Wild Wednesday

August 18 2004
Time: 6:30pm
Place Running Room (Outremont)
Group leader Dimitra
On the menu: Interval
Total mileage: 12km

Weather low 20s humidity factor 5 on 10
How I felt before slightly tired but ready to run
What I wore, Orange run tank, Nike shorts, wright sock and Nimbus V

Jogged from Running Room west past OHS down cote sainte catherine to 1km loop
Ran the 1km loop in line formation whereby everyone jogged and the last person in the line sprinted to the top the line. Then ran the 400m loop 1 slow 2 fast 2 slow 1 fast 1 slow 1 fast 1 slow

Ran the first sprint too hard and paid for it dearly in the middle. Once I stopped for a break at the end of the drill one a guy (Iron man) and myself sprinted all the way back to the store. That felt great 2-3km sprint.

Pretty wild considering I sprinted hard at the beginning, pretty much died in the middle
In the end my quads were slightly stiff.

Concerns: My hamstrings are becoming larger than my quads, I have to work the quads out.

Tumultuous Tuesday

August 17 2004
Time: 5:30pm
Place MAA gym led by Dorys
Weather mid 20s
humidity factor 6 on 10

How I felt prior. left shin/ankle flaring up sporadically.

Path from Gym around the park up the trail to the start of the 1km loop
On the menu: 4 seven minue pieces at 85% effort (speed that you would be able to maintain for a half hour run) 3 minute rest inbetween each piece.

First lap was completed at: 4:38 Second at 4:51. Don't remember 3rd. Final was at 4:50
There were segments of each lap which seemed reallly difficult and some segments that were too easy. The shin/ankle injury mitigated my speed work. I was last in the field to complete.

How I felt afterward, Good and strong. The hard run allowed my body for find its natural rhythm.

Concern: If only it didn't take an half hour of hard running to get me warmed up.

Survival Sunday

Sunday August 14 2004
Time 7:30am
Place: Running Room in Outremont
Weather 13 degrees humidity factor 3 on 10
at the end: mid 20s humidity factor 5 on 10

How I felt before: Pain in left ankle was still present.
What I ate: Banana and yogust
What I was wearing Insight Run tank, Nike run shorts and Asic Nimbus V
Distance 29km
Path: Store down to old port West waterfountain on the path toward Lachine Canal cross bridge and return. Cut through Atwater market up to Sherbrooke down to Parc and stopped at the Statue at Mont Royal park

Pace 6min km no faster. Kept pace with the group. Practiced 10 and 1.
Easy pace I was talking with the other runners. It's funny I'm looked at like a veteran runner by older people and the run leaders themselves.

Time run 3:30. Actual time elasped 4:30 (approx)
At the start my ankle was still stiff so I did was not sure if I was going to run this distance. The stiffness was manageable as I did not push the pace.
Ran with 2 new people who never ran more than 10km. The both dropped out and took metro home. One at the 20km mark and the other at the 25km mark

I actually convinced a guy how important pacing was. Once he witnessed the other 2 runners drop out He thanked me for pacing him. He is used to running faster but by conserving energy early it enabled him to successfully complete with the temperature became hotter and more humid.

I wanted to run faster but I did not early for fear of injury and could not later as the heat drained me.

Concerns: 10 and 1 approach drains so much energy in the later stages. What will I do on race day.

Stopped at the park and walked back. As I was walked, the legs were becoming increasingly stiff with each step I was really hungry at the 25km mark. What strategy should I follow for the race on the big day?

Sad Saturday

August 14 2004
Time 10am
Weather 20 degrees
Humdit factor 4/10
Path, MAA to Lafontaine 2 loops and back
How I felt before: Slightly tired from Thursday's practice
Distance: 12km

What I ate before, yogurt banana
Pace: brutal

Fatigue and an unknown pain from my originating from my left ankle relegated what was to be an easy run into a tough effort.

Not wanting to aggravate this pain, for Sunday's long run I ran slowly and could not for the duration of the outing find my rhythm and regular pace. Breathing was irregular and heart rate shot up fast despite the slow speed.

Time to completion 1.5 hours. Rest break every 10min breaks became progessively longer as the session progressed. Running faster to establish a rhythm did not help as fatigue overwhelmed me.

Barely stretched, hit the shower and went home. Was famished and extremely tired.