16 posts tagged “gts”

...YET IT WAS FABULOUS!!!!!! 

Sunday was another GTS with my wonderful team and on the agenda for the full marathoners was 32km.  We did an "out and back" run starting at Granville Island all the way out to and running around the UBC campus and back to Granville Island. 

This week was a bit different because I started off a lot slower than I normally do.  My runners have been dead for about two weeks and I could definitely feel it affecting my feet on this run...just feels like there is no cushioning or support what-so-ever.  Other than that my left knee was slightly bothersome but the pain was dull and didn't get any worse so it didn't concern me too much - it was more an annoyance.

I found this week a lot easier to get through than last week.  I'm not exactly sure why that is though I won't question it ;)  The weather started out like it usually does for us: overcast and a bit rainy but by the end clearing up completely with the sun shining.  One of the honouree's, Nathan, was there helping with the water stations and gave us a motivational speech before we headed out which was good to refocus and remember the cause we are running for.

I did better with nutrition on the run though the hydration was a little iffy because I hadn't washed out my bottles thoroughly so the first time I took a swig I could taste soap.  Let me tell you that was quite the unpleasant shock, haha.  I tried to rinse them out the best I could at one stop.  Went to the washroom at the Museum of Anthropology which I found amusing walking into it all sweaty and in spandex.  Getting up the massive hill took some effort (it's probably 4km long) I kept looking at it in small chunks which seemed to help.   After halfway I couldn't believe I was feeling fine - a little stiff but less than normal so that made me happy.  I accidentally turned the wrong way on one of the streets and went a few blocks out of the way, oops. 

Once I got back I took an ice cold bath.  Ooo bloody hell you curse it while you're in there but I see a noticeable difference following it.  Today only the bottoms of my feet hurt!!  That seems amazing considering two weeks ago after 24km I thought I might fall apart, haha.   I'm hoping I can keep a better pace next week...we shall see!  I checked my email after I washed up and my inbox had the confirmation email for the race.  Cemented it in reality that just running towards a cancer cure is all that matters.

Fundraiser updates: Here's a link to the event (see above post) on facebook.  The Jeff O'Neil Morning show on 99.3 The Fox plugged it this morning thanks to Nathan!  Also, I just got confirmation that Molson Canadian is letting me give away some swag as well!

In other news, yesterday was another good run at the NRL!  I got there a bit late but caught up to the group.  We did a speed workout, five repeats around Beaver Lake (1k) with two minute rests in between.  It was good to try to push myself on.  My knee started to bug me a little bit so I iced it when I got home.  I tried a different pair of Nike shoes and they were actually ok and I didn't hate them, so that's promising, haha.  I also need to remember to bring water or Gatorade because even in the evening it's still hot enough out that I need to have something with me.

That's a whooooole lot of running.  Seriously.  I am in shock I ran that much and didn't collapse or anything, haha.  Wow.  It took a long time; it got to the point where the legs were feeling like lead.  Took a few extended stops (washroom, stretching, water/Gatorade refills.)  Still, I did it!!!!  I'm surprisingly not super sore, either (we'll see if that still holds tomorrow!) At the advice of one of my teammates I took an ice cold bath when I got home in order to reduce inflammation.  Then I took a two hour nap because I was pretty beat.  When I woke up I iced my legs on and off for an hour or so.  I just took an Epsom salt bath and am icing my legs again.  I'm hoping all this will ward off the stiffness for tomorrow.

The morning was looking pretty dreary: rainy, overcast, a bit chilly.  I decided to not take my jacket figuring the running would warm me up enough.  I'm glad I made that decision because it stopped raining and the sun came out and it was great weather for most of the run.

We went around Science World, through Gastown (where homeless people and the motorcycle show people cheered us on, lol.) Stopped at a Starbucks for a washroom break where the manager was really nice, cleaning up one of the washroom's for us.  As we were waiting to use them he asked me, "so how far are you running today?" to which I replied "oh, just 30 kilometres." (It came out sounding a lot more casual than I intended.)  I went into the washroom at that point and one of my teammate's said the guy looked at him like "holy crap?! 'just 30km?!' like it's a walk around the block...I'm going to go back to my espresso." lol.

We then ran through Coal Harbour, stopped at the Nike Runner's Lounge for some Gatorade, which was great.  The employee's were all excited to see us so I think that gave us a boost of energy.  They had a couple of massage therapists in there and I think everyone on the team was looking at them thinking "JEALOUS!  I want a massage now!" We were about half way into the run at this point.

We continued along the seawall and up Prospect Point, which is where some pain started in my left knee.  Finally made it up that steep (and seemingly endless) hill and stopped a bit at the top for a stretch to try to see if the pain would dissipate.  We continued on to Third Beach...Second Beach (stopped a couple of times for stretching/speed walk break lol)...to the Burrard Street Bridge. (Yes, that's right we went around the entirety of Stanley Park!!) May I reiterate once again how spoiled I am for getting to run along the gorgeous beaches, forest, and with the Rockies in clear view as a bonus?  Sooo incredible, as always.

I think the hardest part was after the Burrard Bridge because we knew we were sooo close to Granville Island but we had to take a round about way to get the distance in.  Followed Cornwall to Cypress, went down to Macdonald (which is quite a ways.)  Looped around up to another stupid (albiet shorter) steep hill  which REALLY hurt going up so we decided to walk at a fast pace up it because at that point the legs weren't going to pick up enough to run at a decent pace anyway.

Fortunately, it leveled out and we came back around to Macdonald and made a wrong turn, having to backtrack two blocks and then ran back to Burrard Street and over the homestretch to Granville Island.  It's amazing how as soon as you realize how little left there is left that you get a burst of energy.

It was definitely a tough run in the mental sense.  When we got to three hours of running we started laughing because it just seemed so ridiculous that we had been running THAT long, like "this is insane; we are insane" haha.  I think we knew we were crazy when we had been running for two hours and it seemed like no big deal. 

Endurance running is a funny thing because you get to the point where you're lungs and heart are fine running for 2.5-3 hrs but your body is just screaming at you while your brain is telling you to go faster.  I had some doubts at points and every time a tourist trolley went past it was tempting to  get on.  After walking for about two minutes I had to give myself a pep talk.  I've come extremely far and the end was in site...I knew I could do it but it was certainly hard to muster some extra inner strength when my legs didn't seem to want to do what my brain was telling them to.  At another point it was kind of like running fartlek's in the sense of "make it to that tree ok now to the saltwater pool" etc. (though I assure you no sprinting was being done at that point!)  Also, I think going from 24k one week to 30k is a pretty big leap and quite the accomplishment no matter how long it takes.

In terms of on-the-run nutrition and hydration I didn't managing that well today.  I brought along with me one gel and a pack of Sharkies.  I forgot to take the gel until over an hour into it and hated the flavour.  So I couldn't force myself to finish it even and didn't remember I had the Sharkies.  I had probably the equivalent of maybe 350mL of Gatorade and 500mL of water through the entire run.   At one stop I was able to get another gel and ate about half of that.  I did run out of liquid for maybe the last 8k or so which was a bit tough to deal with.

After the run I forced myself to eat a Clif protein bar and drink a bottle of water.  I wasn't hungry but I knew that I needed to replenish nutrients to help aide in muscle recovery.  I think I consumed around 500 cals with the gel, Gatorade, and energy bar.  I still only ate about 500 more cals today but I just don't feel hungry and had to force that still.  Which is not good considering I burned probably around 1,300 from the run anyway.  Does anyone have suggestions for this? (I know, lame that I am asking a nutrition question, haha.)

This post is really long as is so I think I will just end it here!  All in all it was an amazing run!!!

Yesterday I was able to go to the group training session for our weekly long run!!!  I was a bit apprehensive though because I wasn't sure that I would be at 100% and promised myself if the shins gave me any discomfort I would stop.  Beforehand, Lorraine told us that she was running for a friend who has Hodgkin's and has a 50/50 chance of survival...which is an important message because people usually associate Hodgkin's with being the "curable" cancer but there is still a long way to go even with that type. This I think reminded us all of the reason we are running and to give us some focus.

It was SUCH a good run!!!  I was SO happy to be running again.  I didn't have ANY pain in my shins at ALL; absolutely not even a twinge of hurt!!!  That had me so ridiculously excited you wouldn't believe it! The weather was great for running, the sun was out but it was cool, around 18 degrees.  We started out at the False Creek Community Centre and went along the seawall around Kits Beach until we hit Point Grey Rd. There was a slight breeze by the beach and you could smell the saltwater and got a bit sandy, so great!  The mountains had a lot of clouds around their peaks but you could still make most of them out.

When we reached Jericho Beach we took a washroom break and refilled the hydration belts.  Then we kept running until the end of the big hill where Lorraine and Michael gave us Gatorade and water refills which was MUCH appreciated.  They were surprised we made it up there so fast!  Then we continued along a bit of a boring stretch where it was basically just road and trees...not much to see.  After that we got into a beautiful residential portion near the university, the people I was pacing myself with and I talked about different houses and girly things like that.

Michael met us again at a park for another much appreciated water and Gatorade stop!  We kept on going and finally reached Dunbar street where Alicia and Christian met us on their bikes, cheering us on (they are training for a tri)!  We followed Dunbar to the stairs down to the seawall and stopped to stretch a bit and pick some wild blackberries which were very appetizing; they were definitely a welcomed treat and we probably stopped a bit too long to eat some, haha.

We picked up our running again following Kits Beach and it was raining lightly at this point, which was a nice cool-down.  We stopped at a fountain to refill our hydration belts...I think our pace had slowed down considerably by this point.  Once we got back to the Community Centre we stretched out for a while and called it a day!

It was great how even into a hour and a half of running it doesn't seem like much anymore, haha.  The tiredness comes in waves when doing the long runs.  Sometimes I'll think I could kick it up a notch and then others it's just keeping one foot in front of the other.  At no point on this run did I feel like stopping though.  I was worried all the biking and elliptical training wouldn't be sufficient but I guess it was!

Today I was a bit stiff but my calves and shins are not at all!  It's mainly my back which feels like it's in a thousand knots, lol.  I am incredibly glad I took all the time off I needed to make sure my shin splints healed fully and that I was able to complete this run without problems!!  SO EXCITED for next week!!   It was also wonderful to see the team again and be able to chat with them while running.  For sure this was a highlight in my week!!!

Here's the route we completed (I put the start and washroom markers in the wrong spots just ignore that):

I finally made it to the Sunday GTS!!! Yay!  This morning we ran a lot...more than I ever have before and my legs don't want to move now!  Though I'm not feeling tired; so I guess it's a trade-off :)  Let's see, we went all over Granville Island, English Bay, Stanley Park, the seawall, etc.  Weather-wise it was good: overcast and not hot like it's been the past week so that was a welcomed change.

My calves kept seizing up  (so I guess it wasn't all in my head on the speed workout) it took me forever to complete (at least it seemed that way.)  Sidenote: if anyone wants to give me a free massage you might be able to convince me to oblige, haha. 

I tried another sports gel today, the Power Bar brand, strawberry-banana flavour.  It didn't give me any issues either

but the banana taste wasn't to my liking so I may try it in another flavour.  I'm a bit wary about the caffeine in it though...not sure what I think of that yet.  I want to start comparing sports drinks in a little while, any recommendations?

Overall, the run went well.  I didn't get super frustrated and all negative with the calves this run and tried to focus on the fact that if my legs were capable of moving faster that I would've been fine because my endurance has definitely increased. Thankfully, another woman from the group ran along with me so it was nice to not be running alone!  I just enjoyed going along the ocean and looking at the mountains while running at the slower pace today.  Sometimes I take for granted what Vancouver has to offer...it's always so breathtaking and yet there are times when I forget how wonderful this city is.  When I got home I noticed I had sand all over me, haha.  That kind of surprised me because the ocean was very calm today...it was windy so that's probably the culprit.

All in all a fabulous day!

P.S. The hand was ok, it's just irritating to run with it all bandaged and above my heart but there was less pain after the run in it than previously, yay!

So today while running I decided that I need to give myself more credit.  I've always been the type to push myself harder and harder and have never taken compliments well.  I've come extremely far in terms of personal growth but it is always still hard for me to take positive comments from others.  It's not that I don't think I deserve them - it's just that I'm always striving for perfection.

As I was running I got into a "my calves are tight..I can't run fast enough and we're supposed to be doing a speed workout" thought cycle.  So I decided I would just go at the fastest pace I could for the day.  Because that's what training is...you'll have some great days, good days and other ones won't be so hot but they all prepare you to run your race well.  So I just started to enjoy the run :)

At my second speed lap a guy walking in the opposite direction exclaimed, "now THAT is commitment, way to go!!!" and gestured to my hand.  I laughed and said thanks as I ran past but then it hit me...I am running injured.  I have my hand all wrapped up in gauze, a splint, tensor, tape, etc. and I've been running with it above my heart (to reduce swelling and jarring) for the past week.  So yes, I may not have had the best run today but I still got out there and did it.  Previously I've dismissed my broken hand because it's not a leg, ankle, knee...you know - a body part that takes the immediate pounding.  Also, I shrugged it off as no big deal because my broken hand compares like nothing to those going through chemo but I am running for them, I'm running for myself, I'm running for the sake of running.  I'm still going and trying my hardest so I think this was why I was able to run my fastest lap for the last one and then back to the runner's lounge at a decent pace...I finally gave myself some credit that I deserved.

Perhaps running is my perfect imperfection.

I love that I am a runner.  I love that I am training for a marathon.  I love that I am helping others while training.  I'm PROUD of myself and how far I've come thus far.

!!!!!!!YAY!!!!!!!!

Running for cancer research

I had another GTS run at the Nike Runner's Lounge today and it was great, as usual!  We ran a little under 10k I think: going around Lost Lagoon, through the Stanley Park Rose Garden and a bit of trail, back to the seawall, past the lighthouse and totem poles, back into Coal Harbour.  It was a fantastic route!  All of the running in Vancouver is but I really enjoyed the variety of this one!  The weather was at a perfect temperature for the run and rain clouds were looming but I guess they were just being threatening, haha.

It was a bit bizarre because the last time I had been through that portion of Stanley Park was the day of my grandmother's funeral.  I was tempted to cry a bit but I held it in; the run was emotionally cathartic for that reason, which is always good....I don't even know why I felt like crying per-say I suppose it was more out of happiness that she is no longer in pain and of course because I do miss her.

My knee was bothering me again on this run (it had stopped for quite some time so I don't know why it decided to flare up again ::shakes fist!!::) One of the employee's at the lounge said it is my IT band (which I suspected but wasn't positive) and was nice enough to run with me at a slow pace (I was the last one today but it doesn't bother me, I completed my run!!)  I think I finished in an hour ten minutes, so that's still a decent pace. 

While running with him we chatted about running and sports in general he's completed three marathons so far and asked me what made me join TNT as opposed to just running.  So I replied that I was already wanting to run a marathon and that raising money for cancer was an even better reason to do it and I also thought the group runs would be nice to have.  He said he raised money for the Diabetes Association for one of the marathons and that he also really liked the GTS' and being able to run for more than personal fitness. 

This made me think about the runners that I've met in general and I think that largely the running community has a lot in common: we all like to compete, possess a great deal of determination, and a great one is that we want to help others if possible.  Even just doing runs by myself; passing runners always smile or nod.  I have also never met a runner I don't get along with!

Despite feeling a bit emotionally overwhelmed and my knee bothering me a bit this run was fantastic in my book!  I love the clarity that comes with running, today was no exception!  Let's help raise money for cancer research!

Now for a tangent: NUTRITION!!! I mentioned in a previous post that I needed to be watching more closely my caloric intake.  However, today after the run I realized I had at best 400 calories today...though probably more like 300.  NOT GOOD.  AT ALL.  BAD ME.  Then of course I get home and everything I can think of eating has a tiny amount of cals in it.  RAWR!  The one day I need something not so good to eat I can't find anything, go figure.  So at best I've had 700 calories today.  Tomorrow I'm really going to make sure I get in my 1,400 or a little bit more.

It was another GTS this morning and I was, like last week, pretty tired.  My friend was in town from Calgary so we were able to get together over the weekend.  It was fabulous seeing her again, having lots of fun and laughter, although we consumed too much food and stayed up way too late, haha.  Definitely worth the lack of sleep to see her!!

At our meeting point, one of the ladies on our team shared her reason for training with us.  She had leukemia ten years ago and was one of the lucky ones that survived.  She shared with us that it was a 50/50 chance and in the past ten years, those stats have not changed.  She also mentioned that the other patients she met during her hospital stay had passed on or are no longer functioning as they were prior to the cancer.  She is also on the board of directors for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and said this is her first time participating in Team in Training and is really glad for it!  With the money we raise for research and patient care we CAN make the odds better than 50/50 for those diagnosed.  This is why I run.  Help me with the fight against cancer

About the run itself: weather-wise it was overcast and threatening to rain; there were a few sprinkles throughout the run but it wasn't soaking wet.  I forgot my jacket though so I was cold once we finished, during the run I was fine!  We went along kits beach and over to Point Grey road up to Alma.  It was a good combination of ocean running and street running!  I made a decent time and was proud of myself! It's definitely getting easier and easier on the runs.  I think I will start to incorporate more fartleks and add in hill training soon.

On the way home I could barely keep my eyes open and once there I then immediately fell asleep for EIGHT hours haha.  I woke up at 20:00...oops!  I certainly needed that rest though!!