It’s now the second week of February and I’m two weeks into ultra marathon training. This will be my second 50k ultra marathon in as many years, but I feel like I learned a lot from my experience last year. I think the break from running last summer did me a lot of good because I’m going into training this year totally recharged and super motivated. Training also started over a month later than last year so I really only have about 6 weeks to run through the bitter cold and snow – although the first few weeks have been brutal so far. Continue reading
Winter Running Tips
Winter running can be a problem for those of us who live in the north. Between the perpetual darkness, freezing temps and hazardous conditions, it’s not very motivating to run outdoors. I’ve never been a fan of winter in general, but by embracing the suck, you can make winter running suck just a little bit less. Here are some winter running tips to help you get through to the spring.
Mapping Out My 2015 Running Goals
I seriously can’t believe there are only ten days until Christmas! Where did this year go? Feels like I say that every year. Nevertheless, as 2014 winds down I’m starting to get really excited about my 2015 running goals. This year was huge for me and saw more PBs including my first ultra marathon, but 2015 is going to top it. Here’s what I have coming up.
My Vacation From Running
Now that fall is officially here, I’d like to talk a little bit about my vacation from running this past summer. 2014 was very different in the fact that my training went into overtime, culminating in my first 50k ultra marathon. After what seemed like an endless training cycle, I decided to give my body a break and take a little vacation from running. Not a permanent vacation mind you, just time to let my body fully recover from the two years of non-stop running. I’ve still been running here and there, just not part of a structured training schedule. Perhaps a better way to phrase it would be a vacation from training. There were a few things that let to my decision to cut back, the first (and most important) being running stopped being fun for me.
2014 Niagara Ultra 50k Race Report
Well, here we are. The reason to which I’ve devoted the past six months of training – the 2014 Niagara Ultra 50k. It feels like I’ve been in training mode forever and it feels incredible to have my first ultra marathon under my belt. I didn’t want to worry too much about pace or splits on my first ultra, but it’s really hard when you’re so accustomed to it. My goal for this run was to complete the 50k and feel good at the end. That’s all. Not everything went exactly as planned, but I was prepared to expect the unexpected and just go with the flow. Ready? Here’s my race report for the 2014 Niagara Ultra 50k. Continue reading
2014 Mississauga Marathon Race Report
The 2014 Mississauga Marathon was a totally different race experience for me. For starters, I was going to be pacing my friend Nicole and not running solo trying to set a new marathon PB. Since my goal race is six weeks later, I didn’t want to run Mississauga full out at my race pace. I wanted it to be more of a training run. I proposed the idea of being a pacer to Nicole and she was very enthusiastic. She was trying to get a Boston Qualifier time of sub 3:40 and I thought I could get her there with my previous marathon time just under 3:37. Of course I didn’t feel any pressure until the days leading up to race day.
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2014 Around the Bay Race Report
Of all the GTA spring races, I definitely like Around the Bay the best! It’s been a REALLY long winter, and I’ve been anticipating running the 2014 Around the Bay 30k for months. For me, this race is a sure sign that winter is finally over. It’s also the perfect bridge between a half and full marathon and fits perfectly into my training schedule. This was my third consecutive year running ATB so I knew what to expect, even though there were some changes to the first part of the route. My goal this time was to beat last year’s record time of 2:32 and finish sub 2:30. Continue reading
2014 Chilly Half Marathon – Race Report
Ah, the first goal race of the season: the 2014 Chilly Half Marathon. Like a lot of my runner friends, I find the Chilly Half fits nicely into a spring marathon training program. It’s well organized and a lot of fun, but when you run a race in Canada in March, you’re taking your chances with the weather. This winter has been particularly brutal with extreme cold and lots of snow, so I wasn’t too surprised when I looked out my window on Sunday morning. I was a little disheartened and figured I may as well just run for fun (and post-race beer!) I didn’t think that I’d be able to safety achieve my goal time (sub 1:38) with the slippery roads and -20 C wind chill, but I was determined to stay positive. Maybe conditions would improve for the 10am start? Continue reading
Looking Back on 2013
These are my official 2013 stats from DailyMile. Looking back on 2013 I’m amazed to see that I accomplished so much. I achieved every one of my goals, shattered personal records, and was healthier than ever.
Key milestones
- I ran over 2700km (almost 600km more than in 2012)
- Averaged over 50km of running per week
- Logged 270 workouts on DailyMile
- Set PB’s in the half marathon (2 times), 30k and marathon
2013 was an excellent year for me in general. Here’s to what awaits me in 2014. Training has already begun.
2014 Race Goals
Wow, this year has really flown by. I can’t believe it’s mid-December already! It seems like only yesterday I was running in shorts and now I’m wearing three layers and shovelling the driveway. Anyway, as we get ready to say good-bye to 2013, I’d like to look ahead and share my 2014 race goals. Continue reading