Training Log Archive: W

Rumsey Spring Opener, 11.7k, and, as is typical of my first events of the year, this was abysmal. This is never a good time of year for me. All of my bad habits and non-habits have remerged, and I navigate very, very poorly. It was positive that I was able to get another opportunity to run on a 1:15000 map, but I just could not, in any way, gauge my distance properly and made several horrific parellel errors. Hard to work on scale when most of the Wednesday night meets are at 1:7500. Its especially frustrating because I know that Europe has started their season 4 months ago, with several countries already having their national championships! I feel that any technical gains I made with my year in Europe has slowly faded given my inability to find new terrain or get even remotely good training here in Edmonton. This is exacerbated by a club who is happy with the status quo and is unwilling to consider any ideas or suggestions or any ambition at all yet expects me to volunteer my time to their own pet projects. Unfortunately I am between a rock and a hard place because moving elsewhere would require finding a real job and significantly reduce my ability to bugger off for several months and compete.

/unrelated rant that just perpetually frustrates me.

Nevertheless, I will continue to plug on, as I've said, in my opinion my biggest strength improvements will be from being a better runner, and I can still work towards that, assuming I can fix my foot. If anyone has any ideas on how to practice on maps I've been on many, many, many times, I'm all ears. I have most of the maps so I'll send them out if you want to get creative.

Here's the context of my performance rage:
DOMA

Update!

Okay, so, I haven't read any comments or anything, but I should clarify that I most definitely overreact on bad performances, but I think I've made it pretty clear that I have ludicrously high expectations for myself and I'm a terrible loser. And the thought of future losing infuriates me more. My coach would try to give me the standard post-race hug after most ski races, and I'd tell him to screw off. Just thought I'd make that clear.

Now, to book flights to San Fran!

C • training 5

Hit the Fast Trax intervals before a long day at the shop. 10 x 3 minutes with 3 minutes rest at 10k-ish pace. We've started running on rolling grass terrain, rather than pavement, which I'm very thankful for, though it makes my paces seem a little slow:

3:47
3:37
3:46
3:38
and etc.

Still, with the foot all taped up and some slightly more supportive shoes, the painful first few minutes were a little bit less, and my afterwards it really didn't bother me until 4-5 hours into running around and up and down stairs all day. Busy day, Apparently we sold 69 pairs of shoes. Which, yeah, doesn't seem like much, but it actually is, for a store our size.

Two fairly positive days of running means I don't want to overdo it and go out for another day. It also started raining, which just sealed the deal for biking on my trainer.

Headed out to do some intervals. Foot still 100% taped up, but stayed on generally gravel trails so the impact was a bit lower.

Hammered out 15x1 minute intervals with some buddies. Felt relatively fast-ish, though the stomach was a bit heavy. Averaged about 3:15-3:25, which is probably a reasonable 10k pace, but harder than a 10k effort, just because of the soft condition and rolling terrain.

And then I saw that there's only 80-ish days until WOC and HOLY CRAP THAT'S NOT LONG AT ALL.

Received +3 to my terror stat.

Speaking of stats, I briefly lost my mind and recently re-activated my world of warcraft account, which has done a number on my blogging. Nevertheless, I polished one off:

Scienteering

Well, the weather is finally starting to turn. Despite being only +5, it was warm plus 5, worth of 3/4s. Hauled out my new road shoes, for now, the Saucony Mirage. Just like the kinvara, but with some stability, which is yet another emotional vice to help with my foot pain. Unfortunately it did nothing to ease my foot pain. Whatever. I think these shoes are still good, spent a while debating between these and some Mizunos, the Brooks PureFlow, or the Fast Twitches, or maybe the Asics Excel33. Still have my eyes on those Asics Tarthers for road racing, though. You know, if I ever get to road race. I think they might be good for sprinting too, a bit stiffer than f-lites, which I think would be an improvement. Hard to know about the grip though.

Didn't have much time for training tonight, since staying late at the office, and then had to go see COLDPLAY!

They were awesome. Not quite Muse awesome. But still pretty dang awesome. Even if you only know a few of their songs, get tickets and go see them. Stat.

C • Coldplay 2

Light trainer riding in the morning before the office. Played soccer in the afternoon, and planned to go for a run afterwards, but my partner ditched out, so opted to give the foot a break. Probably the best my foot has felt after soccer in a while. Still sore, but a bit better. Still taped it up as well. Gave it a lot of TLC after words with some strength, stretching, massage, foot soak, and etc. I should start a spa.

Training doesn't look hopeful tomorrow, too much work and capped off by: