Its still very early on in my training and nothing particularly bad has happened. This is technically week 2 and already, I have missed a few runs! If you’re going to miss runs, it is best that its early on and not in the heart of the program, but still; what is a slippery slope?
My first week of training went really well. It was actually pretty fun getting used to heart rate and time based running rather than my usual distance and pace style. I do have to check my watch more often to make sure I’m working hard or easy enough. I found myself being super hungry and wanted to mainline peanut butter nearly every evening. Hence, I am also feeling a bit chubby currently.
I knew at the beginning of this new program that taking on running 5 days a week (as opposed to 3) would be a challenge. I was pleasantly surprised how easy it actually was to run multiple days in a row, when the strategy is good. (tempo/easy/short and fast). The trickiest part for me is wrapping my head around running on Saturdays. That has been my “rest day” since basically the dawn of time and if I run or workout on a Saturday its a huge exception. I work Saturdays and although I currently only work 10-3 (it was always 10-5), I have a hard time mentally deciding if this Saturday run is in the early morning or after work. It is still dark till about 7:30am and if I run I need to be out there by 7:30 for sure….or after work and that sounds equally unpleasant. So, excuses excuses…I’ll have to figure out which will be less annoying (likely the early am run).
This past weekend we were away and I knew from the start that I would not be running. Fine; I’ll miss one or two runs…I have to work up to 5 days a week anyways…but the weather also suddenly turned and it is currently -23C (feels like -30C) and there is nearly 8″ of snow most places! Last week had ice that got progressively better, as the roads dried up and the temps reached plus 10C at some points! Easy for speed work and all the efforts. Yesterday I skipped the Tempo run because…seriously, there is no traction! And also, screw this business. But I can’t miss runs forever and today marks 5 days off!! I could have run last Saturday, but didn’t because we were leaving town and I just didn’t, frankly. I was ok to lay around at my in-laws house because it was planned into week one as a small blip in the program. Then yesterday it was minus 30C and snowing and blowing and I was stiff and tired from the afore mentioned laying around.
So today, I have plans for most of the day and have to get out there by 8:30am and its horrible out! I do have the option of driving up to the nearest rec-center and paying to use a treadmill to run the 45 min in Zone 2 that is on the roster, but I am more cheap than lazy, and paying to run on a treadmill when there are free pathways outside sounds ridiculous. Even if they are covered in snow and sitting in an arctic haze of bone freezing suffering.
I used to not care this much about the temperature but now I suddenly have this aversion to all the layers and how cold you are afterwards and all that. But yes, I would rather that, than run at a gym staring at a mirror and paying money to do so. If I had a treadmill, the story would be different but then I’d only use it on really bad weather days, so it would be a waste.
Another new and exciting road block this week is that I upgraded my road bike. I was able to sell my previous one and then I searched all the brands and bikes I could, and found one that checked all my boxes and was actually in the price range I wanted to stick to! That beauty is sitting in my home gym and I want to ride it so badly! How am I supposed to face 12 weeks of solid race training while that gorgeous bike throws its sirens song all over the place? Then I have 3 months of riding it to be able to return to the store for a free once-over to adjust everything. I basically have to ride it! (to also note that the warmer temps and clear roads of last week are what prompted someone to even buy my former bike, so thank goodness for that).
So surely I haven’t lost immeasurable fitness in these past 5 days, and surely this snow and sub-zero return to winter will pass in the next week or so…(right?) I have high intentions of really doing this; really pushing this program and getting a PR in Vancouver in May. I just happen to live in Canada and the winter is a merciless beast that likes to pop back in to make sure you haven’t gotten too comfortable yet. At least my city is one of the sunniest places in Canada and despite the temp, its actually not gloomy and grey most of the time.
I’ll put a pin in this and be back after my run; as I need to get out there now or never.
Layers and trail shoes and an hour later; I’m back. As usual, I am reminded that running in the arctic tundra is not horrible. In fact, it’s pretty pleasant and lacks many other signs of people, so that’s always a bonus. I ran slow and am pretty sure that tomorrows speed session is going to also become an endurance day, as there is no way I can keep checking my watch and speeding up and down my heart rate. But an hour easy pace is better than none at all, and although it doesn’t get me closer to my desired PR, it improves my fitness none the less, and I still have many weeks to go. I didn’t check my watch today because it was hidden below industrial strength mittens. But my “45 min in Zone 2” became and hour and five in Zone 2-3; so decent running by feel.
Road blocks in week two and presumably more to come. Off I go to start the rest of the day.
Periscopecake 