Hudson Gazette Article

Here's the article about me that was recently published in the local paper. I find it pretty amazing that she was able to put this together after a 10-minute conversation. Job well done Andrea!

Training recap week #12

Sun 22 Mar - no run today. Took the girls skating then we picked up some breakfast burritos at McD's on the way home. It seems the sausage is a bit spicy for them so I ended up eating more than my share...too bad for me, not. We played outside - it was a gorgeous spring day - and I swept all the winter sand out of our driveway. It actually half-filled the garbage can! I couldn't pick it up afterward, it was so heavy, so I dragged it to the curb. After lunch we played a bit of tennis on the Wii (Chloé is pretty good. She managed to find a way to deliver really fast serves and aced me a few times!). In the evening I stretched and massaged my legs. I'm starting to feel that knot in my shoulder much more.

Mon 23 Mar - no run today. I had my first of a series of sports massages instead. Marie-Eve worked her magic on my shoulder and calves. Felt like a million bucks afterward.

Tue 24 Mar - was supposed to do a Q1 training today but I had to drop off and pick up the girls so I worked through lunch instead. Probably a good thing, my throat is sore. I have been taking echinecea for the last couple of days and I think this is the worst it's been since Sunday evening. I stretched while watching TV tonight.

Wed 25 Mar - Nose is still runny but throat isn't sore anymore. I did my 6x800 Intervals today and I felt stronger than ever. Total 8 km. My heart rate didn't even go past zone 4. I am sure I could have gone faster and did more interval but I have to trust the training plan (according to Jack Daniels) so that I can train another day. I am definitely seeing progress though and during my training today I had visions of beating my PR. That's always a good thing! Afterward I did some core exercises and chin ups and headed back to the office.

Thu 26 Mar - 9 miles race pace today. Felt good, did some AIS calf stretches afterward.

Fri 27 Mar - 7 km TT run today (10 km total).  It was hard to keep myself going at this pace.  I had to play mind games to keep going - 5 minutes to sip of water, 50% done, 60% done, 12 minutes to go, etc.  Funny how these tactics actually work.  You would think I owuld know better, but hey, whatever works.  I was happy I pushed through it at the end.

Sat 28 Mar - no run today.  We had a busy social calendar this weekend so I am not feeling guilty about skipping the long runs this week.

Total weekly mileage : 35 km

Training recap week #11

Sun 15 Mar - Long run today. What a gorgeous day it was. After the girls skating practice, I headed out and intended to do my usual long loop but about 3 km in I crossed a fellow runner and recognized my friend Deon (he is training for the Ottawa half marathon). I asked him if he wanted me to run with him and he welcomed the idea. His usual running partner had other obligations so he couldn't make it. We ran together for about an hour and then I continued on my way. At this point, I decided to do most of my loop in the opposite direction so that I had more downhills at the beginning and uphills at the end. This is more like the Boston course and downhill runs can really take their toll if you are not trained to do them. I ran 25 miles in 4 hours which is a very slow pace but in the end, my thighs really got a good workout. I could also feel the fatigue in my groin area (fast twitch pelvic muscles). After I got home I did some stretching (with the help of my daughters) and enjoyed the rest of the day.

Mon 16 Mar - Legs were a little tender this morning but otherwise okay. I ran my 6x800 intervals without a hitch. I need to stretch more, though. Total 10 km.

Tue 17 Mar - St. Patty's day! We were all dressed in green today. I did a short 6 km race pace run before heading home after a meeting-filled day.

Wed 18 Mar - No run today. Had to work. I stretched for 30 minutes while American Idol was on. They really stretch out those elimination shows to the limit...it must be agonizing for the participants.

Thu 19 Mar - No run again today. Why are these work crunches so poorly timed? I have to get at least my Q2 9 mile race pace run in before Saturday...I read the story about my running in the Hudson Gazette today - it's pretty funny. I'll post it on the blog tomorrow. Tonight I'll at least stretch some more.

Fri 20 Mar - I had time to do a 6mile race pace run today. I felt good to be running again. Tomorrow is the runothon so I'll be stretching tonight.

Sat 21 Mar - I hit the treadmill at 9 am sharp at Physical Park. The first 2 hours went by pretty quick. The treadmill seemed to be topped out at 12km/hour so I couldn't to my intervals but at least I could run just below race pace. I ran the first part at an easy pace and the last 4 miles at race pace to finish up my Q2 training for the week at least. Then it was a break while Eric took to the treadmill. I stretched and ate lunch. At 12:30 Bruno took over while we drew a prize for the donors and then it was my turn again at 2 pm. I ran another 10km and switched off yet again to spend some time with my kids and family who came out to visit us. For the last 45 minutes I cranked out an 8km on a faster machine. I did the last mile at race pace and it felt good even though I had more than 38 km done. Total for the day, 40 km in 3:45. See the comment on the runothon for more detail on how the day went.

Total weekly mileage : 106 km

Run-o-Thon

Saturday March 21st, we will be holding a unique fundraising event for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society hosted by Physical Park Gym in Vaudreuil. Myself and 2 fellow runners will tag team on a treadmill for 8 hours. Drop by the gym to see how far we can run, visit the facilities, make a donation, and maybe you'll win a free membership! Other prizes will be drawn as well.

Come out and support us! We hit the treadmill at 9 am sharp and we will draw the prizes at 5 pm. Hope to see you there!

For more information about Physical Park, you can visit their website : http://www.physicalpark.com/index_english.html

And here's how it went...

What a great day!  We raised over $800 and ran 82.5 km in 8 hours on one treadmill (well sort of..) After about 6 hours of continuous use, our treadmill decided it didn't want to play anymore so we had to use another one...My goal was to run at an easy pace and complete my Q2 training, which I achieved.  I had plenty of time to eat, hydrate, and stretch when I wasn't running so it went pretty smoothly.  Eric was training to improve his speed in the half so he was running a little faster and also used the elevation settings to mix it up a bit.  He ran a little under 90 minutes and covered 17 km.  Bruno, our ultra runner, is a slow and steady guy.  He ran his 25 km and continued on another machine during his "breaks" to cover the entire 42 km marathon distance...All told we raised over $800 today in donations, talked to some great people, and hopefully inspired others by our activity.  This whole event couldn't have happened without the help of my two running buddies who donated their time, and even their money, to make this a success.  A huge thank-you goes out to the staff and members of Physical Park gym who opened their facilities to us and treated us like kings while we were there.  To Victoria and the gang, you are top notch!  I hope we do it again soon... Keep on running ;-)

Training Recap #10

Sun 8 Mar - day of rest today. Went to Rigaud mountain to watch my girls spring skiing lesson. They are wanting to go faster, now. They will be dangerously reckless in no time - reminds me of me when I was their age......

Mon 9 Mar - Intervals today. I felt good. 10 km total. I also got a call from the local paper wanting to run a story (pardon the pun) about my fundraising. This is timely because Physical Park Gym has confirmed that we are a go for a Run-o-thon on March 21st! (check out the separate post for this event). One of the questions Andrea from the Gazette asked me got me thinking I should keep track of how much I have raised for the LLS from one marathon to another. And the tally for Disney, San Diego and Vancouver (as of today) is $14,676. Then she asked me if I was proud of myself. My answer is no. I can do more. We can do more...we can beat this disease. Just think of the power if just one or two people around you start to do something to make a difference. I want to be able to say I was part of a movement that actually made a difference - that beat cancer in my lifetime! Then I'll be proud. But that's just me. What makes you proud? What inspires you? Find that inspiration, and run with it (another unintended pun). Keep on runnning ;)

Tue 10 Mar - 3 miles race pace. Total 5km. This was a good running day, followed by some stretching, core exercises and 2 sets of chinups. I feel invigorated after a workout like today. I also booked all my massage sessions pre- and post-marathons in advance (I am looking forward to these deep-tissue sessions as they really make a difference). I read conflicting opinions about the best time for a massage after a marathon. Some say it is best right after - hence the massage stations at most events, while others say it is better to wait a couple of days before working on the muscle. Having done both, I must say I recovered faster when I waited before getting a massage. Although, it didn't do any harm (I suppose) when I had my shoulder worked on immediately after a marathon. My poor form sometimes causes me to develop a knot in my left trapezius muscle after a long run which can be compounded during high mileage weeks.

Wed 11 Mar - no run today, too many meetings at work. I hate missing runs - wish I didn't have to work. No, that's not true, I wish my work consisted of running...for the next few weeks I have to run 5 of 7 days to get my mileage is up, this might be problematic if work continues to cut into my lunch hours, or rather, run hours...Maybe I'll suggest we have these meetings at the gym...yeah, like that will ever happen. Keep on running ;)

Thu 12 Mar - Well I managed to get in half a run between meetings today (4.5 miles race pace). I felt strong, so that's good. I didn't have time for a shower so off I went in the metro after towelling off and changing back into my suit. I didn't put my jacket or coat on and I rolled up my sleeves. Even so, within a few minutes I must have looked like I was having a heart attack ; my cheeks were flushed, and sweat was pouring down my face, arms, and back. Must have been some sight. Anyway, small price to pay. I'll try to make up the race pace mileage tomorrow if I feel up to it after my threshold run....

Fri 13 Mar - TT run 6km + 1 mile race pace. 10km total. It was not easy to do these back to back ave. HR 144 bpm.

Sat 14 Mar - no run today. I took the girls to ballet and stretched while I waited.

Total weekly mileage : 33 km

Training recap #9

Sun 1 Mar - No run today. need the rest. Slept another 12 hours last night. The throat is still sore but I am no longer feverish.

Mon 2 Mar - Intervals today. I felt much better doing the 6x800m. I think the cold is beat, again. Total 10km today.

Tue 3 Mar - Cross-training today. Went free skating with the girls. I purposely work my adductors because they are somewhat neglected during all that running training.

Wed 4 Mar - 9 miles Race Pace today. I was home so I ran this training segment for the first time outside and in the Hudson area (lots of hills). I managed a 7:53 average pace despite the hills. My pace should be 7:26, so this was a bit slow but I am happy with my run today.

Thu 5 Mar - No run today. It is my sweetheart's bday. We went skating on the Rideau canal in Ottawa. Lucky for us - it was the last day the canal was open, and we didn't even know.

Fri 6 Mar - I was supposed to run a tempo run today but was too busy with meetings at work. My glutes are a little sore from skating yesterday.

Sat 7 Mar - Long run today. 17 miles. I should have run 27 today but my knee was feeling a little funky so I decided not to push it. It was a beautiful spring day and I headed out at 7 am. I was alone on the road. Only a car here and there. About 7 miles into my run I saw a dead fox lying frozen in a snowbank. This got me thinking about how lonely people can be and how terrible it must be to fight a disease like cancer when you are alone. On Thursday, I intended to meet with an old high school friend to pick up some DVDs she is donating to help me fundraise. Unfortunately she is also battling cancer and was not feeling well enough to meet me that day. Seeing the fox made me wonder if she is alone in her fight. I will have to reach out to her. It is thoughts like these that keep me running. For you see, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society offers help to individuals and families fighting blood cancers so that they don't have to be alone. I thought about her and all the others who need our help for the rest of my run, well almost. The last 2 miles were hill sprint repeats so I was pretty concentrated on my form and breathing as I sprinted up the hill. Keep on running ;)

Total weekly mileage : 52 km

Training recap #8

Sun 22 Feb - Long run today. It was about -5C when I headed out the door at 7 a.m. this morning, and it wasn't dark out! Wow, that makes such a difference on the motivation.

I started down the street and decided on my itinerary. I had taken off the studs from my shoes last night but the roads we pretty clear so traction wasn't a problem. I decided I would add a couple out and backs to my 30 km loop to bring my distance up to 38 km. As I headed down Main road toward the ferry, it started to snow. Not a big snowfall but just a fine steady flow. At my turnaround, the roads were getting covered, but not enough to merit studs. About an hour into my run, I passed the rendez-vous point for the Hudson runners club (now known as Hudson Athletic club) and saw them getting ready to head out. I had spoken with Bryan earlier in the week and we needed to touch base to get the Hudson Harrier Race organized, so I decided to run with them for a bit. I knew they weren't out for a very long run so it would be fun to run with the group for a little while and then continue on my own.

We headed toward Sandy Beach and ran in the trail network of Hudson for about 10km. I had no idea the trails would be so compacted as to permit us to run on them in the middle of winter. I guess with all the dog walkers, they are pretty well used year-round. We crossed at least a dozen dogs and walkers throughout that jaunt and the network is so different in the winter. There were some sections that looked really foreign to me, even though I had been through them many times in the summer and fall. Anyway, I could have used my studs there for sure...The group had spread out and two fellows I was running with had a faster pace than me on the road segments (I was doing a long run and they were doing a 10k pace run). It was not as noticeable on the trails, but on the road they took a few 10 second walk breaks while I caught back up. I was tempted to run faster but that was not the purpose of my training today - and I had to stay on plan, as much as I could anyway. I did end up running the entire 10 km with that group faster than I should have, but definitely not as fast as I could have. I guess that is sort of okay.

When we reached their rendez-vous point again, I said my good-byes and continued on my way. I had 12 miles to go. Now that I was out of the trails, I did notice the wind had picked up and it was snowing more as well. I was regretting not having my studs, even on the roads. I decided I would stick to Main road instead of running through the horse country of St-Lazare.

12 miles seemed like such a long distance to go at this point and I was not to keen on the conditions but I kept on. I had to concentrate on my footing and my legs were starting to get tired. I passed the Nichoir bird rescue. It was one of the checkpoints of the Harrier race that people had a hard time finding. I will have to make it more obvious next time...I ran by the house that burned down and the owners had abandoned because their insurance company refused to settle. Apparently the insurers told them to leave everything in the house until the investigation was completed, and in the meantime, it has been burglarized - that sucks. It's a second-hand story but thinking about it passes the time. I took my time down the steep hill to the railway crossing, making sure not to slip and I thought it will be quite an experience coming back up later. I passed Thomson Park where I took the girls kite flying the summer before. I passed Finnigan's market - It was nothing but a white field now but in the summer it is a busy spot on Saturday mornings - you don't want to run around here during that time. I then passed the current small town news story. A Mexican billionaire is having a waterfront mansion built and people are complaining the fence at the front of the property us unsightly, blocks the water views, and is contributing to light pollution. Although I can't say I like the architectural influences of this property, it is a huge lot and the house (if you can call it that) does not seem oversized on the lot. Personally, I would have sited it more setback from the road. As for the fence, I see nothing wrong with 4 foot high mason pillars about 16 feet apart with wrought iron fencing in between. Each pillar has a decorative light on it. The view is not really obstructed - you should see some of the walls surrounding houses in France and South America! I guess the problem stems from the fact that the property is so big that there are 40 such pillars making up the property frontage! I reach the Hudson town limit and continue past Montée Lavigne into Rigaud. I want to see the condo development called Hudson Club that is located here. At this point, I turn around and head back home. A snow plow passes so I decide to run on the cleared side of the road. It is much easier. This time, I use the landmarks I passed on the way out as a type of countdown to my final stretch home. As I crest the killer hill back to the burned house, I am looking forward to being home. I drink some Ultima and chew on a few Sharkies. Then I pick up the pace down the slight hill toward town centre. There is much more traffic and I have to move over to the side every few seconds to leave room for the oncoming cars. I turn up Cameron and mentally prepare myself for the hills that are ahead. I do my hill sprints on the next 5 hills and feel the burn in my legs. As I walk the last 200 metres to my house, I realize I probably overdid it today. 22 miles. Not so much the disctance, but the conditions and the pace during the trail run portion. I hope it doesn't hamper my next week's training.

Mon 23 Feb - Sore quads today. I decide I will be better served to do my Q1 training on Tuesday instead.

Tue 24 Feb - Interval runs today. 6x800 metres. I was a bit stiff this morning but after my warmup, I had a spring in my step and was good to go. I was comfortable at this speed today. The treadmill is almost at it's max speed and I comfortably maintain it for the entire half mile intervals. Total 10 km.

Wed 25 Feb - Had to stay home from work today - Chloé has an ear infection. My cross-training consisted of shovelling the driveway and moving boxes in the basement. I make a killer chilli for my post-workout lunches this week - yum! I also had a fundraising meeting at the local gym that was very promising. Stay tuned for some interesting news.

Thu 26 Feb - Brent Butt loves chili cheese-dogs (for those of you who watch Corner Gas). I can assure you, Brent Butt is not a runner! I had chili for dinner last night and today was a 9 mile race pace run. By the time I hit 4 miles, my stomach cramps were so bad, I had to take 10-second walk breaks every 5 minutes or so to help get rid of some gas...thank god there were no other runners around me. Needless to say the next 5 miles of my run were quite an undertaking and I suffered through my workout. By the time I finished, I stretched for about 15 minutes (by the way, the Downward Facing Dog can be a pretty embarassing pose when you are gassy). I headed back to my office after a quick shower and then the chills hit me. It seems that I caught some kind of bug (from my daughter, I suppose). For the rest of the afternoon and into the evening I felt like crap. I guess that also explains why my run today seemed so diffucult - I really had no energy at all. Tomorrow is another day - Hope I am up to it.

Fri 27 Feb - 6 km TT run today. Still not 100% but better than yesterday. Total 10km with warm up cool down and easy segment.

Sat 28 Feb - Slept 12 hours last night. I need rest. I am still under the weather so this weekend will be about recovery. no running today.

Total weekly mileage : 69.5 km