Week 18: Three weeks from today...

Total kms this week:  38.5 kms
Total kms in 18 weeks: 728 kms

Longest run: 20 kms

Other training: walking, yoga (2 hours)

Fundraising to date: $4,251

Three weeks from today I'll be finishing my sixth marathon in San Francisco (I hope).  I can't believe it's so close!!

I'm writing this in the Porter lounge at the Ottawa airport, having just spent a terrific few days attending a meeting for work and relaxing with Husband. Despite a fairly frantic schedule, I managed to squeeze in two runs this weekend - a mellow 20kms along the Rideau River on Friday and a wonderful 12kms at "race pace" today. It felt great running through the old "hood" and it was a special treat to have Husband along for company for portions of both runs. It's truly impressive how far he's able to run with so little training!  He keeps in shaping cycling and whatnot, but still... amazing!

Anyway, this was my last moderately big week of training.  From now until race day, I'll focus on doing shorter runs at race pace, making sure I eat right and get enough rest - while putting on a final fundraising push.

Speaking of fundraising, I was very pleased when two old friends and a new friend I recently met through my local running club stepped up to support me this week.  I feel blessed to be surrounded by such warm and generous folks and am genuinely grateful to all who've sponsored me so far.

One of my supporters asked me this week whether I had a time goal for this marathon. Truthfully, I'm far too type A not to have one - though I'm trying not to be too ambitious given how hilly the course is. Hopefully, I'll be able to finish in something under five hours (as I have in my previous 5 marathons). If I have a really great day, with no repeat of the "cranky" knee I had in New Glasgow and Chicago, maybe I'll even pull off a personal best. Frankly, if I run anything in the 4:30s, I'll be thrilled.

Whatever happens, I promise to post results as soon after the race on October 16th as I can.

Thanks again to all my sponsors!

 

BTW, the two pics above were taken today as Husband and I enjoyed a delicious post-run supper outside. It was a lovely warm day - more like summer than fall - so we decided to make the most of it!

Week 17: Honouring Terry’s Memory

Total kms this week:  62.5 kms

Total kms in 17 weeks: 689.5 kms

Longest run: 35 kms

Other training: walking, yoga

Fundraising to date: $4,001

Done. My hardest week of training is behind me so I can now focus on resting and healing fully before race day – exactly 4 weeks from today. 

The high point of my week was participating in the 31^st Terry Fox Run this afternoon. For those who may not have heard of him, Terry is one of our great Canadian heroes. When he was just 18 years old, he lost his right leg to bone cancer.  Determined to make a difference, he decided at the age of 21 to run a “Marathon of Hope” across Canada (from Newfoundland to BC) to raise funds for cancer research.   

Sadly, he wasn’t able to complete his journey.  After running 143 days and 5,373 kilometres (3,339 miles) – nearly a marathon a day - the cancer returned as he was running through northern Ontario and he was forced to return home to BC where he died less than a year later.

Terry’s death was a tragedy but his legacy lives on. Shortly after his death, his mother, Betty, organized the first Terry Fox Run. Runs are now held annually around the world and it is estimated that more than half a billion dollars has been raised for cancer research. Betty kept her son’s memory and mission alive until she passed away herself in June of this year.

This is why we taper...

I'm just home from another 8km run at race pace.  It felt okay for the first 5km but I have to admit the last 3km felt tough.  Last night's 8 km run with my friend Sue felt much the same.

I'm trying not to panic.

I know it's normal to feel tired at this point in marathon training. That's why tapering's so important.  After four months of hard training, my body simply needs some rest to prepare for race day - and I'll just have to see it gets it.

Somehow.

Curbing my type A tendency to do "just a little more" training will be a big challenge, as will the demands of my various work, family and volunteer commitments over the next month.  But I'm optimistic. After all, once this week is behind me, I'll be running fewer kilometres less intensively.  So long as I eat right, get enough sleep and remember to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, there's every chance I'll finish my 6th marathon "upright and smiling" having raised a bunch of money for a great cause and honoured two very special friends.

I hope so anyway.

Week 16: Five weeks until San Francisco – savouring my blessings

The last kilometre of my 33km run yesterday!

Total kms this week: 62 kms
Total kms in 16 weeks: 627 kms
Longest run: 33 kms
Other training: long beach walks, swimming
Funds raised to date: $4,001.00

It’s hard to believe but, if things go as planned, I’ll be running the final miles of the San Francisco Nike Women’s Marathon five weeks from now. With just one more tough week of training ahead before I begin tapering, I’m excited and relieved the finish line is in sight. 

I really love running so I’ve mostly enjoyed my training this summer.  Nevertheless, it has begun to take a toll.  It will be nice not to have to plan every weekend around my training schedule. This weekend, for example, I ran a total of 41.5 kilometres (almost a full marathon!) over two days - 33kms yesterday and 8.5 kms today – which didn’t leave time for much else.

Of course, since today is September 11^th, the tragedy of the attacks on the US and the death and destruction that's followed (and continues) are top of mind.  However, I've decided to avoid the special reports on radio and TV and honour those who've died by savouring my own life and many blessings instead.

Week 15: On vacation…and getting ready for two final weeks of tough training

Total kms this week: 38 kms
Total kms in 15 weeks: 565 kms
Longest run: 17 kms
Other training: long beach walks
Funds raised to date: $4,001.00

It’s been a mellow week. I’ve been on vacation and focussing on eating well and getting as much rest as possible before I launch into two more weeks of tough training. It’s been lovely in many ways but it’s also given me a taste of what my taper’s going to feel like. Icky. After all these months of training, even a day or two without running makes me feel antsy as heck. Thank goodness for other things to keep me occupied.

Today, it was a long walk along the coast between Broad Cove and Green Bay, where I took the picture above. It was a spectacular hike even with the fog rolling in. The wind was wild and the waves rolled large rocks against the shore making a sound I haven’t heard since our trip to Newfoundland several years ago. Truly breathtaking. We’ll be back for another hike soon.

Now that I’ve had a bit of breather, it’s time to kick back into full gear. On the agenda for this week – 3 or 4 short runs of between 5 and 10 kilometres each, followed by a 32-34 km run on the weekend. The forecast looks good for next Sunday so I’m thinking another hilly route is in order and there’s a 5k race in Lunenburg on Saturday that looks like fun.

Unfortunately, it’s been a slow week on the fundraising side because, for the most part, I've been off-line. Besides, I knew that people were just finishing up summer holidays and preparing to go back to work but, hopefully, there’s time enough to put on another push once folks have got their feet back on the ground. It would be great to raise another $2,000 before I head for San Francisco in six weeks (gulp!).

Thanks to everyone for their support so far – especially to my very patient and loving husband for all his encouragement and for taking such great care of me while he’s been in Nova Scotia this summer. Thanks too to all those who inspire – Jon and Kirsi, Gill and Gregor, Jane and Brent, Michael and Maeve, Christine, Jack and many others. I couldn’t have done any of this without them.

Week 14: Hills, hills and more hills

 

Total kms this week:  62 kms
Total kms in 14 weeks: 527 kms
Longest run: 33 kms
Hills: 7 (but they were 50% longer than usual!)
Other training: yoga
Funds raised to date: $4,001.00

The big news this week is that my sponsors have now contributed just over $4,000 – meaning my initial fundraising target has been met!  My sincere thanks to each and every one of them. Their support means so much – not just to me, but to Kirsi, to Jon’s family, and to all who benefit from the work of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada.

Of course, with nearly seven weeks to go until race day, I plan to continue fundraising in hopes of raising even more. It’s a great cause, and every dollar will make the hills of San Francisco seem that much easier to climb.

Speaking of hills, not only did I run more kilometres this week than I have any other this summer, but I ran as many hills as I could in the process.  After completing a final hill training session Thursday evening, I selected a LSR route for the weekend that incorporated another series of tough hills (one of which is pictured above). None was as long or as steep as those I’ll be running in San Francisco but I’m hopeful they were nevertheless a reasonably good test for my right knee, which (aside from a few mild twinges en route home Thursday evening) performed well. 

I’m on vacation this coming week so plan to recuperate a bit by running three or four relatively short runs (nothing longer than 16-20 kms), then launch myself into two final weeks of tough training before beginning my “taper” in mid-September. (During my taper, I’ll gradually reduce the intensity of my training in an effort to let my body heal as fully as possible while maintaining race readiness.)  I’ve got to admit I’m looking forward to it.

Because I planned to run a marathon in San Francisco this fall and expected it to be a challenge, I’ve essentially been in training all year.  In fact, I reviewed the data stored on my computer this week and realized that I’ve run more than 1200 kms since January – an average of just over 35 kms per week and new high for me – which I hope means I’m as ready as I’ll ever be to tackle the hills of San Francisco.  Seven weeks from today, I’ll know for sure. 

In any case, my heartfelt thanks once again to all who have sponsored me. Your support and encouragement mean more than I can say. And, if you haven’t yet sponsored me, I hope you’ll consider visiting my fundraising page where you can make a donation to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada using your credit card or PayPal. 

Thanks, everyone!

Week 13: My inspiration band

Chicago - just before the race

Kilometres this week: 49 kms 
Total kms in 13 weeks: 465 kms
Long run: 23 kms (on a very hot and humid day!)
Hills: 10!

Other training: yoga (2 hours), boot camp 

Funds raised to date: $3615.00

The following is a post I wrote August 25, 2009 when I was training to run the Chicago Marathon.  The sentiments I expressed then are just as true today. I still have the band I wore in Chicago (you can see it in the pic above) and I plan to wear it again in SF - along with second one containing the names of the people I've gotten to know or heard about from their loved ones over the past two years. If you have a name you'd like added to my new inspiration band, please leave a comment below or send me an email.

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I was thinking about inspiration today as I headed out for my long run. In the past, inspiration for my running has tended to be things like the size of my waistline, the data on my heart rate monitor, or the latest issue of Runner’s World. My training for Chicago is inspired by something completely different – a desire to pay tribute to those whose lives have been touched by blood cancers and to contribute to finding cures for all forms of the disease.

Many marathoners wear a pace band on their wrists when they race. The band sets out the time it will take them to reach every mile marker if they are running at their goal pace. I’m going to wear a different kind of band – an inspiration band – one that lists the names of people I know, or know of, who have been victims of leukemia or lymphoma. My plan is to put 26 names on it – one to provide inspiration for each mile of the race. So far, I’ve collected 9.