Ignoring the heat alert

It's not like it was an extreme heat alert that was issued by the city. Today's Afterwork RunClub run was excruciatingly sticky, the kind of heat where you can start sweating even if you're just standing still. We went down by the waterfront thinking it would be cooler. It was just as soupy there. There were quite a few walking breaks and not enough public water fountains and certainly not enough shade. Somehow we pushed through about 5K.

Thai-ered out and all that jazz

I went to my favorite Thai restaurant on Friday night (an old university haunt) and instead of having one of my usual favorites, golden curry chicken, I tried something new... fish with mango sauce. As well as shared in the fish hotpot, an emerald curry, and duck in red curry sauce. On Saturday afternoon, I biked to the beach to meet up with Dad, have coffee and partake in the annual jazz festival at the beach. Then went back later that night with CMan to listen to more groovy tunes and eat pad thai among the throng.
All this means, in my usual roundabout way in making excuses, is that I didn't make it to that free tune up run I'd been planning, the one that coincided with the jazzfest. I'd signed up for the 20K distance. By Monday afternoon, I had downgraded to 10K, feeling that was more manageable by myself. By Thursday, my sister had decided that she would be lucky to complete 5K, having not run for a few weeks and still getting over a cough. By Saturday night, before I went to bed, I had decided I'd run my own tune up run. Well I didn't.

As I was stifling yawns at the Office today, I was thinking about not running and leaving it til Tuesday's AfterRunclub session. Grasshopper had other ideas. Having not done anything in a week, I figured that was just the kick in the butt that I needed. It turns out this well-meaning plan didn't work out timing-wise between us. About 10 minutes after the cancellation call, where I'd said I wasn't going to bother, I had a change of heart. I put my shoes on and ran what was probably my fastest 5K (31:16) since the Resolution Run on New Year's Eve. I wonder if this will come back to bite me tomorrow when I try to keep up with WheatiesWoman (my new nickname for Tuesday running partner. Unbeknownst to her, of course)

Welcome back: Bob, the chairman of the 2006 Chicago Marathon blog group who has a penchant for kind words and partial to haikus, is sort of back. Can't wait to hear what he's been up to. Spontaneous haiku in his honor.

Bob from Wisconsin
I so missed the dog and blog
I am so giddy

Running together but not really

Afterwork RunClub partner had her Wheaties for breakfast. At one point, she was 15 sidewalk lengths ahead of me (yes, I counted). I was having a hard time keeping up, so I just kept my own pace. There's no need to push too hard on what I'm calling my recovery run (I am still feeling the after effects of Sunday's long run -- I am just not the same as I was last summer, my legs seem confused). I apologized profusely for holding her back, half-seriously suggesting at one point that we should race -- only she should do our 10K route that is a big loop towards the north part of downtown while I should do the 5K route that is along the waterfront and we should just meet up at The Office at the end (where she would probably still be waiting at least 10 minutes for me. She was just really zipping today, making up for not putting in a long run over the weekend, turns out).
But she said she'd rather run with me, even if she's a little bit ahead. So I guess she essentially did her version of strides during our 6.5K outing while I kept as steady a pace as I could comfortably muster. I hope she gets a better run in this week than she had with me. I am pretty happy with my effort today, all things considered.

Clever plans

If it weren't for Grasshopper pre-arranging a long run this weekend, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have bothered going on my own (I've become a bad solo runner, I think). It was flippin hot today. Not the worst I've ever run in (I think that honor may go to Kentucky last summer), but I was already sweating just sitting outside before the run even began around 10AM. Before we met up, Grasshopper cleverly hid a cache of goodies along the route, at what would be the 11K mark. I thought I was being clever for planning a 15K route that was mostly through the creek and valley, and that meant water fountains along the way. Uh, not so much. We passed two fountains and neither of them were in working condition. So. disappointed. And Parched. At least there was a washroom, and running water and I made sure to drench my head. There weren't many walking breaks, not til we got to the massively steep hill. There was never any intention to run up the hill but the not-so-direct route via stairs halted our momentum. I was dragging my feet a little bit, and thought the Dairy Queen looked especially enticing today. But we kept walking, and retrieved the cache of water and cereal bars, temporarily getting an extra sugar boost to carry us another 4K. This was my longest run since mid-May, right before I didn't get into the Marines Corps Marathon in DC.
After a good stretch and replenished with Gatorade, went to work in the kitchen because the best way to end a good long run is with good food. About a half hour later, we were on the back deck dining on my cleverest idea of the day: Belgian waffles (first time using this wedding gift, thank you American family), maple-flavored bacon, fresh strawberries and peaches, orange juice... and more Gatorade.

Hat Run

My cousin and I joined in on the local running store's 20-minute challenge today without my sister (she was arguably the most excited runner of our trio since she so badly wanted to cash in on the free running hat that was being given away for participating but alas, she's been sick for a couple of days and just not up to it. It would have been her first outing since our so-sluggish-I-didn't-bother-mentioning-it 2-miler the other day). Cousin and I logged some 4miles before the fun run with at least 100 other enthusiasts (or people who wanted a free hat. I'd count myself in the latter group today). The run on the way to the fun run was a good pace, and we had enough energy to run the fun run a little more competitively with each other. Finished the night with burgers from Lick's.

This has been a good two days of running for me. Yesterday tallied 5K with RunClub partner L.

RBF: Toronto edition

Good to put faces to words. I didn't run the race that these kids ran today, but it was nice to meet Fran and Sonia, and her friend Amanda. Yumke and I already go way back. We swapped running stories over breakfast.
I was supposed to do my own thing this morning before meeting these speed demons, but alas, the open bar at the wedding reception last night had other plans for me.

Figure 8

Grasshopper and I went for a run this evening to 1) try out the new shoes together; and 2) because I had a lot of rage stemming from the day at The Office (I'm just not going to rehash it here). Since it was his 'hood, it was his choice of route -- the Figure 8. Some of the approximate 7K loop cut through my favorite street to drive on in the autumn, a few hills (ick), trails to remind me of camp, and then a part of Toronto I've never really explored, the tony Rosedale area that features million dollar homes, manicured gardens, and expensive cars in every driveway before circling back into the Cabbagetown neighborhood just before the rain hit. A quick stretch, then some gossip. All better. Rage gone. Nice shoes.

Free running

So I have the shoes now but still lacking in actual momentum in motivation. So I signed myself up for two running events (they're not races) just now, both costing me nothing but time and energy. I was mulling this weekend's 10-miler that Yumke, Fran and Sonia are doing, but I'm not ready for that kind of distance. I'll probably do my own thing that morning and try to catch up with them for breakfast if we can get something figured out.
In the meantime, I'll have to get disciplined in a hurry to be ready for a 20K in 18 days. I signed up for this tune-up run to the September race, the third in a series before the half-marathon.

(sidenote: Yes, I'm running a half marathon in two months and I've barely started training. As I was discussing with Frank, who is also signed up for the half, is that neither of us respect the distance this year for some reason. We just don't have that same fear of failure that was driving us last year during marathon training)

Perhaps I should've selected the 10K option instead but what the hell, it's about the challenge. And it's free. I can turn around at any time?
And then there's the hat run ... as my sister calls it. She likes my yellow running hat and wants one. The local running shop has a 20-minute fun run every year -- this year it's on July 18 here -- and each participant gets a hat for coming out. I think this year the hat is blue.

Adrenaline rush

New shoes! New shoes!
Went to the local running shop with Grasshopper to pick up a long overdue pair of runners. He needed a new pair, a proper pair, and I just needed to replace mine. I was thinking about buying the same pair as I'm currently wearing -- New Balance 1222 -- but when the store didn't have the desired pair in my size today, I asked the shoe expert to show me some comparables. And preferably at a slightly lower price point (the NBs being C$200 after tax). Historically I have had best luck with New Balance shoes so I was apprehensive about new brands. I was shown a pair of Nikes (front was too wide), a pair of Sauconys (too snug), and the winning pair -- Brooks Adrenaline 7. This is what the Brooks website says these babies do:

Designed to unleash endorphins in mild to moderate overpronators, the Adrenaline™ GTS 7 features a new, full-length MoGo midsole that provides super soft, long-lasting cushioning that feels as good on mile 300 as mile one. Known for a glove-like fit and smooth yet supported heel-to-toe transitions, this shoe stems from the legacy of Brooks' love of the run.

Well, these shoes felt really good during the 4.2mile smoggy run around downtown and the waterfront when I took them out right after work. Tuesday RunClub resumed for the first time in a month. I was careful not to step in anything too icky (just in case I needed to return them). I thought the shoe tongue was bothering my right foot for a bit, but I think it's actually the supercollection of mosquito bites on my feet (in addition to my legs and arms and hands) that was irritating me. I think these are keepers.

Thwarted by the rain (and my brain)

I had high hopes for Algonquin Park, hoping for a repeat performance of last year's trip, but I'm going to have to blame the weather. As well as my bad sense of direction. It seemed like it rained a good portion of the time we were there. And when it cleared up, most of my family went canoeing on Saturday afternoon. So I tried to run, and find the trail that runs somewhat parallel to the waterways they were in and peek in on them. I have done this trail more than a handful of times, but for the life of me, I just couldn't find it this weekend. After a very crappy 2K, I was frustrated because I couldn't locate this trail and so I called it quits. Yes, just after a miserable 2K. I wasn't in the mood to run anyway but I thought if I started, I'd get into it, but it really backfired on me. I'm starting to feel like I'm starting this whole running thing from scratch -- getting the shoes on is the most difficult step.
Well, I thought I could try again on Sunday morning -- my sister wanted to go too -- but the weather didn't agree. We got hit with one heck of a rainfall from 6AM til about 8. And when that cleared up, it was my turn to go on the canoe adventure. Oh well, I can always run in Toronto. Much harder to canoe here. Doable, but I doubt as enjoyable.

Heading north

It's time for the annual family camping trip. In a few hours, we'll be heading to Algonquin Park for some good ol' car-camping. We'll rent a canoe, roast marshmallows, play some cards and Trivial Pursuit, read some books, recount embarrassing stories, ride bikes, and of course, there's trail running!

Need shoes

I need new shoes. It's not even a question of wanting new shoes anymore. NEED them.
I did the same thing as last week, ran home from work. I ran the 7K a little bit faster this week -- probably owing to the perfect running conditions (low 20Cs, slight breeze, bit of sun vs 30C+ and extreme humidity and smog alert) -- and despite really feeling the unbounciness of the shoes. Indeed, I've had this particular pair of shoes, New Balance 1222s, since mid-August last year. It's time to retire these ones before I hurt myself. I already think I'm feeling something....

haiku for a long weekend

(subtitle: ode to bob .... where are you bob?)
Bad 2mile run
But at least the work is done
Quick, find me a beer

(happy long weekend to the Canadians ..)