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.
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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.
