It Matters Little...

"Oh well.  It matters little what my training log says I did…what matters is what I’m capable of when I’m on the start line." - Leslie Sexton, 'Overtrained and Under Tapered', 2007

I love reading Leslie's blog because she has such a way with words and it is evident she takes time to write, and I can only assume re-write, many of her blog posts. Every word is well calculated and she has a sense of humor that manages to shine through computer generated text.

I was essentially creeping on her blog this afternoon and I noticed she had been blogging since 2007 and I was wondering what she had written way back then. I stumbled upon the quote I highlighted above buried at the bottom of a blog post in regards to her recent long run in September of 2007.

There is far too much truth in her statement and shows that, at least in the blogosphere, Leslie is wiser than her years...or at least was at one point. ;) Ok, I'm just teasing now... When we base so much of our success on our training its often too easy for us to worry over the fine details like logging an exact # of miles, our weight, heart rate, etc....

Don't get me wrong, it's a great habit to get into so long as we don't obsess over the numbers and we listen to our bodies, not our sheets of stats. So remember, it matters not what your training log says you did! In the end the results you leave on the track, roads and trails will speak loudly for the contents of your training log.

What is a 10km Race Like?

I was scouring through some stats on my blog and found that someone found my blog through google by searching for the following question: "What is a 10km Race Like?"

A snapshot of recent visitors who found my blog by searching for running related topics.

So I figured I would cover the topic since someone came around and was likely rather disappointed when they discovered I never once have answered that question on my blog. If you are reading this my anonymous inquirer, know that your voice has not fallen onto deaf ears. Today I present to you what it is like to race 10km by foot!

This is your everest...don't look down. Ever.

Start to 1km Marker

You feel like a million bucks.  The pent up nervous energy you'd been building up is finally released and at this point the only other thing that feels better is a roadside blowjob. This feeling lasts all but 20 seconds and then you start to realize you've committed to 10km of 'racing'. You may start wondering how you'll manage it all, but your body still feels great at this point, so long as you didn't blow your load in the first 400 metres.


1km Marker to 3km Marker

The pain starts to set, but at this point its still mostly mental pain...your legs are just getting warmed up and your arms are happily following suit. You may find yourself panicking to find a running partner, someone who will help string you along as the kilometers pass beneath your feet...and she you find one you instantly feel a bond like no other. Be careful, meeting new people when running is the leading cause of new-friend-isitis in the running community.

3km Marker to 5km Marker

Your legs are burning. You lungs are burning. You wonder how that's possible since you never signed up to race a 10km in a fire infested forest...but somehow keep trudging on regardless of the burning pains you feel through your body. (That burning sensation when you stop to pee at an aid station is not caused by the running, get that shit checked out!)

5km Marker to 9km marker

You start wondering if the course officials have mistakenly measured the course because as far as you are concerned you've already run 3 marathons with a bull on your back. Your running partner you met earlier is likely no longer by your side and you feel deserted even though you may be surrounded by thousands of other runners. You'd rather be at a private Celine Dion concert drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon while hipsters talk your ear off about their single speed, brake-less courier bikes that hand in their living room.

9km Marker to Finish

Holy Hell! You've made it this far and can't believe you only have 1 kilometer left in the race. Enjoy this last km, it is your last before you collapse at the finish line. That beer you've been wanting since the 3rd kilometer began is now within your reach, you've earned every right to drink it and the subsequent 6. Those late night Tequila shots you haven't earned though...

Running Log 2011 Week #4

It's been a very tumultuous week in the World but for once I can proclaim a certain calmness finally came over my running this week!  I've been waiting for a week of running like this one for nearly 8 weeks and through patience, perseverance, hard work and money for good measure; I've finally managed to crack 60km of running in 7 days! I skipped out on a time trial, but I had no interest in running it in the subpar footing we were given, so I substituted it with a nice tempo and hill repeat effort.

To cap things off, I once again did 3 core workout sessions (M,W,F) and attended a physio session on Friday afternoon.  I'm looking forward to this coming week as I am planned to increase my mileage (to 70km+) and attend physio and massage sessions.  I will need to roll my IT Band out some...the knee pain is gone but now I have some serious tightness at my insertion point below my knee.

I Curse Thee Snow Running!

Sadly, this is not how I run in the snow.

What a year it has been for snow lovers in Canada. It seems that every day some region in Central/Eastern Canada is getting walloped with a dumping of snow.  This is heaven for those who like to ski, toboggan, skidoo, snowshoe and whatever other random snow related activity. But for us die hard runners, it can quickly become the bane of our existence.

If I step back some years to my previous stint of hot and heavy running, I never really ran in the winter. Yup, I was, what I would call today, a 'fair-weather' runner.  Mostly, but not entirely.  So snap back to this winter and I've been running as steadily as possible through some ridiculous snow storms and unploughed roads and sidewalks. Thanks London!

These shitty road conditions make for lots of cursing and wasted energy as I, one of the heaviest runners on my team, trudges through inches of soft snow losing most of the explosive power from my calves. It becomes more a battle of wit and mind than one of sheer power and physical endurance. But if you've got a lower limb injury or are prone to re-activating an old injury, I would recommend you stay the hell away and find solid footing. I've managed to keep my IT Band under control, but now I've gone and strained my hip flexor some, something I'm very afraid of aggravating now.

In a nutshell, I hate running in soft snow. I'd rather it be hard packed and crisp, give me a full winter of -12C and I'd be happy. None of this -1C weather and then -25C...

A Healthy Breakfast for $1.60 per day?

I love breakfast. It's the first meal of the day and the perfect way to get things rolling smoothly. I typically eat my breakfast within the first 30 minutes of being awake, and I'm not sure if there's a good reason for this, but it's what I do. :P

For $3 you could eat this atrocity

I like light breakfasts, I can never do eggs, bacon, potatoes for breakfast, it's just too heavy for me to stomach and I much rather reserve that type of meal for lunch on the weekend. But during the week, I have a very simple breakfast that fills me up for 3 hours and costs just a hair over $1.50 per day! That's right. I eat a healthy, well rounded breakfast for about the cost of a Tim Horton's coffee.  Here's what I eat in the morning to kick things off:

• 1 Bowl of Kashi Go-Lean Crunch Cereal topped with PC Brand Fiber Cereal
• 1 cup of 1% milk
• 1 cup of Tropicana Orange Juice
• Nutritional Supplements

The cost breakdown for my breakfast, excluding my supplements, is as follows:

• Cereal: ($6/box / 8 servings) + ($4/box / 20 servings) + ($4/gallon / 16)
• Orange Juice: $5/3L / 12 servings

TOTAL COST: $0.75 + $0.20 + $0.25 + $0.40 =$1.60

And there you have it. A breakfast that includes tons of nutritionally relevant foods, calcium, fiber, vitamin C and so much more.  What do you eat for breakfast? Is it this healthy and does it cost less than $2?

What a weird start to the new year...

I've had to work through metatarsal pain, a tight IT Band and now, viral conjunctivitis...yup, pink eye.  It seems that this month just won't let me get back to running normally. The good news is that I see an end to all this nonsense:

• My foot pain is 100% gone!  FINALLY!
• My IT Band is settling down, even though it requires a few hours of weekly attention.
• My pink eye is nearly gone. I had the viral strain of pink eye, there are 4 different types, and this one just has to work its way through your body...unlike the nasty looking bacterial pink eye which can be treated quickly with drops.

So now I hope I can log more than 40km/week as I escape the wretched hold of these injuries and sickness. I should be doing 60-80km/week by now and I'm nowhere near that. Ah well, in due time...I have absolutely no rush. :D

Running Log 2011: Week #3

Bah, what another crappy week. What started out so well with solid workouts culminated with me needing 12 hours of sleep per night and missing the last 3 workouts of the week entirely. The good news is that my feet at 100%, my knee is calming down and I am now regularaly scheduled to have massage therapy.  Now to get some consistent miles in instead of this measely 40km/week crap I've been doing!

Ben Procter nabs first LRDC Record Setting Performance of 2011!

Pain @ 2011 Can-Am Meet (Windsor, ON)

It came to me by way of facebook and the results page at the Mike Lints Alumni Open confirms it...Ben Procter has set a new London Runner Distance Club Senior Men's all time record in the 800m...and it was done indoors to boot!

1:54.55 was Ben's time, good enough for second place overall and the Senior Men's 800m record!

He now holds both the Junior and the Senior 800m Men's records for the club, I think it's high time someone swoops in and pulls a fast one on him before this 'fame' goes to his head.

Massive props have to go out to Ben for a record setting performance so early in the year.  I'm already looking forward to his outdoor season, who knows, maybe he'll be fighting off David Rudisha by then! And maybe, just maybe, he can pull me along in a race or two....though I doubt I could hang on!

My Nutritional Supplements

As an athlete and human that values health, I find that supplementing my daily food with nutritional supplements is something I need to do if I want to be at the top of my game.Along with a proper night of sleep, these two elements combine to create my force against the common cold and other pesky ailments.

the great Arnold

I won't spend anytime debating the merits of nutritional supplements for athletes in this post, there is plenty of literature you can find online. I believe they are beneficial, and whether or not it is merely placebo effect, their benefits are real to me.  Here my list of daily supplements I take:

• Vitamin D: 4000IU
• Echinacea: 2400mg see note 1
  
• Glucosamine & Chondroitin: 1000mg & 800mg
• Omega 3-6-9 Oils: 800/800/800mg
• One-A-Day Multivitamin For Men

This combination of oils improves my joint health, tissue rebuilding, immune system and overall health. I've had great success staying healthy with this combination.

DISCLAIMER: Feel free to use any of my advice above, but be warned, I am not a trained medical practitioner. I take no responsibility for any issues our bouts of awesomeness brought on by your use of supplements.

note 1: I've decided to scrap using echinacea daily as they do not recommend doing so.

Competitive Running In Canada and a Lack of Online Presence

I love running. I love racing. There is very little that I find more motivating than watching other people race, be it live and in person, or by means of live streams or results from meets around the world.

I remember growing up in Sudbury and as a young man I would spend many Saturday afternoons glued to CBC Sports. They would often show highlights of track meets that happened around the world that week (the Golden league) as well as many world cup/championships in many other sports (triathlon, mountain biking,etc). These event formed within me the basis for my love of amateur sports, a love that nearly 20 years later is still strong.

Now that I've gotten back into serious running, competitive running, I've re-kindled my love for track meets and road races. I love being able to keep up on races that have happened over the weekend, be it in video, result or report form online. I've been finding lately, that this is getting harder and harder to do as a Canadian.

I guess it isn't truly that bad, but when I compare the coverage of American road races, track meets and marathons I just can't believe the discrepancy I'm seeing. So why do I feel the Canadian running scene is getting poor online coverage when compared to the US? Well let's see...

• Next to no Online Video Coverage: I say this as a truth, but it isn't to say that none are presented online. In Ontario we've done a decent job with OFSAA and National Cross with RunnerSpace/Flotrack.  That's great to see and I want to see that continue.  But why aren't other events across the country filmed and hosted online for us to see?  Videos are a great tool for runners to study, how else can we immerse ourselves in what it could be like to race, without even racing? I won't even begin with the near prolific number of American races that are plastered online in video form.
• There is 'No One Source' for Canadian Running Results: If I want to see what happened in British Columbia over the weekend, where do I go? I'd likely have to find the event listed somewhere, find out who hosted it and then visit their page to get to it. Heck, this even happens in Ontario.
• We Don't Race As Much as the US: This is something we can't really change, the US has more runners, hence more chance for race coverage. We should still be mindful of this though and not forget it as we need to remember this is after all Canada and we barely have 10% of their population.

And that's about all I can think of.  So I guess it might come down to simply educating me...is there currently a website that represents all of Canada that aggregates race videos, results and recaps so that I can see what is happening across the country? I hate having to wade through pages and pages of mindless dribble over at LetsRun and TnFNorth....there must be a better way?

And if there isn't, why hasn't anyone created one...and if they have, why did it fail?

How to Train for a 5km/10km Race

I recently received a lovely Facebook message from an old high school friend who is inquiring as to any training plans I might have for 5km/10km races. She also asked about marathons, but I have very little experience in that realm. I've devised one training plan for half marathons, and it is currently being used by my wife with much success so far....I guess we'll have to wait and see till she actually races her first half.

So, I guess at this stage I could list out training plans I've devised....but frankly, I've never actually written one out. Well, isn't that swell considering the title of this post would indicate I know how to train for a 5km/10km race. Well, it turns out I do, and I have built that knowledge over time in a few different ways:

Get a Coach

If you're in high school, this is quite easy to do. They are free and will help mold you into the athlete you want to be...or at least the one they want you to be.  At this stage this is all you really want. If you're in College or University, you can get yourself a coach with the varsity cross-country or track teams...if you're fast enough. Most people aren't, luckily I was. Sadly, it kicked off my injury laden career as a runner.

So what to do as you get older and don't have free coaching resources at your disposition and you want a coach? Find a local running club or group. Running groups usually meet at local running stores and are a great, affordable way to get yourself into running. The entire group typically runs with a goal race in mind, making it rather easy for you to succeed in that race you've set your sights on.

Running clubs are a little more involved as they cater to the more competitive runner, but if you are looking for a real edge, this is the way to go. I joined London Runner Distance Club last summer and since then I've shaved over 4 minutes on my most recent 5km PB and 7 minutes on my 10km PB. Steve Weiler and his team of assistant coaches do an amazing job at teaching you how to push yourself, and before you know it, you are dropping times. I would highly recommend any running club, just running with a group of like minded people does more for your success than anything else.

Learn Quickly

I am a very analytical thinker and I have an uncanny ability to break things down so that I can more easily understand them. Essentially, I've been able to understand the reasons why my coaches have me do long runs, intervals, hills, tempo efforts...and I've taken these learnings over the years, combined them with readings I've done on running topics and formulate my own independent thoughts.

This isn't something everyone can do, but if you realize the power you can hold by starting small and slowly building up a knowledge base of training tips and ideas, you can see how you can be your own coach pretty quickly.

But I digress....

I suppose if you have a specific goal in mind, and it relates to running, there are likely only two options: 1) Run a specific distance and 2) Set a personal record at a specific distance.

Keep reading for my tips on how  you can make sure you finish your next 5km road race in record time, or just finish it regardless of your time.

Running Log 2011 Week #2

An yet another week of running has gone by...where is this year going already? 2 weeks done and only 50 more to go! This week was essentially the same as the last, let's look over it:

Monday: Square (injured)
Tuesday: Square (injured)
Wednesday: Easy 7km
Thursday: Easy 9km
Friday: Square
Saturday: 19km total (6km warmup, 2.5km tempo, 5x200 hill repeats, 2.5km tempo, 5km cool down)
Sunday: Square (injured)

Total: 35km

Recap: Much like last week I was simply trying to stay pain free while logging as many miles as my legs could handle. I went to see CBI Physio (thanks Kate!) and we discovered that my new pair of shoes is indeed far too tight. I went and bought a new pair on Wednesday night and since then my toe pain has been a non-issue!  YAY!  However, I'm still battling some acute, localized knee pain caused by my IT Band. That's slowly getting worked out and I am very optimistic that I am on the road to recovery.

Running Log 2011 Week #1

Last year I got in the habit of summing up my running weeks in simple blog posts and there's no good reason for me not to continue suit with this habit in 2011.  Without further ado I present to you my first running week log of the new year!

Monday: Easy 9km
Tuesday: Easy 6.5km
Wednesday: Square
Thursday: Easy 10km
Friday: Square
Saturday: 17km total (6km warmup, 6x400m hill repeats, Step-down tempo run, 4km cool down)
Sunday: Square

Total: 43km

Weekly Recap: This was the new year's first week of running and what a painful week it was.  I've been battling foot pain for a few weeks now and this week was likely the worst week yet and definitely not how I had planned on kicking the year off. This week was simply me trying to log as much as possible without causing my toes anymore pain than they already have.

Gluteus Maximus....ENGAGE!

In my last post, or one of my last posts, I mentioned that I have a very weak gluteus maximus. I've begun doing core work in the morning to aid me in triggering my gluteus maximus and for the first time today, during practice, I could feel myself making use of the muscles!

this is delicious butt, smoked boston butt. :)

It may seem like this is something rather unimportant in the grand scheme of things, but this is literally the last piece in the puzzle that is known as my 'it band friction syndrome'. Yup, the dreaded ITBS. The IT Band gets overused/restricted when the PFL muscle is forced to work overtime. This happens when other muscles, and in my case it was the gluteus medius and maximus, aren't doing much (if any) of the work.  When the PFL is forced to work overtime it tightens up and strains the IT Band, causing it to feel inflamed at the IT Band insertion point below and at the side of the knee. You can also feel tightness at the outside of your hip.

I sorted out my gluteus medius with clamshell exercises against a flat wall (if you'd like more details, let me know in the comments, I'll gladly detail the exercise for you) and now I'm focusing on my maximus with a few exercises. And today, among the 19km of fun snow running I found the missing piece to enable me to trigger my gluteus maximus: tucking my hips beneath my shoulders and tightly engaging my core to keep my mid section rock solid.

This sounds much easier in words than it did in real life, but with some mindful attention to your hips and core you too can start using your ass for more than just sitting on it.  Here are some tips I can offer to improve your running posture, therefore improving your runs and decreasing the likelihood of injury:

• Do core strengthening exercises regularly. This can be as little as 20 minutes, 3 times a week for you to start seeing immense benefits.  This is something I wish I had discovered years ago, it would likely have saved my young and illustrious running career. ;)
• Engage your core while running.  This means don't let your arms and legs do all the work. If you can manage your core and midsection you can help the entire locomotive process of running. To help with this tighten your abs and lower back while trying to make yourself as tall as possible. If you currently experience any knee pain, feel it slip away as you engage your core.
• Tuck your hips beneath your torso...this can only be done if you are engaging your core. Yoga has helped teach me how to do this as well.
• Think of analyzing your stride. You can do this yourself if you are capable of breaking things down, but otherwise, visit a physiotherapist and have your gait analyzed. You are likely to learn you have muscle imbalances, tight hip flexors or that you are a severe heel striker.  All these things lead to injury....be proactive, take care of them now!

It's taken me 10 years of my life to realize that the time you spend core strengthening, in physiotherapy, having massages and stretching is 'money in the bank' that you can withdraw against at a later date.  Not only that, but the investment doubles in value as you continue building your aerobic base while strengthening your core body. You are much less likely to be sidelined with injuries as you pack on the miles and increase the intensity.

I know you probably won't listen to me, but if you can pick even one thing to do from above, you'll already be on your way to being a better runner. I know I am, and I didn't start doing them all at once...baby steps will get you there too!

My New Early Morning Core Circuit

Well, since it's the new year and I've been riddled with foot and knee pain since returning to running in early December, I figured it was about time I re-incorporated some core strengthening exercises into my running routine.  This is an area of my running I chronically neglect until I can't ignore it anymore, much like this time.

Will I finally turn that around and be more proactive? Maybe. I'm not sure if I can just turn the switch on instantly...I need to build up a routine, a schedule, a simple habit.  Then it will be damn easy to just keep doing it.

I could make the following statement: "I will always follow up my runs with 30 minutes of core strengthening." But we both know that is not likely to just start happening.  So I decided to take my core strengthening in strides and have devised a weekly program that is simple, quick and easy to do.  The challenge? Getting up 30 minutes earlier than I normally do.

So I've decided to do 20min core circuits three times a week: Monday, Wednesday and Friday Morning at 6:30am. I had my first session this morning (I know, it's Thursday, w/e) and in 20 minutes time I managed to pump out the following circuit:

• 3x15 declined (25 Degrees) sit ups
• 3x15 straight legged deadlifts
• 3x15 pushups
• 3x10 lunges (each leg)
• 1x30 leg raises (against wall, targeting gluteus medius) (each leg)
• 1x30 leg lifts (on stomach, gluteus maximus trigger) (each leg)
• 1x30 wall squats (tension band around knees, target outside of leg)
• 3x1 airplanes (some yoga pose, held for 5sec) (each leg)

And yup, 20 minutes is all it took for me to complete this circuit and it felt great!  Now to get this to the point of simply being a habit and I'll be laughing! You might be wondering why I chose to do it in the morning before work. The reason is quite simple....I feel too tired after a run at night to want to do core work. Putting it in the morning separates the two separate activities enough that I won't forgo the core work.

Today I realized....

...That I have flat arches

...That I have 2 very weak gluteus maximus muscles

...My shoes are too narrow

...My IT Band is being overused

It was about damn time I realized these things. My meeting today with Kate Reid of CBI Health was quite enjoyable, I loved meeting everyone at the clinic.  My hour of physio flew by and Kate's knowledge paid off in spades.

She assessed that I have flat feet and I should be wearing shoes with more support.  This lack of support is likely aggravating my IT Band, and the fact I can barely trigger my gluteus maximus on command plays a large role in my IT Band tightness and overuse. I put my shoes on to show Kate how I think the shoes that were sold to me by someone who will remain nameless. Lo and behold, she agreed with me...the shoes were far too tight for my forefoot.  Hurrah, a second opinion that agrees with me.

I went out tonight and bought myself a brand new pair of running shoes and seeing as my running club has a partnership with New Balance, Matt (the worker and fellow teammate) and I thought it was time I turned to the dark side. You really can't complain about a 25% discount on shoes....

The shoes felt much better and I took them for a quick spin on the store's treadmill. I couldn't wait to get home to try them out on the roads, and when I got home I did just that. I ran 7.2km in 30 minutes and felt absolutely zero pain in my toes and as I write this blog post, well over an hour after, I still feel no discomfort. I think the shoes will solve the toe pain.

Now to address the stupid IT Band pain.  Hopefully the shoes address some of the wear and tear, but I fear more physio is in my future and hopefully next time I can get my gait analyzed.

On another note, I always thought that since I have flat arches I should get shoes that were 'flatter' in the arch so that the shoe fit my foot properly. I blame blisters I used to get in supportive Asics shoes WAY back when for giving me this horribly flawed view on shoe fit. It turns out that if you have flat feet, you get shoes with arch support to help raise them up. Duh! Don't make the same mistake as me.

Physio Again....for the first time

Well, I'm still a bit of an injured mess it seems. These new shoes have done a rather messy number on my feet and I've been neglecting my pesky IT Band....but this week it all gets back into line.  Tomorrow I spend some time at CBI Health on Clarke Rd and later in the week a massage at the hands of David Cousins at Priority Massage & Health.  I've been on and off of running for the past few weeks and now its time to stop ignoring the issues at hand and fix them.

Wish me luck!

Yoga again, for the first time...

Well, in case you've been reading my blog since the bitter start last summer, you'll remember my first excursion into the world of yoga. A quick recap: It was as near death as it gets.

Melanie asked me today if I wanted to go and since I'd like to start doing things she loves more often, I joyfully agreed to accompany her to a 60 minute yoga session. Unlike last time, in which I struggled just to stay conscious, this time was a delight. The teacher was nowhere near as intense as the previous (Lisa) and I was able to concentrate on my posture and breathing. The room was still hot, but not the stifling hot I experienced last summer.

All in all, it was a great hour of fitness and who knows, maybe I'll start doing yin yoga classes more often, I could really use the hour of intense stretching.

Oh, and....


HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!!!

My Goals are For Me.....2011 Here I Come!

This post is brought to you by http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bvYnYjJZZ0

I'm sitting here at my computer and don't feel like being all poetic and shit, I'm in a slightly sour mood but since its now January 1st, it's high time I get my goals for 2011 ironed out. I met with my coach last week and we set some soft goals that I must absolutely hit in 2011, but I think it's time for me to lay a little more on the line and see if I can successfully deliver.


Stay Healthy & Injury Free

This is without a doubt the most important goal I can set out for the year. If I fail to remain healthy and injury free in 2011, I can kiss nearly all of my other running goals goodbye. I will keep this as my #1 priority and ensure that as I increase the intensity and volume throughout the year, I will remain healthy.  I will forgo the extra 3 km at the end of a long run if I feel my body can't handle. I'll tone down my speed if I have to. I WILL REMAIN INJURY FREE!


Break 17:00 for 5km on the Road

Officially, I've only ever done this once, but the shape I was in during my 2001 season of XC would have definitely yielded sub 17:00 times over 5km. My current PB is 18:02 this past Halloween and I want to crush that PB come fall in 2011.  Heck, I may even set an all time Personal Best, my best over this distance is 16:48....and that may have been on a short course.


Return to the Track over 800m/1500m

I haven't run on a track since 2000 and I'm a little scared at the pain, discomfort, embarrassment and vomit that will certainly await my less than triumphant return. Regardless, I'm looking forward to it. The track is where I was my happiest prior to coming to Western and it is where I shone the most and I still feel I can excel.  This goal will directly affect my STAY HEALTHY mantra for the year...so I have to keep my excitement in check as I pound out intense track work over the spring months.


Log 3000km for the Year


Yup...I'm looking to log 3000km this year and this should be a breeze if I manage to STAY HEALTHY in 2011. :D

Compete in my first Half Marathon

Melanie will be the first to compete in a half marathon as she is doing the McFarland Rowlands Half in London on May 1st.  I'll be spectating her race and I'm 'coaching' her as she prepares for the race.  I'll likely crank out my first half marathon effort in the fall as a sustained effort.


Attend regular physio/massage

The title really says it all. I want to have 2 hours of massage per month performed on me. Time to find a RMT.  Also, I want to get my gait analyzed by CBI Health (a new LRDC partner) so that I can finally sort out what is going on with my fucking left leg.


Attend 2 Or More LRDC Weekly Practices

I know my time is precious, but coach wants us to put in as many practices as we can each week with the team. If we can't run, we at least need to show up and stand around if that is all we can do. I did 2 practices per week last season and I feel I can continue to do so in 2011.


Volunteer In the Running Community

Volunteer at races held by LRDC. Easy. Right?