2014: The Year of the Injury

According to the Chinese zodiac, 2014 was the Year of the Horse.

For me, 2014 was "The Year of the Injury" - that pretty much tells the story.

In January 2014, I started on a new life path when I was introduced to running as part of the Blue Nose Marathon's Team Myles 2014 ambassador program. On May 18, I ran my first official 10K race. In my own humble opinion, it was a big accomplishment.

My mentor, Jeff Nearing, convinced me to keep the running going and sign up for a half marathon in the Valley Harvest Marathon on October 12. I accepted and it was an intense summer of training.

Anyone who has been following this blog will know it was around three years ago that my beautiful wife, Charlene, and I changed our ways and started down a new healthy lifestyle road. We've come a long way. Major weight loss, better shape and more active. I got back to playing hockey a few times a week, Charlene joined in with the running, we started cross country skiing and we became addicted to kayaking.

The decade prior to this change in lifestyle was pretty much injury free, but what would you expect? Hard to get injured when you're not active! But the harm we were doing was more on the inside and would catch up later in life without a change.

I visited a physiotherapist and chiropractor for the first time in my life in 2014. It was a regular routine for most of the year.

Injury list 2014:

January 19 - discovery of runner's nipple

April 7 - ankle roll while running in Waterloo, ON
April 17 - crash into boards in hockey game (partial shoulder separation, right side)
May 3 - hip issue following a tempo training run
August 23 - hit the wall during half marathon training - blisters on feet
September 20 - black toenail and major blisters on feet from half marathon tempo run (last run before Valley Harvest)
October 12 - Valley Harvest (Half) Marathon (painful blisters on feet)

December 22 - And, to end the year on a injury note, I had a major collision with the boards in my Monday night hockey game while racing to the puck in the corner.  It occurred around 11 pm and after getting back to the bench and icing my shoulder for 30 minutes, in the dressing room a doctor on the team advised me to head to emergency as he suspected a separated shoulder.

Good news is we did win the game!

I headed to North York General's emergency department at midnight. X-rays confirmed I sustained a fully separated left shoulder. It's a very painful injury, but I have to sincerely thank Dr. Walter Himmel. He's been practicing for 37 years, most of it at North York General. He's got a great demeanor and makes you feel at ease. I like his joking ways. In fact, everyone I encountered at the hospital that evening from the triage nurse, the orderlies, X-ray technician and other nurses and docs, were very friendly and caring. I felt like I was in great hands.

I was referred to a North York General surgeon and met with Dr. Christopher Peskun on December 27 to determine if I needed surgery. Dr. Peskun is another fantastic gentleman. It was determined I have a Type III separation of the shoulder, so on the borderline for surgery. The recommendation was 'no surgery' given I am not a professional athlete or involved in manual physical labour. I gave up my dream of playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs some time ago, so I have to agree with Dr. Peskun!

Did some research on the various types of shoulder separations and it was an interesting read.

The permanent "bump" on my left shoulder will forever remind me of Christmas 2014 and my first in Toronto! 'Christmas in a sling' is the theme for this holiday season!

It drastically changed my Christmas plans. The injury will keep me from driving and travel for a few weeks so I had to cancel flights to NL for Christmas Day. It was a disappointment to not get to see my Dad, sister Jennifer and brother-in-law-to-be Pathy in St. John's. Charlene and I will plan a trip to NL in early 2015 to see everyone.

I have been off work since then, so if there is a "good" time for it to happen it is now as I got a lot of rest time. Have come a long way in the last nine days. Charlene is the new chauffeur!

Have to start a physio/chiro routine next week once the swelling and bruising subside. Won't be able to get back on the ice until early February.

So ends the year. But with all the injuries, I have to say it's been worth it. I feel great about what 2015 will bring. More adventures await!

Have a Happy New Year, one and all. Be safe tonight - careful in the corners!

Sometimes finishing is good enough

It has been 79 days since the Valley Harvest Marathon. And it's taken me a long time to write this blog post.

Some words to describe what I was feeling on October 12, 2014 before, during and after the Half Marathon:

• Ready
• Exhilarated
• Confident
• Competitive
• Stressed
• Anxiety
• Pain
• Agony
• Guilt
• Failure
• Destroyed
• Disappointment
• Ego Driven
• Determined
• Success
• Pride
• Relieved

My first official Half Marathon will be one I will always remember, but would sooner forget. I trained hard for the Valley Harvest. My mentor, Jeff Nearing, worked hard preparing a training plan and keeping me on track and motivated through Summer 2014. Running mates, and work colleagues, Aaron Legge and Peter Clarke kept the competitive streak in play as we chirped each other's training routines (in jest, of course).

There were ups and downs through the training. I was taught to respect the Half Marathon distance in a training run gone bad on August 23. After hitting the wall, I sustained some blisters on my feet that would later come back to haunt me. A tempo run on September 20 would further aggravate the blisters and would be my last run before the big day on October 12. I spent the next three weeks getting everything healed awaiting the start of my first Half - just 21.1 km to go!

Being a first experience, and still very new to running, I had nervous (but good) tension as I stood on Acadia University's athletics track with the hundreds of other half marathoners. It was a beautiful day in Wolfville, NS and I was ready.

That was until about 3K into the race when I felt some discomfort in my running shoes. I quickly realized the areas which had sustained the blisters over the last few months had completely rubbed raw.

Realizing there was still 18K left to go, anxiety started to set in and soon the real pain began. Around 10K into the race, it was a little overbearing and my pace slowed to around 6:30 (mins/km). I was entering some tough parts of the course with long down slopes and climbs.

For the first time in my life, I actually contemplated throwing in the towel. In some of the transition areas, police cars were aiding racers to keep on course. At one point I thought about sitting in one of the cars and requesting a ride back to the start.

But the spectators along the route keep you motivated. Constantly having someone saying, "C'mon, you can do this. Just a few more kilometers and it's over!" really works. I needed every motivation that day.

A lot goes through your head in difficult times like this. I was thinking about the training and all of the hard work that had gone down the tube. I thought about how I would disappoint Jeff and the other guys by not finishing. I actually felt guilty. And that too kept my feet moving, as slowly as they were at that point.

I originally had a goal to finish the Half Marathon in less than two hours - a goal that was modified after initial training. I knew that was no longer in the cards as my pace slowed even more.

And then came a moment between kilometres 17 & 18!

I needed a drink and actually paused for a second at a water stop at the bottom of the hill before heading back to the Main Street of Wolfville for the home stretch. At that moment my right foot felt like it was welded to the pavement. I could not physically move it forward. It was scary actually.

It took more than a little 'self talk' to get one foot in front of the other, but I did it. I walked the next km to get some composure, but this dead slow pace hurt my feet even more so I started to jog, picking up the pace a little. And looking at my watch I realized that at 8:00 min/km, I'd be another nearly half hour before I finished.

The crowds along Main Street were larger and out of pure pride and ego I fought through the pain to keep moving. When I saw the Acadia track ahead that gave another boost. It was at that moment that the 2:15:00 pace bunny passed by. I attempted to pick it up a bit to finish with that group, but to no avail.

In the end I completed the race, officially, at 2:17:41.

It was a disappointment to me. I beat myself up about it for quite some time. My friends and colleagues reinforced the message that at least I finished. I originally did not see it that way.

When I finally got back to Halifax and removed my running shoes the damage was finally unveiled. I'll spare you the details, but trust me, my feet were a mess. From bandages, medicated creams and salt bath treatments, it took a number of weeks before I could walk properly again.

I have had the last 79 days to reflect. And I've come to the conclusion that I did indeed finish the Valley Harvest Half Marathon, in spite of the great physical pain.

The simple conclusion is that sometimes finishing is good enough. And I accept that now.

I have not run since this race, but I am ready to get back on the horse.

A lot has changed since Valley Harvest.

On November 3, my beautiful wife, Charlene, and I moved to Toronto as I have taken a new role with Yellow Pages. We've downsized to condo living in the big city and are exploring all the new offerings.

New city. New career. New shoes. New socks. New outlook. And new attitude.

In 2015 I will run another Half Marathon and I will get to the timing goals originally set. It may be ego talking, but it is something I need to do.

And here's the proof.

In just 124 days, on May 3, 2015, I will run another 21.1K (Half) in the Goodlife FITNESS Toronto Marathon. I look forward to the challenge.

Have a Happy New Year and stay tuned for the 2015 resolutions. And thanks for reading in 2014. I appreciate all the support and encouragement.

In the words of Neil Young, "Long may you run". Listen to the words. A lot of meaning in there. Until next time!

Badges of honour

Apparently I am now officially a runner!

Over the last number of weeks I developed my first black toenail. When I mentioned it to my running coach, Jeff Nearing, you could see a twinkle in his eye - he was like a proud new Dad.

"Let me see it," he said. "That's a badge of honour for a runner."

It took me back for a second, but I could see his point. I have been a lifelong hockey player, with the exception of my 15-year break that ended two years ago next month. It's great to be back on the ice. Cuts, bruises, missing teeth and black eyes are commonplace in that sport, so why couldn't runners have their "badges" too.

A little research shows black toenails are a common thing for people training for longer distance runs. It will eventually fall off - something to look forward to I guess! Still a lot to learn in this new sport.

I was reviewing my running statistics from the new Garmin Connect dashboard just last night.

It's interesting to see the progression since starting running in January. There were a half dozen runs completed before I got my Garmin running watch, so I don't have the full totals, but here's a look at my stats since February 2014 up to and including tonight's 12K tempo run:

84 - total running activities
45 - number of hours running
152 - average heart rate (bpm) through all activities
6:02 - average pace (minutes per km) through all activities
172 - average cadence (steps per minute) through all activities
10.85 - average speed in km/h through all activities
22:58 - current fastest time to complete 5K
50:15 - current fastest time to complete 10K
2:10:23 - current fastest time to complete Half Marathon
21.11 - distance in km of longest run
448 - number of km travelled
36,028 - calories burnt through all activities

Since starting training for the half marathon in the Valley Harvest Marathon taking place on October 12, the frequency, pace and distance of runs has accelerated. August saw a total of 107.11 km in running. Paces have averaged in the 5:20 min/km range. Jeff has me on an aggressive training program and it's working well.

Last week during a Caribbean cruise vacation with my beautiful wife Charlene, I had full intentions of keeping the running alive. In the first three days I completed just under 21K in running, but that was the end of it. The temperatures in Florida prior to the cruise and during the visits to Haiti, Jamaica and Mexico were over 40 degrees Celsius with the humidity - far too hot to be running. The beer, however felt colder than ever! Everyone needs a vacation, right?!

It was a great rest, actually. Leading up to the cruise my Achilles was hurting a little on every run and my feet were badly blistered, mainly from that "wall hitting" half marathon run a few week's back. The down time, not to mention the awesome afternoon naps, and some fun play in the salt water through the vacation, helped let everything heal. It's been full throttle since returning on Monday.

With just 24 days to go before my first timed half marathon at Valley Harvest it's time to get serious to be ready for that big day.

I guess the injuries and battle scars can be tagged as badges of honour as well. A runner I have become!

Careful, there's a wall out there

I've heard people talk about it, but really didn't give much heed to that "wall" that exists in the running world.

This past Saturday, August 23 was my first, and hopefully last, experience of hitting that wall.

My running coach, Jeff Nearing, has graciously developed a training plan for me leading to the October 12 Valley Harvest Marathon where I plan to run the Half Marathon (21.1K) distance.

My weekend long run plan called for me to do 15K at a 5:45 min/km pace. The previous weekend Jeff introduced me to the BLT Trail so I ventured out on Saturday to do my training run alone.

Approaching the 7.5K turnaround point I was feeling great. The average pace was on target ranging from 5:23 to 5:51. The temperature was perfect so I got it in my mind to do the full half marathon distance. The furthest long run to that point was the previous Saturday completing just over 14K. A little cocky, I was thinking what's the big deal, it's just another 6K, so why not go for it.

Everything was fine until I started approaching 16K. That's when I started hearing the guitar strums from the beginning of Pink Floyd's Another Brick in the Wall Part 1. I could feel the energy draining quickly as 'the wall' approached.

The next 5K was excruciating. My pace was slowing exponentially, slipping to 6:35, 6:58, 7:37 and 8:02 through kilometres 17-20, respectively. The last was completed in 7:25 min/km since I could see the end of the madness and it got my legs moving ever so slightly.

When I stopped my head was spinning and I simply sat in my vehicle with the air conditioning on maximum and chugging the litre of water I had left behind. I could not even stand to complete the after run stretch routine. After 10 minutes or so I was feeling less light headed and headed home for some badly needed nutritional intake.

Sitting for lunch, I began to get very, very cold and shivering uncontrollably. I Googled the symptoms to see what was up and I learned quickly about the post-run shivers and thermoregulation. It was off to the bed to bundle up and regulate my body temperature. About two hours later I was back to normal, with the exception of very sore legs and some bad blisters on my feet. Hitting the wall is a real thing.

I am grateful to my beautiful wife Charlene for keeping me fuelled for the rest of the day as walking was a real issue into Saturday evening. It was a quick recovery though. We spent Sunday on an awesome kayaking adventure and enjoying our own secluded beach on Cape LaHave Island.

Lessons learned:

• "Respect the distance" - those were the words from Jeff when I texted him about what I had just attempted and was experiencing. He's right. By percentage, increasing from my longest 14K run to 21.1K is nearly a 36% increase in distance in one week. Research tells you to only increase by 10% maximum per week;
• "Don't try crazy new distances on your own" - luckily I did not pass out and collapse on the route. The trail is heavily used, but it's not worth tempting fate. I did not even have my cell phone with me if anything did occur - not smart;
• "Eat more food" - before I left for that run I consumed two muffins and a couple cups of coffee equating to 310 calories. During the run I burnt 1,830 calories. Obviously the math does not work;
• "Bring more water and some quick absorbing energy food" - all I had with me was a small bottle of water. The research I have done since talks about carb induced drinks and gel packs to keep energy flowing;
• "Stick to the plan" - when an experienced runner, and your coach, gives you a training plan, stick with what the paper says. Straying from the game plan can be hazardous to your health;
• "I can do the distance" - on a positive note, I did finish the half marathon distance that day. It took 2:10:23 at an average pace of 6:11 min/km, which considering, is not that bad for a first timer. But as per the goals in the blog post last week, I have a lot of work to do.

Gratefully, I can look back a few days later and chuckle about the situation. During those last five kilometres there was not a lot of chuckling going on. I was hurting, a lot, but I am actually glad it happened. It was a little bruise on the ego. Since starting running in January, I have experienced some great progress in endurance. Sometimes we take things a little too lightly and get a Superman complex. Hitting the wall brings everything into perspective.

I was not quite as bad as the folks in this short video, but it was not too far away.

So it's back to the training plan. Happy running everyone, but be careful, there's a wall out there some place with your name on it. Listen to your body - it knows best. Stay safe.

Taking it to the next level

Where did the time go? My last blog was on June 25, 2014. It's obviously been a busy Summer season.

In addition to kayaking when we can, my beautiful wife Charlene and I have started hitting the ball around on the local tennis courts, plus regular exercise.

After starting this new running lifestyle in January to prepare for the Blue Nose Marathon 10K as part of Team Myles 2014, the running has continued.

My running mentor Jeff Nearing is still a great motivator and I let him talk me into trying a half marathon to end 2014 in full stride. Honestly never saw a half marathon in my future, but sometimes you just have to go for it.  A half marathon is technically 21.097494K (or 21.1K).

So on Saturday, August 16, 2014,  I registered for the Valley Harvest Marathon in the half marathon distance. As of now the event is just 52 days away (October 12) and I have a lot of work to do before heading to scenic Wolfville, NS for the big day!

Nearing, what have you gotten me into this time?!?

To kick off the official training I joined Jeff for a run on the BLT Trail this past Saturday after registering for the event. The BLT is an amazing route if you have never done it. It will be one of my new running homes.

Up to Saturday my longest run was 11K, completed on July 26. Jeff and I set out to do a slow 14K to start building the distance. It was a great run. We finished 14.36K in 1:23:55 - a pace of 5:51 min/km. That's much slower than my normal pace these days, but we held back in anticipation of the new found distance. At that pace it would take me 2:03:25 to complete the half marathon.

Jeff and I have been chatting about a time goal for the half marathon. I mentioned simply finishing it in under two hours (1:59:59) would be awesome. Jeff, in his usual slick style, has set my goals. He had great influence on my Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon 10K goal earlier this year as referenced in the blog post from March 31, 2014.

So here are my first half marathon goals, in writing, for all to see:
The Acceptable Goal: 1:54:59 (Average pace of 5:27 min/km)
The Actual Goal: 1:49:59 (Average pace of 5:13 min/km)
The Stretch Goal: 1:44:59 (Average pace of 4:59 min/km)

Don't tell Jeff, but just to finish will be more than 'acceptable' as I look at it right now!

I did a little research on Jeff's running progression to get some comparables. He did the Blue Nose Half Marathon on May 20, 2012 in 1:45:43 - that's a tougher course than the Valley Harvest. Fast forward to May 25, 2014 and he did the Ottawa FULL Marathon in 3:12:24. Jeff is a fast and dedicated runner. I'm glad to have him as a coach. mentor and friend in this new adventure.

For perspective, I have been working on building speed since the last post in June. A new 5K marker was set on July 19 completing it in 00:22:58 - an average pace of 4:36 min/km. On August 9, I nearly broke the sub-50 10K marker I have been working toward, completing the distance in 00:50:15 - just 16 seconds from the goal. Should have pushed harder to reduce the average pace of 5:02 min/km that was accomplished. Coming soon, I guarantee it!

To keep up that recent 10K pace over an additional 11.1K will be a challenge for sure.

So, with these goals in mind it will be six weeks of intense training. In the middle of it all Charlene and I are heading on another cruise. It's going to be another vacation that will include exercise and training, similar to this March 13 blog post memory. Given, it will help reduce the bar bill!

I'll blog regularly heading to the Valley Harvest Marathon to give progress updates. It will be a Thanksgiving Weekend to remember for sure!

A final quote:

"Most people become frustrated when they plan for a goal, then upon reaching it, they level off. A goal should be the next level, not the final result." - Unknown

A month to reflect

Hard to believe this is my first blog post since the Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon completed on May 18, 2014.

The running of the GoodLife FITNESS 10K is now a mere memory (but a good one). I never did get back to write a closing paragraph.

For those who did not follow the race, but were following this blog since January, the great news is that I finished the 10K. If you recall, my goal was to do it under 55 minutes. It was close, missing the goal by just seven seconds ending 00:55:06. My Team Myles 2014 Mentor Jeff Nearing was by my side as we crossed the line. I was fortunate to have run with he and his son Aiden.

I still remember coming back over the MacDonald Bridge after just passing the 7K marker. Aiden was looking back at his father and wanting to rip it to the finish line. Jeff gave him the nod and the 10-year-old took off. He managed to cross the line in 00:51:42 - incredible. I felt bad in holding him back! He's a runner just like his Dad.

At that same 7K point I was hurting badly. It was the fastest pace I had ever run to that point and I was feeling it. Jeff and I chatted after the event and he was actually a little concerned about me coming back over the bridge. My heart rate was very high and breathing was an issue, plus my legs were like lead, but we kept going, actually running the last kilometre nearly as fast as my first. It was seeing that finish line that gave that last burst of adrenaline.

It was an incredible experience to be amongst the 3,410 that took part in the race. Our Team Myles members decided to be the last of the 10K runners to leave the start line so we could start as a group and do one final cheer. That proved to be a difficult decision once we caught up to the wall of people turning onto North Street. Approaching the MacDonald Bridge it was a sea of Raspberry Ice shirts (pink for us lay people).

Following the race, Jeff and I decided that the sub-55 was actually accomplished that day given the amount of weaving and slowing we had to do to get through the crowds. I'll take it.

~~~~~~~~~~

It wasn't until June 5 that I ventured back into the running world, completing a 5K in 00:29:25. I was happy to be able to do that with nearly three weeks off. Since that run I have decided to focus on controlling heart rates and running faster and faster on a 5K distance as endurance increases.

On June 7 I was back on the treadmill again, this time breaking my original 5K time, completing it in 00:25:47 at an average pace of 5:09 min/km.

June 13 saw my 5K record fall again, this time running it in 00:24:28 at a pace of 4:54 min/km - my first sub-5 min/km pace over that distance.

June 15 and 21 were 6K jaunts completing the distance in just over 30 minutes (00:31:36 & 00:30:39 respectively). When I started running in January the most I could accomplish was 3 km in 30 minutes. Great to see that nearly doubled at this point.

June 23 was a great day, again beating my 5K record running 00:23:38 on an average pace of 4:43 min/km.

I now have some new goals in sight.

For 5K I want to run it sub-20 minutes. That will mean running the full distance at a speed of 15 km/h. That's a very fast speed for me at the present time, but something to work toward.

On the 10K front it will be aiming for sub-50 minutes. I am at the pace to do this based on the 5K distance, but keeping that pace going for twice the distance will be a challenge.

But that's what challenges are all about. If a goal is too easy you simply aren't aiming high enough.

I'll do some periodic blog updates to report on progress from time to time.

And it won't all be about running.

The Living Life title was meant literally and there's more to life than running.

Kayaking, a passion for both my beautiful wife Charlene and I, is back in full swing and I'll share some photos and thoughts from the water. It's been incredible paddling so far.

Much more to come. Thanks for continuing to read.

24 - Live Another Day

For those clicking on this headline looking for Jack Bauer from the acclaimed television series 24, my apologies.

As the saying goes, "times flies when you're having fun". In just 24 hours from now I, along with the other Team Myles 2014 members and thousands of others, will be about to cross (or have crossed) the starting line of the 2014 Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon 10K race.

Team Myles plans to start as a group at the very back of the second wave of GoodLife FITNESS 10K runners. As we approach the starting line mats, just before our bib timing chip activates, I am envisioning a few last minute back slaps, high fives and a whole bunch of nervous energy in the pit of our stomachs.

We've worked as a team to come this far. From those who had difficulty handling one minute run/walk intervals to now running 10K without stopping, the transformation has been incredible to watch. Some of the Team Myles members will run the Johnson 5K this afternoon. I wish them all great success.

Devin Sherrington, Team Myles coach and trainer of 360fit, along with the other mentors, will be with us running the 10K course.

The personal goals have been set. The game plan run through dozens of time in our heads. The one difference is that this one is for all the marbles and we'll be surrounded by thousands of others.

How will that affect the mind game that running can play? Will it make us slower, or faster? Will the adrenaline affect our normal breathing patterns and heart rates? Still a lot of unknowns.

The only way to know is to experience it and that's what will happen in a few short hours.

The morning routine will remain the same as it's been for a few weeks. "Our stomachs don't like change" has been the warning. My personal mentor Jeff Nearing will pick me up at 7:15 am tomorrow. Between my 5 am rise, through breakfast and stretching, I will have run the 10K numerous times in my mind. You'd think it was a gold medal run in the Olympics. I guess it is. For non-runners, the first time is golden.

If you want to track my results go to www.TheChronicleHerald.ca/BlueNose and click on the GoodLife FITNESS 10K button. My bib number is 9716. You can search it from there or use the Watch List.

Good luck my friends. See you at the finish line (in less than 55 minutes, I still hope - reference details here).

I can proudly say we have all achieved much and it is the efforts of more healthy lifestyle that each and every one of us will have our own 24 episode, and live another day.

An event of thanks

In just six days, Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon Weekend will begin.

Being part of Team Myles 2014 has been rewarding and it goes without saying that many people deserve thanks for getting us to this point.

Personally it has been an interesting journey. I have been amazed at how fast the training has increased my running pace. Key mentors in Jeff Nearing, and our fearless Team Myles leaders Devin Sherrington and Jason Davis of 360fit, have kept the motivation levels high and made us accountable to the training schedule. On top of that there have been hours of running research and reading leading to this moment.

Many others have provided inspiration including the other Team Myles members and mentors. Friends and colleagues including: John Deans, a five-time Iron Man, and my ECO Kayaking Guide In Training friend; Charlie Stacey, a great friend in NL, who sends along inspirational notes after reading this blog; work colleagues Sheryl Grant, Aaron Legge & Nancy Cook who have given great advice; my sister Jennifer for the texts of encouragement; my mother Sandra for her e-mails and dad Pleman for the calls; the many in the Twitterverse who have replied and retweeted support; and those from other social media channels that have commented and sent notes. With any list there may be some names missing so I would like to offer my sincere thanks to all who have helped along the way.

And of course, I could not have done this without the support of my beautiful wife Charlene. She has supported the many training hours and had to listen to my whining from the aches, pains and injuries. She herself has progressed amazingly since January, moving from run-walk intervals to non-stop running sessions.

I love you sweetheart. Thanks for the support. Our fitness kick will ensure a long healthy life together.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

And thanks to Chris Larsen, Sue Newhook and Gina Brown of Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon for recruiting me to Team Myles. It's been a honour to be part of the team. Special thanks to the Team Myles sponsors as well: 360fit, Centric Health LifeMark, Delta Barrington & Delta Halifax, iRun, Recharge With Milk & Breathing Space Yoga Studio.

And thanks to the Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon staff, volunteers and sponsors who make race weekend possible. There are thousands and each of you deserve a round of applause. Pulling off the  Doctors Nova Scotia Youth Run, the Johnson 5K, the GoodLife FITNESS 10K, the Recharge with Milk Half Marathon & the Scotiabank Full Marathon takes tens of thousands of volunteer and staff hours. It's a great event for Halifax and Nova Scotia as a whole.

Thanks also to all those who have raised money for the Scotiabank Charity Challenge. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been raised for local charities. It's not too late to donate to a team - click here to do so.

Be proud of the accomplishments. Best wishes to all of the runners. May you reach your personal best.

See you at the finish line.

Duct tape finish

We're into the home stretch for the 2014 Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon.

Next Sunday morning thousands of us will be standing on the start line for the GoodLife FITNESS 10K, the Recharge with Milk Half Marathon & the Scotiabank Full Marathon.

On Saturday, thousands more will have completed the Johnson 5K, not counting the thousands of children and families that will have done the 2K or 4K Doctors Nova Scotia Youth Run.

This morning was the final training run for Team Myles 2014 at Point Pleasant Park. Everyone is ready for the big day. It's been a lot of hard work. Hundreds of pounds have been shed, endurance increased and confidence to make it to the finish line elevated.

I started running to continue this "get fit journey" Charlene and I started a few years ago. See my first blog post on January 12, 2014 "Let the race begin!" for the prologue to this story.

Little did I know that training like this also brings the challenges of fighting through injury and discomfort.

The ankle injury in early April and the subsequent shoulder injury from hockey were bad enough (see "Back with a vengeance" blog post). Over the past week it's been a very sore hip.

It started with the Team Myles tempo run last weekend (May 3). We were running the 10K distance and I was determined to try it at race pace as we've been progressively moving to that point. Jeff Nearing was by my side the whole way and it was a major push to keep up with the pace I need to try and beat the revised sub-55-minute 10K goal. We've been working on a sustained pace of 5:28 minutes per kilometre to ensure I am below the goal. That just under 11 km/h sustained for 10K.

After the 10K run I achieved a time of 56:06 - a new record, but still off pace to beat the goal - and I did not feel good physically.

On Saturday afternoon, I could barely walk. My hip was seizing up and my legs were like lead.

The last week or so has seen multiple trips to ACCEL Physiotherapy & Sport Performance Centre for treatments and massage therapy for my shoulder and as a by-product, my hip. They are miracle workers in their own right. I've felt better after every session.

Jeff and I joked last week that we're into this to get fit and it's the most injuries we've ever had. Our directions to the physiotherapists has been to simply keep us together for the next few weeks, enough to cross the finish line. It will certainly be a "duct tape finish" for me.

Following that 10K tempo run, I actually felt a little disappointed for a few minutes until I gave it some more thought. It is probably the best time I could have achieved two weeks prior to the big day on May 18. It now gives me the motivation to beat that target and I have an experience under my belt to know what to expect - higher than normal heart rates, intense breathing, tiring legs and failing energy.

Jeff has aided in a few diet tweaks to ensure I have the energy to maintain the pace. Through the training, I have found running in the mornings more difficult than evenings. Not being a big breakfast guy I now need to ensure enough energy is consumed prior to the race to get through it without that energy drain. To some more seasoned runners it may seem simple, but for me, burning nearly 1,000 calories in just over 55 minutes has a way of zapping needed energy from the leg muscles and rest of the body.

I think Jeff's suggestions will do the trick. This morning's run was a simple 4K. (I laugh typing that as when I started in January, running 4K without stopping was a very taxing.) Jeff is training for the Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon on May 25 and was taking a break today as he has an intense 35K long run tomorrow. His directions on Friday were to take it easy for a few kilometres this morning and then ramp up the pace to get a good heart rate rush and push through the pace.

Here are my splits from this morning:

Kilometre 1 = 6:24 min/km

Kilometre 2 = 6:32 min/km

Kilometre 3 = 5:37 min/km

Kilometre 4 = 5:04 min/km

There was a lot left in the tank and I felt I could have run the distance without issue. We'll see in a week.

Running in a pack of several thousand will bring its own challenges. Battling adrenaline will be part of the mind game at play on race day. But I am, like the rest of Team Myles, prepared for whatever comes on May 18.

Let's truly let the race begin!

Back with a vengeance

I can hardly believe nearly a month has passed since my last blog post. It's good to be back - in more ways than one.

In the last post you may recall the declaration of a new goal to run the Blue Nose Marathon GoodLife FITNESS 10K in less than 55 minutes, a major reset from the original sub-70 minute target. (See "Goal achieved - dream bigger!")

A lot has occurred in the past month.

It started on Monday, April 7 in Waterloo, ON. I was away that weekend to celebrate my 41st birthday and to attend the Cher concert in Toronto.

In keeping with my Team Myles 2014 training, I went for a run that morning. About 4K into the run I was feeling a little off with energy draining quickly and made a simple misstep off the sidewalk that caused an ankle roll/twist. It did not seem too bad at first and I continued for another 2.5K. Through the day the injury was worsening to a point of a limp as my beautiful wife and I did some final shopping before the concert that evening. It was hurting a lot. We returned to the hotel to get some pain killers and to rest before heading to the Air Canada Centre.

The next day we flew back to Halifax and I was continuing to have some ankle issues, plus I had a major lack of energy. Little did I know a pretty severe stomach bug was attacking. That took me down for the next week.

On April 17, I decided to lace up and play hockey in my Thursday morning hockey league. It was good to get the energy back and legs moving. With just 10 minutes left in the game, I was speeding down the ice on a near breakaway, tripped in the goaltender and crashed very hard into the end boards injuring my right shoulder. It was an Easter weekend of rest, recovery and pain killers to get through that one. The pain was so great I missed my Saturday Team Myles training.

Gotta say, my 42nd year on this planet has started off a little rough!

It was a full 14 days before I got back on my feet for a run. It was worrisome to think I lost two weeks of critical run training. I really had to reach deep and find my Inner Ninja! (Click this blog reference for what that means).

I was feeling good on Monday, April 21 - more motivated than ever to get back on track. Have to admit, I was a little hesitant at first as to how the ankle would hold, but I quickly ramped up the speed and managed to complete a 5K run in under 30 minutes at a 5:54 min/km pace. Everything is fine.

Team Myles hill training on Tuesday, April 22 was a real test of endurance completing over 15 minutes non-stop up and down Citadel Hill. Team Myles coach and mentor Devin Sherrington of 360fit pushed us all hard and it was at that moment that I realized how much all of the other Team Myles members have progressed. It was both inspiring and motivational to see the metamorphosis from when we started a few months ago.

After hill training I had about an hour before my Tuesday night hockey game. Have to say I did not play to my top performance that evening - I left my legs back on Citadel Hill! A tough night and next morning. Thank goodness for the Icy Hot!

This past Saturday, April 26 was an incredible day - weather and running wise. Team Myles members met at Point Pleasant Park in Halifax for our first non-stop run. To that point it had been interval training with run/walk progression. This time is was 40-minutes non-stop.

My Team Myles mentor Jeff Nearing and I left at a brisk pace and ran along the Halifax Waterfront. I should qualify, it was brisk for me. Jeff is training for the Ottawa Marathon and it an excellent runner, so he barely broke a sweat - the bastard! (Kidding, my friend - thanks for everything you have done to date.)

Jeff was really great throughout the run to keep asking if I was doing okay and how my heart rate was holding up. It was a push, but I was still feeling really good. In the end we did just over 7K at a pace of 5:52 min/km, right on target for the under 55 minutes for 10K. With a little extra effort I know it can be done.

There's still a few week's left to train for speed, including a hills session tomorrow (Tuesday) night. I look forward to May 18 and race day. Who knows what will happen? No matter what, all Team Myles members, mentors and coaches are winners - we've come a long way and everyone should be very proud.

I encourage you to read some of the blogs from other participants. It's great to see such an effort.

Well, I gotta go. It's time for a run to get warmed up for hills tomorrow night!

"Charlene, where's the Icy Hot?"

~~~~~~~~~~~

SIDE NOTE: If you have not seen Cher in concert, try to do so on one of her pending "farewell tours" - this was her third, I think! Amazing show with incredible energy for this 67-year-old performer. April 3-12 was a fun entertainment week, starting with Black Sabbath at the Metro Centre in Halifax, off to Toronto for Cher at the Air Canada Centre, back to Halifax for David Myles at Pier 21 for An Evening with Easter Seals Gala, and then finishing with Buddy Wasisname and The Other Fellers at the Rebecca Cohn in Halifax the following weekend. Wide range of music talent and taste!

Goal achieved - dream bigger!

Since starting on this Blue Nose Marathon 10K journey in January, I have been amazed with the pace of progress.

Development of a regular running routine at that time and moving to the weekly Team Myles 2014 training (Citadel Hill on Tuesdays and Point Pleasant Park on Saturdays) in March, supplemented by my own schedule, has paid huge dividends so far.

For those who started following my personal blog in January, you will recall my goal was to finish the 10K in under 70 minutes. (See Living Life: The Woodford Chronicles "Let the race begin" post from January 12, 2014 for full details.)

Quite honestly, I thought that was a long shot. Remember, I am not a runner. It's never been part of my DNA.

But as each week of training passes and I continue to find muscles that I forgot I had, it's getting a whole lot easier to run and run and run and run.

I see the same thing happening with my fellow Team Myles members. Each has their own goal in mind and each will achieve it. Devin Sherrington, our lead trainer/coach/mentor/motivator from 360fit must feel like a proud "Dad" as he sees his "children" growing!

Just over a week ago, I followed the lead of Jeff Nearing and Aaron Legge (work colleagues and Team Myles 2014 Mentors) to do my first "long run". By definition the long run is simply the longest distance run in a regular weekly training schedule. It's meant to be at a slower pace than a normal training run.

I decided to run a full hour on my first long run on Sunday, March 23. Up to that point I was focusing on 30-40 minute runs at higher pace. After a 20 minute Bowflex workout I was feeling in good shape so I jumped on the treadmill, turned on some music videos and started out for the 60 minute run. At the end I had hit 8.76K and was feeling pretty pumped. A little math showed I was within the 10K in under 70 minutes pace and it wasn't really a push - just a steady pace through the entire 60 minutes.

This past Sunday, March 30, my new long run plan was to do the full 10K to start some benchmarking. Need to start getting use to that distance. I was pleasantly surprised to have hit the 10K goal in 65:41 - nearly a full five minutes below my original January goal. And I really wasn't pushing hard. My average heart rate across the full 60 minutes was exactly 140 beats per minute. There's still a lot of gas left in the tank. It's now time to take it for a test drive.

Through my professional career I routinely set stretch goals - those goals that are a little out there and on the verge of being unachievable. Sometimes everything fires on all cylinders and you achieve these stretch goals, even blowing them out of the water. (That's when you get accused of being a sandbagger! Been there.)

Well on Sunday I was feeling like a bit of a sandbagger. It's only been 10 weeks of training. With 47 days until the Blue Nose Marathon 10K race, there's still a lot of room for improvement.

So what happens when you reach your goal early? Well, you set a new one, of course!!

I have always loved this Michelangelo quote:

``The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short, but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.``

Certainly words to live by. They have served me will in the last 41 years!

So here goes nothing. My new 10K goal for Blue Nose Marathon 2014 is to run the race in under 55 minutes. It is definitely a stretch, but I will work my butt off to try and achieve it.

Wish me luck, send a few prayers this way - all encouragement welcomed!

Stay tuned for the progress reports. See you at the finish line on May 18.

Let those records fall!

It's been a great week of running over all. Late last week I broke my own personal record for 5K (to date anyway).

When I started running in January the most I could run in a 30 minute session was around 3K. In early February that number surpassed 4K in 30 minutes. About a month ago I pushed it hard and did 5K in 30 minutes.

Mid last week, after a 30 minute workout on the Bowflex, I was feeling good stepping on the treadmill. Within the first minute I increased the speed to 10 km/h. Continuing to feel great, at two minutes in I pushed it to 11 km/h. Again feeling great and the heart rate still in the mid-150 bbm range, at six minutes I cranked the speed up to 12 km/h.

At the 21 minute mark, I was feeling a little winded, so I dropped back to 6.3 km/h for a few minutes to catch breath and decrease my heart rate and then cranked it back up to 12.2 km/h for the home stretch.

In the end, I passed the 5K mark at 27:26:00. I have to believe that a sub 25 minute 5K is in the near future. Maybe faster if Devin Sherrington keeps pushing us on those hills! (See "This blog post brought to you by Icy Hot!" for stories on hill training.)

Run stats:
Distance: 5.00 km
Time: 27:26:00
Average speed: 10.9 km/h
Average pace: 5:29 min/km
Best pace: 4:52 min/km
Average HR: 159 bbm
Maximum HR: 175 bbm
Average cadence: 180 spm
Maximum cadence: 198 spm

~~~~~~~~

On Monday night (March 17) I took my first neighbourhood run in the Royal Hemlocks. I knew I lived on a hill, but it does not look as menacing in a Mazda Tribute SUV as it does coming back up powered by only your two legs.

Here's how it looks via Garmin Connect:

That's more than a kilometre of incline. Was some 'breathtaking' moments trying to run up that slope.

In comparison, here's a look at the elevation chart of Citadel Hill for Team Myles 2014 hill training:

My mentor Jeff Nearing tells me hill training helps produce speed. I look forward to testing the theory.

Let's see those personal records fall!

This blog post brought to you by Icy Hot!

"My butt hurts and it's all Devin Sherrington's fault!" (Use that in your new marketing campaign, Mr. 360fit!)

Now that I have your attention, it's fully my glutes and it was totally self inflicted!

Since I was on vacation for the first two weeks of Team Myles 2014 training, this past Tuesday night (March 18) was my first night of hill training at Citadel Hill in Halifax with the group.

Twelve full out runs from the base to the top in less than 30 minutes with only a one minute break - 30 seconds up and jog/walk back. Doesn't sound that hard, does it? Well try it.

It was later that evening when I started to feel the stiffness set in. Outside my gluteus maximus muscles, my quadriceps were also pretty tight - likely from the two runs we did backwards up the hill. It was an intense feeling, but I liked it.

The last two reps in that session were designed by Devin to be a 'leave it all on the mat' piece of the training. I ran it as fast as I possibly could. My cadence was measuring 252 at that point - my fastest ever. (Read this previous blog posting from February 6, 2014 for more details on cadence: The case for cadence.)

As I pen this posting now, my glutes and quads are still a little stiff and in just a few hours I have the first of two hockey games in the next 10 hour period. I play 10-11 p.m. every Thursday night and then hit the ice again from 7-8 a.m on Fridays. Should be interesting to see how that goes.

I have found a new best friend. Icy Hot Medicated Spray has done wonders to keep me from walking like a duck this week. I have truly found muscles I did not know existed through this new experience.

Warning to cat owners: Icy Hot and other menthol and mint-based sprays are like cat nip. Cat nip is from the mint family. Our two critters have been going nuts for the stuff all week. Keep them away from it as best you can. I have read varying reviews on if the stuff is harmful to pets. Ours has had 14 years of use from time to time and nothing has ever killed them, but be cautious.

~~~~~~~~~

Last Saturday's Team Myles run in Point Pleasant Park was a run three (minutes), walk one series. This week we move to four and ones, progressing each week until May 17/18 when we compete in the Blue Nose Marathon Weekend 5K or 10K races.

My beautiful wife Charlene is planning to do the 5K on Saturday, May 17. I am thinking of joining her on that run as a warm up to my 10K race on Sunday, May 18. This is the first year the 5K will move to Saturday due to the ever increasing number of runners. The 10K will be done in two heats to accommodate the thousands looking for the finish line.

If you have not registered for a Blue Nose Marathon 2014 event, click here and sign up. It's going to be a blast! I'll supply the Icy Hot!

Running on vacation, are you kidding me?

If somebody told me at the end of 2013 that I would be running during my vacation I would have laughed in their face.

But when you commit to Team Myles and running the 10K in the Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon, you have to make a few lifestyle changes.

My beautiful wife Charlene and I just returned from two amazing weeks away. Week one was spent with six friends from Newfoundland in Orlando, FL. Week two was sailing the Caribbean aboard Celebrity Silhouette with a larger group of NL friends - 12 of us in all.

My fellow Team Myles 2014 members were back in Nova Scotia braving the elements and starting their first training run - hill training on Citadel Hill, none the less!

I did start treadmill running in January 2014 after committing to take part in Team Myles. So to ensure I was doing my part, I made up my mind to get out and run over the vacation period. In the 14 days away, I am proud to say I ran on seven days completing a total of 32.71 km.

Monday, February 24, 2014 was the first "outdoor" run I have ever completed. It's quite different than having a treadmill below your feet keeping a pace - much harder actually. But it was already 19 degrees Celsius at 8 am under sunny skies, so not much to complain about.

I ran again on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday getting progressively more comfortable on the concrete and asphalt. A stop on Tuesday to buy some real running shoes has changed everything. I never knew it could be that comfortable. My Friday run was 5K in 33 minutes getting closer to my treadmill pace.

FUNNY TRUE MOMENT: My average running heart rate is in the mid 150s. On one of my later week runs, I was passing one house in the Emerald Island Resort in Kissimmee, FL when a garter snake "jumped" out on the sidewalk in front of me. A few choice words and an internal chuckle and I was on my way again. Not a huge snake fan! I looked down at my watch and the shot of adrenaline pushed my heart rate to 171.

And then it was off to the cruise ship.

Everyone knows cruise ships have lots of buffets. But did you know, they also have tracks and fitness centres on board?

This was the 15th cruise in eight years for Charlene and I and we've never visited the fitness centre on the ships. We actually thought those using it were a little loose in the head! We're proud to say we actually found the track and fitness centre this time. Charlene is training for the 5K at the Blue Nose Marathon this year.

Some words of caution when running on a treadmill on a moving ship. It's not easy. It really becomes a core workout when there is a bit of a sea on. Was interesting to listen to the running rhythm change as the ship sailed through the waves as people caught their balance. Winds were high in the first few days.

ANOTHER FUNNY TRUE MOMENT: I use a Garmin Forerunner 210 GPS running watch. On one of the sea days on the cruise ship, I used my watch when running on the deck track. I was stumped for a moment as to why my pace was showing as one minute, 20 seconds per kilometre. It was the fastest 4K I have ever run! Hint: turn off the GPS function when running on the deck of a moving ship!

The moral of the story is that exercising during vacation is not a crazy idea after all. It actually felt good to get those runs in and be energized for the remainder of the day. Being with a bunch of Newfoundlanders meant I had to do the runs early morning before the crowd was out of bed. Let's just say the kegs awaken early in a home filled with vacationing Newfoundlanders!

Cheers.

Give it a Tri

It's been a fun exercise week overall. Progress is a positive thing.

Over the last five weeks I can feel a major change in running endurance. Heart rates have stabilized and it's continuously getting easier to run faster and longer.

On Tuesday night I managed to break a goal I have been teetering with for the last week - running 5K in 30 minutes. (I actually had nearly 40 seconds to spare.)

Saturday saw me come close with a 30 minute 15 second completion of the 5 km distance. For a competitive person, coming that close brings a feeling of wanting to jump back on and try it again. Saturday's run came an hour or so after a 5K cross country ski with Charlene. When I got home the legs felt warmed up and ready to go. Was a great day of calorie burn.

On Sunday, Charlene and I returned to Dollar Lake Provincial Park for another ski adventure. This one was a little more strenuous. The trail system is not very well marked and I took a different route only to get caught in continuous loops. Google Maps on my iPhone (and some trailblazing) put me back on track, but it was an 8.5 km slog with some pretty intense elevations to climb.

Monday was a day of rest.

Tuesday was a good running day and I have since returned to slower pace to continue this training path to the May 18, 2014 Blue Nose Marathon 10K event.

I am really interested in taking the running outside and see if I can keep pace. Treadmills are one thing - Mother Nature may have a different plan. I'll keep you posted.

~~~~~

I have really noticed the endurance change during my two weekly hockey games. It's great to feel less winded after some hard skating shifts. I hit the ice in another two and a half hours. Look out boys, the lungs are ready!!

The endurance will come in handy this coming weekend when I compete with two other team members in the Tri-the-Oval III event at the Emera Oval in Halifax.

Jeff Nearing, Tina Lum and I competed last year in this 5 km skate (me), 6 km bike (Tina) and 4.2 km run (Jeff) event. We had friendly competition from three other Chronicle Herald employees, who bailed on it this year. They say it was a scheduling issue - we know the real story! Another three have signed up to take us on. I'll report back on results next week.

There's still room for individuals and team to register. Click for the official website or e-mail Marie-Claude Gregoire if you're interested. Tri-the-Oval III is this Sunday, February 16 starting at 9 a.m.

I'll be counting down the 12.5 laps of the Oval to complete the 5K skate portion. I'm betting it will be a whole lot easier this year with this new found endurance. Tina and Jeff are in great physical shape so I'm glad to have them carrying the weight of the team.

It feels good to be active again. It's a lifestyle Charlene and I have embraced. Longevity and good health in our senior years is dependent on what we do today. I'd encourage everyone to start living life - it's a lot of fun.

The case for cadence

The more you read, the more you learn. Fact.

I've been nursing a cold since last week, but have maintained my running schedule. During the rest time, I've gotten to read a whole lot more about running and the fascinating physics behind the sport. If you haven't figured it out, I am one of those people that must understand the "why" behind all subjects and projects I take on. Research is vital and the multitude of information available on running efficiency is amazing.

Last weekend, on the advice of my mentor Jeff Nearing, I picked up a Garmin Forerunner 210 GPS running watch, complete with heart monitor and foot pod.

It's an incredible piece of technology and when you upload the data to the Garmin Connect website it unleashes a bunch of really cool charts and graphs. Being a bit of a data nerd, it has been fun to dissect every second of a run.

One of the measurements is cadence.

Have to say, I did not know a lot about cadence until I started diving deeper. It is an important measure of efficient running. By simple definition, cadence is the number of times your feet touch the ground in a minute. There is great debate of what the ideal cadence is, but the most common number used is 180 steps per minute.

I've been reading about the elite runners in the world and how cadence has helped them achieve the greatest feats. Interestingly, the cadence measures I have achieved in the last week (average of 170 steps per minute, hitting a maximum of 182) are around the same as many of the elite distance runners.

Usain Bolt, the fastest man on the planet, holds the 100 metre and 200 metre sprint world records completing these distances in 9.58 seconds and 19.19 seconds, respectively. In the 100 metre sprint his average speed was 37.58 km/h. His fastest pace in that world record run came through the 60 to 80 metre portion when he was travelling 44.72 km/h. Absolutely incredible! Watch this video for Bolt's 100 metre world record run.

The difference comes down to the power they are generating when their feet hit the ground. That separates the beginners from the elites. An article by Dave Munger on Science Based Running explains the difference very well. It's technical, but you'll learn a lot by reading it. It dissects an earlier article by Yahoo! Sports on the Bolt running phenomenon.

In any event, I still have a lot to learn as we approach the 10K race at the Blue Nose Marathon on May 18. So far, it's been a blast. I look forward to the next challenge.

DID YOU KNOW: The world record in the 10K distance on track is held by Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopa who ran it in 26:17.53 in 2005. The women's world record was set in 1993 by China's Wang Junxia finishing in 29:31.78.

By the way, Usain Bolt's cadence in that 100 metre world record run was 257. The record is safe with me!

And I thought I was running

A little delayed in getting this week's post completed.

I had a great visit from my Dad over the weekend. We attended a couple of Halifax Mooseheads hockey games (two wins), completed a sightseeing trip to Peggy's Cove on a bitterly cold (but stunningly beautiful) day, did some shopping in Halifax, Dartmouth and Bedford, and hosted other family members for dinner on Sunday evening. (My beautiful wife did an amazing job as head chef. Thanks Charlene.) It all led to a decently busy schedule.

Through it I managed to get in a few runs ... or did I?

I've been spending a lot of time reading about running and came across a number of articles on the running vs. jogging debate. There are varying definitions, but the consensus is that until you cross the 6 mph (9.7 km/h) mark you are technically jogging. Others rank it at a level of 9 mph or 14.4 km/h! This Houston Chronicle article seems to be one of the best sourced.

I have run a few kilometres at the 10 km/h pace and it's really pushing it at this point. Contemplating holding a pace of 14.4 km/h right now is a little unnerving.

The debate is a fun read. But my favourite comment came from someone who jumped into the debate on some on-line forum. He said it simply: "Who cares?"

John Bingham sums it up nicely:

“If you run, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how fast or how far. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you've been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run.”

I agree.

This is more of a journey toward a fit way of living than breaking the land speed record. I watched a documentary on Usain Bolt on Netflix just recently. He is a marvel to watch. His record is safe with me!

There's just 105 days to Blue Nose Marathon weekend. I look forward to the next number of weeks when the Team Myles training formally begins. I can see the finish line and I look forward to crossing it. The goal is set and yes, I will be running, no matter what the speed.

Runner's nipple and finding my Inner Ninja

Who knew? As I enter Week 3 of this new running adventure I've discovered a painful phenomenon: Runner's Nipple. Not to sound like a cry baby, but man it hurts. Did a little research and will work on a solution. Runner's World is a good source of information.

It's been a busy week on the treadmill. Have broken a new goal of 4 km in 30 minutes. It's a pretty fast pace for me, but in just two weeks I can find a big difference on the endurance side. It was evident during my Thursday night and Friday morning hockey games this week - fast paced shifts, but not as winded when getting back to the bench. A positive sign.

When driving to hockey on Thursday I was intrigued and inspired by a few lines in the Classified (featuring David Myles) hit Inner Ninja. I checked my iTunes playlist and this song has been played 68 times, the most of any song in my collection. But it was only Thursday that a line, outside the chorus, really stuck in my head.

From Inner Ninja:

It's a feeling that you get in your lungs when you run
Like you're runnin' outta air and your breath won't come
And you (uh) wheezin', gotta keep it movin'
Find that extra (uhn) and push your way through it

It's a fitting theme for this Blue Nose Marathon Team Myles candidate getting ready for the big 10K race. It's just 116 days to Blue Nose Marathon Weekend and still lots of work to do to break that 70 minute or less goal.

I am extremely competitive with myself and trying to beat yesterday's goal is not the best training method. A good friend has offered running tips over coffee next week before heading into formal training with Team Myles later in February. (Jeff, the coffee is on me.)

~~~~~

I've started using the MyFitnessPal App on my iPhone again to track my food intake as this weight loss quest pushes back into high gear. It keeps you honest if you live by it. It was the one tool that aided in losing the first large chunk of weight a few years back.

Speaking of the App, I had forgotten how many calories a pint of Stella Artois has. On a run you burn, on average, 100 calories per kilometre. So 2.5 kms later and one beer is covered. Over the weekend, after a two-year gap, Charlene and I, along with two Halifax friends, rekindled friendships with a couple from St. John's. It was an awesome weekend of laughs and great memories. After adding it all up I'll need to run a Marathon to cover the Stella (but it was well worth it)! (Thanks Jeff, Adrienne, Charlie and Paula for a fun weekend. Cheers until next time.)

~~~~~

Looking forward to another progressive week ahead. Goals include solving this nipple issue and keeping that Inner Ninja alive and kicking. Poof, I'm outta here!

Let the race begin!

Running has never been part of my life, but the next four months will involve lots of steps (and as few missteps as possible).

I've been selected for Team Myles as part of the 2014 Blue Nose Marathon, joining a dozen or so of Halifax's non-runners in a mission to complete either the 5K or 10K races over Blue Nose Weekend (May 16-18, 2014). www.bluenosemarathon.com

Two years ago, Charlene (my wife) and I made a resolution to drop those pounds that have attached to our hips over the past decade of little activity. I was approaching 40 and too many of my friends, colleagues and mentors had, just after retirement, became ill and some passed away. It had a profound impact and we both made up our minds to get off our butts and get back in shape.

I am proud to say we have lost the equivalent of a decent sized human in the past few years. We've started down the path of an active lifestyle. Kayaking has become a passion. I started playing hockey after a 15-year hiatus. Last weekend we started cross country skiing.

We're into the hard weight now and it will take more than eating better to shed the last 20-30 pounds to reach our goals. Insert running here!

With the selection to be on Team Myles (I plan to run the 10K on May 18, 2014), Charlene has decided to take up running as well. She is planning to run the 5K at Blue Nose on May 17, 2014. Together we'll be good support to reach our running and weight loss goals - just like the combined 130 lbs we've already lost.

So this past Monday, we dusted off the treadmill and started some initial training. This blog will chronicle progress through the next four months encompassing our new active lifestyle in pursuit of the 5K and 10K goals.

To make it official my plan is to go sub-70 minutes in the 10K. Charlene wants to do 5K in less than 40 minutes. We're way off that pace right now. It should be an interesting journey. Let the race begin.