Running my First 26K

Last weekend we had a strong snowfall that lasted for three days. Since I am not used to running in the snow, and I thought of all the hazards this weather condition brings along, I decided to stay home. I just did not find it responsible to run on a terrain that I do not know where I am stepping on; I could easily bend my ankle or fall. I also thought of the increase risk of cars sliding and losing control and running over us, especially when we are running on the shoulder of the road. I also thought of my feet being wet and cold for 26k (I have had them wet and cold before be never for 26k). So I decided not to go. Some of my running friends ran and some stayed home. So Today, those that did not ran last Sunday, were planning to pay for our 26k run, while the rest of the group was running just 19k.

But fate is fate and after a week with a fairly nice weather, it has to snow on Sunday again. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!

When training for a marathon it is hard to take two weekends in a row off. So, not really wanting to do it, I had to face the snow conditions today and go for my run. It was not as bad as it was last weekend though, but still, there was snow on the ground and slush on our bodies after cars that drove by threw it all over us.

After running 26k with the weather conditions we had today, I think anything else will seem pretty easy, and I mean it. It was my first time running on the snow/rain. The strides change dramatically so you feel the run faster in your legs. Going up hill (and today we had a few of those), is the hardest thing ever. My legs felt like stuck in concrete buckets and I had to move them with every stride I took. My legs were burning, my butts hurt and my back was all crunched and tensed because I kept looking down. It felt like I was not getting anywhere, like I was running in the same spot for longer than necessary.

There was just one positive thing, I had bought gore-tex runners (water proof), and so no matter where I put my feet in, they were all dry and warm. When I checked the forecast last Friday, I saw what was coming, and I knew I was not going to skip another run, so I headed to the store and got a new pair of trail-waterproof runners. Trail because they have more grip, which helps with the snow/ice conditions on the ground. Waterproof because after sticking your shoes in the snow for so long, plus the rain and the puddles, they eventually (sooner than later) get wet.

I broke all my running rules by using brand new shoes on a super long run. I was afraid they were not going to be comfortable. I should have broken them down on shorter runs first. But, luckily they were fine and served their purpose. They are not the softest runners that I have had, but at least they kept me warm and dry.

26k down in awful weather conditions. Next week’s 29k seems easy as long as Mother Nature does not decide to send another snowfall on us.

My Animal Lover Note:

My Guilty Pleasure

We always have our long runs on Sundays. We start running at 8:30am and, depending on the run, I get home around 11am. The first thing I have to do, once I get back home from my run, is taking a shower. It is the only way my body can compensate from the extreme cold it has been exposed to. Even though it is cold, and therefore I dress for the weather, after running 5 kilometers our bodies are already sweating. This sweat wets our clothes and, with the cold weather, these wet clothes become very cold.

The wet clothes don’t affect me during the first half of the run. My body is still producing a lot of heat and the temperature exchange between body-environment is still working. But when the sweat has damped my clothes, and they have become cold and wet, I start feeling colder and colder. Eventually, the heat my body produces can’t warm me up at the same rate my clothes are cooling me down. This means that by the end of the run I am cold, very cold (we are talking about running during the winter months), so this is why taking a hot shower helps me regaining that lovely, warm body temperature.

And here it is where my guilty pleasure comes: I leave the bathroom and walk straight to my bed, get under the covers and fall asleep with a smile in my face (true story, my husband can testify to it). I take a long, reconstructive, guilt-free nap. After a couple hours I wake up recovered, happy and super hungry.

I have to confess, one of my favourite things about my Sunday runs is the nap that follows them!

My Animal Lover Note

Entering a New World

Since running a marathon is a new experience for me, I have been learning so many new things. For instance, we have been talking about hydration and fuelling. We know how to handle those two things up to 22k, but from there up we are entering a twilight zone. Our water bottles, fueling blocks, and pockets can handle things up to 22k. But what do we do when we start running 25, 30, and 35 k? We will need more water, more fuelling and more storage space. So, I have been doing some research.

To solve my problems, I wanted to try a camel pack. After reading several reviews and articles, written by experienced marathon and ultra-marathon runners, I learned that camel packs are made for hikers and bikers but not for runners. The running version of a camel pack is made by a company named NATHAN. These people are experts designing running equipment. They have two hydration vests: the Intensity and the Vaporshape. These vests are designed for runners, and here is why: 

·         The way they adjust to your body does not let them bounce when running.

·         They have front pockets (front of your body), so reaching for fueling is easy; with the camel pack, you have to take it off to be able to get things from its pockets.

·         It has several front pockets: cellphone, fuelling, extra water.

·         It also has a back pocket, big enough to carry a light jacket or a shirt.

·         The fabric that they use for the vest is breathable and soft, reducing the chances of chafing.

·         It has a 2 litter bladder that is easy to take out for refilling during a race.

Of course I bought a hydration vest. I bought the Intensity one just because it was way cheaper than the Vaporshape. The Vaporshape is the newer version but both of them have great reviews, and they can both carry the same amount of liquid. Hopefully I will start using it next Sunday.

Today I also started doing something new regarding my fueling. I always fuel with Cliff Blocks, but for longer distances I know I have to add something else. When you start introducing new things in your running routine, you got to do it when you are running shorter distances. In case things don’t work, you know at least that it is a short way back home. Since today we were just running 16k, I decided to fuel with a peanut butter and chocolate chip LARABAR. Every walk break I took a bite and drank a bit of water. It was very good on my stomach, it gave me energy, and by the end of the run I did not feel so hungry (as I always do). I will keep experimenting with other food items, like homemade cookies and some fruit. Of course, this is all possible because my new hydration vest gives me enough storage room to carry my Cliff Blocks, my new fueling food, and my cellphone.

My Animal Lover Note:

     

Back to Official Training

I knew it! I am so glad I took it easy during the Christmas Holidays (and by easy I don’t mean I did not work out, I just ran less). I needed a change. I needed to cut down my run days. Now, with the clinic in its way, I don’t care if it is raining, or cold, or dark. It is clinic time and running has a purpose, there is a race in the horizon, and a big one. Having this in mind changes everything. If I miss a running session, I pay it back. The weather stops being an excuse to go for a run, and my cross training sessions are now geared towards my race. I really enjoy this process, the building up, the commitment, the effort. It is a process that always pays back in one way or another.

We are all training to run our first marathon. We all wanted to run one, but we were afraid of doing it. We did not want to train with the traditional marathon group. It has very fast and experienced marathon runners, and we all felt intimidated. The only way we could do this was if we could do it together, and if Ron was our leader; and all these things happened.

There is a big group of people in this clinic, around 30. The group naturally splits into 3 sub-groups as soon as we start running: the experienced marathon runners and the faster people, us (my running buddies), and the slower gang. I find it very particular that we always end up running at the same pace. We are so used to running together that none of us runs with another group.

We just started a new journey, one that is brand new for us. We are all exited and scared. But we are also happy because we have each other to share the journey with, and we are lucky enough to have the best running instructor in the world: Ron Heron.

My Animal Lover Note: