Going Long

Layed off the training for a week, so today was my first run back.  Last weekend I had a family wedding, and this week we had friends in from out of town.

It was a tough run this morning.  Warm and humid, threatening rain.  I was trying to keep myself in my long slow training zone - between 120 and 144 bpm.  It was tough to do after about half way, so I turned off my HR watch and just went with the Garmin after 3:20 (about 23k).

Lots of folks out of the Waterfront Trail this morning.  Runners, cyclists, bladers.  Got my first run on the new stretch across the front of Ontario Place paralleling Lakeshore Blvd.  It was smooth as silk.  Wish I could say the same about my route on the east side of the harbour.  Commissioners Street is completely broken up along the edges, it made for some wonky footing. 

Saw Paul M. at the top of Spring Rd, as I chugged up about 1k from the end of my run.  He was getting back to the end of the half clinic group.  It was nice to get a high five and say hi, after not seeing him for awhile.

Hoping to get through the full training regime this week.  We'll see if sleep patterns for myself, Christine and the girls are closer to normal.

Time  4:11:52

Distance  32k (20 mi)

Pace 7:52/k (12:35/mi)

HR Zone 120-144 bpm

HR Avg 140, Max 183

In zone 63.1% of the run

Felt a bit sore after 20 miles on Sunday, and in a new locale for pain.  My upper legs and extending down into my knees and the connective tissue around the knees.  I took an extra day off to compensate.  It seems to have helped, although the real help was probably about 45 minutes in a warm pool on Tuesday evening.

Ran this morning sans camelback, and it was quite nice to not have the weight around my waist.  I toy with the idea of running a long race without carrying my own hydration, but I always feel that the benefits of drinking my own drink at my own pace far outweigh the extra effort to lug it around.  Too bad I'm not an elite - I could have a full bottle of my "jet fuel" on my own table at a couple of points on a route.

Hot and humid, even at 630 am this morning.  Seems like we're getting some real summer the last week or two, versus the 10C morning temperatures that we had for much of late June and July.

Time  34:33

Distance  6k (3.75 mi)

Pace 5:45/km (9:12/mi)

HR Zone 140-160 bpm

HR Avg 155, Max 165

In Zone 77.4% of run

Hills this morning.  Not my customary Old Mill switchback.  I left too late from home to get over there, do eight repeats and back before 8 am.  Not to mention the higher volume of traffic further into the morning rush.

Instead, I did a short warm-up into High Park and then did eight trips up and down Spring Rd.  Hadn't been on there since this time last year.  It's the perfect grade and length to go from a recovery heart rate to VO2 max on every lap.

I seem to have made it to hills only on the even number of reps - 4x, 6x, 8x.  Because it's getting so late in the schedule, I think I'll do 10x next week and be done with them.  I'm feeling good about getting even that much in, given the scheduling difficulties in June and July because of the strike.

Time  55:07

Distance  7k (4.4 mi)

Pace 7:52/km (12:35/mi)

HR Zone  120-170 bpm

HR Avg 144, Max 175

In Zone 91.9% of run

Nice, easy 10k this morning.  Feeling like I've got my groove back.  Really enjoying getting back to routine.  Greeting the morning runs with anticipation.  Funny that it's taken me until August 14 to really embrace the training.

I'm going to have to skip the Midsummer's Night Run on the 22nd.  We're headed up to Lake Charlotte for a week of R&R.  Too bad.  It would have been nice to test myself on a 30k course that covers a lot of the Waterfront Marathon route.  I'm already jazzed to figure out my routes up at the lot.  You know me, geographer-extraordinare.

Today was nice.  I did some segments that I don't normally run.  The west side of the Park, down the hill, around Grenadier Pond, Queensway, the east bank of the Humber, South Kingsway, etc. 

Time  1:13:56

Distance  10.8 km (6.75 mi)

Pace  6:50/km (10:57/mi)

HR Zone  130-150 bpm

HR Avg 147, Max 163

In Zone 68% of run

Long run today, completely different route from the normal routine.  Felt like checking out a little bit more of Toronto than I usually do.  Ended up around Avenue Rd and Lawrence Ave W before turning and heading home.

Started out at around 7 am, so beat most of the heat that I would have faced mid-day.  Even so, I was drenched when I came in.  The girls were holding their noses as they looked up from their Treehouse TV show.  Chanting in unison, "Stink-y Pup-py!, Stink-y Pup-py!".  I love getting a rise out of them when I'm home like that.  I try to hug them and they freak out!  :-)

Time  3:01:03

Distance 24k (15 mi)

Pace 7:32/km (12:04/mi)

HR Zone  120-144 bpm

HR Avg 146, Max 156

In Zone 40.9% of run - the heat got me!

Got out for four laps (6k) around Queens Park at lunch time today.  34C humidex.  Ugh.

In my hurry to get out of the house this morning, I forgot to bring my Polar watch and heart rate monitor.  So today was "au naturel".  No watch, no chest strap.  Just me, the heat and traffic gunning around Queens Park Crescent. 

In order to allow me a semblence of continuous running, I decided to run on the inside of the crescent, against traffic.  In some parts of the almost 1 mile route it was fine.  On others I had to duck onto the grass and/or dirt path beside the roadway if a truck or bus (or nervous driver) was coming at me.

No real close calls, but running at the edge of a broken up roadway into oncoming downtown traffic is not for the faint-of-heart.  I know when to "hold 'em and when to fold 'em".  heheheh

Got back to City Hall for a shower and to change after wrapping up the run.  In the shower I selected mostly cold water, but I could still feel the heat of my body temperature on my skin.  What a weird feeling.  My core temp was probably well into the 40s.  I was thinking about people running marathons in the tropics.  How do they do that?

No time or distance information today.