Training recap #7

Sun 15 Feb - Gorgeous day today. Ran home from the girls skating lesson this morning (I took the long way). I concentrated yet again on maintaining my cadence throughout the run. I was going up a hill when a fellow runner came up from behind me and tapped me on the shoulder. We exchanged a few pleasantries and then he went ahead. About a kilometre up the road, at the crest of the hill, he stopped to stretch his quads. I motored by and waved. About a kilometre further a car passed me and I noticed the back wheels were locked. I waved to the driver to stop. She pulled over on a side street and waited for me to run up to her. I told her that her back wheels were locked and that she must have her hand brake on. She tried releasing the brake and we tested to see if the wheel disengaged but no luck. I checked to see if the other rear wheel was locked as well - it wasn't. I told her she shouldn't drive any more on it because it will be a matter of time before she got a flat. She called her husband to come get her. I then left and returned to my route. The fellow runner had passed again but he seemed to be going slower this time. I resumed my cadence and rapidly gained ground. I cut the 100m distance between us within a half kilometre - exchanged pleasantries yet again and headed back up another hill. I now am about halfway through the loop back to the arena. This week the roads were clear so I didn't wear my studded shoes. I felt much lighter on my feet and it was nice to be on clean pavement again.

About a half-hour later I ran by the arena and commenced my second lap of the loop. Funny thing about doing the same loop twice - you notice things you had seen the first time but didn't really pay much attention to. Funny thing about late winter is that as the snow melts, all sorts of "treasures" come to the surface of the snow. I must have seen about five beer bottles at various points on the route. There was also a particular can I had to avoid. The first time around I thought it was a Pepsi can and paid no mind to it. This time around, I could see the script was the same as Pepsi can but it wasn't written Pepsi. It was something else that had a "P" but I didn't stop to read what it was. This got me thinking about when I was a kid and we used to buy these stickers at the candy store that came in a package like baseball cards with that stick of gum inside. I may me dating myself here, but it wasn't a cellophane plastic wrap back then, but rather a type of waxed paper that was used to wrap the cards and gum (boy I loved that gum). Anyway these stickers were of all sorts of funny (and gross) products that were mockeries of regular around the house type goods - worms in cereal boxes, monster toothpaste, blood pudding, etc. Seeing this non-Pepsi can made me think of these cards and the smell and taste of that gum we loved so much. Anyway, I was now almost right back where that fellow runner had passed me and I started to wonder if that lady had her car towed. I crested the hill and there it was...The towing crew was there and so was another car, her husband's I am guessing. I had originally stopped to help her over an hour ago and she was still there - that sucks. Anyway, I had 5 km left to go and it was all downhill from here. As I turned onto my street, I did about 5 strides of 10 seconds each and turned into my driveway. I ran for two and a half hours and I felt great.

I originally wanted to do another run this afternoon, after the girls ski lesson, but my parents came out for a visit so it will be a one-run day (25 km).

Mon 16 Feb - Intervals today 6x800m. They went really well this week. Much better than last. Total 10k with warm up and cool down included.

Tue 17 Feb - Cross training today. Did 20 minutes rowing, 3 sets of chinups (7,6,6), core exercises and stretching. Felt invigorated afterward.

Wed 18 Feb - Race pace run today (7 miles) total 12 km. Average HR 142 bpm. Felt comfortable at this pace today.

Thu 19 Feb - Day off today. Worked through lunch to get home and have supper with my girls.

Fri 20 Feb - TT run (6 km) total 10 km with warm up and cool down.

Sat 21 Feb - Decided to not run today.  I will run on Sunday instead - no skating lessons.  Spent the day de-cluttering the basement after the renovations.

Total weekly mileage : 57 km