This has to be a short post - battery is low. Thought of a great phrase for the back of the T-shirts (title). A slight dig at ATB!
Ran the PYP course on Saturday. We are going to spend some energy this Saturday in the race! The first 5K is easy, peaceful, gentle. The last 7.5K requires heavy duty legs to maintain any pace. Love it!
Saturday night we hosted Charlotte V. and Stephan and Kinga Miklos. Char will be attempting to break her Bruce Trail record in June. Sunday was a "trial" to help iron out kinks and cover parts of the trail where she had difficulty in 2010 (Char spent a total of 10 hours running around looking for the trail!). Paced her near the end of the day and she seemed fresh at 65K... Incredible!
Hope to see the gang at PYP.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Saturday, April 14, 2012
The Spring Warm-up: Unsinkable!
Quite a good showing for the SW, with about 30 runners and 5 who signed up just for the grand prize. To get the suspense out of the way, Cathy Lindsay won the GP and gets free entry into most of the OTS/OUS races for 2012. Congratulations Cathy!
The day started with some ominous black clouds overhead, but they passed through before the start of the race. It did spatter at one point, but by then the day was warm enough that it was not much of an inconvenience. By noon, the sun was peaking out of the clouds and almost perfect running temperature.
The course was quite dry. Although I am fighting something, with a sore throat and a bit of hacking at night, running one loop was too tempting and might have helped the cold. It was wonderful to meet with running friends and talk the talk. The knee did not act up during the run (I can feel it now) and although I intended to go slowly, that did not seem to transpire. I think subconsciously, I figured I could push a decent pace for 13K.
After we had our fill of aid station supplies, pizza, soup and refreshments, there was ample time to chat about the latest running endeavors and the upcoming season, while we waited for those running a third or fourth loop to join us. Counting the token maple syrup, tech T-shirts and pottery, there was almost enough prizes for everyone. Thanks to those how stayed late and helped clean up. Joe Cleary had to get in a final loop (he really seemed to be enjoying himself on the course) so I placed a finishing medal on his cooler and took down the course. Breaking the aid station and gathering the flags only took about 20 minutes. I spotted Joe on the 4K downhill "shortcut" and he was in fine spirits, even though he missed out on the pizza and beer.
The SW provides a great chance to run and chat with friends before the season begins, have some pizza and a beer and come away with a prize. but it also helps to generate funds that are pivotal in enhancing the OTS and OUS races.
A huge thanks to all who participated!
The day started with some ominous black clouds overhead, but they passed through before the start of the race. It did spatter at one point, but by then the day was warm enough that it was not much of an inconvenience. By noon, the sun was peaking out of the clouds and almost perfect running temperature.
The course was quite dry. Although I am fighting something, with a sore throat and a bit of hacking at night, running one loop was too tempting and might have helped the cold. It was wonderful to meet with running friends and talk the talk. The knee did not act up during the run (I can feel it now) and although I intended to go slowly, that did not seem to transpire. I think subconsciously, I figured I could push a decent pace for 13K.
After we had our fill of aid station supplies, pizza, soup and refreshments, there was ample time to chat about the latest running endeavors and the upcoming season, while we waited for those running a third or fourth loop to join us. Counting the token maple syrup, tech T-shirts and pottery, there was almost enough prizes for everyone. Thanks to those how stayed late and helped clean up. Joe Cleary had to get in a final loop (he really seemed to be enjoying himself on the course) so I placed a finishing medal on his cooler and took down the course. Breaking the aid station and gathering the flags only took about 20 minutes. I spotted Joe on the 4K downhill "shortcut" and he was in fine spirits, even though he missed out on the pizza and beer.
The SW provides a great chance to run and chat with friends before the season begins, have some pizza and a beer and come away with a prize. but it also helps to generate funds that are pivotal in enhancing the OTS and OUS races.
A huge thanks to all who participated!
Friday, April 13, 2012
Ready for the Spring Warm-up!
Hopefully just a short post. Went to see an ear doctor. I have what appears to be permanent hearing loss in my right ear. I want a second opinion. Mainly because I couldn't hear the first opinion! Get it? It's a hearing joke. Probably fell on deaf ears...
Set up the Dunedin hall today, for tomorrow's Spring Warm-up. It is quite a nice venue and well equipped. I set up a cute sign the says "The Unsinkable Spring Warm-up". Plan to run one loop (13K), then man the aid station.
Lee Anne leaves for Boston tomorrow. The Boston forecast is calling for a high of 30 on Monday. I can't wait to miss that race! It will be strange not having Lee Anne at the SW. We almost always go to races together.
Looking forward to seeing some old friends at the SW, and making new ones! Who will win the grand prize? An interesting footnote on the grand prize (free entry into most OUS races). This is not based on tangible statistics, but many of the recent winners seem to have jumped a level or two in their ultra running. I think it would kill me!
Until tomorrow!
Set up the Dunedin hall today, for tomorrow's Spring Warm-up. It is quite a nice venue and well equipped. I set up a cute sign the says "The Unsinkable Spring Warm-up". Plan to run one loop (13K), then man the aid station.
Lee Anne leaves for Boston tomorrow. The Boston forecast is calling for a high of 30 on Monday. I can't wait to miss that race! It will be strange not having Lee Anne at the SW. We almost always go to races together.
Looking forward to seeing some old friends at the SW, and making new ones! Who will win the grand prize? An interesting footnote on the grand prize (free entry into most OUS races). This is not based on tangible statistics, but many of the recent winners seem to have jumped a level or two in their ultra running. I think it would kill me!
Until tomorrow!
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Back to Back!
Okay, for those of you who consider 120K a light week, I ran 17K on Friday and 5K with my son-in-law Saturday, so not technically a B2B, but at least I can do more than limp the day after 17K. Daryl is just getting going with this running thing and I think he enjoys it. His breathing is good, we could talk without gasping and his pace is significant. He repeated how much energy he has after running. To him, it is inexplicable. To me, I cannot remember what it feels like when not running, so we had an interesting conversation discussing the ancillary impacts of running. This is something that all runners wish non-runners could understand. Unfortunately, it makes no sense, even to me, after 39 years of running, so how could a non-runner understand?
I'm pumped for the OUS/OTS Spring Warm-up! I was a bit worried on several fronts. They are calling for snow on Wednesday (bring it! The runners that show are not spring chickens!), I have very little maple syrup for prizes (but I will bring some, damn the torpedoes) and until recently, I had 2 car payments and 2 cars; after my $5K down payment, very little cash in the bank. I just sold my 2008 Civic, so I once again have more money than God. Although this statement is a complete exaggeration of the real situation, I at least can pay for the hall and pizza, so times are good! At the end of the run, a neighbor has promised us all on his new boat, the Titanic! Should be a blast!
Signing up for PYP (Lee Anne 50k, Pierre 25K) this evening. RD's Adam and Dawn might actually be disappointed as I was planning on volunteering if the knee did not allow me to run the race! This will be the first race I have ever run with a torn cartilage. What could go wrong? When I had the cartilage removed from my left knee in 1973 (or was it 1793?) I was ordered not to do ANY exercise. This time, I did not ask my doctor if running a 25K hill race on a torn cartilage was a good idea, My theory is that he doesn't want to know, anyway.
There are some extremely famous names showing up for the SW. Ron Gehl, who fathered 2 of Canada's best runners (what's her name? Laura? Something like that. And Terry). Also Paul Tergat, former world record holder for the marathon. Paul did mention that he was getting his hair done on April 14, so he might not show. Count on it! Cathy Melanson, from the famous (infamous?) Borden Striders. The list is much much larger than short!
Surgery will (I hope) be scheduled shortly. This will likely put a damper on the race season, but might make running more than 50K per week something not fully affiliated with chronic pain.
Finished cleaning the maple syrup equipment (took 3 weeks) and started on the cabin, which I will expound upon at some future blogdate.
Let the race season begin!
I'm pumped for the OUS/OTS Spring Warm-up! I was a bit worried on several fronts. They are calling for snow on Wednesday (bring it! The runners that show are not spring chickens!), I have very little maple syrup for prizes (but I will bring some, damn the torpedoes) and until recently, I had 2 car payments and 2 cars; after my $5K down payment, very little cash in the bank. I just sold my 2008 Civic, so I once again have more money than God. Although this statement is a complete exaggeration of the real situation, I at least can pay for the hall and pizza, so times are good! At the end of the run, a neighbor has promised us all on his new boat, the Titanic! Should be a blast!
Signing up for PYP (Lee Anne 50k, Pierre 25K) this evening. RD's Adam and Dawn might actually be disappointed as I was planning on volunteering if the knee did not allow me to run the race! This will be the first race I have ever run with a torn cartilage. What could go wrong? When I had the cartilage removed from my left knee in 1973 (or was it 1793?) I was ordered not to do ANY exercise. This time, I did not ask my doctor if running a 25K hill race on a torn cartilage was a good idea, My theory is that he doesn't want to know, anyway.
There are some extremely famous names showing up for the SW. Ron Gehl, who fathered 2 of Canada's best runners (what's her name? Laura? Something like that. And Terry). Also Paul Tergat, former world record holder for the marathon. Paul did mention that he was getting his hair done on April 14, so he might not show. Count on it! Cathy Melanson, from the famous (infamous?) Borden Striders. The list is much much larger than short!
Surgery will (I hope) be scheduled shortly. This will likely put a damper on the race season, but might make running more than 50K per week something not fully affiliated with chronic pain.
Finished cleaning the maple syrup equipment (took 3 weeks) and started on the cabin, which I will expound upon at some future blogdate.
Let the race season begin!
Saturday, March 31, 2012
20K Run!
Sad to hear that Micah True is still missing. To me, he epitomized the childlike wonder of running trails, setting yourself an impossible task and enjoying the challenges of distance running. At this stage, I don't see much hope for him. I wonder what will become of his demise?
Started a running group at Honda, called the ISD Elite Running Team. My department is Information Systems. The idea is to strike fear in our opponents. Until they see us run, that is! Some members have prior running experience, but everyone is training for the Barrie 5K. I'm running the half. The race is on my birthday! This week, we wimped out and ran on the treadmills at the Honda rec centre.
This morning I ran with my wife Lee Anne Cohen and Dawn Hamel. I should say we ran down the same roads. Lee Anne and Dawn were much faster than I. This comes as no surprise. Lee Anne has won her age category at the Toronto International marathon and Dawn Hamel is perhaps Canada's fastest ultra runner in her age category. You can argue with me, but look up the results of last year's Canadian Death Race. 5th women overall? Looks like some chick from Ontario, named Dawn. Hmmm... Her age must be a typo.
I first noticed Dawn when reviewing the top runners of the Creemore Vertical Challenge. I was almost convinced I had made a mistake in the 2008 25K race, when I noticed some 50+ woman had posted a 2:15. Her time is not that great for a 25K road race, but the CVC has 2 hills, perhaps 3? Before anyone drives over to kill me, I should be a bit more honest and state it has 4 hills, 1 valley and several grades, ascents, inclines and cliffs... Not a course that can be run easily in 2:15!
Right off the bat, my back let me know what it thinks of 20K runs. I ignored it, but the pace was slow. After 5K, the back eased up a bit and I was able to manage a decent pace. Decent for me just now is 6 minute K's, running with a torn cartilage. My surgery has yet to be scheduled. The bad knee (actually, my good knee. Hmmm... might have to start calling it my other bad knee) acted up at 12K, which is fair, since 12K is currently a "long" run. I was tired after 20K, but happy. I will reach for 25K next week and then decide if I have what it takes to enter the 25K at Pick Your Poison.
Hope to see a bunch of you at the Spring Warm-up in 2 weeks!
Started a running group at Honda, called the ISD Elite Running Team. My department is Information Systems. The idea is to strike fear in our opponents. Until they see us run, that is! Some members have prior running experience, but everyone is training for the Barrie 5K. I'm running the half. The race is on my birthday! This week, we wimped out and ran on the treadmills at the Honda rec centre.
This morning I ran with my wife Lee Anne Cohen and Dawn Hamel. I should say we ran down the same roads. Lee Anne and Dawn were much faster than I. This comes as no surprise. Lee Anne has won her age category at the Toronto International marathon and Dawn Hamel is perhaps Canada's fastest ultra runner in her age category. You can argue with me, but look up the results of last year's Canadian Death Race. 5th women overall? Looks like some chick from Ontario, named Dawn. Hmmm... Her age must be a typo.
I first noticed Dawn when reviewing the top runners of the Creemore Vertical Challenge. I was almost convinced I had made a mistake in the 2008 25K race, when I noticed some 50+ woman had posted a 2:15. Her time is not that great for a 25K road race, but the CVC has 2 hills, perhaps 3? Before anyone drives over to kill me, I should be a bit more honest and state it has 4 hills, 1 valley and several grades, ascents, inclines and cliffs... Not a course that can be run easily in 2:15!
Right off the bat, my back let me know what it thinks of 20K runs. I ignored it, but the pace was slow. After 5K, the back eased up a bit and I was able to manage a decent pace. Decent for me just now is 6 minute K's, running with a torn cartilage. My surgery has yet to be scheduled. The bad knee (actually, my good knee. Hmmm... might have to start calling it my other bad knee) acted up at 12K, which is fair, since 12K is currently a "long" run. I was tired after 20K, but happy. I will reach for 25K next week and then decide if I have what it takes to enter the 25K at Pick Your Poison.
Hope to see a bunch of you at the Spring Warm-up in 2 weeks!
Friday, March 23, 2012
Running long tomorrow & pulling taps
Well, I have never been an ultra snob, one who considers a marathon something you do when injured. Or reminisce about being young 40 years ago, the last time you ran less than 5K...
I am attempting to ramp up from very low mileage, to something that would make entering a 25K trail race (Pick Your Poison) seem like something plausible. Tomorrow I hope to run 16 - 20 K. It has been an adjustment to consider 16K a long run. At the juncture at which I became injured, my weekly total diminished and my wife's went up. Her "normal" week (sorry to those who are struggling to run 8K. This is going to hurt) is 4 X 17K, a day off, then 40K and 50K. Yes, that is per week. She has run 2 marathon+ runs almost every week since 2008. The rare exclusions are when she has a long race, or is injured. Weekly total is usually circa 150K. I ran 26K last week WOOHOO!!!
So, I now struggle with ramping up to 40 - 50K per week, while striving to run with a torn cartilage. It's not as easy as it sounds. To make the opaque horizon cloudy (sorry, kinda ominous wording) I will have to schedule surgery somewhere in the racing season this year. I'm not overly astute, but I think this means I might have trouble with a race at some point...
Tomorrow the plan is to drive the tractor (nope, no cab) to the property and pull 250 taps. Then clean and dismantle the evaporator and haul out all the equipment. I will try to forget that I did all this work for 36 litres of maple syrup. At some point (Sunday afternoon, exhausted) I am likely to remember how bad the season was this year. I might jump up and down and yell a bit. It helps the psyche.
The good in all this? Running takes precedence over cleaning taps!
I am attempting to ramp up from very low mileage, to something that would make entering a 25K trail race (Pick Your Poison) seem like something plausible. Tomorrow I hope to run 16 - 20 K. It has been an adjustment to consider 16K a long run. At the juncture at which I became injured, my weekly total diminished and my wife's went up. Her "normal" week (sorry to those who are struggling to run 8K. This is going to hurt) is 4 X 17K, a day off, then 40K and 50K. Yes, that is per week. She has run 2 marathon+ runs almost every week since 2008. The rare exclusions are when she has a long race, or is injured. Weekly total is usually circa 150K. I ran 26K last week WOOHOO!!!
So, I now struggle with ramping up to 40 - 50K per week, while striving to run with a torn cartilage. It's not as easy as it sounds. To make the opaque horizon cloudy (sorry, kinda ominous wording) I will have to schedule surgery somewhere in the racing season this year. I'm not overly astute, but I think this means I might have trouble with a race at some point...
Tomorrow the plan is to drive the tractor (nope, no cab) to the property and pull 250 taps. Then clean and dismantle the evaporator and haul out all the equipment. I will try to forget that I did all this work for 36 litres of maple syrup. At some point (Sunday afternoon, exhausted) I am likely to remember how bad the season was this year. I might jump up and down and yell a bit. It helps the psyche.
The good in all this? Running takes precedence over cleaning taps!
Saturday, March 17, 2012
MRI Results
March 17, sunny and 23 degrees. Too hot to run! Seriously, 23 degrees? Mid-March in Creemore is usually when the snow banks go above 8 feet. I'll try to dig up a picture of my old Integra against such a snow bank in mid-March.
Ran 5K yesterday. I'm not going to push it for now, but would like to ramp up to a short race, such as Pick Your Poison 25K. During yesterday's run, I found 2 garbage pails that had gone MIA during a wind storm. Lucky to find them! But it meant a half K of running holding on to two pails - not so simple!
I spoke with my sports doctor on Thursday about the result from my MRI the previous week. Torn cartilage. A bit of a relief, as it can be "trimmed" with arthroscopic surgery. When I had the cartilage in my left knee worked on in 1973, they took the whole thing out! Sports medicine has come a long way. In fact, if I can find a video, I might do the surgery myself. My close-minded doctor thinks it's a bad idea, and that some surgeon should perform the operation, but how hard can it be? I've already got a chainsaw (incision) and a Dremel tool for trimming. I just need to find a small camera. Perhaps the one in my wife's old cell phone. I could duct tape it to a Bic pen and prep the pathway with the Dremel tool. I figure it would be a 4 black russian project...
Maple syrup: Very very very very bad.
I tapped 250 trees. I was expecting between 180 and 220 litres of syrup. This year is simply the worst on record. I started boiling last Sunday and tomorrow will be the end of it all. I should pack it in today, but I am going to pull all the sap out of the sap pan tomorrow and feed it into the finishing pan. While the finishing pan is boiling, I will need to add an estimated 400 litres of water to the sap pan, to avoid burning the sap pan... Maybe I should do my knee at the same time.
So far, I have 24.5 litres of maple syrup. This year's investment (I'm adding taps as I approach retirement) including new equipment, cutting firewood, repairs, bottles, jugs and rum, was $800. I don't have enough syrup for the CVC race! Lee Anne has agreed to make 16 extra bowls. I will give the AC winners an option of syrup or extra pottery.
I was foolish enough to mention that I wanted to bottle 200 - 250 ml jugs for the race kits. That is what likely jinxed the year. Mother nature has a perverse sense of humour when faced with presumptuous maple syrup producers.
Using the same tactic in reverse, I have officially scoffed at the north wind. I called it lame, spineless, timid in the face of a superior southwest wind. I must have below freezing tonight or tomorrow night, or the season is over. If we get 4 feet of snow over the next week, I'm sorry for spoiling your beautiful Spring, but I will be rejoicing!
OUS Spring Warm-up: Lee Anne has agreed to make a few extra bowls, to replace the non-existent maple syrup prizes... Sorry. I plan to take a course on altering the climate, once I find said course.
Running: The plan is to slowly ramp up to 25K and attend PYP. Plan B is to volunteer at PYP for the morning. I am prepping for a wedding with my chainsaw in the afternoon. Yes, the wedding involves ultra runners, how did you know?
That's it. Shortest sugaring season on record, or at least since I started making maple syrup in 1972. My running will improve this year, and I am secretly and guiltily enjoying the warm Spring.
Ran 5K yesterday. I'm not going to push it for now, but would like to ramp up to a short race, such as Pick Your Poison 25K. During yesterday's run, I found 2 garbage pails that had gone MIA during a wind storm. Lucky to find them! But it meant a half K of running holding on to two pails - not so simple!
I spoke with my sports doctor on Thursday about the result from my MRI the previous week. Torn cartilage. A bit of a relief, as it can be "trimmed" with arthroscopic surgery. When I had the cartilage in my left knee worked on in 1973, they took the whole thing out! Sports medicine has come a long way. In fact, if I can find a video, I might do the surgery myself. My close-minded doctor thinks it's a bad idea, and that some surgeon should perform the operation, but how hard can it be? I've already got a chainsaw (incision) and a Dremel tool for trimming. I just need to find a small camera. Perhaps the one in my wife's old cell phone. I could duct tape it to a Bic pen and prep the pathway with the Dremel tool. I figure it would be a 4 black russian project...
Maple syrup: Very very very very bad.
I tapped 250 trees. I was expecting between 180 and 220 litres of syrup. This year is simply the worst on record. I started boiling last Sunday and tomorrow will be the end of it all. I should pack it in today, but I am going to pull all the sap out of the sap pan tomorrow and feed it into the finishing pan. While the finishing pan is boiling, I will need to add an estimated 400 litres of water to the sap pan, to avoid burning the sap pan... Maybe I should do my knee at the same time.
So far, I have 24.5 litres of maple syrup. This year's investment (I'm adding taps as I approach retirement) including new equipment, cutting firewood, repairs, bottles, jugs and rum, was $800. I don't have enough syrup for the CVC race! Lee Anne has agreed to make 16 extra bowls. I will give the AC winners an option of syrup or extra pottery.
I was foolish enough to mention that I wanted to bottle 200 - 250 ml jugs for the race kits. That is what likely jinxed the year. Mother nature has a perverse sense of humour when faced with presumptuous maple syrup producers.
Using the same tactic in reverse, I have officially scoffed at the north wind. I called it lame, spineless, timid in the face of a superior southwest wind. I must have below freezing tonight or tomorrow night, or the season is over. If we get 4 feet of snow over the next week, I'm sorry for spoiling your beautiful Spring, but I will be rejoicing!
OUS Spring Warm-up: Lee Anne has agreed to make a few extra bowls, to replace the non-existent maple syrup prizes... Sorry. I plan to take a course on altering the climate, once I find said course.
Running: The plan is to slowly ramp up to 25K and attend PYP. Plan B is to volunteer at PYP for the morning. I am prepping for a wedding with my chainsaw in the afternoon. Yes, the wedding involves ultra runners, how did you know?
That's it. Shortest sugaring season on record, or at least since I started making maple syrup in 1972. My running will improve this year, and I am secretly and guiltily enjoying the warm Spring.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)