Tuesday Hammertime

I've been hitting Tuesday Hammertime with Rick Hellard an his group at Zone 3. It humbles you to run with some of the fast guys. This Tuesday during our 13k session, I guy stayed ahead of us 3 faster guys, like a kilometer ahead!
Humbling indeed!

Gatineau Climb

My climb up Gatineau last year! Man I wish I could do that again, waited my whole running career to do that climb. I was pumped!

That Last Big Run

Almost Boston ready! You have to love that last good go of the season when you're struggling to survive those last few kilometers. I think its insight if you're going to finish strong or not. I feel good, and it's the first marathon where finishing strong isn't my number one priority. Can't wait!

Portaging

Last summer, my wife and I went portaging with a group of friends on the Petawawa River. We ran rapids and set up camp for 3 days, it was exhilarating and amazing to be out in the middle of nowhere...for me at least. My wife opted out of most of the rapids and the sign up sheet for this year's trip. This year I'll take my older brother with me, it'll be a change in pace, my older brother has portaged, they'll be a lot of orders, and bickering this year, but I still can't wait!

How I knocked 18 minutes Off of My Best Marathon

From a 3:20 to a 3:33, to a 3:24, to a 4:29,to a 3:22 to a 3:02:47!

I'm an Ottawa runner and I've been at it consistently since 2005. It became a way to be healthy, quit smoking, and tire my dog out. As with many people, running changed me as a person. Now I compete against myself to get faster, and faster. Last year a lot of things changed for me. I stand by these techniques, and how they helped me change from a good runner to an extremely efficient runner and, after 6 years finally qualify for Boston. They are not all my techniques of course, but it's advice that has helped me, and is now part of my daily routine.

1.) Gait Change
I was always injured with a myriad of issues from tight calves, a stress fracture, knee problems, pulled muscles, etc. It seemed as though every year something else came along to hurt me throughout training. I decided to have a video gait analysis (Solefit) where it became evident to me that I was really straight and bouncy, pushing a lot my energy towards the sky, my cadence was off and my shoes were broken down causing me to fall towards the broken down side of the shoe.

Result: 
Fixed my cadence to ideal: 45 steps every 15 seconds.
Fixed my stance to fall: Essentially running is falling, not bouncing, and falling on your  forefoot with the majority of your weight while kissing the ground with your heel.

Fixed my shoes: Minimalist running has allowed me to feel the ground better, and control my gait. It's not for everyone, but I truly believe that the arch is the best device for running. It is the foots natural spring for impact and to cover it with a big cushion is crazy.

2.) Sports Massage

I wasn't really aware how tight my muscles were, until I booked my first massage. There were quite a few spots that I really wasn't aware hurt, until they were massaged. I had a massage the week before my marathon in May where I qualified, it made me feel brand new.

Result: 
Fresher muscles: Your muscles don't feel as tired, you feel ready to go.

Heat: The masseuse uses heat, and promotes it on any tight muscles. A muscle can't stay tight when blood is running through it, heat induces that. It works, and allowed me to come home and self massage after applying heat to make sure I was loose.

3.) Stretching

It's over rated, but it's crucial to keeping healthy. From stretching often, I've noticed after those Sunday long runs, I don't feel pain the next day, maybe fatigue, but no more muscle tightness. I'll usually stretch in the shower, where it's nice and hot; warm muscles are easier to stretch. I also do some light dynamic stretches before a run, and sometimes 2km in when I'm warm, it helps me stay loose.

Result: 
Loose: Better recovery, after hard workouts and long workouts

4.) Nutrition

I started eating a lot healthier, you don't need as much meat, and dairy to be a runner, so I resorted to other things like fruit and veggies! I wasn't getting enough, you need quite a bit. I got a supplement. (Veggie Greens) They say it's your fuel. Carbohydrates of course is your endurance, I was pretty good on this. I also found that eating more nutritious, freshly made meals (like: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/delicious-black-bean-burritos/) allowed me to get more out of the workout, you're body start to tell you how your diet is, by providing more or less energy. I'm also stringent on making sure I get some kind of protein within 15 minutes of coming home from a run. Mostly protein shakes, sometimes dinner, or another good protein snack.

Result:
Stronger: You feel better, recover better, you feel faster, and can go longer distances.
Awake: I don't crash after hard workouts as much, energy food is a big reason.

5.) Warm up, Cool Down

Consider it adding 3-4 km to your workout. It's something I never used to do, but I can't say it hasn't allowed me to start a workout and end a workout a lot better. I can now make sure I'm pounding on warmer, longer muscles to start, and I know cooling down is good for you healthwise. For me, it's nice to shut my workout down for 1-2km and reflect.
  
Result: 
Better beginning: I'm not going to say cooling down has been a drastic change, but warming up has. I'm more prepped to take a beating, and feel better about it when I'll warmed up! 

6.) Speed work

This one should be near the top, it's become so important. It's helped me get faster more consistently. I really don't like speed workouts, they're very taxing on the body, and can make you quite miserable. SO... I use music, I use a Tuesday running group, I run a route: a routine route for self time trials, I disperse speed in some mid week longer runs to mock race pace. I also try and beat myself, all the time. I never think that a 3:50 is the fastest I can go-so I don't create a base of 3:50. I'm always pushing, and pushing, while listening to my body. I was running a fast 20km on Wednesdays, whether it was right or not, I'm not sure, but I felt healthy doing it, it broke up the week, and certainly got me faster. I'd prefer that run, than two 10k's in 2 days, I'd much rather use a rest day to recover.

Result: 
Speed: My opinion now is that, if you want to run a fast marathon, this is your 2nd most important workout.
Strength: Enough speed has taught me that you can always push the limits harder. It allows your body to be competitive, then all you have to worry about is the mental side of it. 

7) More Fuel

I never used to bring much on a marathon, maybe a bottle of Gatorade, and two gels.
This year: I trained with a Camel-back and Gatorade, huge difference! You can feel the energy balance when you drink just water, or Gatorade. More is better, I fill the camel-back and usually need the whole thing. I took a gel every 30 minutes during the race, and I also brought along e-discs to replace my salt loss, and took one every 30 minutes. These together allowed me to race on a steady pace throughout, until the last 3-4 km where I really had to grit my teeth.

Result: 
Full Tank: A glass is better full, than half empty. Once the training was there, this helped sustain me through the main event. 

These are the things that made my race happen, and changed my success! There are a few more important than others: gait change, speedwork, and more fuel. But I know they all played part in my success. Now I'm going to Boston, April 16th, 2012. It will be my trophy run!

Enjoy the outdoors! (I'm on the left blue shirt, white hat)

D

The Works

Today I handled 15km of ass kicking hills. I remember my first run of the works and wanting to yak. Now I do the works and head back the last 5k at 5k race pace. Progress.

Lost

I was thinking about the times I was lost on runs tnight; usually trail runs. I've been lost BADLY exactly 3 times. 1 time in bc on a 36k, I had to hitch hike, I had nothing left. Lesson: bring a phone or gps!