Saturday Long Run... posted a couple days late

Saturday's "long run" was really a bit of a cut-back last week. I did 10 miles, which at this point shouldn't really be all that long for me. But... it felt pretty long. For some reason my body has just not been working with me lately. Almost every run longer than 4 miles has been both a mental and physical struggle, and I've been soooo tired, despite getting enough sleep.
On Saturday I planned out my 10-mile route as a loop around the base of Mt. Royal, a route I've never done before. I started out running through the plateau a bit, which was nice but I'm used to it. Then, as I left the plateau my run went into Outremont, which is somewhere I've really never run before (with the exception of running straight up Parc.) I ran on Cote-Sainte-Catherine pretty much all the way around the mountain's base until it ran into Cote-de-Neige in Westmount. The unfortunate thing about my route-planning was that this loop was a gradual uphill for the first seven-ish miles and then a very steep downhill for 8, and then flat for 9 an 10. I would like to think that it was the gradual seven-mile-uphill that really killed me, and it's not that I'm backtracking in my progress.... but MAN that felt like longer than 10 miles.

The coolest part about Saturday's run was the diversity of location. I ran through three very major and very different parts of the city: the plateau, outremont, and westmount. Outremont is really cool, and like I said, I've never really run through there before. The houses are GORGEOUS (just like in Westmount) but the vibe is much different. I'm not sure how to explain it... it's just different. I ran on a new street in Westmount as well, where I saw even more ridiculously extravagant mansions (not to mention one with multiple fountains in the front yard...) I also ran on Sherbrooke a pretty far ways into Westmount. Everything there is just so... nice. Even the Dairy Queen doesn't look like a Dairy Queen but more like an old-fashioned upscale ice cream parlour.

The funniest thing I saw on my run was this:
While running along Sherbrooke in Westmount, I was approaching this huge castle-like building with a green, rectangular lawn in front of it lined by chest-height perfectly-sculpted hedges. On the lawn there must've been at least 50 people... all over the age of 65... all dressed in white shorts, white polos, white visors, with knee-high white socks and white sneakers. They were all holding these long sticks in their hands, and from behind the hedges I couldn't quite make out what they were until I was just passing them..... it was a CROQUET TOURNAMENT. I don't know why but I just found it so funny and I had no idea that such things actually existed, let alone 2 miles down the street from where I live.

One thing that's kind of bumming me out is the loneliness of this whole training process and my long runs. It never used to bother me, in fact, I still would usually prefer to run by myself and on my own time. But on Saturday's run I passed this running group as they were crossing the "finish line" of their Saturday morning long run. They all had matching t-shirts and were high-fiving each other and handing out Gatorade as the members came in to the finish. As I ran past (I was running in the opposite direction of them) I saw some stragglers at the end of the pack who couldn't quite make the whole distance running, but were walking with each other, or jogging along and encouraging the last few to finish strong. It just made me think back to high school cross-country where, even when I was usually in last place, there were always people there at the finish line when I was done.
I've always been a very independent person and been happy to do things on my own, but this whole training experience is a push on my independence level and hopefully I can find the motivation from somewhere.

Sore, Sore Legs

Note to self: Leave more than 12 hours between speed workouts and the next run.

Woke up this morning to run before work and beat the afternoon's humidity.... definitely was a lose-lose situation.
a) It was stupidly humid this morning anyways
b) I had definitely NOT recovered from last night's speed workout

Totally awesome things about this run?
...It wasn't so awful that I had to walk and be late for work.

Speeeeed

Today I was supposed to do a 4-miler, and I've promised myself that I will start doing speed workouts once a week, so I decided that today was the day. I went to the gym to do it on the treadmill 'cause I've got a great treadmill speed workout on my iPod that was done by the lead singer of the band 'OK go'... The band got together with Nike and created a 30-minute track called "Master the Treadmill with OK Go" and it's their music mixed in the background with the lead singer's voice coaching you through an interval workout. I've had it for a few years and do the workout occasionally, it's pretty awesome. Download it.
I did my intervals at a 7:30 pace with my in-between running at a 9:00 pace, so I'm pretty happy with that. My legs sure feel a lot stronger than when I used to do that workout a few months ago. I ended up only doing 3.5 miles instead of 4, but I'm gonna cut myself some slack on that one considering it was sprinting.
Tomorrow is supposed to be 34 degrees with humidity, and i have a 6 mile run -- ouch. Looks like I'll be waking up early to beat the heat...

Longest run.... ever.

So, I woke up at 6:30 this morning, and I did it. I ran 15 miles. That's further than I've ever ran before, ever in my LIFE. In fact, I can remember back to when that was how much I ran in a week!!
The run was pretty rough. I didn't feel too great even at mile 3, but there was no way I was going to turn around after dragging my butt out of bed on a Saturday morning, especially since I have been mentally preparing myself for this all week. I am sore now. Very sore. Worse than the physical toughness of the run though was the mental part. I really think it was one of the most mentally difficult things I can remember doing. I really had to talk myself through that whole 2 hours and 20 minutes, forcing myself to continue and telling myself that slowing down was O.K., just as long as I finished. I will definitely remember this run when race day comes and I will hopefully be able to see how far I've come.
One thing I decided to do though, was to run in a new, different place on every long run. I have sort of exhausted the plateau (even though I do love running there) and there's a lot of different areas of the city that I think I can use my long runs as an excuse to see.
Today, I really think that I did the Tour de Montreal and saw at least half of the city sights that they list in guidebooks for tourists. So I'm going to have to give you a list of the totally awesome things I saw on this run, that even I, after living here for three years, had not seen.

1. Early morning set up for the Atwater Market. Similar to the Jean-Talon Market that I am quite fond of, I have never actually been to the Atwater Market but it was beautiful this morning, especially the flower stands!
2. Habitat 67.  This was originally built as a low-income housing complex in 1967, and was designed by a McGill architect. It is so cool looking, with sunlight coming through holes all throughout the buildings at all different angles... it kind of reminds me of something you could build out of Legos. Very cool to see up close, and I'd love to go inside one day.
3. The F1 Racetrack located on Ile Notre-Dame, where they hold the Canadian Grand Prix every year. I actually got to run on the track which was really cool. In the photo, you can also see the crew-racing basin that they built for the Olympics in '76. There were teams out practicing on the water when I ran by this morning.
4. The Biosphere is on Ile Saint-Helene, in Parc Jean-Drapeau, and it is an environmental museum with an observatory that is open to the public. I've only ever driven past this before, and never actually been inside.
5. La Ronde is also located on Ile Saint-Helene, which I was also running on this morning, but I got a good view as I was running right over it on the Jacques-Cartier Bridge (which you can also see in this photo).

So... now it is pouring rain outside, even though it was OF COURSE hot and sunny when I ran, even so early in the morning.
I really can't believe that I did it this morning. I will admit that I had to do 3 or 4 one-minute walk breaks in there due to the heat, but nonetheless I ran 15 miles and I'm truly proud of myself.

Run up the mountain, the heat is starting...

Today I came home from work and ran up the mountain, which is seriously SO beautiful, no matter how many times you go up it. The heat is really starting up in the city though. I have a feeling that it's going to be hot/humid from now on, and I might have to start doing most of my runs in the morning to beat the heat (ugh, I hate running in the morning... usually...)
So... on that run I saw two totally awesome things (besides the view from the top which I will take a photo of with my digital camera one day while I'm running).
1. An Asian family with a little girl, maybe two years old, and the little girl was walking a tiny little poodle which was... wait for it... pink. Yes. wow.
2. At the top lookout point, there was a line up of guys dressed like this on either side of the running path with bayonnets and rifles. I felt like I was being saluted or something. Pretty awesome. 

Last night I had a strange dream... that I ran a marathon. It wasn't Montreal though, I don't know what city it was. The strange part though, was that I felt like I was running fairly slow, yet the entire thing felt so easy. When I crossed the finish line I just said "That was it?" And I don't know how to take that dream... because it wasn't good and it wasn't bad. Well, it was both. Good in the sense that it felt easy... but bad because I was running at almost a walking speed. So... yes I believe that I am psyching myself out and I still have 79 days to go. Great.

I woke up this morning to run before work, since I only had three miles to do. The truth though, is that I set my alarm for 7:30 so that I could get up to run, and then I turned it off and rolled over to fall back asleep... but my cat wouldn't let me go back to bed (we're in a fight now) so I ended up running this morning simply because I thought, "Well I'm up now anyways..." but I did NOT want to. In fact, half way down the hall to the stairs in my apartment building I stopped... thought about what I could do this morning instead of running before I went to work... and eventually just forced myself out the front door. This is actually one of the first times in this whole training period where I've felt that way, like I really didn't want to run. My run wasn't too good this morning, and I'm not sure if it was my attitude, my tiredness, or what... but my legs felt like they had 50-pound weights strapped to them, particularly to my hamstrings. Ah well you have your highs and your lows..... what's three bad miles over the long course of hundreds?

I've decided that I'm starting a new thing in this blog... called.... "The Most Totally Awesome Thing I Saw On This Run."
I think it will be great for me to be able to look back and read this one day and see all of the totally awesome things that I saw or that happened to me while running and training for my first marathon. And you really do see and think a lot while you're running... it's nice to not forget what you see.

So... the most totally awesome thing I saw today on my run was:
A guy on University totally decked out in Apple gear (iPod headphones, holding an iPhone, carrying an MacBook briefcase) wearing this t-shirt gave me a HUGE thumbs up and a smile while I ran past him.
So, mysterious apple-man.... thanks!!!
I've decided that I want this one.

Saturday Long Run

So I've been home this weekend for my brother's graduation, and did some quality running on the old routes I used to do in high school.
On Saturday I did eight miles on the town bike path, known as "The Rail Trail." You can run 20 miles in either direction through the neighboring towns, it's a really nice, paved path that they set up when I was in middle school. It was quite the change-up from the city running I'm used to, having to stop every so often and jog in place waiting for a light to turn green (yes, I am one of those dorks who actually does that...) and running on the Rail Trail is just a straight shot through the woods, where you can see over a mile ahead of you. It's a bit difficult to run in places like that, I forgot. This thing happens to you where you think that because some point on the path is in sight, it is close. Two miles, however, is not as close as it looks. I don't think I could run in places like this forever, but it is definitely very calming and I do miss nature a bit sometimes when I'm constantly running in the city.
My strength really surprised me on Saturday.  Once I'd been running for an hour, I looked down at my watch and really felt as though I'd just begun. And at the end of the eight miles, only 11 minutes later, I didn't feel any soreness and not too much exhaustion. In fact, in the last mile a little voice inside my head said "go faster" and I did. And I think I ran that last mile in about 7:30... which is a pretty big feat for me, considering I'd already been going for an hour. I also have to thank the weather for my running that day, it was raining pretty hard all morning, and the air was cool. Running through the woods, in the cool rain, just feel so good. In a way, I hope for that on race day. Maybe not pouring rain, but light, cool, rain, really helps me feel like I can run forever.
This week was my cut-back, like I said a few posts ago, so next Saturday I have 15 miles to do. Better carbo-load up...!!!

Not too much has gone on in the running world this week, it's supposed to be a cut-back week for me, since last week was pretty tough, ending with that 13-miler. I didn't think that it would take me very long to recover from that one, but I really feel as though it has. My runs this week have felt harder, with my legs stiffer and heavier.
On Tuesday I went for a four-miler through Westmount, which is one of (if not THE) wealthiest area of the city. The houses are incredible. Massive, with three-car garages, gorgeous landscaping, stone statues, spacious patios and intricate trimwork. The streets have names like "Argyle" and "Sunnyside" and "Belvedere." Most of them are built into the side of a very steep hill, as the area is pretty much a mountainside, and I found myself wondering if there were elevators inside their garages to take them up to their houses... I don't know how else they could get up there! It's funny how this area is only a mile away from my apartment and the McGill student area that I know so well, yet it seems like a completely different world. Quiet and residential, no dépanneurs on every corner with beer specials, no graffiti or broken glass, REAL PEOPLE with real lives and families and full-time jobs live in this tucked away world behind the hustle and bustle of university life, and it's sort of calming to know that. It makes me feel a little more connected to the world for some reason, to know that nearby, there are still neighborhoods that don't consist only of apartment buildings.
Tonight I have another four miler, but the weather this week has brought lots of rain and cool temperatures, which can sometimes be nice for running but I may make a trip over to the gym anyways.

In case anyone was interested, one of those mansions is for sale....

human garbage disposal?

Running is really doing a number on my metabolism. Yesterday I was SO HUNGRY at work, I actually went back to my house in the middle of the day to get a snack... even though I'd already eaten lunch AND another snack. Like seriously, every hour I'm hungry again. Like a bottomless pit. My dad says I can eat anything right now... I'm starting to believe him.

Yesterday I went for a run in the morning, before work, which I don't normally do. When I left my house it was grey and drizzly... and twenty five minutes later, when i was finished with my run, it was bright and sunny out. Funny how so much can change in twenty minutes. Also, the city is an ENTIRELY different place at 7:45 am. Kids go to school WAY too early!!! I couldn't believe how many little kids were getting walked to the schoolyard on University by their parents at only 8:00am. But I really liked the city bustle of the morning, much different than the going-home bustle that I'm used to. Not much else to say about my short run!!

In loving memory

So first of all, I have some sad news. My dog, Pepper, who I've had since I was eight passed away on Friday. Everyone thinks their own dog is the best dog, but Pepper really was the best dog. When I was running in high school I used to take Pepper with me at the lake or on the town bike path, and she usually slowed me down because she had to stop every twenty feet to sniff something by the side of the path, but I loved running with Pepper and I will miss her very much. So, I just wanted to take a minute to say good-bye Pepper, I love you.

On a more running-related note...
I did my 13-miler on Saturday -- yay!!! It was pretty tough, but I do have to say that I did not feel nearly as bad as I did last weekend after my 11 miles. I didn't feel like I couldn't move, and on Sunday, the day after, I didn't really feel pain at all.
For my run I decided to do a straight shot all the way out to the Olympic stadium, past it through Parc Maisonneuve. This weekend was pretty bad for weather, but it held off long enough for running. Saturday morning the sky threatened rain and there were these really eerie-looking dark clouds rolling in... I was a bit nervous I'd get stuck 7 miles away from home in a thunderstorm and have to use my emergency bus money to go home and do the 13 miles a different day... but the rain held off until about mile 12, and running that last mile in a downpour felt SO GOOD.
On my way to the park, probably about 4 miles in, there was an overwhelming smell of McDonald's french fries that followed me for AT LEAST two miles... I swear the guy running ahead of me who I was trying to keep pace with had a super-size order in his fanny pack or something.... man that was torturous.
I decided that for my long runs, I'm going to make a point to run somewhere new every time. This weekend was the park, which I have to say, was a little boring. Running in parks is overrated... there's not much to look at and I'd rather have cool buildings and restaurants and shops to pass by so I can semi-people-watch.

This week is a bit of a plateau/recovery week for me. The long run at the end pulls back to only 8 miles so I think that's pretty doable -- and needed.

I can't believe I just woke up and ran 13 miles on Saturday morning, though. I mean, like I said in my last post, I worked all summer to run that distance last year, and here I am... running it just for training, even faster than I raced it, feeling fine the next day. I really can't believe how mental running is sometimes. It really comes down to... "Have I done this before?" ... "Yes." ... "Okay then, it's no big deal."  With time, everything becomes easy.

I'd like to end this with a bit of advice from one of my favorite people. I've been keeping in close contact with my grandpa Kermit (yes that's his real name) via e-mail, but unfortunately that is the extent of his Internet capabilities and he can't read my blog no matter how many times I send him the link, so I've been updating him on my training in my e-mails. Last Friday, this is what he wrote to me in an e-mail:
"Do you remember how heavy you felt after spending time in water? When I got out after an hour of water aerobics this AM, my body felt like it weighed a ton. Much like yours must feel after 15 miles. Try to remember how light you were under water -- Good luck with that!"

So Gramp, even though I know you're not reading this.... thanks for the tip, I'll try keeping it in mind next time I'm out there and it doesn't feel easy anymore. Love ya!

The past two days haven't been too intense or exciting in terms of running. Wednesday I went to the gym (again) and used the elliptical and did some leg weights, and was a bit sore afterwards.

Yesterday I decided to run down Sherbrooke a little ways and then back to the McGill ghetto until I'd gone three miles. For the amount of time that I lived in the ghetto, it's surprising how little I've run there. Maybe it's just because no one really likes to see people they know when they're running... you don't look great and you really don't want to stop and talk... but of course you always run into those people you haven't seen in a while when you're running.

Anyways, I did go through the ghetto yesterday and it was pretty nice for a short run. I had this feeling yesterday like my legs were longer than normal and like I was flying... as if I am significantly faster than I was on Tuesday (which I know is not actually the case) but running is like that sometimes. Sometimes you just have those days that feel amazing, other days you feel like there are 40-pound-weights strapped to your thighs.

Ok so what I really want to talk about is tomorrow. Today is my day off from running, and I intend to really take it off... not even a lot of walking. But tomorrow.... *drum roll please*.... I have to do a 13-mile training run. 13 MILES. That is the distance that I spent my entire summer training for last year. And here I am, first week of June, doing it as a "training run." Ugh. But then I was thinking about it a little bit more... and last weekend I did 11 miles, which hurt a bit afterwards but now I'm that much stronger.... 2 more miles couldn't really be any worse. I think though it's mainly the mental part of it, because my half-marathon race last year is actually the longest distance I've ever run... ever. I like to take running though and make life generalizations to compare it to. For instance, everything that you can do right now, whether it is driving a car or reading a novel, you couldn't do at some point in your life. Therefore, everything is at one point not-doable and must be conquered and learned and then it can become doable or regularly doable or even easy. So hopefully, in August or September, the 13-miles becomes not only regularly doable but easy, because I've got a lot of miles to go past that.

Toe woes

So last night I decided to go on the treadmill... not really sure why, I usually just feel like a hamster on a wheel and the McGill gym is definitely NOT air conditioned... I don't care what they say.

Anywho, it was a short run, nice recovery from my 11-miler last Sunday. But, when I got home, I could feel my left big toe throbbing in my shoe and the feeling was a little too familiar... a little too much like a feeling I got last summer after a 12-miler, which, after a few months, my big toenail proceeded to turn black and fall off.

So anyways, I checked it out, and HOPEFULLY it's just an ingrown toenail that will go away after a few days with some soaking. If not, I guess it's time for a trip to the clinic.