Injuries

Since I've started running, I really haven't had anything in the way of an injury, which I guess I should be thankful for, given the numbers of races I've done in such a short time. I seem to have developed my first one now though.

I've been having a lot of pain in the heel of my left foot and I've diagnosed myself with plantar fasciitis, based on the symptoms I've read everywhere. I have pain when I take my first few steps in the morning and then it gets better. It hurts when I start running but goes away after half a km or so. But in the last week or so, it's been getting worse. It was ok during my race yesterday but afterward, it was really painful! I iced it all evening and took an Advil and had my husband massage it for me but it was still hurting. Today, it's better but is still pretty sore.

I searched the runnersworld.com site and have managed to come up with some things that should help. There are stretches I can do in the morning that are supposed to help and I've also ordered a night splint, which a lot of people said helped them in as little as a few days. Hopefully it gets here soon! I actually really wanted to go running today but I'm going to give it at least one more day before venturing out again (for a short run!!).

I hope this goes away quickly... I don't want to have to take a break from running or anything!

Acura Toronto 10 Miler

This was one of my favorite races I've ever run! It started in the Distillery District, which is beautiful itself but the route then goes down by the water and out along the Leslie Street Spit, where I've never run before. It didn't feel like I was running in the city at all... there was water everywhere, and trees and greenery and ducks!

I was pleased with my time... it was only my second ten miler and I improved on my time by about 5 minutes so I really couldn't ask for anything more.

This one will definitely be a repeat!!

Acura Toronto 10 Miler Results

Bib: 285
Place: 1575/1724
Time: 1:56:53.1
Chip: 1:53:59.1
Pace: 7:17
Cat: F35-39
Cat Place: 122/143
Gender Place: 720/831
5 Mile Split: 58:08

Running

Hey everyone! Not much new and exciting here but I haven't posted anything in a while so I thought I'd drop in. I haven't had a race in over a month so I guess I haven't had much to post about for a while!

I'm doing the Acura 10 miler this coming Sunday. Hopefully the weather will cooperate and it won't be too hot. I've been out training in the warmer weather so hopefully I'll be ready even if it's warm.

I'm actually finally starting to not mind TOO much running in the heat, although I would much prefer the cooler weather.

I'll let everyone know how Sunday goes!

Runway Run and Wine Country Run

Neither of these was one of my better races... I had to stop and safety pin my skirt to my t-shirt at the Runway Run or it would have been around my ankles. The Wine Run was a lot of fun but oh my goodness, it was hilly!! And hot! I'll do it again next year but will plan to walk 90% of it.

This past weekend was City Chase. It was so much more fun than last year, despite Mel's knee issues. We were so much better organized and did so much better!

Wine Country Run Results

Time: 1:19:49.7
Place: 232/324
Pace: 7:59
Cat: W35-39
Cat Place: 17/20
Gender place: 143/214

Runway Run Results

Place: 673/1045
Time: 33:30
Chip time: 33:02
Pace: 6:42
Cat: F30-39
Cat Place: 121/221
Gender Place: 313/584

This weekend

I have 2 very cool races this weekend!

Saturday is the Runway Run. You won't be surprised to hear that it's at the airport, on an actual runway. They did it last year but it was the same day as City Chase so I missed it but this year it's the week before so I'm very excited!

Then on Sunday, I have the Wine Country Run. All of the water stations are at wineries and you can taste wine at the stations as well. Talk about my kind of run!! In all seriousness, I suspect there won't be much tasting going on until afterward (I imagine drinking wine and running don't go real well together) but it still should be fun.

Then next weekend is City Chase. Mel and I are going to kick some serious butt this year!

Running and smokers

Ok, so here is my rant for the day (and I know that some of my friends and fellow runners are smokers, so I hope no one is offended).

I seriously wish there was a "smoker free" running route. There's nothing worse than being in the middle of a run and feeling really good and suddenly running past someone who blows out a big cloud of smoke just as you go by.

I get that smokers have the right to be out there too, so this isn't a rant about banning smoking or anything. It's just a rant about my having to breathe in 10 lungfuls of smoke this afternoon!!

That's all.

Toronto Women's 5K Results

Bib Number: 2047
Place: 102/210
Time: 32:29.9
Chip: 32:21.1
Pace: 6:30
Cat: W 35-39
Cat Place: 27/45
Gender Place: 101/209

Blue Nose Half Marathon Results

Bib No: 1107
Place: 1330/1523
Time: 2:29:01.6
Chip Time: 2:26:13.0
Pace: 7:04
Cat: W30-39
Cat Place: 243/284
Gender Place: 681/836

Blue Nose Half Marathon

Gosh! I completely forgot to post an update after the Blue Nose race!!

I set a new PB for myself, as did Mel!! I finally finished one in under 2:30... 2:26:13 to be exact. It wasn't the best weather... kind of drizzly but the temperature was great and at least the real rain stayed away!

I don't have any more long races lined up for a while... a ten miler in July but otherwise just 5 and 10K's until December, when I'm doing the Las Vegas Half.

I have a 5K tomorrow - the Toronto Women's 5K. It's the first year for this even so it should be fun. It's actually called the Toronto Women's Half Marathon but I figured 2 halfs 2 weeks apart might not be the smartest thing to do so I just signed up for the 5K. I'm hoping to finish under 30 minutes which would be a new PB for me at this distance.

Wish me luck!!

Sporting Life 10K

So, I didn't quite break my 60 minute mark. But my Garmin showed that the race was actually 10.46km so I probably did do the 10km in 60 minutes. Regardless, it was a new PB, so I was thrilled with my time!

It was a great race.... nice temp, nice weather.

Sporting Life 10K Results

Place: 7298/10761
Bib#: 5294
Time: 1:02:24.7
Chip: 1:01:12.0
Pace: 6:08
Category: F35-39
CategoryPlace: 526/904
GenderPlace: 3257/5887

Looking to break 60 minutes!

The Sporting Life 10K is this Sunday and I'm hoping to break 60 minutes. My fastest to date is 1:04 so it's a fair amount of time to cut off but I'm counting on the downhill course to speed me up.

I did the Mercedes Benz 10K last Sunday and had half a thought that I'd try and break the 60 minutes that day but by the time I was a km into the race, I knew that wasn't going to happen. I finished in 1:07 which I was pretty happy with. I didn't win the car though...

Mercedes Benz 10K Results

April 26, 2009

Place: 652/741
Time: 1:08:42.5
Chip Time: 1:07:29.2
Pace: 6:53
Category: W35-39
Category Place: 55/70
Gender Place: 313/378

Photos from Angus Glen

Angus Glen Ten Miler Results and Details

Angus Glen 10 Miler
April 5, 2009
Place: 294/327
Bib #: 5428
Time: 1:59:34.1
Pace: 7.29
Category: W35-39
Category Place: 37/40
Gender Place: 174/201

Oh my goodness, this race was hilly!!! There were a couple of doozies that I could hardly walk up, let alone run! (I'm sure the fact that I've now run 60 kilometres since last Sunday may have had something to do with that too).

Overall, it was an ok race. The hills really were brutal and I ended up walking more than I normally would have needed to but it was a bautiful day for a race and Angus Glen does such a great job of hosting these things that I'll probably be back next year.

Harry's Spring Runoff 8K

No official time for this one... I got there too late to pick up my timing chip so I ran it without one. It was a pretty good race... a little windy and cold but overall a decent race. I never thought I'd say this but 8K was EASY! Considering the fact that my last 3 races have been 21km, 21, km and 30km, I guess it's not surprising that 8K wasn't too much of a challenge...

ATB 30K

Today was my longest race to date – 30K. I did the 5K version of the Around the Bay last year but decided to go for it and do the full 30K this year.

I haven’t been training nearly as much as I should have been so I was a little scared about this race – the longest I’ve even run at one time prior to today was 24K so doing a full 25% more was a bit of a concern. I have to admit that it was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done but I made it through and it wasn’t as bad as I thought it might be.

The temperature was perfect (about 4 degrees when we started) but it was raining (pouring, actually, at one point) so that was kind of miserable. It stopped by about the halfway point so at least that was a good thing.

I was doing great up until about the 22-23 km point and that’s where the real hills started. I struggled a bit up until the last km and then really pushed myself.

Since I’ve never done this distance before, my real goal was to finish in under 4 hours without having to call a taxi to get me there and I did it!

Now I just have to decide whether I want to take the next step and do a full marathon or not….