2015: The Year of Personal Bests

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2015.

Did you know nearly 50% of people make New Year's Resolutions? And nearly 25% of those who do, break the resolution within a week. By the end of the first month, more than one-third have dropped off the success list. After six months, 54% of the resolutions are history.

And age makes a difference. Some 39% of those in their twenties will keep their resolutions. Only 14% of those over 50 will live up to their personal commitment.

Take a look at some of these historical resolutions. Woody Guthrie had the funniest list.

In 2014, as one would expect, losing weight was the top resolution. Staying fit and healthy falls into fifth place. Quitting smoking is number seven.

But most interesting in the Statistic Brain study I read was that those who explicitly make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals.

Sounds like a good reason to write a blog and make my resolutions public. Total accountability is a good thing!

I gave a lot of thought as to what I wanted to achieve personally in 2015.

Having started a new, exciting life with my beautiful wife Charlene in Toronto, what better way to start the year than to, outside professing all my love to her <insert brownie points here>, than to set a stretch goal on the running front.

Did you know, up until 1999 the Guinness Book of Records recognized Toronto's iconic Yonge Street as the "longest street in the world" at 1,896 km?

So my plan through 2015 is to run that distance - a total of 1,896 km in the next 364 days.

That means running an average of:

• 158 km per month;
• 36.46 km per week;
• 5.2 km per day.

That's 86% of the distance of a full marathon every week!

Now that I type it out it seems a little crazy, but what's a goal if there's no challenge!!

In my initial training for the 10K in the Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon in May 2014 I was averaging 70K per month. During my training for the Valley Harvest Marathon, in August 2014 I ran 107.11K, so it's not outside the realm of possibility to do another 50K per month!

Here's my 2014 running stats:

• 48 - number of hours running
• 487 - number of km travelled
• 152 - average heart rate (bpm) through all activities
• 5:58 - average pace (minutes per km) through all activities
• 172 - average cadence (steps per minute) through all activities
• 10.04 - 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
• 21.25 - distance in km of longest run
• 38,946 - calories burnt through all activities

I will start training for the Goodlife FITNESS Toronto Marathon in the next few week's once my shoulder heals a little more. That will see a combination of short and long runs every week as I get ready for the half marathon on May 3, 2015.

Will start researching which races to do through the Summer and Fall to keep the momentum going.

Through it all there will be injuries and setbacks, but this Yonge Street distance is now set in stone as the 2015 goal. Let's see how close I can come to completing it. Now go set your own goals and stick with it. Keep checking back for periodic updates. Thanks again for reading.

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.