Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Mileage chart



















Here is my weekly mileage chart. I will update this chart every couple of weeks.


There were a few tough weeks making it difficult to stick to plan because of some huge snow dumps and end of year deliverables at work but I'm back on track now....a few more weeks of strength training to go and then the speed work starts.




18 April update - started running on the mountain during weekdays again. It is great to be outside on the trails but still a bit messy with the run off. So many people outdoors just trying to make the best of the warm weather this week. Spring fever is definitely in the air!

9 May update - The endurance phase is completed and I started speed training last week. It is difficult to go faster than my marathon goal pace (MGP) - but I like the challenge - especially outside on the mountain trails. I will start incorporating distances of MGP in my long runs during the taper phase...I missed a total of one day's distance last week because I had to bring my daughter to the hospital - she had stiches but is fine now - a real trooper. It is hard to make up distance in such high mileage weeks - oh well, plans are plans (they change). My new mantra is "just keep running, just keep running!" - Thank you Dory from Finding Nemo.

3 June update - Well there it is. 2 marathons in 2 weeks. What an adventure! I felt strong throughout the San Diego course and even had negative splits (if I exclude the time I spent waiting and looking for my running partner - we got split up at the water station at mile 22 and never found each other again until the finish). It was a gorgeous morning and became very hot after the morning cloudcover burned away. I didn't drink enough during those last 4 miles and paid for it after the race was over. About twenty minutes after we were done, I got up to go to the washroom and nearly passed out! A check of my pulse indicated my blood pressure was low so a salt packet helped restore some electrolytes. It wasn't exhaustion because my pulse was normal. So I just lay on the ground for a while with my legs elevated anf restored some color to my face. It is a horrible feeling to see the world around you just go dark and there is nothing you can do about it. Back at the hotel I soaked in a cold bath and took a nap after lunch and I was in top shape for the victory party!


14 July update - Recovery training is complete. Back in training mode for the Montreal marathon in 62 days. Focus will be on improving speed once again this time. I would love to break the 3 hour barrier..Yesterday's long run went really well (27km) followed by short duration hill sprint repeats (8). Despite the pouring rain, I felt strong the whole way.

20 August update - Base and Strength training are completed and the start of speed training coincided with my vacation down south. Boy was it hot! It was hard to run outdoors and also to find a decent time during our vacation routine to put in some long runs. I still managed to run on seven of the ten planned training days but the total mileage was not there. That's ok, at least I got great weather during this time off!

28 September Update - Fourth marathon this year! See my entry entitled "Redemption" for details. The next couple of weeks will be recovery and then I'll focus on strength training while maintaining a mileage base before starting a specific program in preparation for Boston in the spring.

6 January Update - So that's it! 2008 will be remembered as the year I completed 4 marathons and logged over 2,100 kms! After Montreal, I really cut down on the running but still tried to get out three times a week to maintain a base. By December I had a new training plan and was focussing on Jack Daniel's Threshold Pace and Race Pace runs. I look forward to 2009 with hopefully at least another three marathons. Thanks to all those who encouraged me to keep running this past year!

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Welcome to my-SANA

Hi there and welcome to my new blog nicknamed SANA.
I chose this name because it means "sound" or "healthy" in latin.

Why SANA?
I wanted a place to share my thoughts and experiences on my journey to achieving a balanced SANA in my life - a healthy body, mind, and spirit.

Although I have been healthy my entire life, my journey consciously began in 2003 when I was uncomfortable with my weight and started exercising more regularly - with a purpose.

In the summer of 2005, I decided I would complete a marathon before my fourtieth birthday and this is where my training became focussed on running. Today, I have completed several marathons and my objective is to qualify for Boston by 2010. I have lost more than 30 pounds and have reached my target weight. I feel good and have never been in better physical shape in my entire life.

So that is the BODY part - What about the MIND? My journey is also one of education and awareness. I am learning how to train properly to achieve performance and avoid injury. I am learning about nutrition and the effects of foods on my training. I am also learning about the causes I support in my running. Lately, I have also began to share this knowledge through my newsletters and within my network.

And for the SPIRIT, I am running for a reason. I support causes when I run. I feel a social responsibility to improve this world we live in. My fundraising for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (http://www.active.com/donate/tntmon/pressoir) motivates me to keep training and to reach new levels, I have a sense of accomplishment knowing that the funds I have raised are improving the lives of those who are battling blood cancers and also helping the brightest researchers in their quest to find a cure.

So that's it. My blog will surely evolve over time as my SANA journey progresses; as I set new goals, reach new heights, hit some plateaus and forks in the road. My SANA is a journey - not a destination. I hope you enjoy sharing this journey with me and I look forward to hearing stories about your own SANA journey.

Take care,

Patrick

Monday, March 10, 2008

March Newsletter

RUNNING FOR A REASON / COURIR POUR UNE CAUSE

March/mars 2008



Training chronicles


Spring has sprung, or has it?


The days are getting longer and warmer…

Lately, when I step out the door for my Sunday morning runs, it is still pitch black outside, but within thirty minutes, the sun rises, and quickly. I no longer need my lights once I hit the halfway mark, and sometimes the low sun is almost blinding when it shines just above the tree line.

For three weeks now, my routine of prepping the night before my long runs has failed me. On Saturday night, I listen to the weather forecast and lay out the appropriate gear based on that information. These past few weeks, the forecast has been warmer weather and for highs in the plus range. As a result, I forego the mid-layer and only have the base layer under my windbreaker. My tuque is replaced by my Team in Training ball cap and I switch my FuelBelt from the inside to the outside of my jacket.

The problem is that the range in temperature variation is also getting larger. When I start out my runs, it is still wintery cold. So cold that my fingers get numb within minutes, my IPod earphone wires get rigid and the buds keep falling out of my ears, and my Gatorade freezes solid in the bottle within 30 minutes…on the other hand, by the time I reach the 20 km mark, my core temperature is high enough that my fingertips are actually releasing vapour through my gloves and I have to unzip my jacket a little bit. On the home stretch, I am doing my hill sprints in spring like conditions, the snowy roads are starting to feel a little slushy under my feet, and the birds are chirping away as if they are cheering for me on my dashes up Fairhaven hill.

So this week I learned my lesson, the FuelBelt stayed inside my jacket and I brought my sunglasses along for the eastbound leg of my run. Now it is just a question of time before the sweet smell of spring also appears…


Cancer bytes


Leukemia is the general term used to describe four different types of blood cancers. The ways that individuals with leukemia are affected and treated and the rate at which the disease progresses, are different with each type of leukemia. The different disease-types are called:


Fun facts


The origins of the marathon – excerpts from Wikipedia


The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometers (26 miles 385 yards) that is usually run as a road race. The event is named after the fabled run of the Greek soldier Pheidippides, a messenger from the Battle of Marathon to Athens.

Pheidippides, a Greek soldier, was sent from the town of Marathon to Athens to announce that the Persians had been defeated. It is said that he ran the entire distance without stopping and burst into the Senate, exclaiming "Νενικήκαμεν" (Nenikékamen, 'We have won') before collapsing and dying of exhaustion.[2]

When the idea of a modern Olympics became a reality at the end of the 19th century, the initiators and organizers were looking for a great popularizing event, recalling the ancient glory of Greece. The idea of organizing a marathon race came from Michel Bréal, who wanted the event to feature in the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 in Athens.

The length of a marathon was not fixed at first, since the only important factor was that all athletes competed on the same course. In 1924, the length of the standard marathon then became standardized at 42.195 km (26 miles 385 yards or 26 732 miles).


Research corner

March 4, 2008 (Research Reports) -


Fundraising / Levée de fonds


Ultima

En partenariat avec Aérobie Spa Gym et Planet Foods, je vends maintenant du Ultima Sports Recovery drink. C’est le parfait breuvage pour après l’entraînement – sans sucre et plein d’électrolytes. Faites le plein avec ULTIMA. SVP m’appeler pour en commander (disponible en sachets individuels et en contenants de 30 et 90 portions).


P.I.N.K.

Les bijoux P.I.N.K. sont également disponibles. Offrez un beaux bracelet à quelqu’un et supportez la cause en même temps. SVP me contacter pour en savoir plus sur les différents modèles disponibles.




Donating / Comment Faire un Don

There are 3 ways to make a donation:

· Online by credit card on my secure web site: : http://www.active.com/donate/tntmon/Pressoir

· By credit card by faxing the enclosed donation form to 514.875.2657 to the attention of: Janet Lough

· By mail, send a check payable to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada along with enclosed donation form to the following address::

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada – Montréal Branch

Attn: Janet Lough 1255 University, Suite 1608

MTL, QC H3B 3X2

Pour effectuer un don 3 options vous sont offertes :

· Par carte de crédit sur mon site web sécuritaire : http://www.active.com/donate/tntmon/Pressoir

· Par carte de crédit en faxant le formulaire de don ci-joint au 514.875.2657 à l’attention de : Janet Lough

· Par la poste en faisant parvenir un chèque à l’ordre de La Société de leucémie et lymphome du Canada accompagné du formulaire ci-joint à l’adresse suivante :

La Société de leucémie et de lymphome du Canada – Montréal Branch

Attn: Janet Lough 1255 rue Université,

Suite 1608

MTL, QC H3B 3X2



Contact info :

Patrick Pressoir

514-873-7414

www.active.com/donate/tntmon/Pressoir

Sunday, March 2, 2008

February Newsletter


RUNNING FOR A REASON /

COURIR POUR UNE CAUSE

February/février 2008

Training chronicles

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

While some would say we have been blessed with a great ski and snowboarding season, others have different perceptions of the tonnes of snow that have fallen since mid-December. Needless to say, while the days have not been that cold, running in that slushy mushy stuff has been challenging.

Sunday morning runs are always outdoors. I usually start out and head down to the waterfront, it is pitch black at 6 a.m. I often see deer, rabbits, the occasional fox, and the habitual dogs that are behind their electric fences that greet me with barks and follow me along their perimeters. Most of my little friends are puzzled about this bobbing light coming at them (I wear a bright white LED light on my right wrist to alert oncoming traffic of my presence – if they don’t give me enough room or don’t slow down, I aim it right at the driver – but I digress). We’ll keep that thought for another story…

Running in the snow is really not that bad. The trick is to find a route that is cleared regularly enough and stick to it (If I ran more often in Montreal in winter, I would digress again here about road clearing, but I have been well served in Hudson). I am convinced my route follows the snow plow’s. What is difficult is running at speed in slippery conditions. The worst thing that could happen is to slip and over-compensate to stay upright. This happened to me a couple of years ago and I pulled a muscle in my groin…youch! It has been tender ever since and I consciously take smaller strides in slippery conditions to avoid a recurrence. So shorter strides means a slower pace – unless you increase your tempo, or foot turnover rate. This is actually good training to increase your speed. Also, you have to be sure of your footing. So I spend most of my time looking at my feet while running in the snow. The other day I was running downtown on De Maisonneuve near La Grande Bibliothèque on what is supposed to be a year-round bike path (oh, but I digress yet again..) Anyway, despite the fact that I was taking shorter strides AND watching my footing, I stepped on what I thought was a slushy mass only to see my foot roll and feel a sharp pain in my left ankle. I was about halfway into my 10k run and was pretty warmed up so I kept on running on it. The pain subsided after about five minutes so I kept going. Not too bad - Need to be more careful, I said to myself. It didn’t swell or anything and is fine today. That was a close one. Can’t take anything for granted in the snow…

I usually finish my long runs with hill sprint repeats. I sprint up a steep hill as fast as I could for about 10 seconds and then slowly walk back down and start over. With gravity working against me, it is supposed to increase my speed in race conditions. Add a slushy road and it makes for a potential disaster. On two occasions, I’ve had to forego the hill repeats and just do wind sprints on a cleared stretch of road. The training value is a bit less but it is worth it to avoid injury.

After a run, I make sure to clean any slush off my shoes and let them air dry. Salt can wreak havoc on shoes so it is important to not let the calcium stay on too long.

So that’s it. Not to bad at all. As a matter of fact, there is something to be said for seeing your tracks in the fresh snow on a Sunday morning – on a road where there are no other tracks at all. It’s kind of a zen thing; like you are the first person in this uncharted territory and you are charged with blazing a trail – and then the snow plow comes around the bend…











Research byte

February 12, 2008 (Research Reports) –

Gene Therapy Protocol Activates Immune System in Patients with Leukemia, Study Shows

A research team reports that patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) who were treated with a gene therapy protocol began making antibodies that reacted against their own leukemia cells. Read more


















Fundraising / Levée de fonds

Ultima

En partenariat avec Aérobie Spa Gym et Planet Foods, je vends maintenant du Ultima Sports Recovery drink. C’est le parfait breuvage pour après l’entraînement – sans sucre et plein d’électrolytes. Faites leplein avec ULTIMA. SVP m’appeler pour en commander (disponible en sachets individuels et en contenants de 30 et 90 portions).

P.I.N.K.

Les bijoux P.I.N.K. sont également disponibles. Offrez un beaux bracelet à quelqu’un et supportez la cause en même temps. SVP me contacter pour en savoir plus sur les différents modèles disponibles.


Donating / Comment Faire un Don

There are 3 ways to make a donation:

  • Online by credit card on my secure web site: : http://www.active.com/donate/tntmon/Pressoir

    • By credit card by faxing the enclosed donation form to 514.875.2657 to the attention of: Janet Lough

    • By mail, send a check payable to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada along with enclosed donation form to the following address::

    • The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada – Montréal Branch

      Attn: Janet Lough 1255 University, Suite 1608

      MTL, QC H3B 3X2

Pour effectuer un don 3 options vous sont offertes :

  • Par carte de crédit sur mon site web sécuritaire :http://www.active.com/donate/tntmon/Pressoir

    • Par carte de crédit en faxant le formulaire de don ci-joint au 514.875.2657 à l’attention de : Janet Lough

    • Par la poste en faisant parvenir un chèque à l’ordre de La Société de leucémie et lymphome du Canada accompagné du formulaire ci-joint à l’adresse suivante :

    La Société de leucémie et de lymphome du Canada – Montréal Branch

    Attn: Janet Lough 1255 rue Université,

    Suite 1608

    MTL, QC H3B 3X2






Contact info :

Patrick Pressoir

514-873-7414

www.active.com/donate/tntmon/Pressoir



Running for a Reason 1

Ed. février 2008