I am someone who often struggles with my own self doubts. Am I good enough? Am I successful? Am I doing the best I can in life? I don't want to say that I get depressed at times, but I do get down on myself for periods that can last minutes or even hours or days. I know that people who are truly depressed constantly fight a battle against themselves. This weekend, I lined up a challenge for myself that until Sunday morning seemed daunting. In all my imperfect moments going forward I can look back at what I accomplished and smile.
I had managed to get most of the week off from work. I wanted time to prepare for Sunday morning, I was able to play my soccer game Friday night, and I was able to spend some time hanging out with my family. I had run a 10 km trial run on Monday and lived to tell of it. Please spend time reading the post I authored after that run if you haven't already. It's here. I ran a slower paced 7 km on Wednesday and that also went well.
On Friday night I suited up in the red and white kit of my mew soccer team "Queensway Auto World" and arrived at the field ready to take on "Eden Spas". I got a fun surprise when a couple of the guys I was going to play with in the recreational league arrived. They were set to play as call ups for our opponent. One of the guys joked about me "ditching them", and assured me that I would pay for my rudeness in the game. All in good fun, Dan is a great soccer player, who could easily play in the league if he wanted to. As expected, he more than held his own against us, providing his team with endless energy in the midfield. I started the game on the bench, as we had a full squad with 4 extras. I came on about 20 minutes in, played striker for a few minutes before shifting back to left wing. Nearing the end of the half our striker had the ball just inside the 18 yard box in the left side. He is shifty and quick, so a second defender moved over to help on him. He quickly moved laterally and fed the ball between the two defenders to me, as my mark had left me to help. I took one touch to control, then blasted a low left footed shot. It skimmed along the turf with an out turn as it headed towards the far side of the net. Having the perfect view, I knew it was in well before it entered the net. The ball clanged off the inside of the goal post and settled into the net. I can't recall the last goal I scored in a soccer game, and the last meaningful soccer goal I scored in a full field soccer game was probably back in high school. (erm, I barely scored any then either, but there must have been at least 1!) I sat again to start the second half but I joined the game about 10 minutes in this time and helped our team hold on to the 1-0 lead. We didn't play great, and neither did Eden Spas. It was an odd game where very little happened. We committed plenty of fouls, but nothing really malicious. As the thoughts I having my goal hold up as the winner were dancing in my head, we conceded a free kick about 30 yards from goal. The ball came in, took a couple of bounces and fell to one of their guys. He hit the ball, it deflected off of a defenders leg and alluded the goalie's diving effort. No chance to save it, and the game was tied. Worst of all, there was 3 minutes left in the game. It took a little shine off of the night, but I still have my goal to remember. I've never played at this level of soccer, so scoring a goal in only my second game of the season was an awesome feeling. I believe there is more to come.
I coached Jasmine's soccer game Saturday afternoon, then planned to take it easy the rest of the day to prepare myself for the next morning. Ian came over and we watched the Bruins and Penguins game. After the game, I threw on a movie "Oz the Great and Powerful" hoping it would interest both the adults and the kids. Meh. It was pretty bad, but Jasmine seemed to like it. My mom, dad and sister all arrived from Quesnel. They were up to watch in the big race in the morning. Sheila had run out to the store and spoiled me with a few protein bars, gatorade drinks and a pedometer that also tracked time and distance. I went to lay down pretty early, hoping to get lots of sleep for the race. I wasn't nervous, but more anxious. I had laid off the junk food for a couple days, chewed a protein bar and had some gatorade. I surfed on the internet, hoping to bore myself to sleep. In the end, it was a fitful night's sleep with only a little rest. I rose at 645 to prepare.
Observations from race day:
-Having a hot shower before running is great. I usually run in the late afternoon when Sheila gets home, but I will have to remember how much energy a shower seems to provide.
-I kept most of my pre-run routine as consistent as possible. I had a half cup of coffee. I ate a few bites of a banana, and bit of a protein bar. Typically, I want to run on an empty or close to empty stomach. I knew that I would need a bit of energy for the race, so I ate a bit. It worked out, I didn't get a stomach cramp, and I had a decent amount of energy.
-My dad drove me down to the track, with the rest of my supporters (it feels good to type that) due to arrive closer to race time. After getting my shoes on, it was nice to walk a few laps with my dad and chat, it took my mind away from the race which was a mere half hour away.
-I had my pedometer, my plan was to use it to run at a steady pace. I was shooting for a time of 50 minutes or 5 minutes per kilometer. I had run at or around that pace throughout most of my training. Without my ipod I thought maybe I would run slower. I was hoping that the competitors ahead of me and my desire to keep up would counteract this.
-I wanted to start the race near the front of the pack. Too close to the back and I would be stuck weaving through people. If I was too close to the front though, having numerous people run by me would probably be demoralising. I just moved onto the track, and people kind of filled in around me. The race organisers counted us down, and we were off.
-We circled half of the track, then left the stadium to begin running the roads of Prince George. I quickly realised that my pedometer had reset, and was currently counting miles and not kilometers. Not a big deal, I still had a timer, but I would now rely on feel and instinct to pace myself.
-One lady ran past me as we left the stadium, and I would soon realise how much I didn't want this to happen during the race. I started up the hill on Massey drive, and soon had someone breathing down my neck. A lady passed me as we neared the top of the hill, but only for a few seconds. As we crested the hill I lengthened my stride and passed her back. I slowly moved away from her and for the next 3 or so kilometers I ran completely by myself. The nearest person ahead of me was probably 200 meters, and while I wasn't looking back often, I could see when I went around corners that I had a comfortable gap behind me as well. I didn't expect this. I thought it would be a tighter race, but with 122 runners of all shapes and sizes, I guess I shouldn't have been surprised.
-The caterpillars were out in full force to cheer us on, happily being squished underfoot as they were impossible to avoid completely.
-I'm used to running without any drinks on the road. It was nice to have 3 different drink stations along the course.
-Something that is quickly becoming "my thing" while I run, I said hello or thank you to every single person that was out on the course. There were a handful of spectators, and most of them shouted words of encouragement, or clapped. Every one of them got a "thank you" or "good morning" from me. The volunteers at the drink stations and the crosswalks who made the race possible also got "thank you" from me. It was fun and inspiring at the same time.
-While the support of strangers was nice, it was even more inspiring to have my family there to support me. About 3 km into the race as I gradually gained ground on the woman in front me we came up on one of the local schools. I noticed 3 people sitting in chairs in the parking lot, and I realised as I got closer it was Sheila and my mom and dad. They stood and cheered, I waved and hollered back at them, then got back to racing. Jasmine and Asher both hollered at me from the playground. I looked over to see Jasmine waving from the top of the jungle gym. I would see them again shortly as they jumped in their vehicles and drove by me. My sister Paulette, and Jasmine and Asher were all hollering out the windows as they drove by, with the horns going as well. We covered a few kilometers of Ospika, and I managed to get past the lady I was chasing, before setting my sights on the next runner. He was a good few hundred meters ahead, but he seemed to be slowing somewhat. We ran a short hill as we approached Massey once more, and after we crested I decided to pick up the speed considerably to get by. That might have been the most enjoyable part of the race, passing someone while giving everything I had. We rounded the corner onto 18th, and my family drove past once more, hollering and making a commotion. They stopped up ahead, snapping photos, and my Dad successfully passed me a drink. I got one more drive by as I left the CNC parking lot, and Paulette famously shouted: "GOOOOOO Matt!! You're in first place!!!!" She couldn't see anyone in front of me, and there wasn't anyone. I had a laugh and kept going.
-As I turned onto Westwood for the home stretch I looked at my timer for the first time since the first kilometer. I had run for 40 minutes. I wasn't sure how close to the finish line I was, but I had a feeling that I was running a fast race. I approached Massey and turned the corner towards the stadium. The runners from the 5 km race were coming in from a different direction, but we would all run back down Massey together. A sign was placed near the corner telling us we had 1 km to go. I knew I was running a fast time, and I felt like I had some gas left in the tank. There was a downhill portion, and I relaxed my body, allowing myself to lengthen my stride. I passed at least a dozen runners down the hill, picked the pace up a little more as we approached the track. I entered the track, and decided to leave it all out there. I sprinted the last 250 meters, passing another 5 or 6 runners. I even got a reaction from the race m.c. who couldn't help but notice this crazy man galloping across the line. As it turned out, this isn't normal and I was literally the only person who did a flat out sprint across the line. I felt great. I checked my time and I knew I had clocked in at less than 47 minutes! Sheila and Asher approached, and I got a huge hug from my son. What a feeling!
-I found out a short time later that my official time was 46 minutes and 28 seconds. I had finished 14th out of 122 runners. The 13 people who finished ahead of me were "runners". Most of them were seasoned veterans. I'm more than happy that I could be that competitive when I have only run that distance twice before in my life.
-They handed out medals to the top 3 finishers in each category. I was in the 19-49 year old male category, and I finished a respectable 6th of 22. I was 6 minutes off of the third place time, to which Sheila remarked, "well, it's only 6 minutes. I'm sure you could do that." Very supportive, but a lofty goal no doubt.
-While my time is a great accomplishment, the thing I am most proud of, is that other than 1 lady passing me in the first 200 meters, not a single person passed me during the 10 km race. At the crest of Massey when a different lady passed me for a few seconds, I set that as a goal. No one was going to overtake me as I ran. I kept my pace up and didn't feel like I had too many lulls in the race at all. Other than that brief moment, no one else came close to passing me. Proof that I can run this distance regularly, without suffering.
-Other than some pain in my left shin, which was present before the race, I feel fine today. This makes me think I didn't over do it, and maybe I am capable of doing even better.
-My mom asked me if I got the bug, and honestly, I don't know. The competitor in me wants to do this more often. And I will do it again. In fact, I plan to pull an even more ambitious double in less than 2 weeks. This time was soccer Friday night followed by a 10 km run on Sunday morning. June 14th I play soccer again, followed by a 10 km trail race the morning of June 15th. Why not keep the challenges coming?
Showing posts with label will power. Show all posts
Showing posts with label will power. Show all posts
Monday, 3 June 2013
Tuesday, 28 May 2013
The Running Man or: How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love to Pain
I had laid out the yellow brick road to success 8 weeks ago. I would run three times every week, gradually increasing the distance until I was more than comfortable tackling the 10 kilometers I was to cover come race day. As we all know, the best laid plans are usually just that. I have other commitments in my life and I also battle against laziness on occasion. The latter has been overcome for the most part as I make a concerted effort to get in shape. Well, with less than a month to go until race day, I fell off the proverbial wagon. I went a total of 12 days between runs, and quite frankly I was beginning to have doubts creep in. I wasn't entirely stagnant. I still went to the pool a number of times, walked with the kids a few times, played basketball once, and lifted weights 3 or 4 times every week like I usually do. But, it's no secret that long distance running requires something different than casual exercise or weight lifting does. For me, it's more about mental fitness and strength. These two things can overcome other obstacles if they are strong enough. My slump of inactivity ended last Wednesday when I had my first soccer game with my new team "Queensway Auto World". I had a blast chasing around the pitch, getting a good run in a game for the first time in 18 months. As I relaxed with a beer after the game, gaining some positive feedback from my new mates I told myself I had nothing to worry about. I had plenty of time to get my act together and prepare to race on Sunday June 2nd.
On Wednesday night I mapped out the next 11 days in my mind. I knew I would be in rough shape Thursday after walking 5 km then playing in the evening. The pace of the game was intense. These guys were all over 30 but that didn't mean much once the game got going. There was hardly a gut in sight, with both teams full of fit guys who didn't stop running. I held my own, playing about two thirds of the game. I had a handful of decent runs, including a few that I got hit on, and sent a few solid crosses in. I was particularly proud of a ball I sent hard across the middle of the pitch while we were transitioning to offense. It wasn't something either team expected, as I sent the ball 30 yards along the ground into the path of my opposite winger who was dashing up the field. He ended up playing a give and go with one of the strikers, getting the ball back in the corner and sending it into the box. Our striker and I had both made the run, and the ball was played so either of us could have got there. The goalie was unsure of who to play, and the ball ended up falling to our striker who side footed into the onion bag. We beat the defending league champions 5-2 and all the boys were pretty excited about the 4 new guys. Our next game is Friday night, and my family should be in attendance. I am excited to show them what I can do.
So Wednesday was soccer, and that night I decided that I would get my first run in on Saturday morning. Jasmine's soccer was at noon, so I figured I could go for a nice casual run before that. I decided to keep it short, and I didn't turn the stopwatch on, wanting to just get through it. The weather was nice, and it was a pretty solid effort. Easing back into had been successful, but as soon as I got back to the house, my thoughts turned to Monday. I told myself I had to complete the full distance at least once before race day, and not wanting to do it too close to the real thing, I had chosen Monday. The mind started racing early Monday morning.
I woke up for my morning shift having fallen asleep early Sunday evening. I was fully rested for a Monday shift, something that happens very rarely. As it turned out, I would need all the energy I could muster. I work with special needs adults, and usually I have pretty relaxing job. I help the guys to accomplish daily life tasks that most would find routine. I do chores around their home as a housekeeper would. For the most part the guys are relaxed, down to earth people who don't need me to tell them how to behave. On occasion my patience is tested, and like anyone else, a bad day occurs. I was frazzled, plain and simple. For confidentiality reasons, I won't get into any of it. I thought it interesting, that the day that I planned to run further than I had in 6 years, one of the guys would have a miserable day. When someone can't speak, or communicate in any way really, you find yourself at a loss as to how to help. There were a few things to try, but I was unsuccessful. I made a nice breakfast of bacon, eggs, toast and coffee. This was the only time during the shift when we were all able to relax. I made sure to have a relatively healthy day with my food as I knew the run was coming. Lunch consisted of a grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of mushroom soup. I skipped the traditional cookie after the meal. I made it to 230, and got home with Asher about 3. I still had more than 3 hours to go before Sheila would arrive home, and I would be able to go. I checked out my fantasy baseball teams some more. I brewed some coffee. I took a shower to "wake me up". I felt lethargic, and really felt like there was no way I would actually complete the run. Around 5 I started making dinner. I was planning to have dinner ready for the time Sheila came home. She and the kids could eat, and I would go running. I baked the squash, sauteed the other vegetables, and it was ready to eat when Sheila arrived. I already had my shorts and shirt on. I greeted Sheila, and I stepped out the door. I didn't want to be tempted to eat, as this would make it impossible to run. I grabbed an energy bar on the way out to tide me over.
Random Observations From My Run:
-A few times during my run I remembered that come Sunday I would have no ipod as they are banned for insurance reasons. I never run without an ipod, and I am a little worried that this may effect my performance. Hopefully, the desire to chase down other runners and finish with a solid time will over come this.
-I have been quite happy with my newish lightweight running shoes. Unfortunately, the last few times I have put them on, they have felt uncomfortably tight. Even weirder, is that only the left shoe is noticeably uncomfortable. If I tie the shoes while sitting down, I end up tightening them to much. In the end, I tied and retied my shoes about 8 times yesterday before I finally just left them. It was a subconscious stalling tactic most likely, one more obstacle to overcome.
-I always have a smoke before I run. Judge me if you like, but I feel like cannabis enhances my mental strength, and it takes little away from me physically. When you have the amount of time inside your own head that a long run provides, all sorts fo mental hurdles can pop into that space.
-Something quite exciting took place during my run, that I shared with Sheila immediately after. I passed approximately 12 people or couples out walking on my route. Oddly, there was a number of women, by themselves, all of them with two dogs each. It seems no one has just one dog anymore. Every time I ran by, I said a big hello, and as I was having a great time, flashed a big smile that rarely left my face throughout the run. Every single time I got a greeting in return. When I passed a woman and her dogs for the second time, we said hello and laughed a little. Even as I finished the tenth kilometer, I said hello to a couple of girls and got a big one back. This really does pick up the mood while I run, I'm not entirely sure why. Sheila was impressed that not only could I still talk at the end of the run, I wasn't breathing heavily. Jasmine thought I wasn't sweating either, but as she came closer she could see that Dad was indeed glistening, having just burnt approximately 800 calories.
-Breathing techniques. It was something I wanted to work on before the big day. I am relatively inexperienced when it comes to running, and I breath with an open gaping mouth. I've heard that breathing through your nose is better, but I have never heard why exactly. I believe it keeps your breathing more relaxed, and it obviously stops you from gasping for air. I have tried at times to breath through my nose while mid-run, and it does work. The added bonus is that I have to focus my thoughts on each breath, taking my mind away from other issues such as leg pains, cramps or whatever else I might be thinking about. I didn't nose breathe once during my run yesterday, but I hope to use the technique at times on Sunday to relax and refocus.
-Short underwear is a bad idea when one is running ten kilometers. Chafing. That is all.
-Caterpillars are harmless, but pretty revolting. I spent time looking ahead during my run, paying attention to which trees would have hanging critters, and crossing streets when possible to avoid the worst ones. Of course, I only started doing this after I ran through a battlefield while rounding a corner. I didn't have a chance to see the tree in advance, and managed to get clobbered pretty good. I could feel a silky thread hanging off my arm the rest of the way. Funny thing was, in the middle of the night, while Sheila tried to get Asher back to sleep, he pointed out a caterpillar that had found a home in our bed. Sheila grabbed it a tossed it in the bathroom sink, and flushed it away with a little water. For you humanitarians out there, please don't fret about a dead caterpillar, there must be about 50 million of them in Prince George alone right now. One nice thing about having only evergreens in the yard. I heard the caterpillar story in the morning, when I asked Sheila about the still living caterpillar in the sink. Turns out the flush had missed him in the early morning and he had survived.
-I don't usually deal with a lot of soreness in my legs or feet while running. Yesterday was a different story. I had to rely on all of my mental toughness to ignore pains that at times were in my quads, my hamstrings, my calves (shin splints), my arches, and a new one, my ankles. When I was nearing the end of the run, the pains had all run their course, and I was feeling the best I had the whole run. Perhaps I could run further?
-An odd happening that I have been acutely aware of this spring is that I don't seem to have a go to style for swinging my arms. I feel like I could be doing more with my arms to build momentum. The range over which they travel is quite short. My hands always feel very awkward. Do I run with them in tight fists? Open and loose? Sometimes, I point my one finger out and extended my thumb as if I was indicating "this guy". Just another of the odd things to enter my brain while slapping the pavement.
-It is very cool to be able to check one's running posture while out on the road. If the sun is parallel to you, and you have a fence or pavement on the other side, you can see your shadow clearly. I like to check my posture this way, and it often amuses me. I run in a very straight up posture, at times it even looks like I am leaning back. I look like I am very relaxed in this stance. It makes me feel like I could put out more effort. I then remind myself that putting out as little excess energy as possible is the ideal, and likely my running style is a benefit to me. I covered 10,000 meters on my run yesterday. If I was going to say a stride is 1 meter ( I really have no clue) that means I put in 10,000 paces. Let's not mess with the posture at this point.
-I didn't let myself check my watch until I was nearing the end of the first lap. I had checked my posture a few kilometers earlier, and I was expecting to see that my pace was a little slower than it had been the last time I ran the 7 km loop. I have been just off a 5 minute pace per km all spring. Whether I run 3 km, 5 km, 7 km my pace stays pretty steady. I was happy to see that my casual posture had not led to a slower time. I was going to complete the 7 km in just over 35 minutes.
-I set my route intentionally so that I would have a few obstacles to deal with. The route is flat for the first 1.5 km, but then has a decent sized upslope. 6 or 7% grade, followed by a long 2 or 3 % grade. You are climbing for probably 500 meters. I like that this battle is early in the run, and once I complete it, I feel like the tough part is already over. I knew yesterday that the real battle would be later on. I don't have a 10 km route mapped out online, but I do have a 7 km route and a 3 km route. This means that in order to complete the full distance, I would have to pass by my house, and continue on. Remember, 7 km is the furthest I have run previously. I had a number of voices in my head telling me that it would be okay to quit. Inspired by the time I had just seen on my watch, I picked the pace up slightly and powered past the house to complete the second, shorter loop. I would be running on some of the same roads I had already gone down, and I would have no more hills to tackle.
-As I started the second loop I found myself asking the ultimate question. Do I feel any different then I did when I ran down this street the first time? I actually felt better. While obviously a little fatigued, the pain that had started almost immediately upon beginning had subsided. I laughed in my head at the thought. How many people would believe that one? No, no. Really. If you run 7 km, then continue to run, you will actually feel better than you did when you started. Yeah right, funny man.
- I rounded our corner to complete the crescent and reach home. I even managed to pick up the pace for a short end of run sprint. I checked the watch, happy enough to see that my pace had hardly fallen off. I punched the button on the ipod at 51 minutes and 22 seconds. As I sat down outside to rest for a second, the impact of my accomplishment hit me. Not only was I going to be just fine on Sunday, I am going to compete. Let's not get carried away. I won't be chesting the ribbon at the finish line. If I run the same time on Sunday, I will be competitive. If I use last year's race results as a gauge, my time would have put me in 15th out of 30 runners in the 19-49 men's division. It would have put me at 35th out of 135 runners overall for the distance. I would be more than pleased if I could come close to the 50 minute threshold, and with the competitive juices flowing, I don't see this as unrealistic.
-I felt weird last night after completing my run. I got greeted by Asher like I always do when I come through the door. Whether I have been out for an hour or a few days, he always hollers: "Daddy back!!" He then sprints to the door to bear hug me. I will never grow tired of this. I sat in bed and ate dinner. Asher and I laid down together and watched wrestling. He moved away from me and promptly fell asleep, propped up against a bunch of pillows. I went to the kitchen, mixed up some juice and proceed to go downstairs and work out. With the adrenaline going from the run, I lifted heavier than normal during my chest workout. Sheila and Jasmine had gone out the swimming pool and then the grocery store. They came home, and Sheila and I watched a movie together. Robin Williams made an obscure film a few years ago called "World's Greatest Dad", and we put it on. I had heard of it for the first time yesterday, quite surprised that Robin Williams made a movie with so little fanfare. As is usual for Sheila and I we didn't finish it, but the hour that we did see was great. I am excited to finish it tonight.
I have a busy week ahead of me, in terms of preparing myself for Sunday. Tonight, Jasmine has soccer. Tomorrow Asher and I have Strong Start, and we are going to the park. Believe me, this might be the most strenuous thing I do all week. He ran non-stop at this very same park on Saturday afternoon. I chased him for an hour, then went to work. I was spent. Wednesday we swim after school. I have a 7 km run planned for that day as well. Thursday I coach Jasmine's soccer again, as a practice is scheduled. Friday night I have soccer at 630. I was hoping to take it easy for a couple of days before the race, but soccer isn't cooperating. I am none to upset about this. I'll take it easy Saturday, or at least try to. Then it will be race day. Wish me luck!
On Wednesday night I mapped out the next 11 days in my mind. I knew I would be in rough shape Thursday after walking 5 km then playing in the evening. The pace of the game was intense. These guys were all over 30 but that didn't mean much once the game got going. There was hardly a gut in sight, with both teams full of fit guys who didn't stop running. I held my own, playing about two thirds of the game. I had a handful of decent runs, including a few that I got hit on, and sent a few solid crosses in. I was particularly proud of a ball I sent hard across the middle of the pitch while we were transitioning to offense. It wasn't something either team expected, as I sent the ball 30 yards along the ground into the path of my opposite winger who was dashing up the field. He ended up playing a give and go with one of the strikers, getting the ball back in the corner and sending it into the box. Our striker and I had both made the run, and the ball was played so either of us could have got there. The goalie was unsure of who to play, and the ball ended up falling to our striker who side footed into the onion bag. We beat the defending league champions 5-2 and all the boys were pretty excited about the 4 new guys. Our next game is Friday night, and my family should be in attendance. I am excited to show them what I can do.
So Wednesday was soccer, and that night I decided that I would get my first run in on Saturday morning. Jasmine's soccer was at noon, so I figured I could go for a nice casual run before that. I decided to keep it short, and I didn't turn the stopwatch on, wanting to just get through it. The weather was nice, and it was a pretty solid effort. Easing back into had been successful, but as soon as I got back to the house, my thoughts turned to Monday. I told myself I had to complete the full distance at least once before race day, and not wanting to do it too close to the real thing, I had chosen Monday. The mind started racing early Monday morning.
I woke up for my morning shift having fallen asleep early Sunday evening. I was fully rested for a Monday shift, something that happens very rarely. As it turned out, I would need all the energy I could muster. I work with special needs adults, and usually I have pretty relaxing job. I help the guys to accomplish daily life tasks that most would find routine. I do chores around their home as a housekeeper would. For the most part the guys are relaxed, down to earth people who don't need me to tell them how to behave. On occasion my patience is tested, and like anyone else, a bad day occurs. I was frazzled, plain and simple. For confidentiality reasons, I won't get into any of it. I thought it interesting, that the day that I planned to run further than I had in 6 years, one of the guys would have a miserable day. When someone can't speak, or communicate in any way really, you find yourself at a loss as to how to help. There were a few things to try, but I was unsuccessful. I made a nice breakfast of bacon, eggs, toast and coffee. This was the only time during the shift when we were all able to relax. I made sure to have a relatively healthy day with my food as I knew the run was coming. Lunch consisted of a grilled cheese sandwich and a bowl of mushroom soup. I skipped the traditional cookie after the meal. I made it to 230, and got home with Asher about 3. I still had more than 3 hours to go before Sheila would arrive home, and I would be able to go. I checked out my fantasy baseball teams some more. I brewed some coffee. I took a shower to "wake me up". I felt lethargic, and really felt like there was no way I would actually complete the run. Around 5 I started making dinner. I was planning to have dinner ready for the time Sheila came home. She and the kids could eat, and I would go running. I baked the squash, sauteed the other vegetables, and it was ready to eat when Sheila arrived. I already had my shorts and shirt on. I greeted Sheila, and I stepped out the door. I didn't want to be tempted to eat, as this would make it impossible to run. I grabbed an energy bar on the way out to tide me over.
Random Observations From My Run:
-A few times during my run I remembered that come Sunday I would have no ipod as they are banned for insurance reasons. I never run without an ipod, and I am a little worried that this may effect my performance. Hopefully, the desire to chase down other runners and finish with a solid time will over come this.
-I have been quite happy with my newish lightweight running shoes. Unfortunately, the last few times I have put them on, they have felt uncomfortably tight. Even weirder, is that only the left shoe is noticeably uncomfortable. If I tie the shoes while sitting down, I end up tightening them to much. In the end, I tied and retied my shoes about 8 times yesterday before I finally just left them. It was a subconscious stalling tactic most likely, one more obstacle to overcome.
-I always have a smoke before I run. Judge me if you like, but I feel like cannabis enhances my mental strength, and it takes little away from me physically. When you have the amount of time inside your own head that a long run provides, all sorts fo mental hurdles can pop into that space.
-Something quite exciting took place during my run, that I shared with Sheila immediately after. I passed approximately 12 people or couples out walking on my route. Oddly, there was a number of women, by themselves, all of them with two dogs each. It seems no one has just one dog anymore. Every time I ran by, I said a big hello, and as I was having a great time, flashed a big smile that rarely left my face throughout the run. Every single time I got a greeting in return. When I passed a woman and her dogs for the second time, we said hello and laughed a little. Even as I finished the tenth kilometer, I said hello to a couple of girls and got a big one back. This really does pick up the mood while I run, I'm not entirely sure why. Sheila was impressed that not only could I still talk at the end of the run, I wasn't breathing heavily. Jasmine thought I wasn't sweating either, but as she came closer she could see that Dad was indeed glistening, having just burnt approximately 800 calories.
-Breathing techniques. It was something I wanted to work on before the big day. I am relatively inexperienced when it comes to running, and I breath with an open gaping mouth. I've heard that breathing through your nose is better, but I have never heard why exactly. I believe it keeps your breathing more relaxed, and it obviously stops you from gasping for air. I have tried at times to breath through my nose while mid-run, and it does work. The added bonus is that I have to focus my thoughts on each breath, taking my mind away from other issues such as leg pains, cramps or whatever else I might be thinking about. I didn't nose breathe once during my run yesterday, but I hope to use the technique at times on Sunday to relax and refocus.
-Short underwear is a bad idea when one is running ten kilometers. Chafing. That is all.
-Caterpillars are harmless, but pretty revolting. I spent time looking ahead during my run, paying attention to which trees would have hanging critters, and crossing streets when possible to avoid the worst ones. Of course, I only started doing this after I ran through a battlefield while rounding a corner. I didn't have a chance to see the tree in advance, and managed to get clobbered pretty good. I could feel a silky thread hanging off my arm the rest of the way. Funny thing was, in the middle of the night, while Sheila tried to get Asher back to sleep, he pointed out a caterpillar that had found a home in our bed. Sheila grabbed it a tossed it in the bathroom sink, and flushed it away with a little water. For you humanitarians out there, please don't fret about a dead caterpillar, there must be about 50 million of them in Prince George alone right now. One nice thing about having only evergreens in the yard. I heard the caterpillar story in the morning, when I asked Sheila about the still living caterpillar in the sink. Turns out the flush had missed him in the early morning and he had survived.
-I don't usually deal with a lot of soreness in my legs or feet while running. Yesterday was a different story. I had to rely on all of my mental toughness to ignore pains that at times were in my quads, my hamstrings, my calves (shin splints), my arches, and a new one, my ankles. When I was nearing the end of the run, the pains had all run their course, and I was feeling the best I had the whole run. Perhaps I could run further?
-An odd happening that I have been acutely aware of this spring is that I don't seem to have a go to style for swinging my arms. I feel like I could be doing more with my arms to build momentum. The range over which they travel is quite short. My hands always feel very awkward. Do I run with them in tight fists? Open and loose? Sometimes, I point my one finger out and extended my thumb as if I was indicating "this guy". Just another of the odd things to enter my brain while slapping the pavement.
-It is very cool to be able to check one's running posture while out on the road. If the sun is parallel to you, and you have a fence or pavement on the other side, you can see your shadow clearly. I like to check my posture this way, and it often amuses me. I run in a very straight up posture, at times it even looks like I am leaning back. I look like I am very relaxed in this stance. It makes me feel like I could put out more effort. I then remind myself that putting out as little excess energy as possible is the ideal, and likely my running style is a benefit to me. I covered 10,000 meters on my run yesterday. If I was going to say a stride is 1 meter ( I really have no clue) that means I put in 10,000 paces. Let's not mess with the posture at this point.
-I didn't let myself check my watch until I was nearing the end of the first lap. I had checked my posture a few kilometers earlier, and I was expecting to see that my pace was a little slower than it had been the last time I ran the 7 km loop. I have been just off a 5 minute pace per km all spring. Whether I run 3 km, 5 km, 7 km my pace stays pretty steady. I was happy to see that my casual posture had not led to a slower time. I was going to complete the 7 km in just over 35 minutes.
-I set my route intentionally so that I would have a few obstacles to deal with. The route is flat for the first 1.5 km, but then has a decent sized upslope. 6 or 7% grade, followed by a long 2 or 3 % grade. You are climbing for probably 500 meters. I like that this battle is early in the run, and once I complete it, I feel like the tough part is already over. I knew yesterday that the real battle would be later on. I don't have a 10 km route mapped out online, but I do have a 7 km route and a 3 km route. This means that in order to complete the full distance, I would have to pass by my house, and continue on. Remember, 7 km is the furthest I have run previously. I had a number of voices in my head telling me that it would be okay to quit. Inspired by the time I had just seen on my watch, I picked the pace up slightly and powered past the house to complete the second, shorter loop. I would be running on some of the same roads I had already gone down, and I would have no more hills to tackle.
-As I started the second loop I found myself asking the ultimate question. Do I feel any different then I did when I ran down this street the first time? I actually felt better. While obviously a little fatigued, the pain that had started almost immediately upon beginning had subsided. I laughed in my head at the thought. How many people would believe that one? No, no. Really. If you run 7 km, then continue to run, you will actually feel better than you did when you started. Yeah right, funny man.
- I rounded our corner to complete the crescent and reach home. I even managed to pick up the pace for a short end of run sprint. I checked the watch, happy enough to see that my pace had hardly fallen off. I punched the button on the ipod at 51 minutes and 22 seconds. As I sat down outside to rest for a second, the impact of my accomplishment hit me. Not only was I going to be just fine on Sunday, I am going to compete. Let's not get carried away. I won't be chesting the ribbon at the finish line. If I run the same time on Sunday, I will be competitive. If I use last year's race results as a gauge, my time would have put me in 15th out of 30 runners in the 19-49 men's division. It would have put me at 35th out of 135 runners overall for the distance. I would be more than pleased if I could come close to the 50 minute threshold, and with the competitive juices flowing, I don't see this as unrealistic.
-I felt weird last night after completing my run. I got greeted by Asher like I always do when I come through the door. Whether I have been out for an hour or a few days, he always hollers: "Daddy back!!" He then sprints to the door to bear hug me. I will never grow tired of this. I sat in bed and ate dinner. Asher and I laid down together and watched wrestling. He moved away from me and promptly fell asleep, propped up against a bunch of pillows. I went to the kitchen, mixed up some juice and proceed to go downstairs and work out. With the adrenaline going from the run, I lifted heavier than normal during my chest workout. Sheila and Jasmine had gone out the swimming pool and then the grocery store. They came home, and Sheila and I watched a movie together. Robin Williams made an obscure film a few years ago called "World's Greatest Dad", and we put it on. I had heard of it for the first time yesterday, quite surprised that Robin Williams made a movie with so little fanfare. As is usual for Sheila and I we didn't finish it, but the hour that we did see was great. I am excited to finish it tonight.
I have a busy week ahead of me, in terms of preparing myself for Sunday. Tonight, Jasmine has soccer. Tomorrow Asher and I have Strong Start, and we are going to the park. Believe me, this might be the most strenuous thing I do all week. He ran non-stop at this very same park on Saturday afternoon. I chased him for an hour, then went to work. I was spent. Wednesday we swim after school. I have a 7 km run planned for that day as well. Thursday I coach Jasmine's soccer again, as a practice is scheduled. Friday night I have soccer at 630. I was hoping to take it easy for a couple of days before the race, but soccer isn't cooperating. I am none to upset about this. I'll take it easy Saturday, or at least try to. Then it will be race day. Wish me luck!
Tuesday, 12 March 2013
Always Begetting
When I thought of the above title, I wasn't completely sure I had a real word there. Perhaps on an occasion or two I have used the root word beget in every day conversation. I had most certainly never used the longer word begetting, as it is a very rare word. The term beget has but 2 definitions. The first and unbeknownst to me, the most common is "to father". Fair enough, there must be multiple hundred different words for that. The other definition is "to cause to exist" or "to produce". It is in this form that I use the word here.
I have really grown over the last couple of years to enjoy exercising, in all of its different forms. I won't lie, physically being stronger is solid motivation, but I do have a few more specific reasons why I enjoy being active, and why I believe I won't get bored with it. Something that I have said a few times recently is that "the more you exercise, the more energy you will have". I have said this to a few people not because it has a basis in science. it really is something that I am starting the buy in to. One thing that holds true for me is that a lazy, listless start to a day will often lead to a lazy day all the way through. On the other hand, a quick start to the day can lead to weird and wonderful energy levels later in the day. I believe it only happened once all last summer, but there was one day that is vivid in my memory. Sheila leaves for work at 0730 and it is rare for me to be vertical by then. Maybe Asher is laying beside me watch baby tv. Jasmine is often up as well, especially on school days, but I am usually one-eyed and miserable when Sheila exits the house. On one glorious day last summer I jumped out of bed, threw on shorts and a t-shirt, strapped on my ipod and stormed out the door. The time? Approximately 0700, did you really expect me to have all the details? The morning air was a little more crisp, and I think I suffered slightly on my speed due to being only half awake, but upon returning home and hacking up a morning lung, I felt very alive. I'd love to tell you that the rest of the day was full of exercise and lots of fun, but truthfully I don't remember. But, I remember that feeling I felt after the crack of dawn run, and I am looking forward to feeling it again. Weather permitting of course.
The above paragraph may not have provided the most powerful evidence to back up my lofty claim, but I do think the concept has some merit. I will say this, when I start the day well with some physical activity, I am then more excited about the rest of the day. After starting well, something in my head keeps reminding me about that, pushing me towards finishing the rest of the day well. A few weeks ago, on a Thursday, Asher and I spent time hanging out in the morning. We usually grab a drink, coffee for me and usually juice for him, and we head to the man cave. I sit down at the computer, sip my coffee and attempt to find something to read. This isn't a tough task, but after 30 minutes or so I have read the blog updates, checked ESPN, Facebook, the Prince George Citizen website, perhaps a poker site or two, looked for any news for my upcoming fantasy drafts and then, it's decision time.
On a lazy day I will probably still lift weights, but the pace will be sloth slow. One set, followed by a desperate attempt to find more reading material, or a half-hearted attempt to join Asher in whatever he's doing. If I am motivated and exercising at a decent pace, I will play with Asher in between with a similar energy level. On a good day, the weight routine is complete well before lunch time, and tired out from all his playing, Asher and I head upstairs to have lunch. On this glorious Thursday, Asher fell asleep after lunch and I had a little time to myself. I started an album on the computer, turned the elliptical to max resistance and went for 12 minutes. I get bored easily on these machines, so I crank up the resistance and get the same workout I would get in 20 minutes on an easier setting. Asher woke up, we picked up Jasmine and had a typical afternoon at the house. Some fighting about chores, resisting her homework, and some screening thrown in. I had hockey scheduled that night, and I was feeling good after my early exercise. Sheila was set to miss her water aerobics because of my hockey, then I suggested we all go swimming before hockey. Sheila loves doing thing as a family so off we went. Chasing after my little guy at the pool may be the best exercise I got all day. He is endlessly in motion at the pool. I snuck away and spent some time in the steam room and sauna, then it was time to go. I got dressed and said good night to the family and made the short drive to the hockey rink. Playing hockey with the elevated body temperature from the sauna and steam room was interesting. We were playing in the big barn that night too, the CN Center is notoriously the warmest rink in the city, as there seems to be an odd desire to keep the empty plastic seats at room temperature. I always sweat when I play, but this was amazing. After my first shift, my forehead was dripping. I had actually worked up a lather in the warm up. It was an awesome feeling. My energy definitely came down some towards the end of the game, but all in all, the day was a success. I get a kick out of trying to string together a day full of exercise like that, and will be trying my best to outdo that day.
The other thing that really motivates me when I exercise is the constant struggle to over come the desire to quit. Be it acute pain in a body part,or general fatigue, often people cut exercise short due to their inability to direct their attention away from the problem. If you don't enjoy exercise and are doing it for some other reason, you are likely to struggle to motivate yourself. When you do manage to get yourself to get active, you have only partly won the battle. It goes without saying that the longer duration of time the better when you are active. If you aren't motivated, you will be looking for any reason possible to cut your session short. This search for a reason to stop, goes hand in hand with the level of intensity the exercise is performed at. It is quite normal for someone who is looking for a reason to quit to also be paying little or no attention to what they are actually doing. This is not a recipe for high intensity exercise. One of the reasons I enjoy exercising outdoors is the distractions available. I have to balance focusing on my intensity level, with the need to distract myself from any pain or fatigue I may be feeling. Music and visual distractions are two keys to getting through the distance you want to complete. If I feeling truly sadistic I will actually focus my thoughts exclusively on the potential road block, my most common being shin splints, or knee pain, and force myself to get over it. Train the mind so that when your body is physically capable of more, your brain will already be ready to handle it. The way I see it, is that I will be able to gradually increase my capabilities by fighting through things that may have previously made me stop.
My whole family has become quite the active bunch. Jasmine has found a couple of sports that she really enjoys in soccer and basketball. She also swims regularly, often twice a week. Jasmine also has pretty healthy eating habits, eating large portions of lunch and dinner including vegetables that some kids detest. Asher is developing a love for all sports, probably due to his family's influence. He runs around the basement with a basketball because he watches Jasmine play with her team. He doesn't go a day without playing hockey because he sees it on t.v. constantly, and has come and watched dad play a few times. Asher also loves to swim, and as I mentioned earlier, is quite the handful when he goes. Sheila as I have mentioned here before has made significant changes to her diet, and is more energetic because of it. She also exercises a few times a week at the pool, or down in the dungeon at home.
As the weather warms, we will all likely get more active outdoors. Jasmine and I are both signed on for another season on youth soccer, player and coach respectively. I'm hoping to find time to play soccer myself this year, but my weekend work schedule will likely reduce my options. The recreation league plays on Monday nights so I can play there. Jasmine and I have also been discussing trying a few road running races this year. I've gone ahead and scheduled a few days off for races that I would like to run. The YMCA road race is in June, and it includes a shorter race for kids. It's going to be fun cheering her on. I'm also going to try the "Beat the Bugs" race later in June as it falls on a Saturday and I won't be working. The other key race is the Labour Day Classic, as it serves as the only race I have done before. I ran the 13 km course years ago, and I have been itching to try it again. They also hold a kids race that Jasmine tried the same year I ran. She has fond memories that we can hopefully add to. Two weeks later is the Terry Fox Run. Usually, I walk the course in support of Cancer, but I hope to run it this year. I wrote in this very space about last year's walk that saw my friends overcome physical challenges and walk much further than they are used to. I'm looking forward to getting myself ready for these races. Jasmine asked me recently "Dad, is there prizes or anything for these races?" I just laughed, "There is Jas, but Dad doesn't have a chance. I just want to do my best." Running these races has been a life's dedication for many of the people who go, my efforts to complete a few races shows me how difficult this lifestyle can be. Dedication, will power, and strength, both physical and mental are not things to be taken lightly.
Today, as I type I am well into my weightlifting, and Asher has played soccer, tossed the football and shot a few hockey balls. Soon we will head upstairs for lunch, then Asher will lay down for his nap. I will hopefully keep my day going, Asher and I are going to walk to pick Jas up. I have hockey tonight and it's a matchup with the top team. Maybe I'll be dripping sweat and loving it tonight as well. It's day one of a ten day break from work, and I'm quite happy about the way it has started.
I have really grown over the last couple of years to enjoy exercising, in all of its different forms. I won't lie, physically being stronger is solid motivation, but I do have a few more specific reasons why I enjoy being active, and why I believe I won't get bored with it. Something that I have said a few times recently is that "the more you exercise, the more energy you will have". I have said this to a few people not because it has a basis in science. it really is something that I am starting the buy in to. One thing that holds true for me is that a lazy, listless start to a day will often lead to a lazy day all the way through. On the other hand, a quick start to the day can lead to weird and wonderful energy levels later in the day. I believe it only happened once all last summer, but there was one day that is vivid in my memory. Sheila leaves for work at 0730 and it is rare for me to be vertical by then. Maybe Asher is laying beside me watch baby tv. Jasmine is often up as well, especially on school days, but I am usually one-eyed and miserable when Sheila exits the house. On one glorious day last summer I jumped out of bed, threw on shorts and a t-shirt, strapped on my ipod and stormed out the door. The time? Approximately 0700, did you really expect me to have all the details? The morning air was a little more crisp, and I think I suffered slightly on my speed due to being only half awake, but upon returning home and hacking up a morning lung, I felt very alive. I'd love to tell you that the rest of the day was full of exercise and lots of fun, but truthfully I don't remember. But, I remember that feeling I felt after the crack of dawn run, and I am looking forward to feeling it again. Weather permitting of course.
The above paragraph may not have provided the most powerful evidence to back up my lofty claim, but I do think the concept has some merit. I will say this, when I start the day well with some physical activity, I am then more excited about the rest of the day. After starting well, something in my head keeps reminding me about that, pushing me towards finishing the rest of the day well. A few weeks ago, on a Thursday, Asher and I spent time hanging out in the morning. We usually grab a drink, coffee for me and usually juice for him, and we head to the man cave. I sit down at the computer, sip my coffee and attempt to find something to read. This isn't a tough task, but after 30 minutes or so I have read the blog updates, checked ESPN, Facebook, the Prince George Citizen website, perhaps a poker site or two, looked for any news for my upcoming fantasy drafts and then, it's decision time.
On a lazy day I will probably still lift weights, but the pace will be sloth slow. One set, followed by a desperate attempt to find more reading material, or a half-hearted attempt to join Asher in whatever he's doing. If I am motivated and exercising at a decent pace, I will play with Asher in between with a similar energy level. On a good day, the weight routine is complete well before lunch time, and tired out from all his playing, Asher and I head upstairs to have lunch. On this glorious Thursday, Asher fell asleep after lunch and I had a little time to myself. I started an album on the computer, turned the elliptical to max resistance and went for 12 minutes. I get bored easily on these machines, so I crank up the resistance and get the same workout I would get in 20 minutes on an easier setting. Asher woke up, we picked up Jasmine and had a typical afternoon at the house. Some fighting about chores, resisting her homework, and some screening thrown in. I had hockey scheduled that night, and I was feeling good after my early exercise. Sheila was set to miss her water aerobics because of my hockey, then I suggested we all go swimming before hockey. Sheila loves doing thing as a family so off we went. Chasing after my little guy at the pool may be the best exercise I got all day. He is endlessly in motion at the pool. I snuck away and spent some time in the steam room and sauna, then it was time to go. I got dressed and said good night to the family and made the short drive to the hockey rink. Playing hockey with the elevated body temperature from the sauna and steam room was interesting. We were playing in the big barn that night too, the CN Center is notoriously the warmest rink in the city, as there seems to be an odd desire to keep the empty plastic seats at room temperature. I always sweat when I play, but this was amazing. After my first shift, my forehead was dripping. I had actually worked up a lather in the warm up. It was an awesome feeling. My energy definitely came down some towards the end of the game, but all in all, the day was a success. I get a kick out of trying to string together a day full of exercise like that, and will be trying my best to outdo that day.
The other thing that really motivates me when I exercise is the constant struggle to over come the desire to quit. Be it acute pain in a body part,or general fatigue, often people cut exercise short due to their inability to direct their attention away from the problem. If you don't enjoy exercise and are doing it for some other reason, you are likely to struggle to motivate yourself. When you do manage to get yourself to get active, you have only partly won the battle. It goes without saying that the longer duration of time the better when you are active. If you aren't motivated, you will be looking for any reason possible to cut your session short. This search for a reason to stop, goes hand in hand with the level of intensity the exercise is performed at. It is quite normal for someone who is looking for a reason to quit to also be paying little or no attention to what they are actually doing. This is not a recipe for high intensity exercise. One of the reasons I enjoy exercising outdoors is the distractions available. I have to balance focusing on my intensity level, with the need to distract myself from any pain or fatigue I may be feeling. Music and visual distractions are two keys to getting through the distance you want to complete. If I feeling truly sadistic I will actually focus my thoughts exclusively on the potential road block, my most common being shin splints, or knee pain, and force myself to get over it. Train the mind so that when your body is physically capable of more, your brain will already be ready to handle it. The way I see it, is that I will be able to gradually increase my capabilities by fighting through things that may have previously made me stop.
My whole family has become quite the active bunch. Jasmine has found a couple of sports that she really enjoys in soccer and basketball. She also swims regularly, often twice a week. Jasmine also has pretty healthy eating habits, eating large portions of lunch and dinner including vegetables that some kids detest. Asher is developing a love for all sports, probably due to his family's influence. He runs around the basement with a basketball because he watches Jasmine play with her team. He doesn't go a day without playing hockey because he sees it on t.v. constantly, and has come and watched dad play a few times. Asher also loves to swim, and as I mentioned earlier, is quite the handful when he goes. Sheila as I have mentioned here before has made significant changes to her diet, and is more energetic because of it. She also exercises a few times a week at the pool, or down in the dungeon at home.
As the weather warms, we will all likely get more active outdoors. Jasmine and I are both signed on for another season on youth soccer, player and coach respectively. I'm hoping to find time to play soccer myself this year, but my weekend work schedule will likely reduce my options. The recreation league plays on Monday nights so I can play there. Jasmine and I have also been discussing trying a few road running races this year. I've gone ahead and scheduled a few days off for races that I would like to run. The YMCA road race is in June, and it includes a shorter race for kids. It's going to be fun cheering her on. I'm also going to try the "Beat the Bugs" race later in June as it falls on a Saturday and I won't be working. The other key race is the Labour Day Classic, as it serves as the only race I have done before. I ran the 13 km course years ago, and I have been itching to try it again. They also hold a kids race that Jasmine tried the same year I ran. She has fond memories that we can hopefully add to. Two weeks later is the Terry Fox Run. Usually, I walk the course in support of Cancer, but I hope to run it this year. I wrote in this very space about last year's walk that saw my friends overcome physical challenges and walk much further than they are used to. I'm looking forward to getting myself ready for these races. Jasmine asked me recently "Dad, is there prizes or anything for these races?" I just laughed, "There is Jas, but Dad doesn't have a chance. I just want to do my best." Running these races has been a life's dedication for many of the people who go, my efforts to complete a few races shows me how difficult this lifestyle can be. Dedication, will power, and strength, both physical and mental are not things to be taken lightly.
Today, as I type I am well into my weightlifting, and Asher has played soccer, tossed the football and shot a few hockey balls. Soon we will head upstairs for lunch, then Asher will lay down for his nap. I will hopefully keep my day going, Asher and I are going to walk to pick Jas up. I have hockey tonight and it's a matchup with the top team. Maybe I'll be dripping sweat and loving it tonight as well. It's day one of a ten day break from work, and I'm quite happy about the way it has started.
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