The Off Season!

Oh hey!

It's the off season!

Yep. I'm done for 2014.

My next race isn't until March 2015!!!

I can hardly believe it myself. I won't be in formal training for anything until January when my cycle kicks up again. This doesn't mean that I'm going to take any time off, but I am going to to ease myself along without worrying too much about hitting ALL. THE. WORKOUTS.

Off season? New SHOES!

Let's be honest. I was burned out last year when I started my plan at the end of November. I was eager to start and hit workouts but by March I was DONE with training.

And of course, let us not forget the Plantar Fasciitis which was the biggest KILL-JOY of the entire season.

Speaking of which, this past Sunday, I felt the foot flare up again. Nothing too bad, but something to get checked out. I spent last night with my heating pad and I'm going to try to get into physio this week for sure.

I took the entire week off after Hamilton and hit last week eager and ready to train again. And I was super surprised with how it all turned out:

Monday: 7k in 38:57. Okay, a lovely little pace. Must be the early morning or the week off or the cold or something. Core work in the evening.

Tuesday: Rest

Wednesday: 5k at Goodlife after a day long off-site meeting and before a Leafs game in a corporate box with my client. I kept increasing the pace ever km and ended up with my final KM at sub-BQ pace. 27:11

Thursday: Rest

Friday: NO MEETINGS!!! The return of the lunch run. I hit the gym again. Ladder up: 8k with each mile faster: 6.4, 6.6, 6.8. 7.0, 7.2. Things felt great. Right where off season should be.

I need to cut my bangs or grown them or just rock this awesome ponytail forever

Saturday: CRAZY day, hockey, hockey pictures, hockey game, surprise 40th party for a friend. I fit in 5.15k around the block after watching KONA and I almost managed a progression: 5:35-5:24-5:20-5:06-5:08. Total: 27:19. Feeling so good!

Sunday: MORE HOCKEY PHOTOS. Then my mum fed me breakfast. Then, fueled on bacon and eggs and pancakes and memories of KONA, I went out for my long run of 11k. I realized around 9.5k that if I pushed, I'd finish in an hour. I pushed harder, ran a 4:59 final KM split and finished 59:33. Then I went to our town Santa Parade and then grocery shopping. Its all so EXHAUSTING

Off season week one: 36.16k in 3:18:18 and one session of core. I hope to get in more this week. In fact, the rest of off season looks like this:

Click for larger

Oh, you probably want to know about my 2015 plans too, eh? Well, come back again sometime and I'll tell you. Likely within the next week. Let's just say that this Saturday's workout will set up a lot of them.

The Fall 2014 Plan

Well! I figure as I sit here after the first official training week for the Fall that I should likely share my fall plans with all of you. Of course, as I learned this week, I can not be 100% in anything I've not yet signed up for as my oldest son has made the Rep Hockey Novice team and thus hockey and tournaments now take precedence over everything (kinda).

So, the fall plan has been written. Here are the first few weeks

The red box is when we are away for the week. I don't force myself to stick to the plan during this time.

If you click, it will go larger. As you can see, there is an equal number of bikes and runs during the week!

I KNOW! That's because I had to write my entire fall plan around The Epic Tour Halton (September 7) where I will be riding the 80k distance with my co-worker who talked me into it. Of course, I have this sweet mum bike to get me through and I've gotten speeds up to 22.2km/h thus far. Don't be too jealous! 

But what else am I doing? There is quite a bit of running on that plan as well. In order, here is the plan:

A return to pacing and the awesome 30k at A MidSummer Night's Run (August 16) (I'll pace the 3hr group, join me!)

This may happen again

Next after that, I'm hoping to run the 10k at MEC Race 4 (September 6). This comes the day before the Gran Fondo, so we'll see what happens. This 10k is also the basis of all of the early speedwork for the summer. Like during the summer of 2011, I plan to return to the track in order to gain the grounding in order to toe the line at this race hoping for a finishing time around 48 minutes. Sam's keen on the same goal, so we're using the same basic running plan.

After my Gran Fondo is in the bag, the plan ups the ante with four run days and one bike day a week. I also begin to add some goal half marathon pace into the long runs. There won't be much time to test out my newfound speed over distance though, because like Sam, I plan to take my first stab at going sub-1:45 in the half at the Oakville Half Marathon (September 21), after all, I had a great time running with Sam and Richard during the last 5k in 2013. This race conflicts with my son's first tournament. The tournament was supposed to be on September 12-14, however they had to change to September 19-21 and will be in Essex. I signed up for the race and the next day, the tournament got changed! My husband and I have chatted though and he's fine with me doing the race as I can't get a refund on my bib. 

Skirt power with Sam at the end of Oakville last year

After Oakville, Sam, Emma, Bridgett and I will reunite for another 25k trail race, Run for the Toad (October 4). I'm hoping we can produce more awesome tampon commercial worthy photos

Finally, finally, there will be the now traditional, Road2Hope half marathon on November 2nd. Unless a hockey tournament conflicts. My backup in that case is the weekend before at the Niagara Falls half marathon. I've also put my hand up to pace Niagara, so we'll see what happens.

As you can see, I have a VERY full plan on the go. Of course, in my first week of training I've been able to get every workout in and have hit 83 combined bike/run kilometers for the week. This meant I was in bed at 2115 on Saturday night. Turns out massive amounts of physical activity and a party lifestyle don't really go hand in hand. But I'm okay with that. I think the biking will really help me keep my Plantar Fasciitis in check, plus everyone keeps telling me it will help with my running. 

And who knows? I may just become a multi-sport athlete before you know it!

Plantar Fasciitis

So I think I may have forgotten to mention that my left calf was cramped for the last 12k of the marathon which I ran on May 4th. I didn't really realize how bad it was at the time or even a few days after because my quads just hurt so badly.

However, now I know how much damage I've done.

I tried to run on Sunday (1 week post marathon) and I could barely manage a 6 minute kilometer for 5k.

5k.

A distance I've scoffed at unless it was a second run of the day.

I've watched some video of the finish of the marathon, and I can see that I was clearly limping from the calf strain.

This finally lead me back to Physio where the therapist massaged my calves and feet and then applied the laser and interferential current therapy on the bottom of my feet with heat on my calves.

I was not told that I can't run.

But I know it will just be painful.

I want to run so badly. I'm trying to get my ass off of the couch and at least do some core work... but meh.

I've rode my bike a few times... but meh.

I could get to the gym for other cardio.... meh.

I miss running.

This is like the shit icing on the shit marathon.

On the plus side, I've been selected to pace the Niagara Women's Half Marathon on June 1st. My time will be 2:05:00 continuous (5:55/km or 9:32/mi) and that is why I'm really taking my time to come back from this. I hope to be running by next week.

Slowly and short, likely but at least I'll be running.

I hope.

Mississauga Marathon Training Week 13!

A tough week after the glorious last week of hitting the major milestone (HA!) of running over 50 miles (85k) in one week. I was tired and things hurt. But there are reasons for each of those things.

I'm tired because the hormone levels in my thyroid are all out of whack. Yay for hypothyroidism. I'm not that bad and I'm on a small level of daily medicine, but it could take SIX WEEKS for it to kick in! I hope its a hormonal problem and not just a I-work-full-time-and-have-two-young-kids problem. I'm getting at least 7.5 hours of sleep a night, plus napping twice daily (on my 1 hour train commute to work).

The hurt.

Well, I'm pretty sure that Sam gave me her plantars faciitis.

Haha. Just kidding.

But the fact is, that after years, YEARS! With no flare ups, I've been struggling with pain since October. I got new orthotics and some treatment, but my right heel has not resolved well at all. So, I'm back to a twice weekly physio appointment with laser and ultrasound and massage along with a wish and a prayer. This week, baring client meetings, I will also be wearing my old running shoes (with orthotics) everywhere (except outside where I'll still wear my Sorel's (with orthotics) because its freaking freezing. AGAIN.

Anyway, a tough running week and I was 6k short on the overall goal. I'm not going to worry about it.

Monday February 17th: Family Day in Ontario meaning a day off. A glorious day off where I could run in sunshine and not worry about regular demands. Oh, it was freaking -20 with wind chill. I set out for the out and back, clear roads 10k route from my house and just couldn't feel it. I bargained with myself for the whole run and ended up with 6k, 35.23.

Look at that big blue though. 

Tuesday February 18th: I got up at 0430, battled the fresh snow to drive to the gym. The 24 hour gym.Which was freaking CLOSED. re-opening at 0600 as Monday was considered a weekend and they don't really open 24 hours on the weekend, they are really only open 0600 Monday (on non holiday Monday's that is) until 2359 Friday. Bah. Back home, shower and get to work before 8am. Can't run because I have meetings all day and then physio at 1815. Assessment (Yes, you have really tight calves which is leading to the pulling on the faciitis and the pain), laser, ultrasound, ice and rebook for the next few weeks.

Wednesday February 19th: Well, doubles aren't that bad anyway, right? Woke up and got to the (now open) gym. Ran 10k with Olympic Curling. Dirty, dirty curling. "Just tickle it. TICKLE IT!!! Yup. YupYup. YEP. Hurry. Hurry Hard! HURRRRREEEEEEHHHAARRD!!! PUT IT ON THE BUTTON!!!" Whew, I need a cigarette. 8k, 48:47. Then, after work, it was time for Thomas Street Hill. And it was WARM! Like +1c!!! Amazing! Up and down x 6 hills. Whee!!! 10k, 1:01:03

Thomas Street Hill. 25 runners went up and down on this night

Thursday February 20th: My foot is a throbbing mess of horrific pain. Physio in the PM. Got some exercises to do which pretty much amount to, "how much can you pick up with your toes?"

Friday February 21st: Back to the gym for an early morning treadmill run. All systems go and Canada picks up gold and silver in women's ski cross. I'm feeling good. I feel like I'll be able to hit some pace work during the long run on Sunday. 10k, 58:29

Saturday February 22nd: Again on the gym treadmill. This time after Fergus' tumbling class, so he was treated to the in-gym daycare. I ran a ladder because I was feeling so good. 1 mile at 5:50/km, 1 mile at 5:39/km, 2 miles at 5:29/km and back down. Felt easy. I've got the pace work tomorrow. Then we went grocery shopping. Because I cooked an amazing Indian Feast for dinner that night. 10k, 56:30

Homemade Saag Paneer and Aloo Mutter with rice, samosa and butter chicken 

Sunday February 23rd: My first planned run with the marathon group out of the running room! Except I was the only one who showed up! There were a lot of the Around the Bay group there, but they were doing 29k and we had 26k on the plan. We started out and I asked if anyone was around a 6 min/km pace and Chris quickly came to run with me (he can run easily at a much faster pace, but didn't want to have me run alone - thank goodness!). I was streaming the hockey game so we chatted a bit and I gave him updates but it wasn't an overly chatty run (which is odd for both Chris and I!). I allowed him to push the pace quite a bit considering how easy I've been running my long runs, but the wind plus the hills plus my PF telling me that it was NOT completely better made my slower and slower throughout the run. The first 10k, we averaged 5:36/km, the next 10k (hilly bit) was 5:52/km and in the last 6k, I only had one KM under 6 min/km and averaged 6:15/km. This also included a 7 min km walking on a complete ice path in the forest. I should have stopped my watch. At the end of the run I was sore and frustrated as all get out. I know that there is no magic trick to getting the PF better, but running in pain and COLD and WIND. SUCKSSSSS. 26k, 2:32:01

Total KM: 70 (43.5mi), Total Time Running: 6:52:13, Average pace per KM: 0:05:53 (0:09:29/mi)

So this coming Sunday is the Chilly Half Marathon. I had hoped that at the very LEAST I could run this as a test run to see where I was for the big BQ attempt come May. As it stands the weather is going to be crap and I'll likely be high on coffee and advil just to get to the start line. I've asked Emma if she wants to try for a 1:50, which would be a PR for her and the slowest pace I could maintain and still BQ but at this point, we will see. Weather and pain will likely be the deciding factor for both of us.

And I didn't even take the leftover Indian! I let my husband have it.

How was your week? Are you running Chilly this week? Let's all do the Sun-make-it-0-degrees-please dance, mmmkay?