This last week was a great week for running. I cranked out some great mileage and started running on Mount Doug again. Mount Doug is an amazing chunk of rock to run on. It has over 15 miles of single track trails. The trails are varied from soft, wide, and flat to rocky, rooty and steep. I think I can do just about any work out I'd wish on the mountain, from speed work and intervals to hills and long distance. Since I have moved to UVic it is a bit further away. It takes 2.5 miles or about 4 km of running just to get to the trails. Once I run to the mountain from my house, I have been running a very simple trail that circum-navigates the base of the mountain for now. It is a simple route with little elevation and steepness but it is just right while I am building my base. In a couple of weeks I will start incorporating the full 11 km Mount Doug gutbuster route (almost 20Km total distance round trip from my house) once a week and then twice etc. It is a nice way to snag 20 Km on, and has everything I need to build my endurance and increase my trail running skills. There is something about running there that gives me extra incentive and enjoyment out of each workout.
Last Tuesday I was running the base loop around Doug. It is awesome when you experience those runs where everything seems to click. You feel like you got enough sleep, you are hydrated and have plenty of carbs to draw off from. Starting this run I knew it was going to be a strong run, I just had a rest day prior to the run. I started out with a nice pace and every step came easily. I flew through the road section (always my least favorite part of my runs, in my opinion roads are a necessary evil to get to the trails), I reached the trail and my body took off. This seems to happen to me about once a month when I am running hard and consistent. I will experience what I term a "perpetual run". This can be defined by the fact that you experience tremendous output from your legs, lungs and heart, with very little effort or input. It is like you are being pulled through the course, or your legs are like wheels rolling down an undulating slope. It is really hard to explain but always accompanies a runner's high. Perhaps it has to do with the release of endorphins and other chemicals, but it also has to do with an absolute adoration of the current run. The conditions were perfect. It was sunset and a perfect 18C (65 degrees). The packed soil was parched from the dry Summer, but still felt spongy underfoot due to the accumulation of organic debris. The August sun was a flaming orb hovering just above the horizon, only visible through the occasional break in the canopy. The sun cast ochre and crimson stripes across the path while the Douglas Firs and Garey Oaks stretched their elongate shadowseastward. My feet seemed to dance over blisters of diorite breaking the organic rich soil, and tiptoed over the thousands of rope-like roots strewn across the trail. I reached the highest point of the run and then felt the welcome pull of gravity speeding up my already rapid pace. The Earth now spun herself between me and the sun and the welcome dusk took hold of the peaceful mountain. My only spectators were the white tail deer that frequent the mountain, trails and road during the magical hours at twilight. They seemed particularly unaffected by my presence that night. I was really cruising and my legs felt awesome. I almost felt like I was floating with my feet barely making contact with the trail. Before I knew it my trail run was finished. I gave a strong effort on the road run home and made good time. I felt amazing. It was great to be back on my favorite trails.
Since that run I have made 4 attempts at the time I made that night and I couldn't get within 3 minutes of it. Last night (Tuesday 12th) I finally smashed my previous time by two minutes. There was a major difference from last nights P.R. and the previous one. Last night every second and every meter was hard earned and took crazy amounts of effort. I never felt good the whole run but I was really pushing. Lastly I didn't get a runner's high until I saw my watch at the end of the run and realized I had broke my previous record by over a minute!
My first track event is on Friday. I am going to take the next two days off and go into the run with fresh legs. It should be a ton of fun. I will be last, no doubt in my mind. I am not a 5000 meter track runner, I will be wearing trail shoes, and I just finished a 3 week building session from 50 to 70 km. I hope to run it next year and blow this year's time out of the water at that point I should be peaking for my Ultra Event and have thousands of training miles under my belt. That being said it will be a ton of fun and I am excited for my family to see me run. Once I get lapped a few times you won't even be able to tell I am last place. It should be a good time a fun way to grab 5Km and exciting to be competing with great runners.
Here are some stats from the last week.
Stats
Total Distance = 66.12 Km (41.08 miles)
Total Running time = 6:23:10 hrs
Avg Pace Km = 5:45 min
Avg Pace Miles = 8:56 min
Total Calorie burn = 4351
Avg Starting weight = 143.0
Avg Post-run weight = 140.4
Highlights
- Without a doubt running on Mount Doug again
- The run in my above description
- My mileage
Challenges
- My toe blisters are pretty bad
- some shin splint issues/tight calves (They are doing better now)
- Bad sleep schedule
What a great week. I am very happy with my progress and look forward to this rest week and race on Friday, but then get right back at my increased mileage next week.
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