I ran the Mississauga Half-Marathon today. It was a pretty simple course :)
2:07:16
That's over 10 minutes cut off from my last PR. WOOHOO!!
20090510
20090404
Run #1, 2009
I did my first run of the year, just an 8K, the Harry Rosen Spring Run-off. I'd never done this one before, but my sister-in-law had and warned me of a huge hill at the end of the run.
She wasn't kidding. Part of the course lets you go down the hill so you get your high off of it, but it also marks the end of the race...in the reverse direction. I thought I was going to die. If my husband wasn't running with me, I think I would have walked, I was so defeated. He has what he lovingly calls "thunder thighs" so he's good at hills. The course itself would have been pretty nice if it was a nice day and it was a little further into spring. Everyone knows High Park turns out to be beautiful at its best.
Hands down, worst race ever. EVER. At least, in terms of me and my history. I had never run a time like this, and it was at least a whole minute over my usual training km pace. Although I could easily blame the horrid cold temperatures, the gusty winds, the damp ground, the hilliness, my misaligned left leg that had been acting up all week which I had been trying to correct with my orthotics and knee brace, a poor night of sleep, a sore back due to a mattress too soft for my taste, and who knows what else, I know it really comes down to my lack of preparation. I didn't even think to shave my legs and put lotion on them! I didn't realize until I stripped my outer layer of bottoms (my pants) -- how embarrassing.
I don't know what it was with this race. For some reason, I don't know what, I didn't do any fundraising. Part of me feels hesitant to fundraise this year given the economy and people's tendencies to save more for themselves in times like these and that I really fundraised last year and two years before that and figured my donors needed some rest. That shouldn't stop me. There are people everywhere who are still willing to give what they can and I forgot about those people. Granted, I wouldn't be asking for a lot and I don't necessarily have a huge goal as in 2008 and 2006, but I still could have done it. I should have remembered that that was the key reason I started doing these races in the first place -- to support and spread support for various causes.
The Harry Rosen Spring Run-off is organized in an effort to support research for prostate cancer. You can register for this run and other runs like this and choose not to fundraise. I get that many runners would like to just run, have their times recorded, win money or other things like that, but for me, I thought that maybe if I didn't fundraise, the run would be more for me, more for my own effort and would ease me a bit to not have to perform the "ask". I can't believe I thought this because the "ask" was never really hard to do, and I always have supporters.
I'm hitting myself over the head. I know what to do now, and I know that I really need to work on this.
I'm not a very good hill runner, so I need to hill train.
I'm not a very fast runner, so I need to do more tempo runs.
I don't have the strongest legs, so I need to make sure I work harder on building muscle.
I need to do more yoga to work on my breathing.
I need to do more core work so my form remains intact.
I get sore easily, so I need to up my lactic acid threshold.
I need to be closer to the cause, so I need to fundraise and research.
I need to train harder, longer, and be stronger and more positive that I can do it and I will do it better every time.
This race woke me up when I didn't even think I was sleeping.
To come: the Ask.
She wasn't kidding. Part of the course lets you go down the hill so you get your high off of it, but it also marks the end of the race...in the reverse direction. I thought I was going to die. If my husband wasn't running with me, I think I would have walked, I was so defeated. He has what he lovingly calls "thunder thighs" so he's good at hills. The course itself would have been pretty nice if it was a nice day and it was a little further into spring. Everyone knows High Park turns out to be beautiful at its best.
Hands down, worst race ever. EVER. At least, in terms of me and my history. I had never run a time like this, and it was at least a whole minute over my usual training km pace. Although I could easily blame the horrid cold temperatures, the gusty winds, the damp ground, the hilliness, my misaligned left leg that had been acting up all week which I had been trying to correct with my orthotics and knee brace, a poor night of sleep, a sore back due to a mattress too soft for my taste, and who knows what else, I know it really comes down to my lack of preparation. I didn't even think to shave my legs and put lotion on them! I didn't realize until I stripped my outer layer of bottoms (my pants) -- how embarrassing.
I don't know what it was with this race. For some reason, I don't know what, I didn't do any fundraising. Part of me feels hesitant to fundraise this year given the economy and people's tendencies to save more for themselves in times like these and that I really fundraised last year and two years before that and figured my donors needed some rest. That shouldn't stop me. There are people everywhere who are still willing to give what they can and I forgot about those people. Granted, I wouldn't be asking for a lot and I don't necessarily have a huge goal as in 2008 and 2006, but I still could have done it. I should have remembered that that was the key reason I started doing these races in the first place -- to support and spread support for various causes.
The Harry Rosen Spring Run-off is organized in an effort to support research for prostate cancer. You can register for this run and other runs like this and choose not to fundraise. I get that many runners would like to just run, have their times recorded, win money or other things like that, but for me, I thought that maybe if I didn't fundraise, the run would be more for me, more for my own effort and would ease me a bit to not have to perform the "ask". I can't believe I thought this because the "ask" was never really hard to do, and I always have supporters.
I'm hitting myself over the head. I know what to do now, and I know that I really need to work on this.
I'm not a very good hill runner, so I need to hill train.
I'm not a very fast runner, so I need to do more tempo runs.
I don't have the strongest legs, so I need to make sure I work harder on building muscle.
I need to do more yoga to work on my breathing.
I need to do more core work so my form remains intact.
I get sore easily, so I need to up my lactic acid threshold.
I need to be closer to the cause, so I need to fundraise and research.
I need to train harder, longer, and be stronger and more positive that I can do it and I will do it better every time.
This race woke me up when I didn't even think I was sleeping.
To come: the Ask.
20090331
SPIT
I just got word that the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon is getting rid of the Leslie Spit portion and moving it towards the beach.
ALLELUIA!
Yes, I’m doing this marathon again this year, provided I’m in good condition to do so ;) and this was one part of the course that I’m dreading.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Leslie Spit, it’s probably the most dismal part of the course. Just take a look. There’s also some information about it here. Just think, they dropped bombs here, remember?
On this part of the course, the path is kinda narrow so you sorta have to go single file. Also, towards the end of the spit, you loop, so the whole time you’re running, you’re looking for that loop and it feels like you’re never gonna get there…meanwhile, those who have looped already are passing you in the other direction. One of the only good things about this is that if you’re running with a team, those ahead of you can cheer you on as they pass you. The ground is really flat and on either side of the path is neglected grass and weeds.
I’m glad this part of the course has changed…but I’ll be there though for the Midsummer Night’s 30K Run.
20090310
DST
Is anyone else knocked out by the “Spring Forward” of Daylight Savings Time? The good thing about it is that my post-work runs are now always accompanied by sunlight which means I don’t always need a partner to run with (I don’t run alone in the dark, for safety’s sake). That is, until the “Fall Back” in fall.
I’m excited. It’s starting to get warmer outside. In place of ice patches, there are puddles to dodge (or splash in!). I don’t have to wear as many layers. I don’t have to wear and wash my balaclava every time.
Spring’s coming!
I’m excited. It’s starting to get warmer outside. In place of ice patches, there are puddles to dodge (or splash in!). I don’t have to wear as many layers. I don’t have to wear and wash my balaclava every time.
Spring’s coming!
20090209
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