Today, I supported Sick Kid's hospital and Avery Bond running the second annual Avery's Bravery Race. Avery was born in Rockwood in March 2009 and underwent life saving heart surgery at 13 days of age to repair a Coarctation of the aorta. Avery also has Turners Syndrome, which causes several other health complications, but Avery is doing well and celebrated her 2nd birthday on March 13.
The goal for this 5k run was to use it as a long tempo run and PB with a time of sub 30:11. The course was through Rockwood Conservation Area and some surrounding streets for a 5k loop. What interested me the most about the run was the location as we camp every father's day at Rockwood and are already booked for this coming June. It is a lovely spot for a weekend or a day and I thought it would be very neat to run through a (mostly) empty campground.
I got to the race with lots of time to spare and enjoyed watching the kids participate in the 100 metre heart pumper dash. The run was very small, but very organized and we actually began about 2 minutes early.
I started out fast per my plan as the first kilometre was downhill and I wanted to bank some time here. Unfortunately, my pants had other ideas as they kept falling down! I had to stop to re-tie them way tighter but I did so quickly.
This however was a complete crap run for me. I was ready to pace at around 5:55 per KM and get in a longer tempo run to PB, but with my pants falling down, I got all messed up. I ran out way too quickly afterward and ran the uphill too aggressively. The course had very gentle rolling hills (a typical campground that heads to a beach) and lots of pot-holes and the terrain was far more challenging for me then it should have been. I resorted to walking up one hill but wouldn't allow myself to do so a second time. I also didn't eat properly for the 10:30am start and I was STARVING by 3k. I was actually thinking that I'd have to stop on the way home, least I pass out (no worries though, the race gave out water, banana's and granola bars to all finishers; it was a well run race).
I met my goal and PB'd, but I'm not happy with the way the run went at all. I'll being doing another 5k after the half marathon with the goal of running a smarter (and faster!) race:
1KM: 5:02
2KM: 6:27
3KM: 6:03
4KM: 6:01
5KM: 5:12
Total: 28:44 (per Garmin)
It wasn't quite the high note I wanted to go out on in April, but at least I did PB.
April totals: 162km run, 18h21m running.
Tomorrow we will complete 21.1k easy.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
20k Practice Run
Complete!
On Sunday, our group headed out to meet at the Sheridan Running Room location to run a practice half marathon route for our long run.
The planned route was 19.4k with the last 15k being the Mississauga Half Marathon course (somehow, C and I ended up running an extra 600m loop).
The plan of attack was to run easy for the first bit and then to run the last 60-80 minutes at race pace. After discussion with the ladies who I normally run with, we discovered that there were two race paces, the 6:28 min/km that C and I were prescribed and the 6:40 min/km that CH and N had. Thus a strategy discussion took place between C and I (and some early morning math!) and we decided to hit up the last 13k at race pace.
While it started out seemingly cold and rainy, it actually ended up being the perfect morning to run. We started out easy and before long, we were running along the U of T Mississauga campus and close to 6k. C told me that "the hill" (the one and only true hill in the course) was coming up soon and so we'd hit race pace after that. We agreed that no matter what, we'd talk after 7k.
7k came and we hadn't hit the hill yet, so we decided to just go for it increasing our pace from about 7 minutes per km to our race pace. It felt easy and I was glad that I had someone to run with who had done the race before because she was very knowledgeable about the course.
KM 1: 7:17
KM 2: 7:13
KM 3: 6:51 (half a GU)
KM 4: 6:49
KM 5: 6:50
KM 6: 6:46 (half a GU)
KM 7: 6:42
KM 8: 6:22
Based on my garmin, we actually hit the hill around 9k. There have been rumblings about the hill in the clinic group for a few weeks, but the consensus from the repeat half marathoners was that if you could run up our training hill, you could do this one no problem. This turned out to be the case for C and I. We put our heads down (figuratively of course) and took the hill in stride (sorry, I love a cheesy pun).
KM 9: 6:41 (2 GU Chomps)
Right after the hill, we saw the next pace group stopped to take off extra layers and take gels etc. C and I didn't stop. It was almost an unspoken agreement. Even when she took off her coat, we keep running along with me holding her water belt while she figured out her garmin and coat. Then, our speediest clinic member came up behind us (he was running a slightly longer course) and congratulated us on actually taking the hill really quickly (then he sped away!).
I was practicing a new fuel strategy on this run as I felt that the full GU's sat a bit heavy in my stomach on the 18k run the previous Sunday. My plan was to fuel every 3k, but to keep my stomach in mind considering the er, bathroom problems I had experienced earlier in the week. I also decided to try the GU chomps and rather liked them.
KM 10: 6:28
KM 11: 6:25
KM 12: 6:18 (one Chomp)
KM 13: 6:27
KM 14: 6:32
I think it was during the 14th kilometer that C and I got a bit mixed up on the map and actually paused for a few seconds before deciding which way to go. The run was going well and my only concern was the fact that I was rapidly running out of water (I had a 10 oz hand held and a 500 mL bottle in a belt). I was taking water every kilometer, making sure my stomach was feeling okay and that I was still sweating. I'm not worried about race day because there will be water on the way and I plan to take advantage of it. The other bothersome thing was the little black "noseeem" bugs that were EVERYWHERE on the water front trail. It was gross! C resorted to running with the map held over her nose and mouth least she take in extra protein along the way. There was also a biker that told us we were running along the wrong side of the road (we run into traffic) and called us "Stupid Effers", but I guess the Easter Bunny wasn't that good to him that morning.
KM 15: 6:25 (half a GU)
KM 16: 6:27
KM 17: 6:15 (I have no idea what made us speed through this part)
KM 18: 6:30
I was planning on taking the final half a GU at this point, but I had no water and I was feeling okay. Based on what happened during the last two kilometers I will be taking it for sure as I needed the boost and I'm sure to have water left.
KM 19: 6:35 (we see our group at the parking lot and just have to run to them!)
KM 20: 6:25
Total: 20KM: 2:12:26, 6:37/km pace
Oh man, I was spent.
SPENT!
I was very tired and very proud! Of course I didn't know how good were were at hitting the race pace in the final 13 or so kilometers (as I wasn't up to mental math at that point), but I knew we had done it pretty bang on! I spoke briefly with Bing as he was checking me in and could barely get any words out telling him that we ran, "20 minutes in 2:12" to which he gave me a crazy look and I just said "You know what I mean."
This run confirmed a lot to me. I'm fully confidant that I'll be RACING the half marathon on May 15th with an actual goal time in mind instead of just aiming to cross the finish line. I'm aware of what a good fuel strategy is for me now (every 3km worked very well as did taking the Chomps in the mid section). Finally, I'm very happy to have run the course because it is a long run down Mississauga Road and that can get very tedious mentally (especially because Bing is quite a fan of twisty routes).
I'm actually still on quite a high from finishing the longest distance run of my life at a great pace (or maybe that's just my tight hamstring talking!).
How did you spend your Easter Sunday morning?
On Sunday, our group headed out to meet at the Sheridan Running Room location to run a practice half marathon route for our long run.
The planned route was 19.4k with the last 15k being the Mississauga Half Marathon course (somehow, C and I ended up running an extra 600m loop).
The plan of attack was to run easy for the first bit and then to run the last 60-80 minutes at race pace. After discussion with the ladies who I normally run with, we discovered that there were two race paces, the 6:28 min/km that C and I were prescribed and the 6:40 min/km that CH and N had. Thus a strategy discussion took place between C and I (and some early morning math!) and we decided to hit up the last 13k at race pace.
While it started out seemingly cold and rainy, it actually ended up being the perfect morning to run. We started out easy and before long, we were running along the U of T Mississauga campus and close to 6k. C told me that "the hill" (the one and only true hill in the course) was coming up soon and so we'd hit race pace after that. We agreed that no matter what, we'd talk after 7k.
7k came and we hadn't hit the hill yet, so we decided to just go for it increasing our pace from about 7 minutes per km to our race pace. It felt easy and I was glad that I had someone to run with who had done the race before because she was very knowledgeable about the course.
KM 1: 7:17
KM 2: 7:13
KM 3: 6:51 (half a GU)
KM 4: 6:49
KM 5: 6:50
KM 6: 6:46 (half a GU)
KM 7: 6:42
KM 8: 6:22
Based on my garmin, we actually hit the hill around 9k. There have been rumblings about the hill in the clinic group for a few weeks, but the consensus from the repeat half marathoners was that if you could run up our training hill, you could do this one no problem. This turned out to be the case for C and I. We put our heads down (figuratively of course) and took the hill in stride (sorry, I love a cheesy pun).
KM 9: 6:41 (2 GU Chomps)
Right after the hill, we saw the next pace group stopped to take off extra layers and take gels etc. C and I didn't stop. It was almost an unspoken agreement. Even when she took off her coat, we keep running along with me holding her water belt while she figured out her garmin and coat. Then, our speediest clinic member came up behind us (he was running a slightly longer course) and congratulated us on actually taking the hill really quickly (then he sped away!).
I was practicing a new fuel strategy on this run as I felt that the full GU's sat a bit heavy in my stomach on the 18k run the previous Sunday. My plan was to fuel every 3k, but to keep my stomach in mind considering the er, bathroom problems I had experienced earlier in the week. I also decided to try the GU chomps and rather liked them.
KM 10: 6:28
KM 11: 6:25
KM 12: 6:18 (one Chomp)
KM 13: 6:27
KM 14: 6:32
I think it was during the 14th kilometer that C and I got a bit mixed up on the map and actually paused for a few seconds before deciding which way to go. The run was going well and my only concern was the fact that I was rapidly running out of water (I had a 10 oz hand held and a 500 mL bottle in a belt). I was taking water every kilometer, making sure my stomach was feeling okay and that I was still sweating. I'm not worried about race day because there will be water on the way and I plan to take advantage of it. The other bothersome thing was the little black "noseeem" bugs that were EVERYWHERE on the water front trail. It was gross! C resorted to running with the map held over her nose and mouth least she take in extra protein along the way. There was also a biker that told us we were running along the wrong side of the road (we run into traffic) and called us "Stupid Effers", but I guess the Easter Bunny wasn't that good to him that morning.
KM 15: 6:25 (half a GU)
KM 16: 6:27
KM 17: 6:15 (I have no idea what made us speed through this part)
KM 18: 6:30
I was planning on taking the final half a GU at this point, but I had no water and I was feeling okay. Based on what happened during the last two kilometers I will be taking it for sure as I needed the boost and I'm sure to have water left.
KM 19: 6:35 (we see our group at the parking lot and just have to run to them!)
KM 20: 6:25
Total: 20KM: 2:12:26, 6:37/km pace
Oh man, I was spent.
SPENT!
I was very tired and very proud! Of course I didn't know how good were were at hitting the race pace in the final 13 or so kilometers (as I wasn't up to mental math at that point), but I knew we had done it pretty bang on! I spoke briefly with Bing as he was checking me in and could barely get any words out telling him that we ran, "20 minutes in 2:12" to which he gave me a crazy look and I just said "You know what I mean."
This run confirmed a lot to me. I'm fully confidant that I'll be RACING the half marathon on May 15th with an actual goal time in mind instead of just aiming to cross the finish line. I'm aware of what a good fuel strategy is for me now (every 3km worked very well as did taking the Chomps in the mid section). Finally, I'm very happy to have run the course because it is a long run down Mississauga Road and that can get very tedious mentally (especially because Bing is quite a fan of twisty routes).
I'm actually still on quite a high from finishing the longest distance run of my life at a great pace (or maybe that's just my tight hamstring talking!).
How did you spend your Easter Sunday morning?
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Better now
Then three weeks from now.
This past week, I caught a slight bug which caused me an upset stomach for three days. This means I missed our last hill training night (9 hills) and an easy run on Thursday. While I felt pretty darn guilty about missing these runs, I'm glad I focused on my health especially when Bing's email came yesterday and told us that we have done enough work to be able to cross the finish line in three weeks!
Today, I tempted fate and other things and took advantage of the beautiful late morning to run 9.2k. It went very well and I felt really good! I didn't look at my garmin much and ran by feel and clocked the run in at one hour even.
Tomorrow is our long run. We are running 19k and doing the last 15k of the half marathon route. The last 11k is an option to run it at race pace.
I'll be taking the option baring an upset tummy.
21 days!!!!
I'm starting to formulate plans and goals and will share them soon!
This past week, I caught a slight bug which caused me an upset stomach for three days. This means I missed our last hill training night (9 hills) and an easy run on Thursday. While I felt pretty darn guilty about missing these runs, I'm glad I focused on my health especially when Bing's email came yesterday and told us that we have done enough work to be able to cross the finish line in three weeks!
Today, I tempted fate and other things and took advantage of the beautiful late morning to run 9.2k. It went very well and I felt really good! I didn't look at my garmin much and ran by feel and clocked the run in at one hour even.
Tomorrow is our long run. We are running 19k and doing the last 15k of the half marathon route. The last 11k is an option to run it at race pace.
I'll be taking the option baring an upset tummy.
21 days!!!!
I'm starting to formulate plans and goals and will share them soon!
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