I'm so excited. It's Emilie's Run 5K this weekend! This is my favourite race of the year. It's a flat, out and back course, it has chip timing with per km splits, and a small, but very competitive, field. The atmosphere at this race is different.... maybe it's because it's women of all ages, maybe it's the inspiration of running alongside some of the region's top female runners. Either way, I highly recommend this race.
It looks like it's going to rain this year and I'm actually happy about it. We've had nice weather the last two years, so it'll be a good change. And recently my allergies have made breathing during hard workouts very difficult. I have an inhaler and I take OTC antihistamines, but this year's been particularly bad. I know that I'm not 100% when I feel like this. I've been doing some speed intervals, too, and it looks like it's helping... now if only my lungs will cooperate.
I've gotten clearance to run 3x a week, with no runs above 5K. I can add frequency, so that makes me happy, as I'd been planning to do that after the half anyway. So this week and next I'm at 3x a week, then I'm going to up it to 4x. Slow and steady!
Showing posts with label Somersault. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Somersault. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
Winterman 5K
This year the Winterman lived up to his name: -24C with the windchill (-11F for my US readers). Brr!
I was actually kind of nervous before the race, which is really weird for me. This wasn't a goal race by any means. I hadn't done much running in the previous month thanks to a vacation to Cuba, a nasty cold and brutal cold snaps with temps in the range of -30C. I just wanted to enjoy the Winterman race and a run on a flat and paved road surface!
My goals going into the race were:
Gold: Beat my personal record of 28:09
Silver: Beat my course record of 31:26
Bronze: Beat my 2010 5K times (aka, come in under 35 minutes).
The race was held at the Canadian War Museum. There isn't much parking there, so I opted for a jog/walk to the race site. It's just far enough for it be far away (it's 30 minute walk) and close enough to make me feel guilty for driving. I ended up jogging more than walking because of the chilly temps. I treated it as a warm up!
The race started at 8:30 with a huge military gun being fired to jolt us awake. The course was pretty crowded as there were 1300 runners heading out onto the course. I just tried to pick a line and go with it. There were a few weavers and some walkers who started far too close to the front of the pack, but overall, it was a great field of polite runners.
The course is an out-and-back and has two smallish hills - rolling would be a good description for it. The wind was pretty strong and we weren't really running into it, but it was enough to keep you chilled most of the time. Parts of the course was icy due to a thaw earlier in the week, but overall it was clear and smooth sailing.
I ran the last kilometre strong, passing quite a few people on my way to the finish line. I finished in 33:13, beating my bronze goal. I probably could've pushed it to beat my course record, as I had a lot in the tank at the end and I wasn't sore at all in the days following the race. I didn't want to overdo it at this race, given that I have another race in April and my goal race is the halfmarathon in May.
Here's a pic... it makes me realize that my RunningRoom jacket is at least a full size too big for me, but I can't justify buying another unless I get it at a wicked sale price. But I look awesome in my Sugoi Firewall tights and for once, both feet are off the ground!
I was actually kind of nervous before the race, which is really weird for me. This wasn't a goal race by any means. I hadn't done much running in the previous month thanks to a vacation to Cuba, a nasty cold and brutal cold snaps with temps in the range of -30C. I just wanted to enjoy the Winterman race and a run on a flat and paved road surface!
My goals going into the race were:
Gold: Beat my personal record of 28:09
Silver: Beat my course record of 31:26
Bronze: Beat my 2010 5K times (aka, come in under 35 minutes).
The race was held at the Canadian War Museum. There isn't much parking there, so I opted for a jog/walk to the race site. It's just far enough for it be far away (it's 30 minute walk) and close enough to make me feel guilty for driving. I ended up jogging more than walking because of the chilly temps. I treated it as a warm up!
The race started at 8:30 with a huge military gun being fired to jolt us awake. The course was pretty crowded as there were 1300 runners heading out onto the course. I just tried to pick a line and go with it. There were a few weavers and some walkers who started far too close to the front of the pack, but overall, it was a great field of polite runners.
The course is an out-and-back and has two smallish hills - rolling would be a good description for it. The wind was pretty strong and we weren't really running into it, but it was enough to keep you chilled most of the time. Parts of the course was icy due to a thaw earlier in the week, but overall it was clear and smooth sailing.
I ran the last kilometre strong, passing quite a few people on my way to the finish line. I finished in 33:13, beating my bronze goal. I probably could've pushed it to beat my course record, as I had a lot in the tank at the end and I wasn't sore at all in the days following the race. I didn't want to overdo it at this race, given that I have another race in April and my goal race is the halfmarathon in May.
Here's a pic... it makes me realize that my RunningRoom jacket is at least a full size too big for me, but I can't justify buying another unless I get it at a wicked sale price. But I look awesome in my Sugoi Firewall tights and for once, both feet are off the ground!
Monday, October 4, 2010
What's next?
After this weekend, I'll be done with this training cycle. I've been training for the Fall Colours 10K for the past eight weeks, a Somersault Race that I entered after I had to withdraw from the Winterman 10K back in February.
But now I find myself starting to think about what comes after the race. What do I do with myself until my next serious training cycle starts in March? I know for sure that I'll try for the Half Marathon again. Do I keep running the mileage I'm running now? Do I start with base building - slowly increasing my mileage without running tempos and intervals? I know for sure that I'd like to continue to do hill work on a semi-regular basis, because I can really feel the improvement on the hills after making it a cornerstone of my training over the last 8 weeks. Not to mention that I really love the burn it gives me and the total high/exhaustion I feel after. Yeah, I'm weird.
Anyone have any suggestions? Or where to look for ideas?
I could run the Cookie Run 5K at the beginning of November. It's a fun little race, but I know I'm nowhere close to a PR in the 5K. So if I do run it, it'll just be for fun. I've already decided that I won't be running the Running Room's Resolution Run on December 31st. Part of the reason is that I don't need another jacket (that's the race schwag) and the event always seems to cause husband and I problems when it comes to holiday plans. Last year the road was really snow-covered and it was so tough to run on (greasy) that I'm sure it caused the muscle weakness that contributed to my injury last winter.
But now I find myself starting to think about what comes after the race. What do I do with myself until my next serious training cycle starts in March? I know for sure that I'll try for the Half Marathon again. Do I keep running the mileage I'm running now? Do I start with base building - slowly increasing my mileage without running tempos and intervals? I know for sure that I'd like to continue to do hill work on a semi-regular basis, because I can really feel the improvement on the hills after making it a cornerstone of my training over the last 8 weeks. Not to mention that I really love the burn it gives me and the total high/exhaustion I feel after. Yeah, I'm weird.
Anyone have any suggestions? Or where to look for ideas?
I could run the Cookie Run 5K at the beginning of November. It's a fun little race, but I know I'm nowhere close to a PR in the 5K. So if I do run it, it'll just be for fun. I've already decided that I won't be running the Running Room's Resolution Run on December 31st. Part of the reason is that I don't need another jacket (that's the race schwag) and the event always seems to cause husband and I problems when it comes to holiday plans. Last year the road was really snow-covered and it was so tough to run on (greasy) that I'm sure it caused the muscle weakness that contributed to my injury last winter.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
National Capital 5K Race Report
On Saturday I ran the National Capital 5K. I ran this race last year and really enjoyed it, so I decided to run it again this year. Seems like a pretty good reason, don't you think?
This race was one of many events organized on Saturday by Somersault - a local running/triathlon event organizer. There were about 100 people or so in the 5K, but over 1,200 participating in the day's events, which ranged from the 5K to an Olympic distance Triathlon.
Saturday morning's weather was perfect! No wind, clear and about 10C when I left the house. My friend Jen and I headed down to the race together. We parked at Brookfield High School, about a 10 minute walk to the race start. We picked up our kits and I rushed back to the car to drop off our stuff, as there was no on-site bag check. I really have to make that suggestion next year, as there's no on-site parking and I ended up doing the trek to/from the car twice. Hey, at least it was a good warm-up!
The race started promptly at 8:30. A lot of runners started out too fast and this course will make you pay. Knowing that, I started further back in the pack and tried to hold my pace and avoided weaving if possible. It's pretty much all downhill on the way out and all uphill on the way back. I saw one woman pushing her kid in a running stroller... a very ambitious undertaking on that course! This year's route was adjusted slightly due to construction at the turnaround point. Organizers added in a little jut out halfway along the course. I wasn't a fan, but there wasn't much they could do.
The course itself is quite narrow, as it follows a bike path along the scenic Rideau River. A good portion of the run is through a forest. I really like the route as it's entertaining to run and I don't get bored easily.
Overall, I had a good run. I felt strong on the hills, which is what I'd trained for. I didn't improve my best time on the course, but conquering the hills was a really rewarding experience. I managed to pass quite a few people in the 2nd half of the race, including the woman with the kid in the stroller, who faded quite a bit in the second half.
I finished in 33:35, 9/12 in my AG. The 10K winner finished just ahead of me. Man he was fast.
My next race is the Fall Colours 10K. I might sign up for the Army Run 5K, but I haven't decided yet.
This race was one of many events organized on Saturday by Somersault - a local running/triathlon event organizer. There were about 100 people or so in the 5K, but over 1,200 participating in the day's events, which ranged from the 5K to an Olympic distance Triathlon.
Saturday morning's weather was perfect! No wind, clear and about 10C when I left the house. My friend Jen and I headed down to the race together. We parked at Brookfield High School, about a 10 minute walk to the race start. We picked up our kits and I rushed back to the car to drop off our stuff, as there was no on-site bag check. I really have to make that suggestion next year, as there's no on-site parking and I ended up doing the trek to/from the car twice. Hey, at least it was a good warm-up!
The race started promptly at 8:30. A lot of runners started out too fast and this course will make you pay. Knowing that, I started further back in the pack and tried to hold my pace and avoided weaving if possible. It's pretty much all downhill on the way out and all uphill on the way back. I saw one woman pushing her kid in a running stroller... a very ambitious undertaking on that course! This year's route was adjusted slightly due to construction at the turnaround point. Organizers added in a little jut out halfway along the course. I wasn't a fan, but there wasn't much they could do.
The course itself is quite narrow, as it follows a bike path along the scenic Rideau River. A good portion of the run is through a forest. I really like the route as it's entertaining to run and I don't get bored easily.
Overall, I had a good run. I felt strong on the hills, which is what I'd trained for. I didn't improve my best time on the course, but conquering the hills was a really rewarding experience. I managed to pass quite a few people in the 2nd half of the race, including the woman with the kid in the stroller, who faded quite a bit in the second half.
I finished in 33:35, 9/12 in my AG. The 10K winner finished just ahead of me. Man he was fast.
My next race is the Fall Colours 10K. I might sign up for the Army Run 5K, but I haven't decided yet.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Race Report: Emilie's Run 5K
Saturday morning dawned warm and overcast. By race time it was 24C, but it felt like 27C with the humidity. There were some clouds, but the sun came out just in time for the race start. There was a bit of a breeze, which turned out to be a headwind on the way back.
The course itself is flat, with only small undulations along the route. It's an out and back on newly paved asphalt. The event had about 600 participants in the women's only 5K. My friend Jen and I started out near the back of the pack... I knew after last year that the racers would be really fast and I didn't want to get caught up in the madness that is mid-pack at Emilie's run!
I'm happy to report that my gun time was 35:02, which is what I was shooting for. I finished 34/41 in my age group. My garmin tells me that I ran 34:43, as it took some time to get across the start line. My splits, according to sportstats, were 7:16, 7:10, 7:07 and 7:06 and 6:25.
I'm very proud of the fact that: a) I ran the whole thing, from start to finish. b) I didn't blow up. And, c) I ran negative splits.
Like I said the other day, I knew a personal best was out of reach. And even if I'd been 100% healthy, a personal best would've been tough given the heat and humidity. I had lots left in the tank at the end. I'm not sore today, two days after the race, and I wasn't sore yesterday either. But I sure was tired on Saturday night!
I'm looking forward to my next race, the National Capital 5K, on July 31st. In the meantime, I'm going to work on improving my endurance and most especially hills, as the next course is all downhill on the way out and almost entirely uphill on the way back. Ouch!
The course itself is flat, with only small undulations along the route. It's an out and back on newly paved asphalt. The event had about 600 participants in the women's only 5K. My friend Jen and I started out near the back of the pack... I knew after last year that the racers would be really fast and I didn't want to get caught up in the madness that is mid-pack at Emilie's run!
I'm happy to report that my gun time was 35:02, which is what I was shooting for. I finished 34/41 in my age group. My garmin tells me that I ran 34:43, as it took some time to get across the start line. My splits, according to sportstats, were 7:16, 7:10, 7:07 and 7:06 and 6:25.
I'm very proud of the fact that: a) I ran the whole thing, from start to finish. b) I didn't blow up. And, c) I ran negative splits.
Like I said the other day, I knew a personal best was out of reach. And even if I'd been 100% healthy, a personal best would've been tough given the heat and humidity. I had lots left in the tank at the end. I'm not sore today, two days after the race, and I wasn't sore yesterday either. But I sure was tired on Saturday night!
I'm looking forward to my next race, the National Capital 5K, on July 31st. In the meantime, I'm going to work on improving my endurance and most especially hills, as the next course is all downhill on the way out and almost entirely uphill on the way back. Ouch!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Race ready
Tomorrow I'm running Emilie's Run 5K. I'm so excited! I love this race... it's a flat course, it's all women and it's a really fast field of racers. It's so inspiring to see all the women running together: mothers and daughters, friends, family. It's a totally different atmosphere than other races.
I'm going into this race with one goal only: to finish. I don't care if I have to walk. I don't care if it takes me 40 minutes. I'm just excited to be part of a race and to be running again.
I'm looking forward to seeing who wins the race. One of my running heroes, Tara Quinn-Smith, won't be running it this year. She won the race last year and set a new course record. But sadly, she's been battling some nagging injuries and will be sitting it out this year.
In physiotherapy news, I went two weeks between appointments and all is well. She feels that the remaining issues just might be me. Like my tight glutes. Certain niggly things in my back. But the bulging disc and pain in the lower back is gone. I have some tightness/soreness below my knees, but that's more a result of the return to running and reintroducing the running-related stresses to my body.
This time we're going a month between appointments to see how I do. If all goes well, I expect she'll discharge me. I do have to start a flexibility-related cross-training activity if I plan to run anything more than 10Ks in the future.
I'm going into this race with one goal only: to finish. I don't care if I have to walk. I don't care if it takes me 40 minutes. I'm just excited to be part of a race and to be running again.
I'm looking forward to seeing who wins the race. One of my running heroes, Tara Quinn-Smith, won't be running it this year. She won the race last year and set a new course record. But sadly, she's been battling some nagging injuries and will be sitting it out this year.
In physiotherapy news, I went two weeks between appointments and all is well. She feels that the remaining issues just might be me. Like my tight glutes. Certain niggly things in my back. But the bulging disc and pain in the lower back is gone. I have some tightness/soreness below my knees, but that's more a result of the return to running and reintroducing the running-related stresses to my body.
This time we're going a month between appointments to see how I do. If all goes well, I expect she'll discharge me. I do have to start a flexibility-related cross-training activity if I plan to run anything more than 10Ks in the future.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Bummed
I decided to continue the trend of posts starting with B. It made me smile, at least.
I'm bummed. I saw the doctor today. He and the other doctor-in-training were amazing. My foot is still really sore to touch, as I found out as they manipulated it and examined it. That was fun. I'm going for more x-rays, but they're fairly sure it's a stress fracture. I can't run for at least 2 more weeks until they re-evaluate me. Average recovery time is 6-8 weeks.
I also get to start physiotherapy, as my left foot/ankle is weak. I'm not really surprised to hear that, as my left side's been the problem half my entire life. I also wasn't surprised to hear the rest of the diagnosis, as it was pretty much what I'd expected.
I'm bummed because:
1. I was going to run the Winterman 10K on February 21st. I do get to transfer my entry to another race with Somersault... the problem is that I registered for all the races I wanted to run this year already.
2. My women's ultimate season is a wash. I paid $150 to play in the league and they don't do refunds, even for medical reasons.
3. When I get cleared to run again, I have to use a run/walk method to start, then rebuild my base by starting at 30 minutes + 10% a week.
But, the biggest reason why I'm bummed is that because of #3, running the half is in jeopardy. Hopefully the physio helps and I make a full and speedy recovery.
I'm thinking that it might be time to find a running coach... because doing this on my own doesn't seem to be working out too well.
I'm bummed. I saw the doctor today. He and the other doctor-in-training were amazing. My foot is still really sore to touch, as I found out as they manipulated it and examined it. That was fun. I'm going for more x-rays, but they're fairly sure it's a stress fracture. I can't run for at least 2 more weeks until they re-evaluate me. Average recovery time is 6-8 weeks.
I also get to start physiotherapy, as my left foot/ankle is weak. I'm not really surprised to hear that, as my left side's been the problem half my entire life. I also wasn't surprised to hear the rest of the diagnosis, as it was pretty much what I'd expected.
I'm bummed because:
1. I was going to run the Winterman 10K on February 21st. I do get to transfer my entry to another race with Somersault... the problem is that I registered for all the races I wanted to run this year already.
2. My women's ultimate season is a wash. I paid $150 to play in the league and they don't do refunds, even for medical reasons.
3. When I get cleared to run again, I have to use a run/walk method to start, then rebuild my base by starting at 30 minutes + 10% a week.
But, the biggest reason why I'm bummed is that because of #3, running the half is in jeopardy. Hopefully the physio helps and I make a full and speedy recovery.
I'm thinking that it might be time to find a running coach... because doing this on my own doesn't seem to be working out too well.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Races Races Races
I took advantage of race entry discounts and registered for a number of Somersault races in 2010. I really enjoyed their races this year, so I figured I'd run the same events next year!
Registering early for races can be a bit of a gamble, but it's totally worth it. With Somersault, I saved $25 off the race-day entry price. And by registering early for the other races, I saved 20% off the entry fee and I got a free change of entry. That means that if plans change and I can't run the race, I can switch to a different race without paying extra. Talk about handy!
So, next year's race calendar looks like this:
02/19 - Winterman 10K
05/30 - Ottawa HM
06/19 - Emilie's Run 5K
07/31 - National Captial 5K.
I'm hoping that all the work I'm putting into my HM will pay off on my 5K time in June. Then I get another month to work on my speed again.
Registering early for races can be a bit of a gamble, but it's totally worth it. With Somersault, I saved $25 off the race-day entry price. And by registering early for the other races, I saved 20% off the entry fee and I got a free change of entry. That means that if plans change and I can't run the race, I can switch to a different race without paying extra. Talk about handy!
So, next year's race calendar looks like this:
02/19 - Winterman 10K
05/30 - Ottawa HM
06/19 - Emilie's Run 5K
07/31 - National Captial 5K.
I'm hoping that all the work I'm putting into my HM will pay off on my 5K time in June. Then I get another month to work on my speed again.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Race Report: National Captial 5K
I raced the National Capital 5K on Saturday, which was part of Somersault's annual run series. There were a number of different events on Saturday including a 10K and Olympic-distance duathlons and triathlons.
The course was a hilly out-and-back on a bike path that follows the Rideau River near Hog's Back Falls. Saturday morning was sunny, foggy and humid. At race time it was 20C with 83% humidity. The weather in Ottawa's been horrible over the last month and most athletes (including me!) haven't had the opportunity to really train in hot or humid weather.
The grassy parts of the course at the start and finish were sopping wet, thanks to all the rain we've had. Course marshals warned us ahead of time to watch our footing so we wouldn't end up getting covered in mud. I started off a little fast, but the run out was mostly downhill. It was quite pretty: we ran through a forest next to the river and you could hear the gushing water over the sounds of the runners. The course wasn't overly wide, so we ended up running almost single file and it was really hard to pass other runners in certain spots.
I did end up walking at the 2.5km mark to take some water and then again at another point for my puffer, thanks to the humidity. The uphills on the way back were quite challenging, but I enjoyed it as there aren't many hills for me to train on near me. As I approached the finish line, I had to make a couple flying leaps over muddy water on an uphill to avoid getting soaked!
I had enough left in the tank to overtake the person ahead of me (you can see her behind me in the photo), to finish in 31:23. It wasn't as slow as my first 5K, but definitely not a personal best. But, I wasn't running this race as a personal best. I ran it for fun, for some experience with hills and to find my motivation to run again. So far it seems to be working!
My next 5K is on Sept. 20th at the Canadian Army Run where I'm going to try to break my personal best in the 5K of 30:08. I've set an August exercise goal of running three times a week, excluding ultimate frisbee games. I've also committed to a 5K training program for intermediates on http://nikeplus.com/... I think all this should be enough to get me back into the running groove.
The course was a hilly out-and-back on a bike path that follows the Rideau River near Hog's Back Falls. Saturday morning was sunny, foggy and humid. At race time it was 20C with 83% humidity. The weather in Ottawa's been horrible over the last month and most athletes (including me!) haven't had the opportunity to really train in hot or humid weather.
The grassy parts of the course at the start and finish were sopping wet, thanks to all the rain we've had. Course marshals warned us ahead of time to watch our footing so we wouldn't end up getting covered in mud. I started off a little fast, but the run out was mostly downhill. It was quite pretty: we ran through a forest next to the river and you could hear the gushing water over the sounds of the runners. The course wasn't overly wide, so we ended up running almost single file and it was really hard to pass other runners in certain spots.
I did end up walking at the 2.5km mark to take some water and then again at another point for my puffer, thanks to the humidity. The uphills on the way back were quite challenging, but I enjoyed it as there aren't many hills for me to train on near me. As I approached the finish line, I had to make a couple flying leaps over muddy water on an uphill to avoid getting soaked!
I had enough left in the tank to overtake the person ahead of me (you can see her behind me in the photo), to finish in 31:23. It wasn't as slow as my first 5K, but definitely not a personal best. But, I wasn't running this race as a personal best. I ran it for fun, for some experience with hills and to find my motivation to run again. So far it seems to be working!My next 5K is on Sept. 20th at the Canadian Army Run where I'm going to try to break my personal best in the 5K of 30:08. I've set an August exercise goal of running three times a week, excluding ultimate frisbee games. I've also committed to a 5K training program for intermediates on http://nikeplus.com/... I think all this should be enough to get me back into the running groove.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Race on Saturday!
I've got my next 5K on Saturday. The race is Somersault's National Capital 5K and the event also includes a bunch of different races such as a sprint triathlon and Olympic triathlon. It's also going to be a fundraiser for a group of 5 cyclists who were hit by a vehicle a few weeks ago here in Ottawa. The group were on a training ride, as they are all triathletes.
As for me, I think the run will be a lot of fun and a nice challenge. The course is a little hilly and new to me. I don't expect to be able to beat my PR from my last 5K, as I haven't run much since that race. But I am hoping that the race will be good motivation to get back into running.
I'm going to be using 2 new gear items in the race: Sugoi R&R compression knee socks and a FuelBelt. I'm going to try the socks to see how they help with recovery and issues in my left knee, not to mention my awesome varicose veins. The Fuelbelt is a 4-bottle belt that is much more comfortable than my sad, 1 bottle one. The bottle was really uncomfortable and moved around far too much.
Wish me good luck!
As for me, I think the run will be a lot of fun and a nice challenge. The course is a little hilly and new to me. I don't expect to be able to beat my PR from my last 5K, as I haven't run much since that race. But I am hoping that the race will be good motivation to get back into running.
I'm going to be using 2 new gear items in the race: Sugoi R&R compression knee socks and a FuelBelt. I'm going to try the socks to see how they help with recovery and issues in my left knee, not to mention my awesome varicose veins. The Fuelbelt is a 4-bottle belt that is much more comfortable than my sad, 1 bottle one. The bottle was really uncomfortable and moved around far too much.
Wish me good luck!
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