A running passion

Having returned from our 32-day around-the-world trip, Hilary and I are excited to start new careers in London, ON. We visited Seoul, Cheongju, Incheon, Bangkok, the Thai jungle, Vancouver (Hilary- Victoria also) and Clermont. What a blast it was! Great timing for the 'pre-honeymoon' before working and getting married on 10/10/10!

During our travels we did a great job eating well, resting and exercising. We are role-models for each other! I am the nutrition and metabolism scientist, Hilary eats well consistently and following her I have observed faster recovery from running workouts. I am also leaner than ever (5.5% body fat)!

Physio exercises are paramount and now I prescribe, execute and facilitate them daily. Resting has been tumultuous in nature with different beds and long work days, however, napping, compression socks and drinking a beer a day decrease stresses endured daily!

London Runner, a competitive junior, senior and post-collegiate distance running team have added the most vital ingredient to becoming a successful distance runner - training! Head coach Steve Weiller is a professional and serious coach with the LTAD ideology. Long-term athlete development is a mandatory prescription for running success. I hope to be here and demonstrate what I am capable of over months and years of commitment.

My first measurement before formal training, was a 16:54 5k @ London DT, April 02, 2010.

I believe this course was 5.115 k (GPS- www.mapmyrun.com), so then I ran 16:32 - not bad without any formal training; an average of 45 minutes, 6 days a week for the last few months.

My first week training with London Runner (April 12 onward):

Monday - Gibbons Park, London, ON

• 11k steady at 3:42 pace with Matt Suda (18k), Ryan Huff (14k) and Alex B (12k)
• it hurt the last 2k, failing to understand the turnaround spot, I mentally made up 250m and dipped into the lactate (below 3:40/k)
• total - 17k after strides, w-up/c-dn

Tuesday - Masonville

• 5.3k terrible, legs detached from hips, subsequently dragged from 3k!

Wednesday - Weldon Park

• 7k cross-country - 4k loops @ 3m ON, 1m EZ - try to diminish distance lost from lead pack that included Matt, Ryan, Alex, Rob and maybe 2 other seniors
• very happy to salvage a good, solid and strong workout after Monday's effort. Activation strides ignited the fuse to go after a wobbly, weak-legged warmup
• total - 17k after strides (4x150m on track), w'up/dn

Thursday

• 10.5k Medway trails, 5:12p recovery

Friday

• Rest - Foundation w/o (PTS certification wkd), squats, lunges back etc.

Saturday

• 15.5k Galleria GoodLife tready 67m, 8, 9, 10 mph mix - build w/o, stess test bike 11m

Sunday

• 6k ez 4:57p late, sore hams (3d of course finished!)

TOTAL - 71k - 2Hard, no LSD

LRDC Week #2 (April 19 onward)

Monday

• 16k Gibbons Pk Steady run - 10k @ 36:50, 3:41p, great, tough! strides etc.

Tuesday

• 8.5k medway trail v. ez w/bursts (neuromuscular activation) - fatigued, but NM helped

Wednesday

• Hilary joins club today: 1.2k track in 3:53 (3:13p), 1.1k xc loop 3:44, 800m track 2:32 (3:08p), xc loop 1.1k 3:32, 800m 2:23 (3m p!)- Rest 3m ez run b/w each- strides etc (5k INTV and 6 ez) - client at 8pm/work, leave early.

Thursday

• 10.5k ez fanshawe trails 4:53p w spurts 52m

Friday

• Rest - fatigued (working 10-14 hour days consecutive!)

Saturday

• 20.5k bike path, Richmond @ Labatts/Hydro rtn plus xtra hood loop, 4:57p

Sunday

• 11.6k ez Dani, Wonderland, trails, rtn. 4:58p ez, bit fatigued recovery

Total - 78k - 2Hard, 1 LSD

WEEK #3 LDRC (April 26 onward)

Monday April 26

• 20.5k steady w/o at Gibbons - 14k @ 3:45p with Ryan Huff, Brent and Eric Barry (3m break at 5.8k), used Nike Lunar Light, amazing feel, fast.

Tuesday April 27

• 10.3k trail Medway (meeting with Head Coach Steve Weiller - see post 'past running, future goals')

Wednesday April 28

• 16k Weldon XC - 5x 5m On, 1m Off - super hard mental toughness to stay with Matt Suda and Brent (KYLE O'NEILL, Rob Kitz, Ryan Huff - up 125m after 30m Hard Running). 1k Time Trial Loop - Did not complete, however these top men did; next time will hold back a bit!)

Thursday April 29

• Rest for run - 10m hard core PT circuit (Hil n I), something I use with clients in moderation - plenty of core, legs and plyos!

Friday April 30

• Run ez medway trails 14.7k, fatigued and really sore from plyos and Wednesday super hard workout!

Saturday May 1

• Rest - simply accumulated fatigue, working hours and hard training - hope to be okay for 10k race tomorrow.

Sunday May 2

• 10k Forest City Road Race - 1st place
• Time was disappointing considering practice performances, but that is it, I exhausted myself this week (work als0) and then went out too hard ('Pre' style), and paid for it DEARLY! It really hurt from 5.5 - 10k. 17:18 at 5k which should have been ez and repeatable for the 2nd 5k, but my body is beat up! Lesson learned. Only 159 bpm HR.. body would not allow me to hold the usual 163 - 168bpm. Next race- 5,000m June 19th with LRDC.