My feet were raw and tender as they pounded the hot pavement, surely blistering and likely bleeding inside my new Nike VaporFly’s. My singlet and shorts were drenched in a combination of sweat and water, heavy and sticking to my skin. I wiped away a pool of sweat from my brow and glanced down at my Garmin which read 178 in large bold font, taking up the entire watch face. This was my heart rate, a number that had gotten too high too early, once again a byproduct of the inopportune race day sun and heat. This was mile 24 of the Boston Marathon.
Boston Marathon 2016
I don't even know where to begin. This was the hardest blog post I've ever written. I'm usually able to sit down after a race and hammer out my thoughts, but this time is different. I needed time. Time to rest. Time to recover. Time to reflect. Time to clear my mind and get back to normal. This race took a lot out of me, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. It was hard - the hardest thing I've ever done, and I'm just now wrapping my head around it all.
Race Day
Boston Bound
Well, that time has come. After 20 weeks of training that saw me run over 925km, I am finally Boston Bound. Over the past few weeks I've been tapering, scaling back my effort and fine tuning a few particular things before the big day. I've slowly shifted my eating to ensure that I am both lean and well-fuelled for race day. More calories, clean food, lean proteins and complex carbs - and lots of water. I've continued to work on my speed and, in particular, my target race pace.
Roller Coaster Ride
Marathon training is a lot like a roller coaster ride. There are ups and downs. It's fun and scary. You're both nervous and excited. Sometimes you can see what's coming next, and other times you get pulled in a totally unexpected direction. Sometimes during the ride, you just want it to end. But once it's done, you want to do it again.
Let's Send Kids to Camp
We're raising money to send kids to summer camp. By giving these kids the opportunity to attend summer camp, we're changing their lives for the better. Camp provides them with the opportunity to experience new things, develop skills, learn about trust, leadership, and teamwork, build strong friendships, foster self confidence, and most importantly, we will be giving them the opportunity to realize their full potential.
Frozen Everything
70 Days Until
How’s Training Going?
Welcoming Winter
It was nice while it lasted. After an uncharacteristically mild December, we finally got hit with with a classic Canadian storm. Snow, wind, ice. The first four weeks of my training have been fantastic. Not only do I feel great physically and mentally, but the weather has been very accommodating. Running in shorts with no toque in December is a real treat. But, as they say, all good things must come to an end.