ENDURrun 2019 - Stages 3 & 4

ENDURrun Stage 3: 30K XC, Bechtel Park, Waterloo

The day before this race, H+P teammate Janice messaged me asking what my planned pace was for the 30K. She was running the stage for a relay team and was seeing if we were looking to run around the same so that we might be able to run some (or all) of the race together. I was happy to get this message. It's always nice to have company on a long stage, especially since I didn't really know if my foot or my fitness would be happy with a stage that was the approximate length of my longest run since April.



We started out together were going to be conservative. I let her know that I would likely not be picking up for the last 2-3 laps as she was planning, since I wanted to play it safe and had reminded myself of my main goal for the week (finish healthy). We ran the first 3 laps together, which made time go by much quicker than if running solo. After she went ahead, I got myself through lap 4 (my least favourite lap), then on to the final 10K to get the thing done. I ditched the shirt in lap 4, and I stopped at the beginnings of the last 2 laps to get sprayed down by a volunteer with a hose as it was heating up a lot out there!



My finish time was 2:38:57.

I ran my slowest stage 3 in several years, but I didn't care at all because it was intentional. It felt comfortable and I felt good. My 5K splits were: 26:03, 26:27, 25:59, 26:18, 27:11, 27:00.

ENDURrun Stage 4: 10 Mile Hilly Road, Camp Heidelberg

When I got out of bed Wednesday morning, my foot hurt more than it had any other morning this week. I was slightly concerned and actually considered grabbing my crutches, but after 15 min or so, it was much better. I threw on a plantar sleeve, which made it feel even better and proceeded to have a lazy day, with a chunk of it on the hammock.

When it was time to head out to the race (the start is 6pm for this one), I did not feel like I should be heading to a race. It's tricky to go from hammock to race!

As usual, the runners walked down the hill to the start line as a group (the race both starts and finishes uphill). It's nice to have that little walk down and brief chat with others on the way to the start.

The race itself wasn't overly eventful. I ran it at a pace where I felt in control, fairly comfortable, yet running harder than easy. I finished the stage 3rd ultimate female, in a time of 1:15:52, 46 seconds slower than last year, but over 4 minutes faster than I ran it in 2016. We won't talk about 2017, when I was in the best shape of my life. ;) Hopefully, next year I won't have broken myself in the spring and I can be back in 2017 shape.

ENDURrun 2019: Stages 1 & 2

As you know from my previous post, I've been coming off of injury and was going into this week with no real goals or expectations. That being said, I wasn't planning on dilly-dallying. It is still a race, after all.

Stage 1: Half Marathon

Yesterday (Sunday) was the start of the event, a half marathon in Conestogo. The course is two loops, a ~13km loop, followed by a ~8km loop. I had the privilege of wearing my gold jersey from 2017 as a member of the "Golden Club" and started with a few others who were also wearing theirs.





The race was relatively uneventful (which was a good thing, seeing as I didn't know how the foot would feel). It didn't bother me at all, so I was happy with that, but I was a little slower than I would have liked to be. I was pretty much bang on what I thought I would reasonably run, given the spring and summer I had, but of course, there was always the glimmer of hope that I might pull off a minute or so faster. All was well, though. I finished the day in 4th female, 23 seconds behind 3rd. My finish time was 1:35:38.

Stage 1 Results

Stage 2: 15K Time Trial

This morning, we had a staggered start, each runner starting one minute apart, in reverse order of yesterday's finish order. Last place starts first, first place starts last.

I didn't have a great run today. It didn't feel "bad" per se, but my legs just didn't want to go. I didn't feel tired or sore, just didn't have anything to give today. The first tiny bit, I was running what I thought I might be able to maintain for the whole race, but the course wasn't exactly what I pictured (I thought it was a little flatter), so that changed pretty quick after the first few km, which included two short road sections.



My 5K splits today were (according to me hitting lap on my watch at the course markers):  22:24, 23:35, 23:17. Finish time of 1:09:16, 5th female today, no change in placing in cumulative, but 1-3 are further ahead and Rebecca is now actually tied with me to the second.

Cumulative results

A ridiculous catch-up post

Well... it's August. That means it's time for ENDURrun. This also means it's time to write a catch up post since I've neglected this blog once again. This time, since last year's ENDURrun!! Whoops. So, this will just be a down and dirty quick update.

Fall 2018
The main focus for the fall was JFK 50.
Leading up to that, I also ran:

• Run for the Toad 50K (2nd female, 4:36ish). Was running this one as a training run, so leaving with a prize was a bonus. 
• Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon (3:19:20-something, felt "off" for the last 5ishK, then felt quite unwell for the last 800m or so and for a half hour or so after finishing. The week after this race, I ended up with very messed up back/SI joint where I couldn't walk and was bedridden for a day. It took a while to recover from that and it continued to act up a bit for weeks. 

JFK

My title and description on Strava:

JFK - holy snow on the AT and mud on the towpath!

Personal worst 50 mile finish time. But... finished well.

I finished JFK in 8:44:49. A lot slower than what I wanted to run, but the conditions were a lot worse than expected. And... the back/hip acted up a bit on the long flat (and muddy) section. It felt WAY better once we got onto the rolling roads for the last section of the race. I finished in around the same place as the year before. I was 17th female in 2017 with a finish time of 8:09:10, this year, I was 18th female. Turns out, I was top Canadian female, not that that means a ton in a race that's not in Canada. ;)

January-February 2019
I did more snowshoe racing this winter, participating in the DION Ontario Snowshoe Series and also the Canadian Snowshoe Championships. I placed well in the races and it was fun to actually do more of the series this year vs only one race each of the previous two years.

• DION Ignite the Night 10K: 5th female in a time of 60:51
• DION Winter Goose Chase 6.5K: 1st female in a time of 40:21
• Canadian Snowshoe Championships at Craigleith Ski Club, 5K: 4th female, 2nd in the "open" race, 32:39
• DION Howlin' Husky 6.5K: 3rd female in a time of 35:33

Non-snowshoe racing: I did the 8 mile Re-Fridgee-Eighter at the tail end of being sick with bronchitis for a few weeks. It didn't feel great, but I did ok. I finished 9th female in 57:46. 

Spring 2019
I'm going to be lazy and just throw my strava descriptions in here.

Chilly Half Marathon (1:31:57): Not quite what I was wanting, but slightly faster than 2017, which turned into my best running year, so... I'll take it.

Boston Marathon (3:41:07... ugh):

ow! Heel pain I've never had before... from mile 10 on. Finishing the race was NOT smart.

I tripped (someone's foot got tangled around my right foot), almost face-planted, but got my feet under me, landing on the left (likely not in a normal position and likely hard)... a little later, I noticed pain. It never let up. It later became the worst pain I've ever felt (when attempting to walk that night and the next morning... bought crutches in the morning so I could stay off the foot). Luckily, it was my left foot, and also there hadn't been any pain at all unless weight bearing.

* turns out, I had a mid-foot sprain from the landing after being tripped, then, from running on that... Achilles insertional tendinopathy.

Mile 21 was super ridiculously slow because I stopped to have beer and a pretzel. That was my smart decision of the day. ;)

Since Boston, I've been trying to heal, trying to not lose fitness, and then finally trying to get a bit of running training again. I was in a boot and on crutches for a couple weeks and was out from running for a while. I was on the bike, in the pool, and at the gym, but it's not the same as running.

I've been actually training for the last 5 or 6 weeks, but at a much reduced mileage from my normal training, so we'll see how ENDURrun goes. My expectations have obviously been significantly lowered from pre-Boston.

ENDURrun 2018, Stage 7: Marathon

Stage 7, the final stage of the ENDURrun, is a two loop course, starting at the same location as Stage 1. It is mostly rural roads, and can get pretty darn lonely as the already small field spreads out a fair bit over 26.2 miles (42.2 km).

As I mentioned in the last post, I needed to run 3:29:15 or faster in this 7th and final stage for my relay team to set an all-female team relay record. I also could not be beaten by Aidan by more than 36 minutes for my team to retain our third place overall position in this year's race.

Gillian needed to get a long run in, so she signed up as a pacer and joined me for 25 km. She ran the first loop (we passed through the half at 1:41:53) plus a bit with me, then turned around to finish up her run and watch all of the finishers come in at the end of their marathons. After she left... I was all alone and man did the miles drag. There weren't really any spectators out, so it was just at the aid stations where I could see people and get some sort of distraction from the running. I slowed down in the same section as every other year... 2nd loop, going uphill from Bridge onto Woolwich, until getting onto University, then picked it back up to normal pace for the rest.

I finished the marathon in 3:24:59, so our H+P Women's A team now holds the record for an all female team. I also finished 3rd woman, and 3rd Ultimate female for the week.

Final standings after all 7 stages:

Men
1 Rob
2 Aidan
3 Christian
4 Nick
5 Dave

Women
1 Val
2 Robyn
3 Me
4 Rebecca
5 Lumi

ENDURrun 2018, Stage 6: 10K time trial

Today was the second to last stage of ENDURrun 2018, the 10K time trial.

In this stage, the runners start one minute apart, from slowest to fastest, just like the 15K on Monday.
As the shortest stage of the week, stage 6 doesn't tend to affect the overall standings a lot so I didn't want to run it too hard and risk hurting my marathon, but also don't want to run it too easy and potentially give up time to another runner.

I continued the trend (and "goal") of "slower than last year, faster than two years ago. Last year, I finished in 41:15, two years ago, 45:12. Today, I finished in the stage in 43:49.

I finished 4th ultimate female on the stage today, so I actually did give up a bit of time, but it was only 3 seconds. I am 3rd ultimate female in the cumulative, going into the marathon tomorrow. 

I am not just running the marathon for myself tomorrow, I am also the relay runner for the H+P Women's A team, who is chasing a record for an all women's team. In order to get the record, I have to run 3:29:15 or faster tomorrow. Fingers crossed, I make that happen! I'll certainly try my best.

Standings after Stage 6:

Men
1 Rob
2 Aidan
3 Christian
4 Nick
5 Dave

Women
1 Val
2 Robyn
3 Me
4 Rebecca
5 Lumi

ENDURrun 2018, Stage 5: Chicopee Ski Hill, 16 miles (25.6 km)

It was a wet and humid morning.
It rained a bunch last night and this morning, it rained a little during, but mostly it was just super humid.

My shoes were drenched by the end of the first lap, all I wanted to do for a good chunk of the race was dive into a pool, even though my clothes felt like I had just gotten OUT of a pool.

I gave myself a few non-time goals for today: (1) stay upright, (2) run every single step up the ski hill, (3) finish no worse than 3rd ultimate female. All three of these were accomplished.

As per the theme of this week, I ran slower than last year, but faster than 2 years ago. I finished the stage in 2:43:03, 3rd ultimate female.

No change in my place today, but there was a swap for first and second. There was a change in third for the guys.

Standings after stage 5 are:

Men
1 Rob
2 Aidan
3 Christian
4 Nick
5 Dave

Women
1 Val
2 Robyn
3 Me
4 Rebecca
5 Lumi

ENDURrun 2018, Stage 4: 10 mile hilly road

Last night, was my least favourite stage of the ENDURrun, the 10 mile hilly run. I don't actually hate the course, but I'm not a giant fan of evening races. It's just odd all day, not really knowing what to do with yourself, rather than just getting up in the morning and getting ready to race.

During the day, I lounged a lot, and not a lot else. I headed to the race start around 4:40pm and arrived just under an hour before race start. I ran a short warmup with Gill and got ready to head down for the walk to the start line, which is at the bottom of a hill.

I gave myself a very wide range goal of "slower than last year, faster than 2 years ago" so I had an 8 minute window for a goal time since last year I ran 1:11 and two years ago was 1:19.

I started out running with Val and Stefan for a bit, but it spread out after a few km.

I ran pretty evenly last night, with my second half about 20 seconds faster than the first half. I finished in 1:15:06, right smack in the middle of my last two years, so I'm happy with that. I felt better than I ever remember feeling in other years. I finished 3rd for the ultimate women again, 4th including relay and guest runners, as my friend (and teammate) Gill ran 1:08:14, winning for the women!

After the race was over, I changed into dry clothes and got settled with my chair to enjoy the post-race feast with the others. Thursday night is a good one, food wise (they all are, but I look forward to the tuna melts at this one!), and this was no exception. I enjoyed my food and the company and sat there until it was dark, and we all disbursed home: another great day/evening at the ENDURrun.

Men after stage 4:
1 Rob
2 Aidan
3 Dave
4 Nick
5 Christian

Women after stage 4:
1 Robyn
2 Val
3 Me
4 Rebecca
5 Lumi

Early in the race

The final hill to the finish