Is it a PB or a PR?

The ubiquitos biting the medal photoSince I began this Runner Makeover I have PB-ed (or is it PR-ed?) twice. The first one was just a couple weeks into the makeover, when Coach Tania was still trying to get a handle on what the heck to do with me.

The day before the Hypothermic Half Marathon she told me to “run hard but stay in control and respect the conditions” (it was cold, snowy and slippery here in Edmonton). So, I did what I was told.

I saw many a runner bite the dust (more like ‘bite the ice’) during that race but I stayed on my feet and managed to finish in 1:40:50. I placed 8th overall, 5th in my gender and 3rd in my division. I was over the moon! I had PR-ed (or is it PB-ed?) by almost 14 minutes (1:54:05 in Vancouver ‘09).

Tania’s strategy for me is to run faster for a few shorter races before I tackle another full marathon (and try to qualify for Boston) so I also signed up for the St. Patrick’s Day 10km this past weekend. Once again it was a narrow, slippery and snowy race. I watched as many runners lost their footing and went down hard on the ice and snow, all the while wondering when it was going to happen to me…

I managed to stay on my feet and finished in 45:20. I placed 10th overall, 5th in my gender and 1st in my division! That morning I got a medal and a PB (or is it PR?) of 8 minutes (53:54 at the same race in ‘09).

For years before this makeover began I had dreams of doing a 1:45 half marathon and to someday do a 10k in 45 minutes but I had no idea how to get there. Yes, I do coach other racers and have a decent bag of tricks to throw at them but I had run out of ideas and (more importantly) faith in my own abilities. Holla to iRun Magazine and this makeover for hooking me up with Tania, Adidas and Lauren. My faith is back and I am ready to PR (or is it PB?) may way into Boston.

Protein, water and an afternoon snack!

Quinoa & rice with bacon and eggs!Let me start by saying that we all love to hear that we are doing things correctly but there is really something magical about a teacher/coach/leader who can make you feel that way while pointing out the things you can improve on.

I just had my first telephone consult with Lauren Jawno, our Runner’s Makeover nutrition consultant. I’m not going to lie – I was worried. She had us track everything we ate for 4 days (including a Saturday). That was nearly a week ago. I have been waiting (nervously) ever since.

I am 6′ tall and 160lbs. I wear a 31″ waist jean and medium t-shirts usually fit me well, so I’m doing pretty well… for a normal person. For an endurance athlete? I don’t know. Maybe?

In any case, Lauren had some great feedback for me. First of all (she said in her magical way) “You are doing pretty well.” Nice! “Aside from the chocolate croissant and 12oz mochaccino”. Damn, I had somehow hoped that was an ok recovery meal. “Also you are not getting enough protein.” That surprised me. I eat meat, I eat dairy, I even use a whey protein powder. I know protein is an important building block for the body but I really thought I was getting enough.

Next was my water intake. I have to admit to being an on-again-off-again water junky. I happen to be in an off-again phase and I do know better. We athletes need water and lots of it. That is an easy one to remedy.

Lastly, I need to eat a snack in the afternoon. I am “going too long between lunch and dinner without food.” Hrm… yeah, I guess I usually workout in the morning and consequently eat a lot between 5:30am and noon. Afternoons are not my hungry time. So, from now on I will grab some cheese and fruit around 3:00pm. I can do that.

That was about it. We had some quick exchanges about putting real food before sport food and she asked me why I had switched from Gatorade to coconut water recently (mostly out of curiosity and being tired of fake fruit flavours). She also encouraged me to start taking an Omega 3 fish oil to “help my general health and to lubricate my joints”. I like the sound of that!

So, this is great. I have 3 things to concentrate on: Protein, Water and Afternoon Snacks. Easy, clear and doable. We’re planning to check in with each other in about 10 days to see how I’m doing. Hopefully I will be proteined-up, well-hydrated and afternoon-snacked.

Whoops – it’s 3:30 and I haven’t had my cheese!

Run a marathon – it’s doctor’s orders!

Coach Brock and the TnT TeamLast night I had my Team in Training athletes out for their first Hill Training session. It was fun watching the terror in their eyes dissipate as they realized that it wasn’t as bad as it sounded. For them anyway… I had done 12km at 5:00/km followed by 30mins of resistance training earlier that day. Running hills was the last thing I wanted to be doing. I faked some “coaching moments” to give myself a break and hid some lazing at the bottom of the hill as “cheerleading moments” and made it through the session unscathed.

There was one moment last night, while trying to keep pace with one of my more experienced and speedy runners, that I was reminded (by the pain in my chest) of how and why I got into all this craziness in the first place – it was doctor’s orders.

Despite the fact that I am a coach for a team dedicated to the eradication of cancer, it’s actually my own personal heart health background that has driven me to gather the resources, education and training I have amassed over the last 5 years. In December of 2003 I got very ill and contracted pericarditis / myocarditis and spent a lot of time in and out of hospital over the next 1.5 years. I suffered heart failure numerous times (”bradyed down” as they say in the ER), was rushed in for an angiogram, developed an abnormal heart rhythm (Type 1 Second-degree AV block) and basically had the scare of a lifetime (buy me a coffee sometime and I will tell you all about it).

After I had the “all clear” from my cardiologist, instead of leaping for joy, I fell further into the self-pity and depression experienced by many who have had scares like mine. After a few return visits (and even more 24-hour holter monitors) Dr. Williams told me that I needed to do something to prove to my brain that my heart was ok “Like, I don’t know, run a marathon or something”. Heh… little did he know how powerful those words were.

It’s now 11 full marathons, 6 half marathons, 4 triathlons, 2 road bike races (1 century and 1 IronBike), and several 10&15k runs later and I pretty much never think of my heart as anything but a hard working, pumping machine. Thanks doc and thanks running!

Without My Ducklings

Running so fast I blurredIt has been quite a while since I have had to train on my own. Actually, I can literally pinpoint the day – the day I joined Team in Training.

Sure, I would head out for the odd run alone but I could always count on having at least two training sessions per week (”quality” and “long slow”) with my peeps (is that still a word?). Since I started the Runner Makeover I have been aspiring to speeds that I would dare not inflict on my unsuspecting team of trainees. Don’t get me wrong, I am loving everything about this makeover but it is a little lonely without my little running ducklings (a name my 2009 Vancouver team got as they followed me, single file, through the rain to the race expo).

I still meet up with my team on Tuesday nights and Saturday mornings (when the weather permits, this has been a long and harsh Edmonton winter) but that only accounts for 10-15kms of my weekly 70-80km, of which most are done between 5:45am – 8:00am. I blame the ridiculous time of day on my work week. I work full-time as a web developer, teach Design Studies at MacEwan University, coach for Team and Training, get my own training done… and try to have a life. Ha!

I’m not complaining, I enjoy a busy day but it does lead to lonely runs, at early hours, without my running ducklings.

You want me to run how fast? ok!

Me and my new adizeroboston shoes.♪ Baby it’s cold out there but it’s nice and warm on the track ♫

Ok, so that’s not a song… but it was indeed a lot warmer at the track this morning than it was outside. -46°C with the windchill when I got up at 5:15 to head to the Kinsmen Sport Center here in Edmonton. “Gross” is all I have to say about that.

Anyway, armed with my new Adidas shoes, shorts, socks, shirt and miCoach gear I hit the track this morning for a steady 12km run at 5:00/km. A few weeks ago I would have been intimidated by that type of workout (see Chrystal’s Fear and (or maybe of) Running post) but lately, this has been the norm. Heck, last week Coach Tania had me log 78kms. Yeah, I am pretty chuffed! Prior to this makeover, I severely impressed myself with a 50km week!

Lately my favourite day of the week has become Thursday – that’s the day I do the fun stuff. Last week it was “3 x 3000m @ 4:30/km with a 600m rest”. This week I get to do “5 x 2000m at 4:20/km with a 500m rest”. I have always been a believer in speed training but never to this extent. Pray for me! :) I will let you know how it goes.

Running through the pow-pow

A Rather Snowy RunThe streets of Edmonton are much more suited to downhill skiing than running today, there’s about 5cm of fresh powder covering every trail, sidewalk and path but I just got home from my Long Slow Distance run as prescribed by our awesome Make-Over Coach Tania Jones. 22km in all (well ok, 21.46 according to the lovely voice in the Adidas miCoach) through the wind, snow and cold. Luckily 7.25km of it was spent leading my Team in Training group on their 3rd “Group Training Session” – these kinds of runs are always more pleasant in a group.

A few weeks ago I was laying in bed, checking my email on my phone wishing someone would bring me a coffee when I saw I had an email from Tania Jones. The name rang a loud bell but I wasn’t sure why. A quick Google search later and I was out of bed, giggling like a schoolboy, getting my wits together before I replied.

I had a vague memory of submitting a paragraph to something about a marathon make-over but had figured it was long over and gone so hadn’t thought of it in a while. Plus I never win anything… ever.

When I got off the phone with Tania, being the social media internet nerd I am, I immediately jumped on FaceBook and Twitter to spread my exciting news. That was quickly reeled in. I wasn’t to talk about the contest until the February issue of iRun was published. It was an excruciating time. Not as excruciating as the workouts I was soon to embark on… but I will save that for another post.

For now, I just want to thank iRun for this amazing opportunity, Adidas for all the wicked gear (it fits perfectly and makes me look FAST), and most of all Tania for all her guidance and encouragement. It’s only been a few weeks but I can literally measure the progress I have made.

I can’t wait for the weeks to come.