Run Vegan Run

The training is in full swing. I've signed up for the Scotiabank 1/2 in Vancouver at the end of June. Incidentally, the run is on the same day my family arrives from Montreal and N.B., so I can run the event and then head to the airport to pick them up. That worked out well.

I feel motivated more than ever right now.

The sun was shining when I left work, and the air was cool. It was a good night for a run. I changed as soon as I got home and headed up that hill. No matter what way I go, once I leave the house, I have to either go up a steep hill or down it. To start my run I'd rather go up. It's a decent climb and nothing to take lightly. Tonight when I started up the hill, I looked at the path ahead and the hill looked almost completely flat. It didn't look like a climb at all. For the first time I felt like I had overcome the mental block of running up the hill and subsequently my body seemed to hurt less. I knew it would be work, but I knew I could run up it and would be able to again and again. Facing obstacles head on seems to be the lesson of the day. Let's see if I can apply that to my non-running side of my life.

More Lessons for the Vegan Runner

Sunday I ran with the group again. Earlier in the week, on Wednesday, I had stubbed my toes by running into a packed box. Inside the packed box was some wood and I'm pretty sure I hit the wood and hit it hard. By Thursday morning my toes were a lovely shade of purple and quite swollen. I hobbled around work. Friday was better. I still had some swelling, but I continued to ice and noticed that the colour was much improved. By Sunday I was somewhat apprehensive since I wasn't certain how long I could run on bruised toes.

18 k was the planned distance. I had really hoped for a nice 16k or something, but no 18 k was the plan. There would be a lot of trail on the route so that was good. Once again I went with the plan to run as far as I could. I tried keeping pace with the front group and was doing okay. I noticed that S. was lagging back a bit and it sounded like he might have a bit of a cold. Normally, I'd keep pace with him, but I decided to run my own run. I was at the back of the pack, but doing okay.

I chatted a bit with one of the runners. He and I caught up while we ran. Once we entered the trail I felt okay for a little while and then it hit me. The wall. I said to my running partner just as we exited the first half of the trail, "I think I'm fading." He reminded me that we had just done a significant incline, but I knew I was going to fall back. In no time he was well ahead and I was really starting to fall off the pace.

I ran the second half of the trail tired and struggling. I haven't felt like that in a long, long time.

The group leader had set up the course so at a certain point we'd be close to our finishing spot where we could depart early if we wanted to. I did just that. As much as I wanted to turn right at the corner and keep following the group that were now way out of earshot, I forced myself to go left and finish my run for the day. 14k. Not bad, but not great either.

While I was happy that my foot felt fine and hadn't caused me any discomfort, I was disappointed in not being able to go the distance. I'm so unprepared for this next half marathon. I know, I know I've said that before, but it's true. I've been taking my training too lightly since I stopped training for marathons and now I can't keep pace. That was lesson #1. Lesson #2 was, "uh, remember sharkies?" You need to refuel. I can't run more than 8 k without some more carbs and electrolytes. One certain way to find that wall and hit it is to not have enough fuel in the tank. I certainly didn't have enough fuel to sustain me.

Yesterday, I went out and ran some hills to start getting myself into shape. I went out for 50 minutes and did nothing but hills. I felt fine. I was a little slower than usual, but I ran those hills. Now I feel like I'm on the right track. I don't think I'll run a PB in the Vancouver half, but at least I'll have enough gas in the tank to finish.

I had a good run last night. I went to the Running Room drop in run again. I was expecting more of the same (fartleks or a steady 5 k run or something), but no hills were on the schedule and a group of about 12 or 13 of us headed out into the night for a warm up run to a nearby park. Once at the park we ran 12 minutes of figure eights up and down the parking lot's gentle hill. The group leader said after our warm up "this is not a social club" and suggested that we run as hard as we could on the hill.

It was cool when we all started out together and then at the top some of the group went right and some went left so we spread out nicely. I moved pretty quickly, but after about 8 minutes I started to slow down and worked on just trying to keep a good pace without giving up.

We ran back to the Running Room for a total of 45 minutes of running. I have no idea how far I went since my watch is a basic one, I can't track distance on it. Anywho...it was a good workout and once again I was just happy to make it out for the run after a full day on my feet at work.

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new and exciting:

(No, not the suspension of Parliament. I'm waiting for the news to come on so I can find out all the juicy details).

I just picked up the new Living Without Magazine and am very excited about the cookie recipes and the article on the 18 best wheat-free flours. Did you know they make cabernet, merlot, chardonnay and reisling flours? It's true. It's made from the "by-products of wine making."

I'm almost through another knitting project. It's so nice to be knitting again. Maybe I'll post some photos soon. I'm a little shy about my knitting projects and besides one might be a gift for someone reading this post so I don't want to spoil the surprise.

I also just discovered Lacey Jane Roberts who created the piece in the photo, We couldn't get in. We couldn't get out. As you can see she's an artist who makes sculpture with yarn.

After seeing some of the art pieces in the WACK exhibit that used yarn to change spaces or create spaces I discovered a whole new area of knitting, crocheting, crafting to appreciate.

love that burn

Running hills was my spontaneous choice today. I have a general guideline of how long I want to run which means I'll run out half the distance and then back. Today I knew some hills were in order.

During my last training session for the Victoria marathon I eased off the hill once I realized I had an injury and then tried to stick with as flat a terrain as possible. Then, once I realized that I was only fit enough for the half-marathon I stuck with my physio and moved to nothing hillier than the trail that rolls up and down, but never gets really hilly.

Today, I tried not to think about the hill as I ran up it. Then my throat started to burn with every breath. I took a short break after four minutes at the top of the first hill and then felt the burn in my lungs as I walked a little more. Once the burning subsided (it really didn't take long) I went at it again. I completed a short loop of just over 4 k. Fortunately 1.5 k of it was downhill.