Some words about running.
I can't believe how fast this has come. All of a sudden I am wrapping up my peak week of training and am only 3 weeks out from the Cornwall Marathon. Between a few races, some horrible Ottawa winter weather, lots of travel, and a bit of an injury scare, this training cycle has really flown by. Now seems like a good time to take a step back and reflect on hows my training has gone since I ran the Hypothermic Half Marathon 5 weeks ago.
As I took off the start line with 6,700 other runners, I reminded myself of my race plan. “Take it easy” I cautioned myself. “Stick to your pace.” This race, unlike most others I’ve run, was not about going as fast as possible. It was not about getting a personal best. This race was a dress rehearsal. A dress rehearsal for the Chicago Marathon, which was a mere three weeks away. The goal today was to try everything out - nutrition, fuelling, hydration, clothing, pacing, drafting, kicking - everything that I would need come marathon day on October 8th. From a time perspective, my stated goal before the race was to run a 1:28:something. I wanted to cross that finish line in about the same time I’d plan on finishing the first half of Chicago.
After an epic 36km long run last Friday, I was making the long drive to Niagara-on-the-Lake for my sister-in-law’s wedding when it hit me. Chicago was only one month away. It’s been this distant goal for so long now, yet all of a sudden it was around the corner. As I cruised down highway 403 I thought about how far I had come - from not being able to run at all 6 months ago, to now feeling fitter, stronger and faster than ever. Training has been going well - really well. Here’s what I’ve been up to and where I’m at.
A lump developed in my throat as I read this tweet. Woah, my race is coming fast. The last 12 months have been an absolute whirlwind of ups and downs for me from a running perspective. After coming back down from my highs - and lows - from Boston, I set my sights on running a half marathon PB, which I finally nailed in October in Vancouver (after a less than ideal race in Ottawa at the Army Run). Heading into the New Year, I was feeling stronger and more confident than ever. That was until I was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, a nemesis that would keep me away from doing my favourite thing for 4 months.
I'm back. I've said this before, and regretted it. I've wanted to say it again for weeks - months, really. But I've been too scared, nervous, and anxious to let myself admit it, or rather embrace it. I'd been burned once before, and didn't want that to happen again. But I'm ready now. I'm back. I've conquered my plantar fasciitis and am ready to kick off my training for the Chicago Marathon this fall.
“Why are you doing this to yourself?” I sat there in silence for a moment, my foot soaking in an ice bath, thinking over the very pointed, honest question that was just posed to me. On the table in front of me, my marathon training plan was open on my laptop where I had been making constant tweaks and edits, trying - desperately - to Frankenstein my plan to accommodate injury recovery while ramping up to train for a marathon in less than 75 days. The math wasn’t adding up, no matter how many ways I approached it. “It can be done” I’d been telling myself. But it was becoming clear that I’d been trying to force a square peg into a round hole.
Along with my colleagues at CIRA, I will be fundraising in support of the CHEO Foundation as we train for the Ottawa Race Weekend on May 27 and 28th. Learn more about what we're doing and how you can help us reach our fundraising goal.
Team CIRA Runs is made up of 10 CIRA employees participating in the 5k, 10k, half marathon and full marathon events. CIRA (the Canadian Internet Registration Authority) is an Ottawa-based, not-for-profit organization that manages the .CA domain name on behlaf of all Canadians. You can learn more about us at www.cira.ca
I’ve decided to try something new this year. No, I’m not getting into triathlons or ultramarathons...yet. I’m still focused on my current love and obsession: the marathon. I’ve come a long way over the years. From completely crumbling and barely finishing the Ottawa Marathon in 2013, I’ve been able to shave about 35 minutes off my marathon time, which included qualifying for and running the Boston Marathon in 2016.
These are my marathon commandments. The divine rules by which I live my running life. These are the things I repeat in my head and remind myself of when I start to veer off-track. These are not set in stone - they will evolve and change over time. These commandments will continue to guide me through my marathon journey, which is destined to be fraught with it’s own set of new challenges, failures, and triumphs.
