The Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Race Experience

Some people travel just for the sake of going to a place, but what usually dictates my personal travel is visiting family or for an event, like a race.

Back in August when I was going through a couple of tough weeks a friend of mine suggested I plan a trip to Las Vegas with her and some other runners I know from the East Coast. I looked up the Rock N Roll Last Vegas Race and was immediately in.

Las Vegas was never a spot that was on my ‘must go to’ places, but this race looked like a ton of fun, plus how could I go wrong in traveling with friends from the East Coast, doing a half marathon in such a cool environment. The Last Vegas Rock N Roll Race Series is only one of two events of the year that the strip gets closed down for. The other event is New Year’s Eve.

We arrived on Thursday and gave ourselves a few days before race day in Vegas. First off, let’s talk about Vegas itself. I was wrong to not have it on my list of places to visit, just being in Las Vegas is such a unique and fun experience. The energy, atmosphere, laughter, and ‘anything goes in Vegas’ attitude immediately sweeps you away and puts you in vacation mode. Here’re just a few of the Las Vegas sites:

 

It also helped that from the moment of arriving at the hotel you could easily spot other fellow runners, which upped the level of excitement and intrigue. Seeing the running shirts and jackets from races all over the world was intriguing and motivating for me. We were far from the only runners that traveled more than halfway across North America to push ourselves to our physical limit.

Let’s fast forward to Friday, where we start our day off with heading to the Health and  Fitness expo to pick up our race kits. I was pretty tired from lack of sleep and jet lag but being around all these other excited runners gave me an immediate boost. As there were 35,000 runners expected to participate, I was mentally prepared to stand in long lines and be delayed in picking up my bib and race kit, but I was pleasantly surprised. This event was so well organized and setup that it went quickly and smoothly.  I had all of my race gear in under 10 minutes so I want to give a shout out to all the organizers and volunteers for doing an extremely great job at the expo.

Then you get to the fun part of the expo – the runners shopping heaven. I felt like a kid in a toy store. There was running gear galore from brands such as Brooks, Under Armour, onemoremile.net, the rock n’roll race series itself, Garmin, Glukos and many many many others. Here are a few of the items I picked up at the expo:

There were two days of racing that you had the option of participating in. On Saturday there was a 5km race and Sunday was the 10km, Half-Marathon, and the Full Marathon. I ran in the half-marathon.

The girls and I took it easy Saturday night and did a bit of carb loading at a buffet the night before the race and slept in on Sunday morning so we could catch up on some sleep and rest up for race day. The race didn’t start until 4:30pm on Sunday so we had some time to kill during race day. We went to this amazing restaurant in the Paris Casino called Mon Amis Gabi and I filled up on some amazing French Toast. (Side Note: If you are ever in Vegas, do yourself a favour and make sure you have breakfast there at least one. The French Toast was out of this world.) Afterward, I went back to the hotel to rest my legs and relax before heading out to the race.

We were staying right by the finish line so we had to leave early to take the monorail to the start line area. I could hardly wait to get there. I felt like a child on Christmas Eve waiting for Santa. I was excited to run the strip and take advantage of the amazing energy there. Although initially, I was a little concerned about the heat (it was about 26 degree Celsius / 78.8 Fahrenheit), navigating through the huge crowd of runners, and of how my injured foot and calf would feel, I went to the race only thinking positive thoughts. I was determined to leave it all on the race course and cross the finish line using every ounce of my endurance and strength. We started to get ready to leave the hotel around 2:00 and went down to the monorail around 2:30pm.

Getting race ready and dressing for the Vegas Heat.

The girls and I before heading out to the race.

 

It was hard not to get hyped and totally energized for the race once you got to the start line area. Snoop Dogg was the opening act and greeted all the runners with great beats on a huge stage. The sights here were amazing. There were bride and grooms running in wedding attire and getting ready to tie the knot. There were countless numbers of Elvis costumes among many other creative outfits. Unfortunately, I didn’t get too many shots of these as my battery life was wearing down.

Start line Area

Snoop Dogg on Stage

Listening to Snoop Dogg

Countdown Time

 

Then it was finally time to make my way to the start line. I was itching to get going by this point. Each runner selected an estimated finishing time when they registered and this dictated what Corral you started in. I estimated I would finish around the 1 hour and 55 min mark so I ended up in Corral 9. They started each corral off in waves, which further added to the anticipation and excitement.

 

Corral Number 9 runners were getting ready for our countdown and start time.

 

Finally, we were off! The first couple kilometers of the race was a little tough as there was a large number of runners that ended up in this corral that was not running a pace for this time goal so I was often getting stuck in packs of people going slower than I wanted my pace to be. So after A LOT Of dodging and weaving past walkers and runners, by kilometer 4 I felt like I was in a good running groove.

There were speakers and bands set up along the course for entertainment. I turned my music off numerous times to soak in all of the sounds of the race and the cheers of people who were lined up throughout the course. The cheers, high fives, and signs from the huge crowds of people were amazing. Even towards the end of the race, there were moments I forgot how tired my legs were getting because I was so mesmerized and motivated by the cheers and support.

The Rock ‘n’ Roll race organizers did an amazing job with the setup on the course as well. It was well-marked, had signs at every mile and frequent water stops so you were never left dehydrated. I was extremely impressed with the attention to detail and the amount of water and Gatorade stops they had.

I was starting to get pretty fatigued close to the 17km mark and was actually overly hydrated and my bladder felt like it was about to burst. I know other runners have felt this pain before, but I got so desperate, I sprinted into a diner that was along the route and asked the hostess if I could use their bathroom and she was so startled she just looked at me wide-eyed and nodded yes. By the time I came out she was out of her shock and smiled at me and wished me luck in the rest of the race. I wish I remembered the name of the diner so I could send them a thank you note. I was soooo grateful and able to finish the race in relative comfort. This might be TMI for some but most long distance runners I know have no shame in talking about bathroom emergencies during long runs and races 🙂 I consider it a right of passage for long distance runners! I’ve heard so many comical stories so I know I’m not alone in this one.

With less than 4km to go my legs were feeling very tired and heavy and my nagging injury was paining quite a bit so at this point it became a mental battle as much as a physical one. Like I said above, the lights and action around me certainly helped, but the last few km’s was a lot of self-talk and telling myself I was almost there and to keep pushing because otherwise I’d be disappointed if I left anything out on the course.

I crossed the finish line and looked at my running app and I came in under 1hr 55 mins. I was aiming for 1 hour and 55 mins so I was thrilled. I checked my time to make sure it hadn’t stopped while I was in the diner and despite the pee break came in just under my time goal. This was a new personal best for me. I am slowly but surely making my way to my ultimate goal and chasing down that 5 min per km pace.

There was an error in my bib time so I had to request a change but regardless of the time I also knew I pushed past a few mental hurdles during the run, I didn’t let myself give up no matter how sore or tired I was towards the end. That’s where the mental aspect of long runs and speed runs throughout training really help during a race. When you are out there pushing yourself to new distances and speeds you really appreciate those runs where you are all by yourself and continued to challenge yourself even when you wanted to stop in a moment of exhaustion. These are the races where you also see how speed work and long distance training runs come together on race day.

This was an unforgettable experience and I certainly hope I am fortunate enough to get back to this race next November and even try out some of the other races in the Rock ‘n’ Roll series. This is one more for the books and has definitely given me another motivational boost to keep pushing for my ultimate time and full marathon goal.

Thanks to all my friends, family and running coach who have been so supportive throughout this ongoing journey. Much love to you all!

 

 

Success or Failure?

The big race weekend finally arrived. I was both excited and nervous, but that wasn’t shocking. I always get pre-race jitters. Developing a weekend race routine certainly helps though.

Saturday morning I went out for my pre-race warm-up run and did strides. If you are wondering what the hell strides are, don’t worry. I wasn’t so sure either when I read it on my schedule the first time. It’s a short slow run (6km for me) with short bursts of speed that are incorporated towards the middle or end of your run. Strides are done at about 80% of your maximum speed and last about 60-100 meters. You do 5-6 during your run in order to get your legs fired up for the next day. You can get a more technical info here.

The race was located in Moncton, New Brunswick, which is about 2.5 hours away from where I live in Nova Scotia. I was staying with my old friend Christie, and when I say old I don’t mean old as in age but old as in our friendship dates back to 1988. She was registered for her first ever race and was doing the 5k so it was an exciting weekend on many fronts.

When it comes to long distance racing, you don’t just get up and run and treat it like any old day. There is a routine and ritual you develop after awhile and when you find what works you don’t want to stray from it. If you do something new and drastic before a race (such as try a new food or new sneakers) it can lead to disaster and a miserable run.

Here is what my routine looks like, even the travelling bit as most of the races I do are outside of the city I live in.

Saturday, October 24th – 2:30 pm
All packed and ready to go. I didn’t want to get caught off guard by any weather event so I packed a running outfit for pretty much any weather scenario. It would not be shocking at this time of year to be running in sunny 15-degree weather or in a snowstorm. You can never be too sure in these parts.

Yes, I packed this much for a night. Had to be prepared for all kinds of weather 😉

Saturday – 5:30 pm
Arrive in Moncton. Eat spaghetti and garlic bread. Carb loading at its finest. Catch up with Christie.

Saturday – 9:30 pm
Get in bed. Yes, this early. 5:30 am was coming quickly! Read Tuesday’s with Maury. Get mind off of pre-race jitters.

9:50 pm
Book down. Sleep.

October 25th – 5:00 am
Wake up. Look at the alarm clock thinking it’s only a few hours into my sleep and I’m about to start my pre-race tossing and turning as per usual.

Rejoice! It’s 5:00 am! I slept a full seven hours and woke up refreshed and rested before my alarm clock even went off. I had it set for 5:30 am. I stay in bed for 15 mins and just enjoy the fact that time is on my side for once and I’m not required to rush around.

5:30 am
Yet another pre-race ritual, which is a breakfast of a bagel with natural peanut butter, black coffee, a banana and plenty of water. I need to have all this eaten by 6 am so my stomach has plenty of time to settle before the race starts at 8 am.

My breakfast before every long distance race.

6:30 am
A few light yoga poses of downward dog and sun salutations. I’m trying to make myself ‘go’. Yes. I went there. We all do it so there’s no need to get embarrassed by it. Most long distance runners will tell you how much better it is to get this out of the way before a race. If you try this go light on the poses as you don’t want to expend too much energy before the race. Also try it a few times before race day so you aren’t introducing something new the day of. Light jumping jacks after having coffee help too.

7:00 am
Tape foot. I have the dreaded planter fasciitis. A runners worst nightmare. If you tell any runner you have this their face scrunches up in the same way as ones face does (in horror) when your mechanic tells you your breaks and rotors need to be replaced. Or when someone actually voted for Stephen Harper or supports Donald Trump. I think you get the picture now.

Here’s hoping this tape helps prevent too much more damage.

7:15 am
Christie and I are out the door.

7:30 am
We arrive in downtown Moncton just a few blocks from the race.

We’re a little sleepy but otherwise in good form and ready to go (despite my nervousness that has started to kick into high gear already).

7:35 am
Warm up run. I do a 1.2 km warm up run.

7:45 am
I make my way to the starting area. I’m wearing my Cabot Trail Relay shirt and it’s getting a lot of attention. I chat with some really lovely and friendly runners about what legs we’ve knocked off the list so far in that amazing 17 leg race.

Starting area for the Legs for Literacy Race.

8:00 am
The race starts. I run for 1 hour 56 mins and 12 seconds.

The Result and How I Feel

This was a new personal record for me but pretty far off of my time goal so aside from the runners high and enthusiasm you couldn’t help feel from the crowd I wasn’t sure how I felt about my performance. Here’s why (and the facts):

• My previous personal record in a half marathon was 1 hour 58 mins and 58 seconds at the Maine Half-Marathon in 2013.
• My first half this year, which I ran in June, I ran in 2 hours 3 mins and 23 secs.
• I ran this half marathon in 1 hour 56 mins and 12 seconds.
• I have planter fasciitis.
• I was aiming for a time of 1 hour and 50 mins.
• I really thought I could reach this time goal, even with my sore foot.

I sent a text to my running coach after the race and said I wasn’t sure how I felt about my run. In a way, I was happy that I had a new PR, but I was also so far off from what I thought I would run it in. I was on pace the first 10km of the race but shortly after the halfway point my foot started to get really sore and I had to slow down. My lungs could take the pace but my foot could not.

I’m not using this as an excuse. Whether it’s my lungs, feet or legs that slow me down, there’s some part of me that just isn’t strong enough to reach my goal. Period.

That said, although I need to do some physio, to strengthen my feet and legs, I have made big strides (yes, pun intended ;)). I can harness the frustration I felt of having to slow down during the race and use it as motivation to rehab and train to continue to be stronger and faster. Although I really can’t imagine that I would have made such progress without Rob’s coaching, it was also those days of hard work even when I didn’t feel overly motivated to get out. I had a PR and I know I am capable of more improvement, so in the end I’ll take this as a win and look forward to training towards my ultimate goal.

I’d be remiss if I also didn’t mention how awesome my friend Christie did. As I mentioned, this was her first race and she totally kicked butt. She reached her goal and made it through her race without stopping once and totally got bit by the racing bug in the procress.

So all in all I’m going to say this was a success. A new PR for me, a new accomplishment and milestone for my long time friend, and motivation for us both to push ourselves to another level next time around.

Post race 🙂

What are your biggest racing successes?

Rum Runners Relay Recap

I was hoping to get this post out last weekend, however life happened and I wasn’t able to find time to finish writing. Changing jobs and travelling half way across the country for the first week of on the job training has a way of eating up time for blogging and personal writing. Not that I’m complaining, I’m coming off a high of a great race and a great first week on the job, but would have liked to get this out sooner. Better late than never though!

This was my first time taking part in the Rum Runners Relay and I’m so glad I did. It was totally worth the 4am alarm in order to eat and be ready for my leg. I was running the first leg of the race with a start time of 6:30am.

(My pre-race breakfast)

Luckily for me I have an amazing best friend who endured the early morning with me and came out to cheer me on. We trekked into a beautifully chilly morning, just how I like it for running and races in particular.

I was a little nervous starting out …. Ok a lot nervous … I considered this a bit of a test on how my conditioning and training was going. I didn’t treat this as I would most races though. I didn’t take a rest week leading up to the race. There was no tapering or taking it easy. My leg was 13.4km and by this point in my training I was up to long runs of 22km and my shorter runs are no less than 8km. So this was a good challenge to see how I would fare out pushing myself in a race setting even when I hadn’t tapered that week. 

My goal for the race was to cross the finish line with a time of no more than 1 hour 10 mins. 

The leg was a hilly one. Not many flat parts largely consisting of rolling hills. I found I struggled through the first 5km but then got into a comfortable pace by 6km in. My body was warmed up and mentally I had stopped racing other runners and was simply chasing myself and my time goal. 

The crowd was great. Many supporters stopped along the side of the road and cheered all of the runners on at various spots along the leg. A side note to the spectators, even when we may be too tried to acknowledge the cheering and support with a wave or smile, this support gives such a huge boost. It never goes unnoticed so many thanks to those who do it. 

My legs started to get a bit tired when I was closing in on 2km remaining of the race, although I thought I had a bit longer to go so I was getting a bit concerned that I’d miss my target time. I was using the Nike plus running app, which I normally find quite reliable but the arm band I had for my phone kept hitting the power button and consequently was prompting my phone to shut down. I thought I still had 700 meters to go when I realized by the sounds of the crowd that I may be a bit closer. I started willing my legs to move faster when I realized I should have kicked it up a notch already for the finish. I turn the corner and the finish line is RIGHT THERE. I look at the clock and see 1hr 09mins 55secs. I think ‘oh shit’. I then sprinted faster than I would have thought possible just moments before, but I was thisclose to my time goal and the adrenaline kicked in. 

I cross the finish line at 1 hr 10 mins on the dot. I was sooooo happy. Not just because of my time goal being met but also because I realized that if I had of been better prepared and had a better sense of how close I was to the finish line I would have finished with an even better time. I like to leave it all out on the course when I do a race, however I took it as a good sign that I had so much left in the tank that I could have pushed it a little harder. Others may take this moment as a disappointment but I took it as a good sign that I am faster than I’ve ever been and still had room for improvement. I’ll push myself that much harder next time around. 

I definitely wasn’t in the top of the group when you look at the fast roster of racers and their times, but that’s ok because that wasn’t my goal. Success to me isn’t defined by my place in the standings, it’s defined by working and pushing myself to reach my own personal goals. 

I had a rough time getting myself motivated to get out a few weeks ago due to the heat, but now I’m so glad I persevered and hit the treadmill when it was too hot out or got outside when it was safe enough to run. I wasn’t exactly a model student but goes to show how a tough couple of weeks doesn’t mean you should throw in the towel. Keep it up, get out there and get ‘er done. 

Six Steps to Properly Starting a Running Program

A question I am often asked by people who are thinking about getting into running is ‘Where do I start?’ or ‘How do I get started with running?’. I also hear a lot of people say things like ‘Oh yeah I’ve tried running and I hate it. I tried doing a 5 km a few times and could never get into it.’ Well no wonder, if I started out from not running at all to jumping into a 5 km run I’d be miserable too!

I’ve read a lot of great articles and posts on learning to run that provide awesome running schedules however, what most seem to lack is addressing other aspects of getting started with running, such as the mental aspect and how to prepare yourself with proper gear. 

There are a few common themes to what I hear from people who say that they try to get into running but never stick to it or from those that say that they hate running but wish they liked it. The most promdominent themes are:

• They have no goals set
• They are not wearing proper running gear
• They start out doing too much too quickly

With the fall upon us it’s a great time of year to get into running outdoors, as the temperatures are cooling down a bit, so I thought I’d provide some tips on getting started.

Set a Goal

If you are starting to run because you feel like it’s something you ‘should’ do, you likely won’t stick to it and if you do will have a negative feeling attached to it. The feeling of ‘should be’ doing something often brings along feelings of guilt and even stress at times. If the thought of running always made me feel guilty I wouldn’t want to do it either! So pick a goal that is anything other than a simple ‘well I should do it because I should be active’. I’ve provided some great reasons to take your first step (pun intended) below:

Alone Time – Who doesn’t need at least 20 minutes of peace from talking and technology a few times week? Perhaps this is when you can get some time to yourself.

Social Time – I realize I am contradicting myself on the above but if you want to get out more and connect with new and old friends, running can be a great way to do that. Join a local running club or start your own with other friends that run or want to get started with it as well.

Weight Management – Whether it is to lose or maintain weight, running can be a great means to that end.

Stress Reliever – Running can be an awesome outlet to relieve stress. It also gives your brain a boost in serotonin levels which has the side affect of a calmer state of being. 

Increase Stamina and Fitness Level – This will help you to feel healthier in general and provide a greater sense of overall well-being. It will also make an endless list of other activities more enjoyable and easier to do.

Get Yourself Some Proper Running Gear

When I hear people say that they have tried to start running but always end up sore or injured, I ask two things, 1) How far or long did you run when you started out? and 2) Have you ever gotten fitted for proper running sneakers?

I don’t think it’s foolish or silly when I hear ‘5 km’ or ‘No’ to either answer. I didn’t know the proper answer to these questions until it was explained to me at a Running Room clinic, so this isn’t one of those things I think people should innately know. However, when I hear people say that they hate running or can’t get into it I want to steer them in the right direction as I know it made a huge difference to me and many other runners. 

In a previous post I talked about how to choose a running sneaker, which goes into detail about the gait analysis and learning what type of foot striker you are. This will determine what type of sneaker is best for you in order to prevent pain and injury. This makes a huge difference and for the sake of your body and lower extremities I can’t urge runners enough to go get this done. It’s quick and painless, but running in poorly fitted sneakers can lead to major aches and pains that are anything but quick to disappear. 

(photo credit: Holisterun.com)

Another thing to consider is what type of material you run in. Beware of cotton. While it is great to wear at times it can be very unpleasant to run in. Cotton absorbs moisture and it can get very warm and uncomfortable while you work up a sweat. You’ll want to consider wearing wicking fabrics that will help keep you dry and more comfortable.  

Don’t Do Too Much Too Soon

As I’ve mentioned above, I always get concerned when I hear about people that take huge leaps from their couch to 5 km on day one. I’m capable of half marathon distances at the moment but I am not shy or too proud to admit that jumping into a 35 km run from where my endurance and fitness level is sounds horrendous to progress to in one day. However, it can be a great and rewarding experience in working your way up to it. There are a couple of approaches I’d recommended while progressing to a 5 km run comfortably and safely. It is also adaptable depending on your fitness level. 

Learn to Run for Beginners

One of the approaches I suggest to those who are just getting started in running and are not already physically active is to start with one minute run/walk intervals. Warm up with a 5 minute walk then kick it up a notch by running for one minute and walking the next. Alternate for 20 minutes. I also advise people to go by feel as well. If you feel that you are labouring at 30 seconds start with that as your run interval time for your first 2 – 3 runs and work your way up from there. There’s a great beginners schedule here that’s easy to follow and provides a very gradual progression. You need to run a minimum of three times a week for you to see the benefits in improving your endurance and stamina. I would also suggest adding a day of walking for approximately 30 minutes into this schedule as well. If you find you are really sore during your first week then wait until week 2 to add it in. 

In addition to walking, I’d encourage you by week three (or sooner if you’re feeling good and not too sore) to incorporate some lunges and squats to strengthen your leg muscles and glutes. 

Learn to Run for Intermediates

I am classifying an intermediate as someone who goes to the gym and does cardio a few days a week, takes part in classes such as zumba, or plays sports like soccer that get the heart rate up. You legs and lungs will be used to some excursion so starting out with a slightly more advanced program may be the right fit for you.

I found this plan a few months back on Shape.com when I was doing some research for a friend of mine who was active but never ran. What I love about this plan is that it incorporates strength training and cross training. For those that follow metric measurement, this is in miles, however just multiply the number of miles by 1.6 and you have your distance in kilometers.

Also, remember that you don’t have to jump out of the gate like a dog being released from his leash to play fetch or be Speedy Gonzalez. Go fast enough to challenge yourself and get your heart rate up but not to the point of experiencing pain or shortness of breath that that makes you feel light headed. 

If you start this plan and you find running 1 mile straight (1.6 km) is a bit too much feel free to work in intervals. Run for a certain distance that gets your heart rate up but stop to walk for 60 seconds when it’s feeling too laboured and uncomfortable. Perhaps the sweet spot for you will be 5 minutes of running and 1 minute of walking in week 1, and in week two you can push yourself to get through 6 minutes or an entire mile without stopping. That’s completely fine, just listen to your body. Everyone is different and needs to adjust to make a plan work for them and NOT make your fitness level work for any particular running schedule. Push yourself but do so safely. I would also recommend starting and finishing with a 5 minute warmup walk and 5 minute cool down walk.

Stretching

Do not underestimate the importance of stretching. It provides a wide array of benefits that include improving flexibility, increases range of motion, decreases your risk of injuries, increases your blood circulation which also means more energy, and it reduces your muscle tension, just to name a few. Use this great guide to incorporate stretching after every run. You can also look at it as a great way to unwind and relax after you are finished. This yoga sequence for runners would be a fantastic addition to your routine as well.

If you follow these guidelines you may surprise yourself and find yourself saying ‘I get why runners love to run now!. And really, what do you have to lose by giving it a try? Set yourself up for success and be honest with yourself and where your fitness level is. You are only harming yourself if you start a program that is ahead of your fitness level BUT the good news is you can and WILL get there if you start out properly and use some motivators to keep you on track. You can also seek the guidance of a healthcare provider and find out what your ideal heart rate range is for various types of exercises. There are also loads of running groups with running leaders and coaches to work with if you’d like some additional support. 
I would never have thought I’d be aspiring to do a marathon, but it’s a goal within my sight now. I am not saying that getting started in running means everyone needs to work their way to marathons or even 10km races but you may just impress yourself with the levels you can push yourself to.

11 Tips For Getting Out of a Running Rut

Slumps. We all have them. I feel like it’s inevitable and it’s even OK as long as you don’t let yourself stay stuck in them. Eventually, you have to suck it up and put your big girl or boy pants on and get back on the saddle if you don’t want to lose what you’ve worked so hard to gain. I had been experiencing a slump for a couple of weeks recently and as silly as it may sound I gave myself some tough love and told myself to get over it, but it’s really not always that easy.

I think it’s important to try and pinpoint what’s causing your slump so you can address it productively. Is it lack of sleep? Work stress? Poor nutrition? Or perhaps relationship stress, just to name a few. The catalyst of my slump was the weather. The unfortunate thing is that at times there is nothing you can really do about what may have put the brakes on your motivation but on the positive side you can change your mindset.

Here are some tips on helping you past that ‘just one more episode of Game of Thrones procrastination’, and the moving target of ‘I’ll start tomorrow’ or the ‘but I just have no time today’ when really you know you can make the time when you really put your mind to it.

Look back at how hard you’ve worked

It’s hard getting started and getting into a fitness routine. It takes work to reach those milestones you’ve achieved, but remember how exciting and satisfying it was once you reached it? Maybe your non-running friends smiled and nodded when you excitedly told them you broke a new per km or per mile pace in a 10km but you know exactly what that meant to you, how hard you worked to get there and how freakin awesome you felt.

This past week when I was struggling to get myself motivated to get out for a run in either uncomfortably humid weather or facing another run on the treadmill I started to feel a bit of dread and uncertainty of wanting to do the run at all. However, I knew I didn’t want my training to slip and progress to decline, so I looked back at all the running I’ve done since I started my new program created by my running coach back in June. I use the Nike running app so I track all of my runs on my phone so it’s easy to go back and look at all the kilometers I’ve logged. Once I looked at the milestones, progress and distance I’ve built up I felt a surge of motivation to keep up the hard work and not lose what I’ve spent hours and hours building.

The feeling of ‘I should have gone’ lasts longer than the run itself

There is rarely ever a run that I’ll regret but when I skip a run the feeling of wishing I had of went and should have just gotten out tends to last much longer. Simply reminding yourself of this and remembering that the time will pass and the run will end and you’ll be feeling relaxed in the shower or cozy on your coach afterwards will be there before you know it. Don’t let yourself suffer a case of the ‘shoulds’. 

Switch your Scenery

If you’ve been running the same route or sticking to only a treadmill or a track change it up. Find a new route outside or even move to the outdoors if you’ve been mainly staying inside, if the weather allows. If you’ve been doing street running find a trail to change up the scenery and the entire feel of your run.

Change up the types of running

If you haven’t developed a program that has a variety of running routines and training methods then do some research on different types of runs to incorporate into your running program or start working with a coach who can design one for you. Switching it up with a variety of tempo runs, intervals, long and easy runs helps to keep the boredom out. 

Find a power song or Make a new playlist

Music can do wonders in any situation and running is no exception. I find music particularly helpful when I am doing intervals and hill training. Getting an upbeat song going when you are kicking it up a notch can help give a bit more motivation as well. Likewise, cranking a song when you are getting ready to get out for your run can get you amped and in the mood to get a good sweat on.

Listen to a podcast

I’ve been addicted to podcasts lately and have been finding they are great entertainment during a long run. I started listening to a series called Serial recently and only listen to it when I am on a long run. It gets me even more excited to get running. It’s just one more thing to look forward to in addition to runner’s high.

Unplug

On the other hand do you always have the earbuds in and something playing on your runs? Change it up and go for a few runs without your headphones and just enjoy the sound of your feet, the silence and your own breath.

Track Your Progress

There are a lot of great apps and watches out there to track your progress and they can be a great way to give you a nudge to get out the door when you are finding it hard to find the motivation and desire. Apps like Nike Plus running app and watches like a Garmin or TomTom track everything from your distance, to your pace and calories burned. When you are tracking your progress it can be that little push you need.

Register for a race

Sometimes people are motivated on what I call a compelling event. When you have a race day looming you are more compelled to make the time to go running rather than put it off in favour of other things. It helps to establish a routine with running as we all know it takes more than a couple of runs a week to train for a race. It helps keep you accountable and having a goal of completing a race or chasing down a new personal best can be a lot of fun and extremely fulfilling.

Find a running partner or group

When you make plans with a friend to run you are less likely to bail knowing that you are accountable to another person. It also helps knowing you have company to look forward to and additional support. You could also sign up with a running group. It’s a great way to make new friends and running then becomes a standard part of your week with time for it built in rather than something you try and squeeze in around everything else.

Set a goal

Setting a goal doesn’t just have to mean going to sign up for a race, although I highly recommend it! If you are used to doing walk-run intervals, gradually increase the time at which you run. If you are used to doing 5 kilometers make a goal to ramp up to 10. Or perhaps set a new time goal and increase your running time from 20 mins to 25. Aim to shave some time off your 5, 10 or 21km run. It changes your focus from just getting out for a run and gives you a fresh way of looking at your running routine. Knowing you’re thisclose to making that new distance or time goal can be really exciting and exhilarating once you reach it. But be sure to make your goal realistic and perhaps create a series of goals. If you create goals that are a huge leap from where you currently are it can have the opposite effect and be demotivating as you try and work towards your goal. For example, If you are used to running 3 – 5 kilometers set short term goals of distances while you work your way up to the ultimate goal of 10 km. That way you have little celebrations along the way to that final big personal victory.

What else would you add to the list for motivation? Would love to hear about them!

Navy 10km Race

You know those days when simply standing outside makes you look like you just ran a marathon? Well that’s what the weather was like this past Sunday for the Navy 10km race which I participated in.

I hate running in hot weather. I do love the summer, but when it comes to running the fall is my favourite time of year to run and I’d even prefer running outdoors in the winter over running in the summer. I’ll get up at 5:00 am to run at 6:00 so I can avoid running in hot weather. So when I looked at the hourly forecast for Sunday morning I cringed. I’m not going to lie, when I saw that by 9:00 am it was going to feel like 26 degrees C/80 degrees F with the humidex, I considered skipping the race.

The race was set to start at 9:15 am and I figured by the time I’d be running the last couple of km’s of the race it would feel like 30 C/ 86 F, and I was right. At a certain point I get concerned about the negative health implications running in such heat will have but I decided to forge forward, no pun intended and listen to my body as I ran and slow down my pace if needed.

When my running coach Rob Gomez from Eastern Shore Training created my customized running program we decided to do this race as a benchmark to see how much progress I was making in my speed. My original hope for this race was to cross the finish line in under 50 minutes. I didn’t care if it was 49 mins and 59 seconds, I just didn’t want to see a 5 at the start of the number. However, I knew when I started my warm up jog before the race that I likely would not be able to sustain that kind of a pace with the temperatures and humidity without making myself sick.

Before the race, I did a lot of research on how running in the heat and humidity would impact speed so I could have somewhat of a gauge on how much my pace might drop. Although there is no exact science there are some formulas that runners can use to determine how their performance might be impacted when running in the heat. A general guideline that was prevalent in my research is once you hit 15 Celsius / 60 Fahrenheit your pace will drop by 5 seconds per mile. The adjustment for humidity above 60% is an additional 10 seconds. The chart below from Over40runner.com is pretty handy to go by. Again, this is not an exact and guaranteed calculation but gives you a fairly reliable estimate from my experience. There are other variables that come into consideration as well such as sleep or nutrition, just to name two examples. 

Pace Adjustments for Heat and Humidity

Temperature	Adjustment	Adjustment for Humidity > 60%
55°F-60°F	+5 sec/mi	+10 sec/mi
60°F-65°F	+15 sec/mi	+25 sec/mi
65°F-70°F	+30 sec/mi	+45 sec/mi
70°F-75°F	+40 sec/mi	+1:05 min/mi
75°F-80°F	+1:10 min/mi	+1:45 min/mi
80°F-85°F	+2:00 min/mi	+3:00 min/mi
85°F+	Not Recommended

You can see from the chart that some would not recommend running in heat above 85 so the race was certainly getting into the danger zone.

Race Results

All things considered, I am pretty happy with my results. I ran a pace of 5:29 mins per km and completed the race in a total time of 54 mins 49 secs. Initially, I was pretty disappointed with the result as it was far from my goal and I chastised myself a bit for having the thought of not going through with it when I saw the weather. But I took a step back and reevaluated and considered the fact that this time last year I would not have even come close to finishing with this time under these hot conditions. In fact, on a good day last year I don’t know if I would have finished with a much faster of a time. Also, one of the great things about having a running coach is the encouragement you get.

Rob checked in with me after the race and said I should hold my head up high with that performance and consider it a success given the heat and humidity. As far as benchmarking goes I’m probably in shape to do a 10km race with an 8 minute mile pace (4:58 min per km) in temperatures around 15 degrees C/60 degrees F or lower, which is exactly where I was hoping to be by mid-August.

I’ll take this race as a mental and physical win. Mental for not giving up in the heat and physical for posting that time in, what to me, were extreme conditions. We’re our own worst critics and sometimes we have to get another perspective or take a step outside of ourselves and give credit to what we’ve accomplished.

I’m not looking for bragging rights with this race and post or using it toot my own horn, but I hope through my ups and downs to encourage others to:

1. Push yourself over a mental hurdle and know you can do more than you may give yourself credit for.
2. Listen to your body. It’s ok to push yourself to the point of being tired and a bit uncomfortable but not to the point of sickness or injury.
3. Take a step back and give yourself some credit where it’s due. It’s not egocentric to be self-aware of good and bad traits or to celebrate accomplishments because, in all likelihood, you had some failures and stumbles along the way. So don’t be afraid to celebrate your own wins.

I’m excited to attack the second half of my running program with the Rum Runners Relay Race coming up on September 26th, where I will be running a 13km leg and then tackling another half marathon at the Legs for Literacy race in Moncton at the end of October. This will be a big milestone towards ramping up for the Boston Marathon qualifier in Fredericton in May. I am both excited and terrified but if I try I will have no regrets.

Obstacle or Opportunity?

I had the hardest, but most wonderful three days of training in my life last week.

I had a last minute trip come up, that had me flying to Ottawa, and then doing a little weekend road trip to Montreal and Quebec City. 

My first three thoughts were what will I pack, how will I properly adjust my running schedule, and what was the weather going to be like (would I need my rain weather running gear). I also knew I wanted to make everything work and not look at the change in schedule as an obstacle to getting all of my running in for the week. 

My schedule for the week was: 

• Monday – Off
• Tuesday – 9km with easy hill sprints
• Wednesday – Upper body and core
• Thursday – Easy 9km, LBS and Legs
• Friday – Spin and core
• Saturday – 4x2k @ goal 10k pace, 3 min jog rest for 13km 
• Sunday – 16km long run

I was heading to Ottawa to visit my boyfriend and since our visits can be few and far between, (as we live halfway across the country from one another) I didn’t want to make the weekend about my running schedule. I am a firm believer in making your schedule work for you, and not making you work for your schedule. So I asked my running coach, Rob Gomez, about adjusting my schedule. We worked out a plan that allowed me to get all of my training runs in but freed up my time on the weekend. I pushed my 13km interval run up to Thursday, and the 16km run up to Friday morning and the 9km Thursday run was bumped to Saturday.

Rob made sure it was clear that although, do-able, this was going to be a challenge and said in an email – “It’ll make for a rather fatigued finish to the Friday long run, but temporary fatigue is normal and GOOD. It means you’re pushing your neuromuscular system to make adaptations so that over time (days, weeks, months) that type of ‘piggybacking’ your longer runs will be easier. Just pay attention to how you feel when you start Friday and don’t be afraid to pull the plug if an old injury (or new one) starts to appear. We want to tread lightly when breaking new ground on your training schedule.”

I was excited and up for the challenge. I looked at it as an opportunity to push myself to a new level. 

I was able to fit in all of the training runs and workouts throughout the week, but I will admit I went a bit lighter on leg day as I didn’t want to start off three days in a row of running sore. I stuck to lunges and extended leg lifts (proper name). 

I did the 13km Thursday evening and it felt great. Despite feeling a bit tired starting out I was surprised with my overall pace by the end of 5:11 per km.

However, I almost wanted to cry waking up Friday morning when my alarm went off at 5am. I hadn’t slept well, I had to get 16km in before work and I had to get a ton of work done before I left for the airport at 6pm that evening. I quickly told myself to find my big girl pants, suck it up and to put them on. I had a shot of espresso (thank goodness for my Aeropress) a banana, and slice of toast with peanut butter, did a bit of work while my food settled and then dragged myself to my closet to get my sneakers on. I may have had a pout on my face, but the important thing is that I made the (sometimes) hardest step of getting out the door.  3km in I was starting to wake up and I’m pretty sure my facial expressions were more neutral than cranky. When my Nike Plus app told me I had done 8km I had a full on smile. Well at least I felt like I did. 

(source: The Meta Picture)

I felt great. A bit tired but still had the great running high nonetheless. I ate a couple of Blocks and felt fantastic mentally as I knew I was passing the half-way point. I checked my pace and started doing mental-math of what time I’d be finished. 

When I hit my last and final km I kicked it up a notch. I have no doubt I looked exhausted, but my spirits were high and I finished on km 16, with what I am pretty sure was a silly grin on my face. My legs were tight as hell and I was happy to be stopping to stretch but even happier that I got over the mental hurdle that morning and pushed myself to get out the door.

I flew out to Ottawa that night and I wasn’t sure what my body would be up for on Saturday morning, but with the forecast showing good weather, a chance to run with my boyfriend, along with some new and beautiful scenery I knew I’d regret not at least attempting the 9km. To my surprise, my legs were not nearly as tired as I thought they would be and we finished the entire 9km.

The week of training showed me two things:

1) That the training program was working and I was making great gains in my strength and cardio.

2) That when life throws you some curve balls and scheduling conflicts, it’s often an opportunity to put yourself to the test of being dedicated to your goals and figuring out a way to make your schedule work, as opposed to using it as an excuse. It can also act as a test of your fitness level and any gains you may have made when you are making adjustments and throwing a new challenge into the mix.

This change in schedule and plans could be looked at as an obstacle and frustration of ‘not enough time in the day’ or it can be seen as an opportunity to mix things up and give yourself a test. I learned that you’ll likely be pleasantly surprised by the result.

You’ll rarely regret that time you pushed yourself out the door and didn’t make excuses for a curveball thrown in your schedule.

Half Marathon Training that Fits

One thing I’ve learned is that most runners are not built alike and I’ve needed to try and stop fitting myself into a training program and instead, find a running program that fits me. What works for one runner isn’t going to work for another. Although, there are general rules of thumb every runner can follow, such as a gradual build in distance each week, there are many factors that come into consideration from both a mental and physical perspective. Such as:

1) What are your goals? (Are you trying to work up to 5kms without stopping, crack the one hour mark in a 10km race or is it pace driven like my goal of wanting to break the 5 min per km pace in a long distance race?)

2) How much time do you have or want to invest in running?

3) What is your current fitness level?

4) What is your injury history? Are you injury prone?

5) Lifestyle

6) Eating habits

I could go on, but you get the picture. It’s not been an easy road in figuring out what is the best training regimen for me, which is in part why I enlisted the help of my running coach Rob Gomez of Eastern Shore Training. I did my first half marathon 5 years ago and my initial running program had me running 5 times a week. It ended up being too much for me physically. I’m injury prone and always have been even back in my days of dancing. I’ve since discovered I have out of the norm body alignment issues which have led to back, knee and a few other problems when I’m over doing it or not balanced in my physical activities. My list of injuries is as follows:

1) Pulled lower back muscles

2) IT band issues

3) Knee pain

4) Plantar Fasciitis

5) Pulled tendons in both the lower and upper parts of my feet (I believe the technical term of the latter is extensor tendonitis).

6) Pulled calf muscles

I think that about covers it … I’m not writing about my injuries to look for praise or sympathy but the point is it’s a matter of finding what works for you and it is possible to do that, even for someone with a history of injury issues like myself. My friends and family have always been encouraging and supportive, but would shake their head in disbelief that I would keep on pushing through after I recovered from each injury. I persevered because I knew in time I’d find what worked for me. Not going to lie, it was a tough road at times. There were tears, enough curse words to make a sailor blush, physiotherapy bills, and many restarts, but the races, the runners high, and the goals I have accomplished have been worth every tough first week back post injury. Running 5 days a week is not good on my body, at least at this point.

The sweet spot for me seems to be 4 days of running, a day of biking for cross training with some weight/core training mixed in. When I first started talking to Rob about building a training program for me we went into a lot of detail, such as my injury history, work hours, lifestyle, discussed sleep, my goals, where I was struggling the most (for me I am dreadfully slow and weak on hills), my previous training program and even any upcoming trips to try and plan around. With all of that he put together a custom built schedule.

I’ve been following it since June 11th and absolutely love it. Don’t get me wrong, I am human and have days where I am reluctant to put on my running sneakers and push myself out the door, but it’s rare I regret it. I am feeling stronger and stronger throughout the training cycle and it is worth every bit of self-talk of suck it up and no excuses. However, for the most part, I’m eager to get out there and put a check mark by another day in the program. Getting to the 5min per km pace for a half-marathon and full marathon is not going to be easy but that’s ok. I’m excited and ready to give it a go.

When I decided I was going to stop talking about it and actually go for it I asked myself, ‘How in the hell are you going to get there?’ Here’s how.

The Training Program My training program consists of a mix of easy runs, hill repeats, speed work with intervals, long runs, upper body/core workouts, and legs, which includes a lunge balance sequence (LBS) that is meant for runners who are injury prone and/or looking to take their running to the next level. For the most part, each week increases in distance by approximately 10%, with the exception of where there are rest weeks built in. For example, this week I run a total of 43 kms and it’s compromised of an 8km run with hill sprints, a day of upper body and core, 9km easy run with the LBS, easy spin and core for cross training, 11km run with hill repeats, and finally a 15km run followed by a well-earned day of rest. Next week it gets bumped up by about 8% to 46km.

This is quite a bit different than the running program I started following five years ago but closer to how I started adapting it when I finally started listening to my body. However, the schedule Rob designed for me is much more balanced and the weekly check-ins certainly go a long way in providing extra motivation, accountability and support when I have questions. It’s a phenomenal feeling of looking back at your schedule and seeing what you mentally and physically accomplished. This doesn’t just apply to long distance training, it’s for any training program you stick to. As Rob said to me when I asked him if my goal was realistic, ‘it’s not going to be easy Liz, but I think it’s definitely do-able if you are ready to do the work’. I am. My sneakers are on and 11km is coming right up.

Beating the Clock

Some may wonder ‘What’s so important about getting to (or below) the 5 minute kilometer mark?’

It’s what is standing between me and one of the highest things on my bucket list. The Boston Marathon. Outside of the running circle there aren’t that many races that are as well known as the Boston Marathon. Certain sports have events they are synonymous with. Football often brings Super Bowl to mind for North Americans and FIFA World Cup for Europeans. When you think hockey you think the Stanley Cup. Long Distance Running is synonymous wth the Boston Marathon.

To qualify for the Boston Marathon is really quite an impressive accomplishment and the most coveted bib by many runners. It might not be gold and shiny, but it will certainly be front and center in any runners collection.

The qualifying time for the Boston Marathon for women in my age category is 3 hours 35 mins, which is a pace of 5 mins 5 secs per km. Or if you follow the imperial system, this works out to be a pace of approximately 8 mins 11 secs per mile.

In May, I ran in the Cabot Trail Relay Race and was inspired by the many amazing runners including the girls on my team, Can’t Touch This. Some of the girls have been working with Robert Gomez, owner of Eastern Shore Training. Rob has been tearing up races and impressing runners and spectators alike. This year’s Cabot Trail Relay is no exception, where he broke a course record on Leg 10 (up a mountain I might add), running 14.7km in 54 minutes and 13 seconds, which gives you a pace of 3:42 per km. Not that he’d ever tell you this himself. Rob’s not just a fast runner. He knows running and ‘gets’ training. He understands that different types of programs are needed for different types of runners depending on their goals, fitness level, injury history, among many other factors.

After hearing the girls on my team talk about the great running programs and coaching he provided to them I figured I’d bite the bullet and sign up for his coaching program and work towards my bucket list wish of the Boston Marathon. I’m both excited and a little nervous for the months ahead of me but I’d rather give it a go than look back and wonder ‘what if’ or think ‘I really wish I had of’.

This is my journey to the 5 minute km. This attempt is a gift to myself. If you are a runner, someone curious about running or just wondering what goes into some people’s training I hope you enjoy the read. I promise there will be smiles, blood, sweat, tears, beautiful moments of accomplishments and doses of defeat.

As the captain of my running team says ‘Let’s get ‘er done’.