but seeing all the Buroughs of New York City in one morning was worth is…the tunes, the live music through Harlem, Marcus Garvey Park was worth the 26.2 miles…..

I’ve only been to Gothem twice in my life…I was lucky enough to be there in the spring of 2001….

from the top of the World Trade Centre…….I keep thinking of that day…..eating at a coffee shop across the street from Brooks Brothers, going up those elevators to the top, walking along the catwalk at the top and seeing someone on the edge welding…..going back to the bottom, asking a cop how to get to the subway…..having a hot dog on the street right across the street, and wondered, have always wondered, were all the people I saw that morning, were they there?……scary thoughts, sad thoughts…..

now to fun stuff….this….the 70s, the time when heavy metal, the new age of heavy metal was the thing..everything was loud…a song, loud stick goes boom….Krokus!

I think this was them opening for Cheap Trick……man I was close….never worse ear plus….imagine a sledgehammer hitting your chest…actually this might have been opening for Motorhead….

I think they were Swedish of something……and loud…

I remember driving home from work one night, parking our car in the garage, my wife going out to get groceries, I’d forgotten to turn the CD player down..she started the car, and BOOOOOMMMMMM….woops?

Anyway, now to get back to work

No matter what? My M.O. is pretty much all about one thing, I’m all about one thing….I don’t do anything unless fun is part of the equation.

Last night’s run was a part of that…..making up the route for a group of people yesterday evening as we went along..it always amazes me whenever that happens……today’s run….partly forced myself to get my ass out the door for a run, whatever happened, and had another fun run…

It was kind of cool, started out with one route, part was familiar, then improvised…used a path I don’t normally use….popped out and the rest was the usual…..and yeah, forgot to press start on my watch..and found ICE!

Also I found a name. In a various locations along the trails and paths in St Albert, there are these benches

names added to them in remberance of someone special…..I and sometimes with my kids when they were younger, we’d try and remember the names, write them down, or take a picture of the plaques….this one…someone’s mom, wife, a local entrepreneur who owned a flower shop….others I’ve noted have been of other runners I didn’t know, but had crossed paths with…I remembered the faces, but didn’t know the names…some were doctors, teachers, and yes, other runners…..

Today, my second run after this was done

my first race as race orgaizer ever…..all done, now I can relax and run…..

the pix are starting to trickle in, and yeah, I, the race instructor, did get caught on camera a few times

Today, I also continued the dig through older photos…

I took this years ago at the Regina Folk Festival…..this is two of the members of Edmonton’s , I can’t remember the name of their band, Jen Kraatz (she’s the one not in the picture) Wendy McNeil, and Luann Kowalek…..three of my fave songwriters…the trip was worth it…also I’d never been to that part of Canada before, so I guess it was so worth it……….

I’ll post an old interview I have with them that I wrote about the same time……but yeah, worth listening too……

Lately I’ve been digging through a lot of tunes on YouTube, I love this Playing for Change version of Love Train….seems timely

and yes, Guns and Roses drummer Chad Smith

w

Hey, yep, winter’s coming……and I’m f-ing ready….my snow tires are on!!!

And I found a huge number of birds…on Halloween….

While Costco was taking forever with the tire change..I went for a walk…and yeah, a massive number of Canada Geese……..they must really ike that lake …

I was just reading all about migration and birds, and wow!!!!….how do they do it…flying on a massive number of calories….they’ve trained their bodies to move on less…..the way they digest food changes, their bodies change……and they travel day and night, in the dark…how do they know where they’re going?…..it’s like humpback whales traveling from Hawaii to Alaska…..do they follow the stars?…

Managed to find a new park I hadn’t been to before…..

One thing about this area….lots of parks paths natural areas…..and as soon as a new development opens up, an effort to keep this practice up…and us runners appreciate it

Not at all impressed with Costco…they said 1 hour, I had an appointment for noon, 1 hour went by, a second hour, and they smiled and said oh, another 5 or 10 minutes….

But, I got to go for a looonnnnnngggggggggg..walk

so all good….

Am getting good feedback on my race, I guess people liked it…so, yeah I finally did something good and right…

There are so many moving parts to putting on an event like this..

It may only be 114 runners, 26 volunteers..a 5 and 10K….but, the same rules apply to this as does to next weekend’s NYC Marathon …. and it’s like hurding cats at some points, and at some points it’s amazing that so many want to help…..

I’ve been super luck, and blessed, I actually have so many people that have stepped up to help….yes some I wish had, but those that have…26 of them plus the 6 sponsors…..those that put up the posters, those that promoted this event on their radio station, in their blogs, and their events…that feels so good…

tomorrow morning this all begins…..at 930 the speeches, the warm up, and then I get to watch 114 people run, fill our trails…..I cannot wait for that to begin….

That’s the dream……..

7AM is going to come quickly……and then at about noon, this will all be done…..

lots of moving pieces….like a good car or rocket ship, 26 volunteers all working, the staff of my support team, the city support…..and the volunteers, at 12 different spots….all hopefully helpfully making this engine run smoothly……pointing partcipants in the right directions….feeding some, passing on hydration, cheering, putting on medals to those doing the kid’s run….warming them all up, then cooling them all after…….then coffee, hot chocolate, granola bars, chocolate, water…and yes a cool down…

Yes, I know, I haven’t responded to any of my fellow bloggers for a few days, once this is done, life as I know it will return and I’ll play catch up……..and then?

Start planning for 2024…

So, Friday…race day is now almost here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today, package pick up day…111 signed up, coming in to pick up race numbers/bibs, and their toques….

It looks like it should be a good Sunday….not HOT, but pleasant, no wind and the sun should be out…and the paved paths of St Albert will be filled with runners and walkers….and course marshals!

111….26 volunteers….and all, well…..I’m their race director!?

YIKES!

Now, it’s almost like getting ready to run a marathon….there’s absolutely nothing I can do or have to do before race morning…….nothing I can do to make anything better…….so just sit back and relax!

Yep, race package pick up continues tomorrow…..but, I have volunteers to look after that…

Sunday, wake up, and walk the course, put up al the direction markers so that no one gets lost…..

Organize the volunteers…..have the dignitaries make their speeches, get everyone warmed up…..then sent everyone on their way……take off after the race begins to grab coffee, cheer everyone in…..organize the cool down..and all then be done…

I AM TERRIFIED!

My first effort at this…..and I think I have all the bases covered, people in all the right places…..

I guess like a marathon it’s the nervousness of waiting for the event…..

legs are shaking……tired, and just waiting to get started….

Actually, it seems the best thing to keep me calm and relaxed and not obsessing…so tonight it’s back to Battlestar Galactica…… I bit the bullet and bought the DVD Box Set

I’m done with the Travelers….for now…it’s so good, it’s really hard to compare it to anything else

The writing, the story line…..so wel done…….

The coolest thing about the show is one of the actors is Mackenzie Porter, who’s also a singer…..

and a pretty great one too….

but yeah, the countdown begins………and now to find some way to chill….relax even.

Um, yeah…I still haven’t got my snow tires on, and over night, winter has now arrived.

It seems that yesterday was summer, or at least autumn…the leaves were so pretty, a run in the river valley was amazing

Now

A bit of a challenge…..

So today and the rest of the week, race day!……

Now is all about groceries…..what do I need to get to keep everyone happy..well, coffee….will there be enough coffee?…how many bananas and cereal bars do I need to have for 104 people (so far)…?

and why do so many wait until that final week to register?….OMG…I was hoping to get 100, and we got there last night…this morning, and that was the limit I set….100…I don’t want to overwelm the trails, and scare others using those trails that arn’t a part of the race…..but, well, the benefit is a charity, so the more, the more $$$ for that is a good thing…balance, I have to keep that balance…

When I started this I thought 100 participants, 20 volunteers….well, now, 104, and 21, and they’re still signing up……it’s gonna be a busy Sunday!

This was my yesterday

Runnin’ with the kids…..that was part of my day..getting my ass kicked by kids…..I need to really start training…

But, 6 days to race morning, a few things to do, but I worry every day, every hour…..24/7…so Like I said a few blogs ago, taking a training break until Monday…then back at it…..for now, focus on one goal at a time

Now off to buy groceries, and make even more lists..

w

Run LoSeCa Run…….it’s almost here…..

Finally

95 participants have signed up

I think I’m now at 20 volunteers……

This has gotten scary…do I tell people to stop registering?……

It’s weird I thought I’d have way too many toques..now I’m worried I won’t have enough…..

There’s really not much I need to do or can….next week is all about gathering the post run food and drink…and now another challenge….I wasn’t going to have coffee or hot chocolate..now, sure, coffee, it’s going to be cold!!!!

Or at least chilly…..

but 9 Days?…….

Have to say this has been a little work, and there’s 9 days of organizing and checking my lists once or twice or more……I know what needs to be done…but coffee???

in 10 days, I can rest

Yep, proof, aliens are real..and they ride flying discs!

Today started off slow……still figuring out this race thing…almost just 9 days away, and I need to figure out coffee!…I wasn’t planning on adding coffee to the post run snack deal, but, it’s gonna be a chilly Sunday, so there’s better be coffee…..I don’t have time to try and find a sponsor to donate, so will have to purchase….two urns, coffee and hot chocolate, and I have 9 days to try and make that happen….

I finally dragged my butt out the door at lunch time for an almost 8K run….

honestly I had a hard time comvincing myself to get out the door…but used the old…just go somewhere, start, and if it feels good just carry on, if not, don’t…it felt fine

the final sunny and warm day of 2023, started with a hill and a climb which got me warmed up…I stuck to intervals, and if felt oh so good…….a beautiful autumn day in the big city.

That all it takes really…ya just have to start…which, as the year gets colder, chilly, and well then snow….but as long as the door hits my ass as I get out the door, all will be good..and then you get to brag about just doing it

Then tonight a walk….I don’t normally do that..I run, don’t walk…..but tonight, I’d promised my clinic folks that yep, I’d do this outside…..the deal was to have our last meet with everyone from where they ran….I guess I was the only one that got the memo……….so yeah, a short 3K walk, just before sunset…while chatting on my phone with 7 people…..I was hoping for 31, but 7 who’s just run their first full and half marathons this past weekend…that was good.

We finished just before the night fell….and well, the wind will blow…we’re going for +20C today to maybe +12 sometime tomorrow, and then minus something next week…..but the point, the walk felt right..am thinking I will add an evening walk to the routine…

Tomorrow, tomorrow..still focusing more and more on race, less and less on training…..but still, getting outside, it’s amazing at what fresh air and a little sun dones.

I wish I was there this weekend..

https://www.fcancerconcert.ca/?r_done=1

This is on in Vancouver this weekend…wish I was there. A good cause, great tunes, and bands that I followed like a sick puppy when I was younger…..Colin James, Chilliwack, Doug and the Slugs, Prism…..I did follow them, to Vancouver’s west end and elsewhere on the left coast.

Yes my time in Vancouver……..sob, sob, sob…….

I don’t know if I ever talked about this, but, yep once I settled into the West Coast, I made the move from New Westminster to Vancouver’s West End…just off of Beach Avenue….

At that time (the Early 80s) New West was a little run down, the main street was not appealing….

It was a good location because I was close to work, just across a bridge…..but I was spending the majority of my time driving back and forth into Vancouver proper…..so yep, driving to the train yard at midnight, and driving home in the mornings was a challenge….but I was doing that anyway….so yep.

I’ll dig around a see if I can find pictures, but the 8th floor of a highrise on Harwood Street. A block away from English Bay, Sunset Beach….Davie, Denman….and walking distance to the Commodore Ballroom, the Railway Club, The Orpheum Theater….and Stanley Park. Loved it.

Weird thing….I was working mainly graveyard shifts, and had a hard time sleeping on my days off…..so I spent a lot of nights around downtown Vancouver after dark….which was so cool, cause I wasn’t alone.

I remember a few coffee shops and restaurants that stayed open all night long, and you’d see and meet some amazing people….and yep, women don’t have an Adam’s apple…I learned that then…but no big deal……

Right now for some reason I miss a burger with a slice of avocado on it..

And music everywhere…I think that the Vancouver folk fest had just started up down at Jericho Beach, it was cool to go down the day after, and there’d always be something…..a drum circle, a bunch of people with guitars…..

The only issue I had, the rent for my batchelor apartment was $400 a month…..yep, off of Beach Ave for $400…..and I got pissed off at having to pay $15 a month for a parking space…..yes, 1983. So pre-Expo 86, prices were still, I didn’t think so at the time, cheap…come on, $400…wonder what the rent is now huh?

So I moved after a year….to Kitsilano…..a house keeping suite in a huge house on W13th…..$150 a month!

No way huh?……free parking. And just up the hill from Granville Island, the beach….okay so uphill after, but that was perfect…shared the bathroom and one washroom, a tiny kitchen…but was so cool.

I miss it always….so yeah, Vancouver was my heaven..but, well, you get a girlfriend, then a wife, then kids, then you move..and then back to Aberta, to St Albert..I can still visit….but good memories.

yep……ran across the universe

and it’s getting better all the time…….way too many times I feel like that fool on the hiil, but honestly,

every day seems to feel right, good…..I feel a lot of energy, instead of putting stuff off, I just do….no more, but procrastination….not really a huge thing…I do seem to spend too much time not doing stuff, but on the other hand, I spend a lot of time trying to fill my spare time up……is that retirement?

Yeah, I’ve been retired almost 10 years, it’ll be a decade come next February, in I think 79 days, I’ll have to change the words to when I was 64.

Today’s run took a while to get to, it seems that lunch runs are now my thing..after a full breakfast…

Did that Yesterday, which seems so far away…..but running is feeling still good…I now need to pick up the pace….so, the more, is better, stronger is better…..variety is needed…..and great.

That was today, just made it up as I went along, a few turns I don’t usually do, and I’m starting to feel strong enough to run with a little help from my friends…….someone to push me every so often, and also to force me to run in new places, to get my ass back into being comfortable with being uncomfortable…

Tomorrow never knows, but I’m looking forward to tomorrow….

planning, looking ahead, and reaching out…..I believe
This is heaven to no one else but me….

So tomorrow…….maybe it’s time to get on the bike

love this…..and says a lot to me

so I woke up feeling like not good?

Funny, yesterday evening I read how bad milk/dairy is for us…as well as eggs, sugar and meat.

I did my usual milk and cereal before bed, slept well, but woke up feeling ill with a headache…the headache is familiar, the stomach upset wasn’t….so I’m all in….on cutting all that out….I have been cutting back a lot on added sugar, eggs, sure…..meat?….my wife and kids will be a hard sell, but I guess we can cook meals for them and another for me……but dairy?

The story on dairy I get, we’re the only species that consumes milk, the milk from another species, and the business on selling dairy is aweful, the drugs involved…and yes, a lot of $$$$ involved in all….dairy alone is a huge employer…..

I do use yogurt, and love some cheeses, I could cut out some of that….but there’s a history, milk has always been around…farmers always had farm fresh cream….and I’ve heard about the differences between whole milk and processed homogenized milk, jersey milk….and I have used non-dairy milk…it’s not that expensive, and I have tried making my own…so I may have to go that way…

But the story of what causes heart disease, some cancers, has me rethinking what I put in my body…you know, when you break a bone, everyone says calcium, drink milk!….well, what now?…..

I have that half marathon on Sunday, I have to be healthy….I’ll start no matter what, on my own or with a group……but how do you change a diet?

Black coffee this morning, no dairy…..I’ve got to make waffles tomorrow, but no eggs….time for a change?

That seems to be it.

I’ve been at this for a while. I’ve seen training plans come and go. Heard all the advice. I teach this.

The current group I’m working with, half and full marathoners…some getting set for their first, some with more experience, and half way through this…for this clinic that began about 9 weeks ago, I’ve pretty much thrown out the usual script.

Usually, I talk a lot about product, footwear, apparel, watches, heart rate monitors….while the topics have come up, I’ve focused more on process, the actual training, the running part…….the program….because, well that’s basically it.

Train, rest, recover, nutrition and hydration, don’t get injured, stay away from things that upset your stomach/your GU…..and that’s it…..if you want to become a better runner….RUN!…that’s it…

This past week, I had great guest speaker talking about injuries..prevention, and what to do when one appear……but, she mentioned a couple of things that I don’t completely agree with, and I think make people think too much.

Heel striking isn’t the huge issue every other coach seems to want to make it…..it just depends on where that foot lands…as long as it’s beneath that center of gravity, you’re fine….knees lead, and you’re good….

When that fad of insisting that everyone had to do a mid-foot landing first appeared, I looked to people that actually coach the elites….when you over stride, yep, that’s a problem…coach Brett Sutton who coached tri legend Chrissie Wellington says that….ultra marathoner legend Scott Jurek the same thing…

to change a stride takes years and years of drills that’s not unnecessary… I remember watching the summer Olympics from Tokyo, the women’s 400 meter relay, heel strikes, feet always land underneath them….quick leg turn over…that’s that secret, not heel strike, but 90 strikes per minute, that’s it..

Junk miles is another bone of contention for me…it’s not junk miles, it’s not listening to your body, it’s not understanding the science behind rest and recovery…..it’s like weight training, if you don’t gove the muscle time to heal between work out, injury, burnout and no progression…..train, rest, recover, nail that and that nutrition…..that’s it…..it’s just running!

We seem to want to find some ways to make this all easier…running a marathon, your marathon distance is hard work….that’s why not everyone commits to doing that…it takes time, it takes time to condition the body to run 26.2 miles, there’s a need to focus, but there’s no magic pill, nothing you can buy in a bottle, you have to train, be consistant, and train…that’s it……

And 26.2?….for some, but for some, 5K is it…..it matters on a lot of things…does your life give you time to train for that run…?…..do you have space for a 3 hour run, an 2 and a half hour run, week after week?…if not, pick something else…..I discovered that trying to become an Ironman Triathele…I did two of them in 2009 and 2010…that was a busy time…working full time, 3 growing kids……and training all the time in three different disciplines……it took a lot out of me, and since,wrapping my head around that time commitment just doesn’t work….so shorter, even a half Ironman is possible…but that almost 230K in one day swim, bike, run….not in the cards…..so a self evaluation is important….

So yeah, Run, Recover, Eat, Drink…..that’s it…don’t get injured, stay away from things that upset your stomach….that’s all anyone needs to know, not a dozen books and coaches with a magic pill….

Yeah, so May 1986 on Maui….scary, scary times. Maui is such a cool place…Lahaina, so laid back a beautiful. Some day it’ll be back, we’ll be back…but will it be the same?

It’s Hawaii…..it wasn’t just the weather or the ocean, it was the people, the places, that vib….and yes the surf, the food….

So today…not running…some days you need that break, that rest day…some days that means nothin’!

Some days active rest, do something that isn’t repetitive high impact, so no pounding the pavement…or hard packed dirt…..today, hop on the bike and ride around the neighborhood for about 20K….

It’s a sunny warm day, a sometimes just stretching the legs calms the head..

Running should never be just running…it should be everything. Yes, running is easier…a pair of shoes really is all you need…yes, the right technical clothing, a cap, some hydration…..biking, swimming, whatever, a little more involved…a well rounded athlete/runner…

Sure, if you’ve an event coming up, focus on that….but, don’t forget to make used of everything else….an well rounded athlete makes a better runner, and a stronger runner…endurance is the key ingredient, fitness yes, but the other things all add up to a better, um, runner….

Tomorrow will be complete rest….I’m home with my daughter, a lot of yard and house work (laundry) to do…and family bonding stuff…..and rest. A half marathon just over a week away…while I’m still going to train, I’m looking at that 21.1 something kilometre as part of the final goal, part of the training…..the plan…but I still have to get through it, so a minor taper…eat, rest, train, relax, and then run 13 miles….

I’ve been stuck to the news from Maui for the past few days, the ride helped get me away from that…….

good night Maui

So we got soaked tonight….rained cats and dogs……….

But all good…..the Run Club seems to be getting back together…..ever since the COVID shut down, well we’d broken up…slowly though, things are getting back, some have taken a while, and some are starting from scratch….so not a problem…and all good

It’s just gotta be fun….or at least enjoyable….a couple of our group hadn’t run at all for a while, maybe long walks…and few just wanted an easy run with a marathon just a week and a half away….so broke everything down into a Warren 1 and 1s…sometimes a 2 and 1, sometimes a little more…promised a 4K, so that worked,,,,,

one crew went to the hills and then well, down hill, our hard core speedsters, I mapped out a route for them to keep them happy….all good they, and a few weren’t surprised when I missed a turn, and we ended up with a bit of cross country, a bit of mud, and yep, very wet running shoes and wet.

And once the rain came down, well, we just kept running…..the group gets it, and yeah, running through a downpour alone actually does suck…

Yep, a quicker evening fits into my training, but big deal, I got some fitness out of tonight, the group got some benefit….and I can hot the trails tomorrow……all good

I don’t think ahead very well. I just do stuff. I wanted to take up weights and strength training. So I just did. Then I thought, body building judge, why not, so I took that up….and that was amazing…

Could I be a music teacher? When I was in highschool….I did that…….could I host, produce and direct a TV program,? could I work a camera for others, so I did that?….become a freelance writer, yep….why not?…..a life interviewing people like Chris de Burgh..or who ever…done…

Then, running, marathons, triathlons, Ironman, I have done a lot

I sometimes have to remind myself of all this…..and since I got married in 1986, about 36 years ago, yep, a lot of support, and a wife with a lot of paitence….hopefully she knew she was marrying a dreamer?

oh boy…..but, still married and with 3 kids, so, so far so good

Today, and this past few months are a pretty good example of how this head works……

yes I also teach clinics, virtual..they were all in person before COVID..at one point, 5 different ones at time….I look after a group run every wednesday evening……I’m an events guy with the Running Room now, so setting up and taking down everything at the start and finish line, and a lot of what makes races and fun runs happen…

And now, Race director…

Yep that’s mine….

and oh yeah, I did once have a job, a career as a railroader….a rail traffic controller

That’s me and my dad….

So now, today…woke up, a quick breakfast, waited for my daughter’s caregiver to arrive, and then finally went out for my run…..

I have 12 days to the Edmonton Half Marathon….yikes, my training has sucked big time….today, my longest run in a while, I survived 16K…my pace not all that great (6:40 per km)….but, well, that 5K short of that 21K goal…….so I guess I’ll be okay…

It was a good run….I stuck to 30 and 10 intervals (run 10 minutes, about a 30 second march/walk)…at some points, if after 10 minutes I feel like keeping on going, I just do….

As usual, I made the route up as I went along…..I do always have an idea where I want to run….but, well, you just need to run…..there was one nice climb, today was about endurance not strength training, so that was good enough……and yeah, 16K…..a good morning…

A good run boosts that spirit…and pointed me into yet another direction….went a visited a local pub manager, and set up a pub night run for next month, because, why not?

A good day, and as the chief cook and bottle washer, I guess I’d better get too it….that may explain that 36 years of marriage…..

life is grand, but, well, life’s good, and by sheer luck

w

Another day when it took me forever to get out the door, BUT I DID IT!

The original plan, 16K in the Edmonton River Valley, and then became, why? I can do that from home in St. Albert, why drive all that way?…..this was why…if I had done that, 16K would have been done….but

Nah, let’s plan to go from home…..then, well, this bed is so comfortable, why on earth do I have to wake up at 7:30?…….then why not sleep in until 9AM?….and then, well I’m hungry, so how about run at noon?

So, not what was planned, but 10K done, exactly 10K…I never do exact anything, but today…I had to do a bit of a backtracking to get that 10K even…

The run started hard…the body was arguing and felt weird….which has been normal, but as I tell people in my clinics….just start, push through the ‘ah I don’t want to do this.’ It’ll get better…or not.

My head’s been an issue lately….really tired (age? overtraining? something else?)

Today, that was the start, started in a fog…..even after a good breakfast and coffee…..but after about the first 10 minutes, I was good…a pit stop at the Running Room for well, a washroom break….then another stop after running across a friend and got caught up……..

Then I make the #rageagainstthewarren hill an destination, because, well, it’s named after me……..I’m trying to figure out the mindset of the one that mapped out this hill in STRAVA ……it begins and ends before and well after the climb…so you really have to put the effort in to get your name on there…

Interesting thought, when I first started running about 26 years ago, this loop was my usual….there where weeks when I would run this 10K every day….and I knew it was 10K back then…it usually took me about an hour, so figure 60 minutes, 10 minute miles, 6 miles = about 10K…the math worked back then, before we had GPS and HRMs..I had a Timex Ironman watch….that was it……a lot of the tme running in cotton

Tomorrow, more or less an rest day…but waking up early to volunteer at a triathlon (a 5AM wake up call, yikes) then next week, time to get hard core with much running….and hopefully, a swim and bike ride, or a few of ’em can be fit in….that half marathon on August 20th won’t run itself

Yep, the start of August….

At one time in my life today meant hitting the highway, and heading to Grande Cache for one of my fave events of all….the Canadian Death Race……I haven’t been up there since 2008….but driving into that mountain town was like coming home…..much like Jasper Alberta, or Vancouver BC, it just always seems like where I’m supposed to be, where I was meant to be…on top of mountains.

Today was…..was supposed to be going long-er than usual, but well, I began with no motivation….

After a lot of coffee (yeah I know, I know, I’m still trying to quit) and lots of paper work, yep, working on the fun run, watching the news……I finally got my butt out the door.

Lately, just stepping out the front door was good enough…but today a trick I use….drive somewhere, and well, you’re there, so you might as well run….

Made up a new route..not a direction I’ve run often, and then I improvised…..yep, I took one wrong turn and well went around in a circle…..and I found a nice collection of moquitoes…lots of them

but my kind of run, and once you start, you wonder why you took so long to begin.

Some days, there’s always that feeling…..someone may see me?…..I think more than a few runners…that self consciousness….for me anyway…I don’t have a lot of self confidence, which is weird right? I’ve only been at this for almost 30 years….but it’s there…..

I think the trick is to just start….and for me, not to have a set plan….because for me anyway, that always changes….yes I train, but I run to have fun, to relax, to enjoy myself….sure, races and runs are a goal, like Death Race….but, secret, I’m almost always undertrained…..weirder even..my first attempt at an Ironman Triathlon…I was focused……not really stuck to a schedule, but seemed to always be training….there was a lot of it…and I sucked on race day….my training crew could not believe it, I trained as hard or harder than anyone of them…..the following year, I training, but just enjoyed the training, and I did well…I finished.

The first step is to move…

It’s the weekend, and even though I can’t get to Grande Cache…well, going to Grande Cache in my mind…maybe 2024?

Yep…registration has begun…….OMG!!!!!

87 Days to go…..no sponsors yet, I’m ordering toques tomorrow, still haven’t got one sponsor yet…that’s the next key to this….

I could use a few volunteers and advisers … and people that are better than me at reaching out to potential sponsors, so far I such at that…..all I need is $$$$ to help cover costs, and post run food and hydration…..that’s the next week’s job

the toughest thing is to not think about this ALL OF THE TIME!

so now…wednesday run club, virtual clinics, events guy and now RACE DIRECTOR guy….life’s now running stuff all of the time…..I’ve got to figure out how to deal with structure…..tomorrow may be an off day……I’ve got to do that…..

So step one done……the learning curve continues

So still no sponsors….not yet, but the fun run is progressing….product, the toques are about to be ordered…..I got one $50 gift card so far for post run nutrition…and an awful lot of emails sent…the search continues…

I’ve someone working on the logo

I’ve a minion to help with creating a poster…..registraition should begin this Friday……yikes, this is real

A great run club run tonight..a bit of an adventure as I made the route up as I went along….but a group of 10, some new members….if we get everyone together on one evening we’d have 20 easily……it gets better and better each week!

w

maybe time to shave, a huge nose, grey and reseeding hair line…yikes…I guess = 154 to 65!

This organizing a run/race is draining me…finally got the paperwork done, by Friday registration begins…..a 5K 10K and kids run….and toques (for my American followers, that’s a knitted thing you put on your head Michael in the Monkees used to wear one)

…….instead of t-shirts, because who needs yet another race shirt, and one size fits all!….I’m hoping for 100 partcipants..the 1st ever Run LoSeCa Charity run….it’s a start, hope to make this an annual thing, so may go bigger in 2024?

And this may get expensive…unless I find sponsors while deep pockets…I’m trying to keep this as simple as I can..but even the toques, bananas, water, juice boxes and, coffee nutrition bars for 100+ people costs mega dollars…so either I win a lottery, or get a lot of financial help……I’ve aproached a bunch of possibles so far, but, well, one gym offered to help with the warm up, I’m thinking yoga after……but yeah, stuff.

So yeah, no that…down to business…..and HELP!!!

Managed to get out for a 6K run this morning, well, more like lunch time..and decided to give myself a break….decided August 20th, I’m in no way am going to be ready for a half marathon, I can save that for Victoria in October…..the 8th, so before the race…so yes, more pressure….

Yeah, looked happy last year right….so yeah…a little relief valve has been opened up, but yep, this being race director is eating up a lot of time…day and night (I think about it before bed, after and during!)….I’ve gotta think about taking the occassional day off….if that’s at all possible

This is my life…I can go to bed all pumped up and ready to roll….walke up today…

nah…giving up on eerything, no more race, bailing on two half marathons, and no run at all today…WTF!

Now I’m stuck in front of the TV, watching the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, which is stupid exciting…but feeling like nothing, and looks like another day on the couch in front of the TV…

Okay, so cleaned my autistc daughter’s room and fixed a light switch in her room, cleaned up a bit of the back yard…..but yet another day alone, bored, frustraited, angry, pissed off at the world and myself..I should be a newspaper columnist?……I’ve had too many days like this…

I just check STRAVA, friends are all out doing something, I’m watching TV and watching life go by outside our front window…..life going by…

I needed an active weekend, a week, right now I feel like nothing….

I guess I’ll get caught up on reading other blogs, and maybe Monday will be better…

So a Zoom meet gone wrong (what do you mean it didn’t record?

The the race, the run is a whole 93 days away, and I’m still sitting in the on-ramp…..

Everything’s almost set to go…..well, except I need the charity’s bank name and address and need one signature to take care of the tax receipts…and we’re done, and registrations are set for people to register for the Run LoSeCa Run…….grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

so….GO FOR A RUN!…damit!

So I did……I had to put together a talk about hills to make up for the non-recorded Zoom…so ran, ran hills and talked and recorded, then pieced everything together and run and done…almost 6K with hills…..so good

I know running every day should not be a goal, but that’s the one thing holding me together….and it feels so good and right….almost like a step back to the good old days.

Back when I ran a lot and ran a lot with friends…I know I couldn’t possibly keep up with me as I was back then, but I feel in the same universe…..I guess I have to give myself permission to feel good, and get right back where I once was….I can’t get get back to the future…but can I do all that and more, at 64.6 years old, still recover, and not die?

I know the rules, rest and recovery…..older runners need more of that, less high impact repetitive pounding the of pavement, more biking and swimming, and I will get to that….but I gotta run run run away…

gotta keep busy, active, it just makes me feel so good….and if it feels good..just do it huh?

It’s not like I’m starting from scratch…..but sporadic training is a question that needs an answer.

I am working through some stuff (if you’ve followed this blog you’re now sayin’, no sh*t right?)

So I’ve made another decision….

Yeah, I need to change a few things, and myself….I’ve got the Wednesday night Run Club…..my half/full marathon Thursday night virtual Run Clinic….and working Running Room events….even though there are no events until September, but still that’s something……setting up, tearing down and hanging out and cheering…..so, I guess I’m busy

yep, that’s me….

So?

25 days…not going for a goal time, just for the 21. 1K or 13.1 miles…..I guess 2:30 wouldn’t be the end of the world…..better would be better……but I’ll get there….and have 3 weekends to practice…will just watch that pace, that heart rate, sweat and once you start, you always finish…

25 days from today….it’s also not like something foreign to me, I have run the distance before on almost no training, but I was 55…..

I know the pace bunny I want to run with….August, near the end of that month, is always perfect for a morning long training run, so why not run for that t-shirt, August 20th..run long warren, run long, and believe in myself?….if I don’t, who will..

So…..

Yeah, 2nd night….is it because of the change in the weather?

Lots going through my head…organizing a run is causing my head to explode.

This is a first time thing for the both myself and the charity I’m doing this for…I’ve been involved in a lot of events, so I know how this rodeo goes….but the ins and outs of collecting donations, tax receipts and that whole deal, all new to me as well…

It’s just paperwork…filling in boxes, a form with a ton of information…figuring out what to charge for the race, how many races to have (a 5K 10K and a kids fun run? or ?) t-shirts or cap or a toques? Hydration, post race goodies, finding sponsors, finding volunteers, and staying f#*king calm!

I’ve got I think 96 days to put this together and get it done, and I haven’t even got beyond step 1 yet….city persmission done, route, done, I know how many volunteers I need, I know and have a way to get all the equipment I need, the hydration station is planned, who I want for a sponsor, the post race plan…all of it…I just need to fill in that form!

Yesterday, well, for past few days I’ve felt pretty awful, and not hopeful at all…..I’m still not all pumped about this, tomorrow, D-Day ……tomorrow’s post should be interesting…..

or, do I skip doing the charity thing and just make this a Warren run?

A run that’s not going to happen……grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

I had dreams of being a race director for this, to start an annual fun run, collect donations for a local foundation….but, well, no, two frustraiting groups to work with, so before it’s too late, pulling the plug……sadly, but let’s bail….

And yeah, no half marathon for me this summer…pulling the plug on that too…

My training has sucked, I needed a long long run this weekend, or at the least today, did not and will not happen…so instead of beating a dead horse pulling out of that too…..

Not a good start to the week….but, well, here we are…..

it’s early, I’m sure the rest of Monday isn’t going to get any better

After a day of emails and phone calls and chasing the dream of a fun run

this evening’s Run Club Run was a relief…..just a 5K run with a huge group, larger group…but split up into a variety of groups…..we seemed to have lost one…am not sure how that happened….we had runners ahead of her, my group was sweeping behind everyone else….way behind everyone else….

It’s amazing what sunshine does….lots of people, runners and yes a dog…..a social run.

It’s why I do what I do……

Today was good.

When you’re instructing a couple of virtual run clinic….you spend a lot of time with emails. Initiating, and answering…so that was the start of my Monday morning….I covered some about nutrition, and how to run quicker, or at least effortless….

Then well, I also lead a run club….Wednesday evenings, so that means more emails, and setting up events on 3 different spots on Facebook…so everyone knows, the regulars, the past runners, and those that wanna join us…..

I’m also, for some reason, now a race director….I have no idea yet what that means….I sort of do, a lot of work…..but add that to my days….sponsors, lots of emails and phone calls…so why not?

I managed to get out for a few Ks….5.53 in the hood, yep yet again 6:34 per K…..it felt good, I call this site seeing…through a fave neighborhoods, a bit of a hill…so, fun fun fun on the sun

crossed paths with a friend and took that break for a chat – you can’t do that sitting on the couch watching TV…..so yeah, I love runs like today…it’s why I run, the fun, it’s got to be enjoyable…I’m not ever going to be quick, at least not now at almost 65….the days of me running a 5 minute K is in my past, now I just run for me….I like groups, the social aspect……and I like eating

I miss those days when all I did with friends was train and eat…Friday nights we’d swim, and then go eat, Saturdays we’d swim, ride, and then maybe run, and go eat…..Sundays we’d run, and go for coffee afterwards……so trained and ate, it was a lifestyle…..for some reason I don’t do that anymore…..

Also I was younger..and thinner…and wore a condom on my head….

anyway, tomorrow

so not a very good selfie, but it is what it is..and yes, the grey beard is coming back….

This was really random. I wasn’t sure I wanted to get out, my legs were killing me – some left over lactic acid? – and as usual, as soon as I spun the peddles around I was gone…..and had a blast…

Some paved paths where I was stuck behind a few seniors (yeah I know, I’m one too, but there were just annoying, I could not get by them!)…when they went left, I kept going forward – I crossed paths with them way later on – took a spin up my fave hill called Oak Vista…..I love that challenge….and on bike, not running, I always to add a few climbs…..headed off down Coal Mine Road, around a round about, back on the path where I met those seniors going the opposite way – they must have stopped for coffee – up another hill into a neigborhoud, around a garbage truck, then out towards big lake, through a park, and home….almost made it home without swearing…some jerk decided to back out of a driveway without looking….I practise my swearing abiities at the nutbag….was just over 30K…but felt oh so good…

Today’s been a pretty good day overall……started off slow…a fantastic ride, and threw together dinner for the family….a chicken curry thing with rice and stir fried veggies……

and then it’s time for the Zoom half/full marathon clinic…..guest speaker joined us to talk about using max heart rate to govern our training….was the best ever……it went well…love that!….I always freak out a bit before every clinic, and every one turns out so good…the speaker, Sonya, a really fast runner, but so many common points……it was a wonderful meet…….and yep, inspired me and hopefully everyone else as well….

Tomorrow, time to run, and to look for some stairs or hills…..I’ve gotta train!

So, yeah…my daughter is autistic, a challenge, an adult, 30ish, but a lot of time it’s like she has the terrible 2s.

She’s on the needs a lot of mentle support of the spectrum….and some days, just does not listen.

Some days I’m not sure if difficult because, or because she’s just being what she is, who she is, or, can I say it, just being a jerk…..

That was today/this morning.

But, I became one….I became a little unhinged, or maybe a lot unglued…involved milk, two classes, and a lot of spilling, and when I demanded only 1 glass, well, yeah…..not good…….I yellled a lot…

Was it just that?….I had planned on an early morning run this morning….after a restless sleep, decided sleep was more important, but yeah frustraited…

Then, oh yeah, it’s my turn to do dishes, clean out the dishwasher, a couple of loads of laundry and clean the kitchen before making waffles because it’s what I do……would it be out of the question to put the breakfast away and wipe off a table and counter before my wife went to work this morning?…is that expecting too much?

So yeah, wasn’t in my happy place from the starting line….

I get it. my wife works, I’m kind of semi-retired (run clinics, run clubs, run events, so still working) so yes, house chores, I’ll do them…inside and outside, but it’s gotten to the point where it’s all on me (yes I’m venting)……but, it would be nice to wake up one morning and not have to start cleaning the first thing – those bread crumbs don’t magically disappear!

Finished off a learn to run/5K clinic this morning after breakfast/before melt down that was great….45 minutes of me talking, interacting with other runners, instructing, answering questions…it’s what I do, so I was happy for about 45 minutes..and then kaboooom!

Sometimes life is like this I guess……but, not good……..

I’m going on strike a little, and no, I’m not making lunch!…the grilled cheese sandwiches can make themselves….

A walk was planned, and again, not happening…another spouce/caregiver issue….I’m home with the daughter Wednesdays and some Saturdays..I plan to keep her active, go for walks, help her get fit….but

for the rest of the week, that’s not happening, so when I want to, there’s usually a fight, and well, no walks, to outside time….so frustraiting….I need to find some way to get everyone on side…

As well as an issue (I hate calling autism a mental health issue, it just is…its like being left handed) there’s a health and fitness issue…nutrition, and active…..she used to be active, now not so much….she’s now become a sedentary, milk, grilled cheese sandwich, pizza, McDonalds, deep fried fish sticks person…which, what?

But, well…..it’s an issue all around…..

Can I say I love my kids, and want them to be better….and my wife too (she does not understand and thinks anything beyond driving to the grocey store is nonsense)……is this the definition of frustraition….grrrrr

Too many days end up like this…me in one room, or outside doing stuff, and everyone else, elsewhere….and this drags me down too…..I should have run, done some drills, planks, foam roller, whatever, but just get so wound up, I just say f – it, and you know, set my sights on Sunday to try again..

At some point, the point of this blog was to strategize, get back and to where I want to be, and I want the whole family back…..my wife and daughter are at the point where booking a room at a hotel connected to West Edmonton Mall is a vacation…..for me Vacation is ocean and running and biking and walking and hiking….we all used to do that….I don’t see that happening again ever again….ever?

So a vent……..the story continues….tomorrow I’ll get back to running…….

I just watched this, and inspiring…..so true?…..yes, I was pretty happy during my life of marathnons….

I’ve only run 9….I want to do number 10, just not sure when..or if?

Can I, should I?…..watching this BBC documentry had me thinking maybe….I’m 6 months from turning 65….which is a concern…..and where?

Yes, I’ve watched Run Fat Boy Run

which was okay, maybe motivation…though, well, fiction….yeah, you run a marathon and your life changes to amazing…not really…

And of course Brittney Runs and Marathon

There are others, and yes, if it has the word Running in it, or marathon I have to watch…..

My last full marathon was a while ago, 2015….and it wasn’t all that fanatastic, but was done….I’ve run them in Edmonton (3 times) Victoria (4) Vancouver, Kelowna and New York City, my quickest 4:04:55, the slowest was 5:11:52…..and I was a lot younger….so, 8 years since my last (I don’t have any pix) my first two were 25 years ago in 1998…..before I turned 40….

The plan right now is the Edmonton Half Marathon on August 20th…..and I think depending on how the summer goes, and that race, I’ll decide then on the full, maybe Victoria on October 8th….I’m registered for the half there right now, but, well, I’m going to sleep on that…..at least I know the course….

I’m roughly 18 weeks away…..so, week by week, day by day….

Also, I’ll be spending the summer instructing a half/full marathon clinic….so hopefully that’s keep me motivated and inspired as I try to inspire and motivate others…..

Onward and upward…

You know what really sucks, I do not have a lot of pictures from those marathons, and none of the first 3 that I ran…..not sure why that is…

I do have the bibs

And at least part of a t-shirt…

I’m not sure why I don’t have picture of my last…but lots of others

I’m not going to worry about speed, I’ll just try and get it done….I do have a training plan for 18 weeks, who knows, maybe I’ll stick to it…I’m famous for not doing that….I like doing a lot of other stuff, biking and swimming..and family life is kind of consuming….but I think I’ve had an epiphany, keep things, do one thing at a time…..keep things simple and easy and just focus on one thing at a time, day by day….

18 weeks actually starts this Sunday, June 3rd….so, I’ll spend the weekend figuring out day by day, my training days, my rest days….My Sunday long runs are going to be an issue, life just makes Sunday too busy, so may have to improvise and do some long runs on Saturdays, or more likely Mondays…..

day by day

I haven’t been on my bike, or any of my bikes often enough in years….and every time I take a spin, I regret not riding more.

It was only a bit over 30K, the avg speed 20 KPH….but felt so often.

I always over think dealing with traffic, but I’ve been riding for so long I’m pretty much built for drivers with limited skills…and some that think they own the road…

I always head to roads that arn’t that busy a few highways, but have to ride to them….there was some construction and some unexpected gravel roads….and a beautiful day out…

I’m thinking I must have a bug of some kind, breathing isn’t a challenge, but the chest feels a little stuffed up….hopefully that goes away…maybe the more I train the better that gets…….

Someone just asked if I’d be interested in joining a team for a relay race at Sinister 7 in July….I’d love to, but nah….I’m no where ready for that….my leg would be 27K, and lots of climbing…so yeah, but maybe not this year..

Am looking toward a good weekend…and staying active for the next 213 days..

Running Room, Run Club Wednesday……it’s what I made for?

A variety of runners, I map out the route, and I send everyone out…..I tag up with the back of the pack to keep their pace, encourage, instruct….and then when that group is done, I turn around and catch up, or latch up to the rest…..I usually try to make sure the route is designed that way….they either catch up to us, because we turned around short, or I run past the starting point to meet up…..we all run, we all get what we want…and a run club..or I like a the definition or the term group run better…

The weather was perfect….just before a rain storm…lightening all around, lots of dark clouds, and the temp was perfect….a good run, a good night……

I don’t look really happy huh?

It was okay, just a really hard run this morning for some reason…..heat, the pollen in the air hammering my allergies, tired? My legs seem to be struggling with recovering between runs….I may have to resort to running every other day…

After spending yesterday evening and this morning trying to decide where to go, I settled on the same old same old down in the Edmonton River Valley….a route I know well, one i can add on to, shorten, easily…some options for unpaved, and one honking big climb…and well, I wanted to swim after, and grocery shopping after…so yeah why not.

I love my river valley…hard to believe, since probably junior high school, maybe before, I’ve been biking, walk or running in it most of my life……sure, not when I lived in Jasper, Vancouver or Kamloops, which works out to about 16 years, but that gives me almost 50 years, here….there have been a lot of changes, now more pavement than way back when…but the same river, the same valley ….though I will say the river looks really low for this time of year….and always beautiful and amazing….

Yes, I love Vancouver, and cannot think of anywhere else that would suit me better…a place where people spend the majority of their time outside doing stuff…and being on a bike, or walking is as normal as driving anywhere…..

The one thing that’s changed, is my car……going to the Hyundai Kona, something that’s more reliable than my old Nissan Altima, and frankly more fun to drive….has changed things….I’m still getting used to it, but the tinted windows, being a little higher up, the smaller compact driving size (like Doctor Who and the Tardis, it’s bigger on the inside) it’s fun to drive……a blast….which I have to pull back on though….because, well, I really don’t need any speeding tickets. I have to learn how to drive more conservatively…and not so aggresively….so, there’s a goal.

The run was done…hills, a few spots where I just kicked back and enjoyed the ride, and I saw a dragon

and then I did find some off road territory

I finished off the morning with a quick 1,000 meter swim, 23 minutes, felt great, and the into the hot tub at the Kinsmen Sport Centre….

Weird thing too…. lately, the hot pool has been giving issues, I’m usually in their for only 5 minutes, more or less, today 6….and have felt faint ever since……it’s usually an adventure to get into the shower room, dry and change….so, maybe it’s time for a doctor’s appointment?

I’m also focusing on making life simple….just relaxing, picking one goal for the day, if I have time or can do something else, added on, so be it….but, yeahh, balanced, doing what I want to do…and leaving it at that

A hard day, an adventure…..a good day….

Oddly, I did take one picture during this morning’s run……that’s a first?

I had a moment this morning when I wasn’t sure where I wanted to go for my run, or even if I wanted to go.

Then I just went…

I’ve a lot on my mind, and yes a lot of personal issues bothering me (yeah, just follow this blog)

so every morning is like an adventure for me…..wondering, do I really want to get out of bed this morning?

This run began with up hill…..a hill, I thought why not…

funny story, yesterday evening I had my Run Club run, and I ran with one of our group, who’s just beginning, we did about 3K at one and one intervals (one minute run, one minute walk)…and I hadn’t reset my watch for this morning’s run….so my timer kept ringing every minute….so, I just counted the rings and concentraited on that…

During the run I was thinking about my 10K clinic talk, it’s going to be about speed training….and thinking about how to address it with about 40 runners of a huge variety of abilities….so throughout the run, I was thinking of that, and why I would talk to someone who’s only goal is to run 10K about sprinting, or surging or speed play……and I decided just to use that talk to reinforce stride and biomechanics….and hey free speed…

This clinic with lots of different participants is a challenge, just stick handling around everyone in the groups….I get the whole universe..younger, older, experienced, never run before and are taking their fist steps..and men, women…the goal is to address and working with every particpants…sometimes that works, sometimes there some in the group that I never see or hear from……some I’ll see in the weekly Zoom meets, but some, I guess they watch all the vids, they read all my long winded emails…I always reach out, I ask, I make sure they know I’m always accessable, but they’re like ghosts…

Then there are those I hear from constantly, which I love…that interaction makes me think, and I know I’m helping……

The weird thing I’ve found recently, is during the Zooms how many will not show their faces…..I just see a blank black space with a name….I may hear a voice, or a question in the chat…..but no face…I need that…..it’s good to see the reactions and I do get it, some are not always in a position that they want to be seen (it’s breakfast or dinner, their hair’s a mess..they’re eating breakfast?)…..

and this just happened recently…it’s like one clinic, everyone’s live, the next, it’d be like being Taylor Swift and looking at the crowd and just seeing empty seats with names in them…..weird.

I’m feeling a bit more up, or kay than I was a few days ago…..I’ve a busy weekend coming up, I’ll be almost forced to be in a social situation…with actual live people, so, am kinda sorta looking forward to that…..and tomorrow….it’s time to crank the bike up…and take a day off of the high impact part of this life