Wow, two pretty fast runs, back to back….maybe speed training …..I feel it this morning, and I was still way behind the group I started out with, but that forced me to pick it up, and, well, a 6:16 per K was awesome..I needed that
The weather is changing, it was a bit cooler, which in some ways is great…(it was about +8C) but the constant challenge at this time year is figuring out just what to wear….yes, dress for 10 degrees warmer than it is…but, well, I’m older, so cold does feel colder….
I was fine, I managed without gloves and a toque, but it’s almost at that time, and I think in the weeks to come, headlamps!
This is going to be a busy with lots to do weekend, with an X-Trail Series 12K trail race on Saturday…hopefully I blew off my race phobia with Sunday’s 5 Peaks trail race.…it’s a 9AM start, it’s a fairly easy 31K drive, so I can sleep in a bit…..and yeah, last week was awesome, so no real reason not to show up…
I’m still working around being old…I know, like today…I need my rest and I just can’t/shouldn’t run every day…..
So another great evening, today is all about chill…….tomorrow, the weather’s supposed to be awesome so will do something outside….bike and swim maybe, or run and swim, and then get a blood test???
I’ve something else to look forward to…..next week, I get to introduce a bunch of other’s to one of my Run Clubs…The SVAC Run Club…should be fun..and hey, apparently I’m a fit pro, who knew?
Do I write lines over and over again? I will wake up and run..no matter what?
I’m going to make the attempt, that’s the goal right now, anyway…..wake up, grab something to eat and drink really quickly, drive th Devon (43 kilometres away) a 36 minute drive depending on traffic…..I need to be at that parking lot by 9 to run at 10AM….a whole 8K on single track…with lots and lots of people
it be nice to get a few race bibs before the year’s end, there’s not that many events left, and not much of a year left……….
I have been struggling for so long….let’s say 12 years, it’s like a phobia, I like racing, I like events, I like running, but getting out of bed to attend one seems to be more of the challenge that the actual event.
In the mornings, it just seems a problem of getting up, waking up, and just going……I should be able to hop out, ready to go, I used to be able to do that…and now, not….
Sleeping enough? Over sleeping?…What the hell is it?
Confidence?…..I’m not going to win anything, I know I can complete the distances..I know what needs to be done…….and I know, I know, why not just start, even if I suck?
Do I need to set an example?….What;s expected of me?……
Seriosly, I just want to see old friends, and as part of getting back to where I was, I just need to do this?
Make a start….take a step……..get this done.
This year, 2023, has not been great…an 8K run, and a 10K……..that’s it…working one race, volunteering at another………..will that be it?…….
I guess I will see what happens when the alarm clock wakes me up, if it does…
The plan is to dirty the new Saucony Peregrines, do I wear the Brooks tights or shorts?…..probably tights, a the long sleeve………..my lucky cap?………..socks? not sure yet…packing hydration…..I guess I’ll need something warm for afters, and hopefully there’s a lot of coffee after………I just better just remember to show up…
I woke up this morning feeling like crap, or at least awful…….The headaches are back?….is that the concussion getting angry, or what?…..and yes, do I have long COVID, I’ve never tested positive, but chest does feel a little wheezy……but well a good morning though, a good start….
When I wake up a check my emails on Sundays I check to make sure the SVAC Run Club hasn’t been cancelled……if fewer than 3 have booked and said they were coming, the run/class is cancelled…this morning I saw this!
I know a lot of runners will join us even if they see the run is cancelled, they all know whatever, I will always show up ready to go, but seeing this, this morning gave me a warm fuzzy feeling, and made me feel positive…and even though I felt like crap, I had to show up…
That’s like the best thing about leading these 3 group runs every week, I have to run and be at all three..so I get my 3 runs done…and depending on who shows, I’ll either being an easy a run, or the past three Tuesday, because of whom joined in, a tempo run!….which has all helped me to start adding to my pace
It’s also interesting how just riding my Marin MTN bike has helped improve my fitness, and both my biking and running pace are better, more comfortable…all add up to a better overall fitness.
This morning’s group was perfect that way…one, is a really strong runner, just starting to understand the quick on fast days, slower on effortless days……..one that wanted to go a slower pace, and one that understands both…..a few more with a larger variety of abilities and strengths would be perfect, but this was good…being able to pick your pace is a nice option….a pace for all is the goal.
It’s amazing how, after roaming the planet trying other shoes, you eventually back with your first love…..these are them. I’ve ASICS, ALTRAs, HOKAs, and a Saucony in my rotation, but these have become that shoe, my Brooks Adrenaline 22s…..They, Brooks, always just work, and my gait, my feet and so screwed up, it’s hard to find the right match, but these make the run feel effortless, and the shoes never feel a concern…well, sometimes….as those that follow me know I have on foot that pronates, which is fine, and one that under-pronates/supinates…….the Adrenaline kind of works with that, nothing else…the ASICS Nimbus is close, and the pronation in both is, well, I can occasionally feel that big toe digging in, rolling inward a bit, but everything works well………and become the trails around here are not extreme enough to need trail shows, these things will become my GTS…Go To Shoes….
So felt awful, the run made me feel great…….tomorrow, it’s time to get on the bikes and into the pool……the goal, the current goal….endurance, and keep the high impact stuff to a minimum….still need to squash those blood cells, but not as often……
one of the only things I seem to need as an older person is rest and recovery..some morning’s it’s forced. If you’re too sore to get out of bed, maybe that’s a sign….so today, those chores I’ve putting off, and, well feel okay about that.
And yes, I’ve been adding to my shoe collection……I don’t know why I explore other shoes, because I always seem to go back to this shoe, the Brooks Adrenaline.…this is the Adrenaline GTS 22…I used to think that the GTS stood for Go To Shoe, but now it’s Go To Stability, but I find word kind of a misnomer, whenever people think of stability they think of the standard medial post support that some shoes have, but Brooks stood the concept on it’s head (and I see other brands, ASICS for instance, are following that lead)…their stability shoes guide rather than force, which is probably why they work so well…also I over pronate on one foot, and under pronate on the other….and this as well as the ASICS Nimbus 24 address that same issue/issues…..I want to say that the HOKA ARAHI 6 does as well, but, well, it’s close…
As someone that sells shoes, under pronation/supination has always been a challenge, because no shoe really addressed people with higher archers….we used to just say, take a neutral shoe and hope for the best….
I just used my ASICS at the BMO Vancouver this past weekend, and I like the bounciness, they felt sweet, but at one point I could feel the over pronation putting pressure on that big toe….this week, tested out these Adrenalines, no issues…..so great..
Not saying the other two aren’t sweet shoes…the only issue with the HOKA is what happens whenever you put stability into a shoe, you end up losing some of the cushioning, and with this edition, I really noticed that….I’m going to give the HOKA BONDI carbon fiber shoe just because, everyone should have something with carbon fiber in it, and a $300 shoe, why not?
The weekend looks sweet……running, Run Club….maybe swim and a spin on the bike….and well, maybe some yard work?
Today was much needed though…rest, recovery……and a chance for a bit of re-set..and seriously lots of work on this lap top………tracking down guest speakers, lots of emails, chats….all good…
that’ll give me lots of time to just play !…and I guess it’s time to figure out what comes next…….I was planning on a Victoria full marathon in the fall after a really active summer…but, well, maybe?
So yeah, the race photos are starting to appear……and yes, you have to stop that watch!….it’s a chipped race, but you never know, it may be wrong.
it was a pretty uneventful 8K for me, start, run, finish…it was interesting…
I guess I’m the polite runner….I don’t know if I noticed this before, but runners, some, just do not pay any attention to what’s going on around them; I don’t know how many I was almost run over by, and then passed the same people later on…..the instant ‘I’ve gotta take a walk break right now in front of you” people…..and the, I’ve gotta race to that finish line now, even though, well, I guess it may be a PB, a PR or I heard someone say they had a PQ – what is that? —-
There was the issue with the delayed start…..there was a suspicious package found on the course before the half marathoners began – for this race, the BMO Vancouver; the half marathoners start before the marathoners, and the 8K starts in a different location, so we didn’t know why there was a delay, I didn’t until I got back to my AirB&B and watched the news….
To kill time waiting for the start, and what an amazing place to start a race, right in Vancouver’s Stanley Park, I started watching what others do before the start, and caught myself kind of questioning some of the routines, and wondered why?
You usually always se some stretching their quads at every race, even though we now know that stretching before is now thought to be a no no – there’s a danger of injury – but, do they stretch because they have to or feel they need to, or is it just a nerve thing?…….I say one person working on the Cs of his ABCs….I’m guess he did his butt kicks and high knees at another time, but it looked like a half hearted attempt, or maybe it was something he was told he should do, or he just thought it’d impress people if he did his warm up in such a confined space………most of us just chatted away, got to know our neighbours,and tried to stay warm….great running weather is not necessarily great standing around weather…..
Once we finally got going…lots and lots of people, there were a few pinch points where we’re all looking for that tangent on a curve or a turn, and bumping into each other…..it’s a wide enough rode people, none of us are going to win…but well, okay….
I thought I had a great race/run…but looking at some of the run photos maybe not?
why are my ams so high?………gotta try to correct that..and I seriously don’t look as happy as I felt?
A few other things I noticed……a lot of people toe striking?…..I’m not sure why I noticed that, I wondered, are they people trying to force themselves to mid-foot strike and feel like that’s what they’re doing?…usually toe striking is rare, so maybe it was something I was subconsciously looking for…
and really huge kick backs?…..I noticed that more in women runners more than the guys…is that a thing?
I’ve seen that before on training runs, there are certain people you don’t want to run to closely behind because of that…..
I often tell those in my clinics that there really isn’t a wrong way to run, you just run how your run, and you’re body usually figures out the right way to run for you…..problems really only start when you significantly try to change that gait quickly, or not over a long period of time with drills and exercises…..but, you wonder…and then I look at my race photos, I can pick out a lot of things that I would say are wrong…
my stride is a bit funky, my gait for sure…I pronate on one side, supinate on the other…no shoe really corrects that, and I’ve found no exercises either…it just is……I fractured a lower left fibula years ago that never heeled properly so that’s part of the issue, but the pronation on that foot I think is either gotten worse, or I just notice it more…so the search for that right shoe continues….tried the ASICS Nimbus yesterday, a great shoe, but I felt that yesterday…I’m going to test out my new Brooks Adrenalines this morning for a short run to see how they feel….both shoes have a kind of guidance system which is supposed to work with both issues, but yesterday, the ASICS didn’t quite work for the 8K, cannot guess how that would work with the half or full marathons…trails may be fine……so that search continues..
I kind of look better here…the stride looks okay….and I think that’s a smile..maybe it’s because I’m passing people?…
anyway, back to the Run Club in St. Albert tomorrow..and back to normal..now for a walk, or maybe a short run to get rid if this built up lattice aci
yesterday, a SVAC Run Club with a friend…a fun 6K……I should have gone after for another 8K, but I guess I saved that for today…
It was another odd run…..at one point, I was just going to go for a random run from home, or nothing at all…but got dressed, headed for the Edmonton River Valley…a 30 minute drive, got out of the car, and just ran….picked an familiar regular route….it’s like having a favorite bar…..a place that’s familiar and comfortable….well, as comfortable as a run can be…and enjoyable
I was going to go for 12K, but you know, when you finish, you know you’re finished…and it felt so good…even the icy patches…..
It must be getting close to spring though…..my YakTrax have just about done their time..as anyone that’s ever owned a pair know, as soon as you’re on pavement/tarmac/asphalt the springs and pins start to break and fall apart…that’s fine, they have a lifetime, and I’ll worry about new next winter!
I’m hoping that as soon as the ice and snow disappears, that all the hard work over the winter will pay off…….I’m also tired wearing an awful lot of clothes…today wasn’t bad, but I need shorts and short sleeves………
clothes, much like routes, seem to become routine, comfortable. I think I’ve had this top for something like 3 years….swag from a race, a good race too….and it’s always nice when it made by Lulu…..
my fave Brooks tights, they’re starting to get worn, it’s been a bit of a challenge to find anything else…I like tight, I hate baggy….and a small zippered pocket in the back just the right size for a key or better yet, a key fob…..
any my handy dandy Garmin 945..….lots on it, I don’t think I’ll ever use everything it has to offer…but, it does what I need for multi sport………altitude or whatever, all I need is maybe pace, time, distance…..leg turnover and heart rate is nice to look at afterwards……
and time for new shoes…the Adrenalines have done their time over the winter…I do have winter specific Saucony Peregrines, but these fit into the traction aids perfectly, I’ll probably go back to Hoka’s once the ice is all gone……but I have to admit I’m thinking of switching things up…but nah, for the half marathon, yeah, Hoka’s just sound right for a long run….
this is going to be a challenge….my water belt….I don’t always want to lug around a hydration pack, this is enough……to keep me hydrated if I need, zippered pockets for whatever……this is about 10 years old, or older from MEC, but no one seems to make them anymore, so I’m sort of screwed…….am searching the internet….fingers crossed…..
Tomorrow evening, a SVAC Run Club night after a day at the office…hopefully a busy day at the office…it seems lots of people are being money careful…the cost of living is going up…..so think it’ll be a quiet place for a while…but, the weather’s getting warmer, more people will get outside, and we have a huge amount of new stock coming in…..maybe war will be over, peace will break out…..and we’ll just run?
I should know better…..never, ever watch the news…..I just get hooked.
Instead of getting my ass outside, I woke up, and have been addicted to watching what’s going on in Ottawa today, and well, about 10 years later I finally said FU, flipped over to the Olympics, is where I should have begun…..something to inspire….
What gets me going when I haven’t got it…watching people doing stuff I could never hope to do, but tells my head…hells yah, get your butt out the door! You’ve a half marathon to do, and a full on marathon later!
Just rewatching Cassie Sharpe rock the freestyle today…I have no idea how these people do what they do, but how can you not watch and be inspired……
Spent some of today thinking about things as well…my shoes, the cold, the wind, all the ice all over the place….this is a slippery place to run……..I don’t think I’ve run at all for almost 3 months without some traction on, the winter grips aren’t even really working…….lately it’s been YakTrax on my Brooks Adrenalines……and I kinda like that…yep, the pins feel, or at least sound harsh at the points where there’s no ice to grab, and I’m still not sure what the springs do, but I keep moving, I’ve had a few quicker runs…..
The key is, it’s not a different shoe then I’d normally use, I just add some traction….they feel right, and unlike some traction aids, the YakTrax don’t crunch my toes together….so all good…
Lately the weather’s been an issue, not what you’d think, but too warm…I do not have an in-between jacket, so if it’s cold, my NB jacket is great, but as soon as it’s about -10C, it gets warm too quickly….
and yeah, I like Lululemon………does it make me look younger?
So, it seems like I look towards changing things up every week…but this weekend I have not a thing planned other than my virtual learn to run clinic tomorrow morning…we’re talking injuries, so should be interesting…..and a 4 maybe a 5K run early, and a spin on the bike trainer later on in the day….
and then Sunday, gotta lace up and go…..the schedule says 10K, maybe…..not sure where I’m going to start and finish, but I may go longer….I need to kick my butt in gear and get ready to go longer, and get used to the longer hours moving….
That BMO Vancouver isn’t going to run itself..so, gotta train, and if I want a good time, well, like yesterday, I’ve gotta do hill repeats, and Sundays, I’ve gotta go forever…right?
Okay, I’m going to vent…so be aware…a customer had me banging my head against a wall (virtually ) !
So yeah…customer has a sore big toe, his shoes are 2 years old, he doesn’t want to spend any money, he just wants his doctor to keep giving him cortisone shots, he walks, sometimes fast, on a treadmill, and can’t understand why a) he’s got the wrong shoes, and b) why the shoes are done? grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!
You know, maybe the shoes he got 2 or 3 years ago are worn out, done, don’t do what they originally did, and they were possibly the wrong shoes…..those Brooks Ghosts had great cushioning, not much for support, and the wear pattern says they’ve been used a lot, and the wear pattern is hard to see, because the shoes are worn down to that midsole!!!!
Watching the customer just standing, the problem is pretty obvious…..he’s in pain, so when he walks, he’s walking on the outside of his feet. especially the right foot, because his big toe is swollen and hurts….standing, that one foot collapses in….when I finally talk him into taking off his shoes, and get him to walk normally, yes, both feet/ankles collapse, then standing and moving, he’s on the outside of his feet, stressing his knees…..but still doesn’t understand why?……..
We check his purchasing history, and yep, every shoe he’s had, has been the same, and he only shops after 2 or 3 years……and he wonders why he hurts!!!
When I finally get him to try on shoes, we try two….Saucony Rides, and a Brooks Adrenaline to correct that over pronation (yes, pronation is normal, but when pushing off the inside of that toe, not)……he didn’t like the traditional medial posting of the Saucony, but practically bounced when he tried on the Brooks, but still didn’t understand the difference….he still felt his 3 year old shoes should still be fine….that’s when the head banging began!……
The shoes worked! They actually worked…the Ghosts, pressure on the inside of his feet, and a sore toe gone….the Adrenaline, that’s gone…walking, pushing off the front of his foot, his toes…..and still!!!…..???
It wasn’t the most expensive shoe in the store, it worked, it did what it was supposed to do, and still, not convinced why a shoe that didn’t work to start with, and why it wouldn’t last more than 2 or 3 years!…..
He bought, he left, and he took my suggestion of seeing a physio seriously – I hope – but, shoes, those protect what we do…….they have a life span (I never go over 400 kilometres) and sure, not everyone needs support, yes, sure, you could run in bare feet (maybe) but that shoe has to work…..run in them, walk in them, if they don’t work, find out why….bring them back, return them……Brooks has been amazing at this, 90 days, run in them insde or outside, threw a river, whatever…..no questions asked, exchange or return……some other brands do that, some occasionally, but most shoe stores will say 30 days indoors only……but for the love of your feet, take the time….and
well, save my head…I’m still fighting a concussion, I can’t afford to bang that head too often…
So yeah, it’s cold, really cold, pretty cold…stupid cold!
So what?…..
You’re training, you’re in training….in-door track, treadmill…NOT AN OPTION.
I’ve run on both and never enjoyed either, so never again…ever…if you can handle boredom, sure, but for me, I’d rather watch a blank wall…..
So you bundle up; enough to keep warm and not freeze, but not so much so you can’t move!
The secret is to always remember; as soon as you start to move, you’ll warm up.
Also know that those parts of you that are vital will get warm fluid first, as everything you have rushes in to protect those vital organs……those capitaries heading out to your fingers, your face, your toes, will remain chilled for a little longer…..so expect that, dress for that, knowing that eventually you may have to strip down.
At -30C (which is really really close to -30F) the main fear is frost bite...sure, all exposed skin will freeze in minutes, if not seconds…..but, you are moving – you’re a runner – you will warm up that exposed skin at some point…..
That little white spot…...FROST BITE!….apparently…….I’ve had that before, and if you’ve had it once, it will return…so the experts say……I think it makes me look bad ass?
So?
What do I wear………not as much as you would think….
so this is it…….except for the Hudson Bay Blanket….( which would be oh so warm if you could wrap yourself and run?)
Those socks look kind of like nothing, right?…They’re made by Brooks; I think I got them for free at a store contest….
I just need them to not get and stay wet, and cover up any skin that might otherwise become exposed…
My feet never seem to get especially cold: I just use my everyday shoes (the Brooks Adrenaline mostly). I know for some the combination of mesh and windchill causes problems, but for me, no issues…..everyone is different….so just cover up that mash, go for something that has GORTEX to keep you warm and dry…
My legs have never been a huge concern either……though as I’ve gotten older, I find I just make more of an effort to be comfortable, rather than just enjoying the chill and tuffng it out….
So today, a base layer…
Just a base layer I picked up from the Running Room forever ago, just to retain some heat…. also some protective wind briefs; ’cause, yeah if that body certain part freezes guys, well, pain like you wouldn’t believe, and even worse when that body part begins to thaw!…all from that Running Room stash….
The tights, from Ron Hill are to provide protection from wind chill (google Ron Hill, he’s a pretty interesting character in running lore, amongst other things, having run for every day for 52 years and 39 days, 1964 to 2017, EVERY DAY!) ……these arn’t the best, not especially special, winter specific, but with the layers beneath, the combo works well for me……I do have others that have more of a shield over the thighs, and more winter wind chill specific, but most days I don’t need that, and those tights are a little more constricting..so…I live for minimum!
Upper body, 3 layers…here is what I wear to wick, basically, and to add some warmth
From the Vancouver Running Co. …(yes, I have put on a lot of weight…IT’S CHRISTMAS!) This layer wicks, no sweat build up, and some warmth…….a little skin tight, but it does trap heat…and it’s all I need..
On top…..CRAFT……it’s an older item, but it’s there for the warmth, it doesn’t capture sweat then get soaked and freeze.
The jacket….you see it on top in pretty much every winter selfie I take…..New Balance
It’s perfect….not too heavy, maybe a little too warm on days that arn’t -30C,……..
the real secret is that BUFF……sometimes it does cover my face, but mostly I just stuff it under the top of the jacket to keep my body heat inside, the cold out
Top off the head….
The first concern is that heat escapes out the top of your head……in summer that’s kind of a concern for other reasons….. for winter…..I choose a tuque, today I had a balaclava as well, to help with the cold…….
Then a pair of Brooks gloves, I slip hand warmers into those gloves, something called Little Hotties
and with all of that I’m good to go…….
Today was okay…I know with the ice and snow, it’s slippery (it’s like trying to run on sand, without a beach) speed won’t be the concern; the pace will be slow, the heart rate may not be…..just working on strength, endurance……and hopefully the work will pay off in the spring…
A good week….the march towards 2022 continues…I’ve managed 6 out of 7 days in a row, 8 out of 9 with one rest day….I feel the need for a rest day soon, gotta recover.
The commitment is as close as I could get to 1000K for the year, and almost every day until January 1st!…….I need to do at least 5K on that January 1st, cause, well, turning 63 (BOOOOOOOO) !
Running every day seriously I know isn’t healthy, but sometimes, that challenge helps bump up and inspire………cross training, rest and recovery, yoga, strength, that whole package is important…will work that into the weekly training schedule, starting next MONDAY…….but for this week, run, will try and stay warm….and will make an effort to stay away from that desert tray!
Can I run a Half Marathon, and train for it….and fly to Vancouver to do that half…
I’ve done it often………and Vancouver is my favorite place on the planet…
My head has been, well funny…..is this concussion ever going to be done?…..I’m into my 3rd year, and it at times seems to be getting better, the toughest part of my day is the first start of the day, the head just hurts and right now for some reason…..it’s kind of more the upper back of the head today, rather than just behind the eyes.
The rest of me feels kind of good……running feels good, no issues, nothing hurts…I’m nowhere near where I want to be speed wise – at one time in my life, it doesn’t seem that long ago, 5:30 per kilometer, now I’m lucky if I break 7 minutes….I know it’s age, and I know it’s the conditions…lots of ice……so maybe once everything melts I’ll be fine……there are a few other, okay, one other health issue that I can’t figure…..I’ve mentioned this before, more snot and phlegm then any man should have…..I feel like a camel, I blow snot rocks and spit almost continuously, and if I don’t, I end up gaging and having to do all that anyway…
Last week was good, the week before better, this week is beginning okay……..today was effortless even, I thought I was quicker, and the ice was a challenge, but, felt good, during
I don’t look happy do I?…..but I was smiling at some points, and maybe inside….I ran on a short off road section which was good and sweet, and took a few turns on the paved trails that I hadn’t been for a while, and – surprise suprise – I managed to get lost at one point for a few minutes….
I’m still having to use my DueNorth Everyday traction aids again, and now that I know how to put them on properly, they seem to work great..I love the feel of those pins digging into ice, it just feels so comfortable and secure……no chance, nit a chance on falling…and with my Brooks Adrenalines’ I still get the support/guidence I need for my pronation issues, and my gait doesn’t change….so good, and hopefully once I get to run on bare tarmac, the speed will pick up.
I’m tempted to try a few of my other shoe options in the days to come this week…it’s still too slippery to go without traction, so my Saucony Peregrines will have to wait, but maybe I’ll test out the Brooks Levitates tomorrow with YakTrax and see what happens……they don’t have the support of the Adrenaline, but, with the traction, and mostly running on snow and ice and some trails, I think I’ll be fine….
In May 2022, I wanna see this view for 3 days..and I wanna run something……so the training begins, now to commit!
