Going Long (again) in 2024

Ran 15 hilly cemetery laps - just over a half mile/lap.  Average pace of 7:51.  Actually passed another runner doing a few laps in the opposite direction.  Kind of surprised me, as I've not seen anyone else running here.  But she was real, not a ghost :)

The mornings are starting to get chilly:  just 4C/39F this morning.

Easy recovery run to cap off my peak mileage week.  It's all downhill from here to my first Ultra at the end of the month!

8:13/mile pace in ideal conditions:  9C/48F, sunny skies, no wind.

The left knee is still a little wonky, so will ice it and enjoy my off day tomorrow.

Today, my program called for a race of either 10 miles or a Half Marathon at a moderate effort.  I chose the half, and was aiming for about an 8 minute/mile pace.  There are no races around here, so I had to just pretend.

I ran the Lake Ramsey loop.  That is the same route used by the Master's Race every year ... actually, just a few weeks from now.  I ran that by accident when I was a teenager - with zero training.  A friend called me up to run the 10k.  We were going to bandit it (shame!).  We got into the wrong race.  My friend dropped out.  I was too stubborn to stop.  Not a good feeling at the end.  Still, my 1st unofficial Half.

Anyway, it went better today.  It started off misting, then pouring, then back to misting.  I was soaked through by mile 4.  However, it was only 15C/60F, so good that way.

This route is part trail, part road way.  Some of the roads are wicked with short, steep hills.  Anyway, I ended up running 13.1 miles in 1:41:39, which is a pace of 7:46.  I ran the first half in 8:00, so I sure picked it up for the second half, running it in 7:30.  Of course, the 1st half is mostly trail, and the back half is mostly roads.

Elevation gain of 578 feet.

Moderately fast run; 7:23 pace up the highway to Garson and back.

7 easy miles on the train route.  8:21/mile.  No trains today.

Okay, first off, my left hip is screaming at me.  It started during my Thursday run, and was pretty bad by the end.  So, I took Friday off to see if that might help.  After today's race, it's REALLY screaming at me, so I may take next week off ... we'll see.

I was actually defending my title today.  I ran this race last year, just because it was on a Saturday morning in Toronto, and so I didn't have to take a weekend off to race.  Same as last year - I drove the 4 hours to Toronto on Friday and took in a Blue Jays game.  Last year, they got clobbered by Boston 13-3.  This year, they lost to Detroit, but it was 5-4, so more respectable.  Last year, I won the Master's division.  That gave me a $300 gift card to The Running Room, and free entry to this year's race.  I didn't have high hopes of defending my title, because of my hip and because I really haven't done a lot of speed work.

Anyway, looking up my blog, I see that last year I had 4 beer the night before.  This year, just 1.  And last year, it was very humid.  This year, cool and dry. Just 9C/48F, so great for running.

Had a hard time getting to the start line, as various highways were closed for construction, and then sections of the subway.  So, it took a few detours and a shuttle bus to get there.  

I met Alex at the start line.  He's also 51, and told me that I passed him in the final 300 meters last year to take the victory.  I didn't remember that, but he sure did!

So, the first third is steep downhill.  The second third is basically flat.  The final third is steep uphill.  I remembered that!

I ran the first mile in 6:11(6:13 last year), the second mile in 6:41 (6:52 last year) and the third mile in 6:56 (7:04), with the final kick done at a pace of 5:34 (5:54).  All according to my GPS.  So, I ended up running 17 seconds faster this year (officially), and first again in the Master's Division.  That's another $300 award, plus the free entry again to next year's event.

As to Alex, he passed me pretty early on.  I didn't care much, as I was just going to run my own race.  But I caught sight of him at the half way mark, and began to close the gap.  I passed him at the bottom of the final hill and made a big push up, which was enough to beat him by 36 seconds.  It's cool, because I've never really had anyone to compete with in a friendly way.  We chatted for a long time after the race, and he left with "see you next year!"

11/332 overall

1/20 age division and 1st in Master's Division.

Well, I took that week off from running to let my left hip heal.  I'm not sure it helped a lot.  But I did run today at an easy pace of 8:39/mile.  I'm in taper mode now anyway, so I hope to still run a good Ultra at the end of the month.

Easy run along the Bell Park/Science North route.  8:13/mile pace.

Figured out my hip problem - it's the same bursitis that appears every so often.  Stupid me ... I should have been icing it all of last week, and doing some stretches.  Living in a hotel is really throwing off my normal routines.

No matter.  It didn't bother me too much today, and if it gets really bad, I'll get another cortisone injection in the hip.

Easy run on the Laurentian Conservation/Moon Light Trail.  8:27 pace.  Left hip is not so bad today.  Going to a new massage therapist later this morning.

Fast Tempo paced run on the Train Route.  In a heavy fog.  7:24 pace.  Yesterday's massage helped.  Firing on all cylinders today.

Easy recovery run; 8:22 pace on the Train Route.

Did the hilly loop at the Cemetery.  10 half mile laps, plus the mile each way there and back.  Average pace of 8:12/mile.

It rained hard just before I left, but was fine for the run.  Just amazingly warm and humid for this time of the year.  19C/66F and 90% humidity.

For the first few miles, there were steady lightening flashes.  On the first lap, in the lowest and darkest place of the cemetery, a lightening flash illuminated a woman walking towards me.  The illusion was shattered when we passed and she was smoking.  Yuck.  And I mean tobacco - not brimestone!

Easy run along the Lake Ramsey/Bell Park route.  8:20/mile pace.

Incredible the temperatures we are getting these last few days/weeks.  Record breaking.  Today, it's going up to 30C/86F.  I got out early enough, so it was just 18C/65F, but the humidity is a whopping 100%.

Glad I'm not running the Ultra this weekend.

7 easy miles; 8:19 pace.  Still in record breaking temperature territory.  Hit 31C/88F yesterday, and today the prediction is for 29C/84F.  Fortunately, looking ahead, it should cool down for The Toad next weekend.  I sure hope so!

Easy run; 8:20 pace.  I was on retreat this week in the Madawaska Valley ... I ran the lower river route out and back in the early morning fog.  Nice.

Just a shake out run; 8:25 pace.  Light rain and cooler.

Race in just over 24 hours.  Predicted temperatures are 4C/39F at the start, and up to 15C/59F at the finish - perfect for racing!  Sunshine too, although the rain today might make the trail a bit slick in places.

My left knee and hip are non-issues - the taper seems to have taken care of that.  Just an odd new thing that started this week:  part of my right foot is numb.  Feels like it is asleep.  No pain, just an odd sensation of having no sensation.  I don't think it will be an issue in the race, and I'm hoping it is just a temporary thing.

Well, I did it.  I ran my first Ultra Marathon.  

I just got home a little while ago.  It's the Monday night after the Saturday morning event.

I re-read my blog from 1 year ago when I ran the 25K event here.  Two loops.  This year I doubled the distance and ran the 4 loops.  I won't go into the description of the trail, as it was the same route as last year, except that the hills all get bigger the third and fourth times around!

Cutting to the chase, my results:

Total time of 5:31:23.6

Average pace of 6:38/km ... 10:41/mile

Came in 49 of 111 overall

5 of 15 in my division

34 of 72 males

Total elevation gain of 1,560 feet.

Comments:

The weather was picture perfect.  Virtually no wind and no clouds.  Mostly dry trails, and temperatures beginning at around 7C/44F and increasing to 15C/59F.  

I was hoping to average a pace of 10:00/mile, so I fell short of that.  My splits (mats every half lap) showed a steadily declining speed, beginning at 8:47/mile in my first split and finishing with an average of 10:41/mile.  I could see my average pace number climbing until it hit my goal average pace of 10:00 at exactly mile 21.5.  Close, but no cigar!  After that, I fought to keep it under 11:00, which I did.

After I completed the second lap, I knew I was in for some 'ouch time'.  I didn't quite hit the balance with my nutrition, and so battled some GI issues the last 2 laps, and was severely gassed out by the time I started the 4th lap.  Had to make a few emergency stops along the way too.

My right knee was screaming at me for most of the final lap, and I was limping by the end.  I don't recall anything that might have hurt it, so I'm guessing it was just the terrain and the way it got pounded.  It's okay today, so no significant damage, fortunately.

So, it was an exhilarating experience for me, and I'm glad I did it.  I haven't decided yet if I will push to run a longer distance.  I'll think about it for a few weeks before I decide.  Honestly, I enjoy the marathon a lot more, but I have to give it time to sit.  Maybe I'll think differently about it later.