Mission: Boredom

One week out from GC50.  I usually do a 4 week taper, this time I decided 3 weeks was enough.  Honestly, I'm starting to think I made a mistake.

I'm tired.  Very tired.

Sure I've been tapering with my running, but in the rest of my life things have ramped up something serious.  Squeezing last minute patients into a work day that's already packed solid with time on feet, cooking and freezing extra food at home (time on feet in kitchen), getting some quality time with the family (we try to make it active meaning time on feet), tying up all those loose ends.  By the end of the day my feet are still tired and suddenly getting my coveted 8 hours of sleep a night seems more difficult that running 50K.  Even sitting down needs to be scheduled.  I am more tired now than I was at the end of my peak week which is not exactly good.

I'm now a dual citizen..still a Team ELMer!

I've recognized for a long time that recovery is just as important as training.  So I've been tracking my hours of sleep for the past several weeks.  Upon looking back, until last Sunday (Mother's Day) it had been 6 weeks since I had slept in later than 5:30 often getting up much earlier.  I need to get to bed by 9:30 in order to get my 8 hours of sleep.  Doesn't happen often. I've been averaging 6.75 hours which is simply not enough.

I admit I'm liking that fact I don't have a long run in the morning this week: and I'm tired of being that person...

So, my goal for the next week is to get SLEEP.  And to sit down more.  Without feeling guilty or worrying about what isn't getting done.  This week my mission is to feel bored.  If that's even possible. Because one week from tomorrow morning, I want to be a tightly wound spring..ready to be sprung.

I will seeing the Grand Canyon - for the first time - on foot.  #can'tfreakingwait

Next post: GC50 Race Report!

Oh, and thanks to all who have voted for me for the Salming Ambassador Contest.  If you haven't, or you have another email address you can use, please vote again!  I love their shoes and would love to represent.

Cheering on my friends at the Spruce Woods Ultra last weekend. This sign was for my friend Todd who somehow managed to place 2nd in the 100K event despite his horrible attitude and complete lack of training. (wink wink)

The Race is the Reward

Hill Repeats at Spring Hill

Well it's taper time again.  After a long winter of hard work, I've done all I can do.  It's time to let my body and mind rest, recover and rebuild in preparation for my next big celebration of life and running: The Grand Canyon Ultra 50 Miler.

Ever since I moved away from road running and racing, and into trail/ultra running, I've viewed the race as the reward.  Honestly, most training runs are rewarding as well, but many are done with my eye on the prize.  All the hard work during a training cycle is usually to get me to an epic place where I can be a running tourist of sorts.  Never before has this been as true as now.  Training through a cold Manitoba winter, with relentless hill repeats on short hills and long incline/decline treadmill sessions hasn't always been easy.  It hasn't been easy to juggle family and work commitments. But my goal was to prepare for an 80km tour of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon on foot in a single day.  And in less than 3 weeks I will do just that!

Just getting to the start line healthy and ready to race is a HUGE accomplishment for any ultra runner, and especially for one working full time with a family.  I have several friends who are running their first 50K race this weekend at the Spruce Woods Ultra.

I hope they each celebrate the day.  Celebrate the commitment and sacrifice that it took to get there; celebrate the ability to run not only 50K, but for weeks and months on end to complete the training; celebrate the friendships made, the lessons learned, the satisfaction of knowing that what once seemed impossible is not so impossible after all.  And of course, every first time ultra runner needs to celebrate the fact that they now consider being called crazy a compliment.

You know you're a runner when...you start planning your parties AT your races!

I will be out at Spruce Woods running the 1/2 marathon distance as part of my taper.  It will be hard to practice patience and to run easy as I know I should, rather than to race it; but that is exactly how I will need to start the GC50 if I hope to finish strong (or at least not a crumpled mess).  I can't wait to cheer my friends on and to celebrate their accomplishments as they cross the finish line!

Fitting It All In Part 3

even when we feel weak...

Back in 2014 I posted Fitting It All In Part 1 and Part 2.  Now, 2 years later, I am thinking about those  posts again and struggling to piece the puzzle together.  This week-end was my 2nd to last long back-to-back week before the Grand Canyon Ultra 50 Miler.  It was a very stressful week at work, and it was also my oldest son's birthday today.

Friday morning I woke up mentally at my max.  I had had a hard week of work and a hard week of training. When my first thought out of bed was wondering how long it would be before I could get back into my PJs...I knew I was in trouble.  I am a physiotherapist and I LOVE what I do.  I love people and I love helping them.  But Friday morning I didn't have much left in my tank to give to anyone.  My energy levels were at an all time low, and I knew that in order to fit all I needed to into the weekend (including 58K of running), I would need to NOT fit it all in.  I need to draw the line somewhere.

Increasingly over the last year, I have found myself engaging more and more in social media and in digital conversations.  It's easy to let constant chatter and enduring conversations hijack your day.  I also engage with dozens of people every day on a very personal and sometimes deep level at work.  I usually thrive on this, but by the end of this week, I needed a break.  I felt like I was a negative magnet and everything else was another negative magnet and the closer life tried to get to me, the harder I pushed away. It was almost that palpable.

I knew that in order to protect my mental health and the integrity of my family unit (while getting my mileage in), I would need to shut it all off.  I let those closest to me know I was going offline, and I shut my phone down for the weekend. It seemed like such a simple thing, but such a big thing too. I needed to check out and run alone...away from the city and the noise.  I needed the sound of silence.  I ran at very odd hours.  I also knew that I would need to be very present and engaged with my family during the waking hours of the day, and with no phone to distract me, it was a lot easier.  I got my 58K in, and was there to make my son his birthday brunch this morning in addition to spending the day with him.  I lost some sleep, but am strangely now recharged and ready to take on the next week of training, and healing.

Five weeks until the Grand Canyon Ultra!  It had better not snow this year...I need a vacation.

Giving Back - Cancer Care Manitoba

Well, the runs are getting longer again and the races are getting closer. The Grand Canyon Ultra is only 6 weeks away and I have only 2 long runs left before my 50 mile race.  The Spruce Woods Ultra is 2 weeks before GCU and Todd Baranoski of Team Manitoba Dawgs is doing the 100K event.  After these races, our team will be focusing on the Fat Dog 120 and 70 mile events.

Scott Sugimoto, Todd Baranoski and myself will be travelling to Manning Park, BC for the Fat Dog 100 race Aug 12-14.  Scott and Todd will be running 120 miles and I will attempt the 70 mile distance.  We have been enjoying training, planning, dreaming and trying not to, but generally obsessing about this race since at least December.

Ultra running can be incredibly all consuming and self absorbing, so at one point Todd came up with this great idea to use our race efforts to give something back.  We are SO GRATEFUL and feel so fortunate to be able to run the way we do.  For brief periods of time when we are injured or feeling niggles that hint of injury, we freak out and can't imagine not being able to do what we do.  There are people who are fighting much bigger fights, more important battles, battling for life and death.

We are supporting Cancer Care Manitoba through our training and racing efforts.  We can't think of anyone who hasn't been touched by cancer. If you feel impressed, please visit our Team Page to donate in support of this worthy cause.  Consider donating per mile or any arbitrary amount  - every little but helps.  We hope to raise $5000 for Cancer Care.

Thank-you and Happy Trails!

JOURNEY TO “BETTER”- THE RESULTS FROM MY PERFORMANCE TESTS - Sally McRae

In my search for information on fitness testing, of course I happened upon Sally McRae's blog where she talks about her first testing experience.  I admire her so much, and can identify with many of her struggles:

I gave her a half joking half pouty, “Yes, I Walk Past Weights And They Jump Into My Thighs.”

Please read her post and enjoy!

VO2 Max and Lactate Threshold Testing

Last week I had my first VO2 max and blood lactate testing done at the Pan Am Clinic where I work.  I was so excited. Despite being able to do field tests and now having a ridiculously complex and expensive Garmin that predicts such numbers from heart rate and running data, blood lactate testing and actual VO2 max testing is still considered more accurate and the gold standard of measure for aerobic fitness. So I booked myself in!

I have some big goals for 2016 and although it's getting late in the season to be having such testing done, I really wanted a snapshot of my current aerobic fitness profile in order to train more specifically throughout the rest of the year.

What is VO2 max?  It is a value given to the maximal rate at which oxygen can be taken in, transported and utilized by working muscle.  The higher your VO2 max, the better is your ability to use oxygen during muscular work.  It is often expressed in the relative score (ml/kg/min).  This is important for athletes that must move their bodies against the force of gravity (runner, X-C skiers) and for comparing individuals of different body sizes.  The absolute (L/min) value is important for sports where body weight is supported (cycling, rowing) and is a value that is only meaningful to the individual - there is no point comparing this number to others.

Here is one example of a normative data chart.  There are many and they all vary slightly.

Here is another one:

Elite runners and athletes are reported to have VO2 max values in the 70s and 80s.  The world record is reportedly held by a cyclist from Noway named Oskar Svendsen (97.5).  There is debate as to how relevant VO2 max really is in predicting performance, as athletes with lesser scores can beat those with higher scores.  Hence the whole mind over matter debate...which is best saved for another post.


Lactate threshold (LT) is used to signify your anaerobic threshold which is the shift from the energy supply primarily from aerobic to anaerobic.  Blood lactate is a measure of the lactic acid that appears in the blood as a result of anaerobic metabolism when oxygen delivery to the tissues is insufficient to support normal metabolic demands. LT is indicated by the sudden rise in the lactate when the anaerobic energy system (without oxygen) becomes the primary contributor to exercise.
Athletes all want to stay out of the anaerobic zone as much as possible and having a high LT enables them to perform to a higher level without those dreaded burnings legs. Here is a great article on LT.

Here are some pictures of my testing:

Nose clamped, breathing into a tube, heart rate monitor on

It was hard to see where I was on the treadmill with all that gear - I kept bumping into the front

This is how the test worked: After I had changed and put on the heart rate monitor, I warmed up on the treadmill at a very easy pace for 15 min.  This allowed my heart rate to stabilize, as it spikes all over the place during the first 10-15 min of any run.  Then I put on the head gear, clamped my nose shut, sealed my lips around the mouth piece, and hopped back on the treadmill.  Dean pricked my finger and took a blood sample (in the same way as a diabetic will do a blood sugar test) to determine my baseline blood lactate.  Then I started running on the treadmill.  Every 3 minutes I hopped to the side to allow Dean to take another blood sample.  Then Richard bumped the speed up by 0.5 mph and I ran for another 3 min.  We repeated this cycle several times, while Dean monitored all sorts of information on his computer and reported the blood lactate levels to Richard.  We started at 5.5 mph and by the time we reached 8.0 mph I was starting to wonder when this test would be over.  After running at 8.5 mph for 3 min, my blood lactate finally jumped from the low 3 mmol/L to 4.8 mmol/L (if my memory is correct).  At this point, we had our LT reading, but I still needed my VO2 max scores.  Richard then started to increase the incline on the treadmill by 2% grade every minute, while I was still running at 8.5mph.  It didn't take me long, and after 2 min I called it quits at 4% grade. I'm not sure if I could have gone more, but I thought I was maxed at the time.

Richard and Dean

The whole test took about 45 min on the treadmill, and I had my results within another 15 min.  Dean and Richard were amazing and very good at explaining the whole process and interpreting my results.  I have debated as to whether I should share my results publicly, but I'm no elite athlete and this is a form of journal for me, so I will use my real numbers to help explain what it all means.

Absolute VO2 max: 3.4 L/min
Relative VO2 max: 53.1 ml/kg/min
Maximum heart rate: 184 bpm
Lactate threshold: 3.1 L/min
HR at LT: 172 bpm
LT as a % of VO2 max: 91%

Interestingly, Dean asked me what I thought my LT was before he told me.  He said that people who regularly monitor their HR can usually tell when they reach it just by the burn in their legs.  I told him 170-173 bpm.  I was bang on.  So what do these numbers mean to me?  Having a high LT as a % of VO2 max means that I can run almost to my max before my body shifts to anaerobic metabolism.  It could be better though, and my coach, Sarah Seads, suggests that I work on bringing my LT up to 95% of my VO2 max before I try to up my VO2 max.  How is all this done?  By using these numbers to determine your five training zones, which can done with online calculators, or by an experienced coach or exercise physiologist (Dean gave me my zones during my session).  Knowing your specific heart rate zones can help you train more intelligently and keep your easy runs truly easy, and your tempo or speed workouts truly effective.

Now, we'll see if all this knowledge pays off for me. Ultimately, it's up to me now to apply this information to my training.  Thanks Dean and Richard for a great testing experience!

Reframing: Turning Excuses into Reasons Why

What a great week of running!  This was a down week for me, which meant easy shorter runs to allow my body to absorb all the training of the last few weeks and rebuild stronger for the weeks ahead.  I honestly didn't feel the need for recovery this week though - I have been feeling great and am finding my pace is picking up nicely now that the paths are dry and I'm not wearing 10 lbs of clothing with each run!

Several things have made me pause to think over the past few days. Today was the Comox Valley Half Marathon, a race that I have done many years since 2005, with the exception of the years that I was 8.9 months pregnant.  I missed being there this year, seeing familiar faces and running a very familiar route that I hold my 1/2 PR on.

CV1/2 - 2006

CV 1/2 - 2014

After my run this morning, RunKeeper told me that I had just finished my 800th run since I first started keeping track in March of 2012.  I have recorded 5, 045 miles of running since that time, and have run many more miles that I haven't recorded.  It amazes me how it all adds up over time, and it amazes me even more that I haven't gotten sick of running yet.  The more I run, the more I want to run, and the more grateful I am that I can.

When I was 15, my brother (age 13) had a tragic dirt bike accident, which left him with a complete spinal cord injury below T4, punctured lung, ruptured spleen, fractured ribs, humerus, femur, and spine.  He came very close to not making it, and had a very long recovery.  A few weeks after his accident I began try-outs for an acrobatic gymnastics team that I had dreamed about joining for most of my adolescent and teenage years. I trained hard - very hard, and after the month of try-outs was over I found out I had made the team.  Instead of celebrating, I remember feeling so very guilty.  My brother was in a hospital bed and couldn't even wiggle his big toe, and I was being given the opportunity to learn to perform in ways I had only dreamed possible.

I remember speaking with him on the phone one day in the fall of 1992.  I don't remember our exact words, but in essence I had expressed my hesitation at joining the team because I was feeling guilty that he was so sick and I was training so hard.  He told me that I should not use him as an excuse - that I should use his disability as my REASON.  I don't know if he knew the impact of his words that day, but I still draw on the strength and wisdom he exhibited during that conversation, and in the challenge that he gave me that day.  To be grateful for my physical abilities and health, and to honour them as the reason for staying active.  Now I feel shame for NOT being active regularly - because there are so many people that can't be.

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.  Proverbs 27:17

My brother and I, having fun with my Jeep (2005)

On Friday I gave a short presentation to a group of teachers about self care from a physiotherapy perspective as part of their Wellness Inservice Day activities.  During that talk, I spoke about the reasons we should take care of our physical health and exercise, as well as the reasons why we don't.  As I spoke, I realized I was turning all the reasons we brainstormed as barriers to wellness into reasons why we should take the time for self care.

Two salesmen were sent to Africa to sell shoes.  One said, "what a horrible idea, no one here wears shoes."  The other said, "what a great opportunity, no one here wears shoes!"

Do you have excuses that you can reframe to motivate you?  If you don't have energy to exercise, do it because it gives you more energy.  I am often asked how I can possibly have so much energy seeing as I run so much.  I reply that it is because I run so much that I have so much energy. If you don't have time to exercise, do it because the increased focus and concentration you gain improves efficiency which creates more time in your day.  If you have pain that makes it hard to exercise, do it in a modified way to strengthen and lengthen your body to decrease the pain.  If you are self conscious about your body, do it so that you gain self-esteem and can have pride in yourself and your accomplishments.  Even those who can't do very much often push themselves to do what they can and celebrate even the tiniest of accomplishments.  These people are my heroes.

I spend a lot of time examining my WHY. I can list dozens of reasons why I run, and these have evolved over time. But the fundamental reason, the foundation that all the others are built on, is simply that I can.  I learned very young that one should NEVER take health for granted, and to waste the gift is...a waste.

NB: My brother is now a successful financial analyst and business executive for TAQA oil in Abu Dhabi.  He has not let his disability limit his potential.  He struggles with unimaginable pain and physical challenges every single day, but he presses on, never using his disability as an excuse.  He is and will always be my biggest hero.