Thursday, May 30, 2013

The post about my first trail run

Looking forward to changing out my
rear view mirror medal this weekend!

I hate taper week!  But I have been adhering to the schedule.  Regardless of how much I really want to, I have not gone out for more or longer runs than I should.  I only have a couple more days and I can run my ass off on Sunday!  Yesterday at physio, when Graham asked how I was feeling, it was the first time since December that I could say I actually felt good.  Injury free!  No aches or pains.  It seems like a real long time since I have run completely pain free.  I'm really looking forward to this half marathon on Sunday.  Then I can return to regular scheduled running for a few weeks before I start four months of marathon training.

We had a real special treat at clinic tonight.  Our guest speaker was none other than my former running coach and mentor Carol!  She's back from Illinois to tie up some loose ends.  We're also running the same half marathon on Sunday.  She did a clinic talk tonight on Heart Rate Training. Something I have actually never used is a heart rate monitor.  It was some interesting information and a heart rate monitor could help me get speedier.  The jury's still out.  I may or may not look into one in the future.

The lovely scenery during our trail run this
evening.

Yesterday's hill repeats were gross.  Only half of my group completed the four hills.  It was pretty humid and the air was thick.  Although I did do the fourth hill, it was difficult and very unpleasant. I'm hoping that it's not so hot and humid next Wednesday when we move onto 5 hills.  This evening's run is one of my favorites.  It's in a wooded trail behind McMaster University.  I remember the first time I ran that trail.  It has a couple of good sized hills and I thought I was totally bad ass because it was a 5K route and I was only a couple of weeks into the 5K clinic that I was taking at the time.  Carol introduced me to that trail and I almost died doing those hills but was so proud of myself when I was done.  When I ran with my clinic tonight, I didn't even get winded.  The first time ran that trail would have been about a year ago.  It still amazes me how much my fitness level has changed in a year.  I'm real excited to see where I will be this time next year!

Our clinic is in our seventh week and I see about ten people fairly regularly.  That's no too bad from the 16 that were originally registered.  I know one person is injured and can't run right now. I always wonder if the reason that people stop coming to clinic is because of me.  Am I not motivational enough?  Am I not supportive enough?  I just can't fathom that you'd pay for something and just never show up.  Maybe that's just because I'm freaking cheap!  Usually you'd get drop outs in Learn to Run, but not normally in a 10K clinic.  If this has something to do with my teaching style, I hope that everyone fills out the instructor evaluations so I will know how to change things up for future clinics.  Even as a running instructor, I'm still a work in progress!

Ron (assistant manager) modeling the
new running dress at the RR.