Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

I am home now from Toronto and have had some time to reflect on my marathon experience on Sunday. Going in to Sunday's race I knew I was fit and ready to run a great race, I also recognized that this is a marathon and sometimes it doesn't matter how fit and ready you are things happen and the race doesn't unfold as expected. Although I say that, I went in to this race truly believing that great things could happen and that this could be the day that I finally get this marathon thing right. My training all pointed to that, and the half marathon I had run 2 weeks prior also indicated I was on the right path. I was feeling pretty confident that this marathon would go well.

I had been pretty open regarding my goals this training cycle, which can be a scary thing. My A goal being to PB and break the Canadian 45+  marathon record currently held by the amazing Marilyn Arsenault, my B goal to place in the top 10 of Canadian athletes (this race also doubled as the Canadian National Marathon Championships ) and my C goal to get to the start line healthy.  It's hard to put goals out publicly sometimes as sometimes it feels hard when you don't achieve them. I do truly believe however that it doesn't mean you fail, it just means that this wasn't the right time . It also means I am dreaming big and aspiring to higher goals, which is necessary to grow as an athlete and person. I was able to achieve both my B and C goals which is ok but I did want more. I"m not going to lie, I am disappointed in my time result. I wanted more, I trained for more but it just wasn't there that day. In fact it wasn't there from quite early on in the race which made the entire race much more of a mental than physical race for me.

Standing on the start line was amazing. Alan Brookes and Clifton Cunningham of the Canada Running Series had put together a fantastic elite field and provided us with all the support needed to help us achieve our goals, including pacers. My plan was to run behind our 2:39 pacer Johanna for as long as he stayed in the race. I was really excited as there were several women also hoping to achieve similar times, meaning I would have other women to run with over the next 42km. The conditions were pretty nice at the start, a bit warmer than I would have liked and also higher humidity than ideal but I still felt the temps were manageable. I have definitely competed in worse conditions (Pan Am Games Marathon 2015).

The horn blew and we started, Johanna said something and seemed to bolt ahead. I didn't quite catch what he said but Melanie Myrand thought he said we would all connect around 1k, so Melanie, Anna Boniface Lyndsay Tessier, Kate Toohey, Faviola Perez and I set off together. Lyndsay was only with us briefly before she moved ahead, a very wise move, as she had a stellar race with a huge pb and a second place Canadian placing!  It wasn't long before the rest of us connected with Johanna and we formed a strong crew all working together. We ensured we gave each other space around getting our bottles and would move up and down positions within the group. It really was a fantastic group of women to work with and I feel extremely lucky that I had them. Running always feels easier when you are working in a pack.

I had decided before the race to only look at my splits at 5k intervals as I don't like to get caught up in splits too early. I had wanted to run by feel, plus having a pacer took much of the guess work out. The pace felt pretty comfortable early on so I just went with it. Our first 5k split was slightly faster than our goal time  at 18:39 (goal was 18:50) however the next 5k went by in  18:27. This meant our first 10k was in 37:06. Around this time we also arrived on Lakeshore Drive.A nice long stretch of road, however it was in full sunlight with no shade to be had. I started pouring water on my head during this stretch to ensure I didn't get to overheated as I was definitely feeling a bit warmer.

Our little group stuck together for around another 6-7k but around this time Faviola and I fell off the back of the pace group, Anna disappeared (I found out after her foot was injured and she had to DNF)  and Kate had also fallen back behind us. This left Melanie with the pacer and she was running really well (she finished 3rd Canadian in 2:39, great racing). Up ahead we could see Natasha Lebeaud and her husband Marco.  Natasha was having a rough day and had to DNF but she was really encouraging to me and told me to keep going even though I wasn't feeling great. Basically at 16-18k I was feeling like I thought I would feel at 35k. Part of me thought maybe this was just a rough patch and things would improve but sadly that wasn't the case.

I was definitely slowing and then my stomach began to churn. I have experienced GI issues several times in marathons and I really had thought I was on top of it this time as was only taking in liquid fuel and had taken Immodium prior to racing. Sadly though at 23k I had to pull off to the bathroom. Never a fun moment but thankfully it was only the once i had to stop. When I came out of the bathroom I was on an out and back stretch of the course and was able to see Leslie Sexton, Tish Jones and Lyndsay coming by the other way and all looking strong. I yelled encouragement at them and then continued to grind out my miles.

Basically from here until the finish of the marathon I was in survival mode. I was dealing with a bit of  calf cramping and my body just didn't want to cooperate. 19k is a long way to be in survival mode and it took a lot of mental grit to keep moving forward.  For me it was really important that I finished this race. I already knew there was no way I was going to get the record but I did know that I would feel so much better going home having gone the distance. I also knew there was still a strong possibility of achieving my B goal of top 10 Canadian. So I kept running.

What I will say is when you are in that zone of hurt it's amazing the power of someone yelling your name or encouraging you. I may not have looked up or over every time but the crowd really made a huge difference to me being able to push forward. When I see the photos from the race, I see how deeply focused I was on moving forward. I am very proud that I was able to be that mentally tough for so long and it did pay off. I was able to finish. No it wasn't pretty and yes I did almost collapse at the line but I finished and to me that was everything that day. My time at 2:49 was well off my goal but it represented mental strength and perseverance and that means a lot. That time did give me the Canadian National Masters Marathon win and took me to a top 10 performance overall and 5th Canadian.

What do I take away from this experience

1. the marathon is tough. it is a beast and it beats you up but it also can give you the highest of highs. Three women: Leslie, Lyndsay and Melanie killed it out there and had those highest of high experiences. They ran well and they deserve a huge congratulations for their efforts.Watching them achieve that makes me want to get out there and chase that feeling again, maybe not in the marathon for a while but I love that feeling when it comes, that elusive feeling when it all comes together and you just flow

2. The race is just the pinnacle of the hard work you put in. It is important to celebrate the journey there, and  I loved the journey. This training cycle was a huge confidence builder for me and even though it didn't come together in the race all that work is still there and will pay dividends going forward

3. Our running community is amazing. I had the opportunity to run with some amazing women and we all worked together. I also got to meet marathoners from other countries and that is always fun. The crowd support out on the course was phenomenal as was the support from runners on the course.

4. It's ok to dream big and not reach those goals right away. Yes it's disappointing but it's ok. It's not the end and there is always more time to grow.

5. Getting selected for doping control post marathon it is tough to pee! I spent a long time trying to produce a sample but I am extremely grateful to be part of a running community that respects the integrity of sport and importance of athletes competing clean. Thank you Canada Running Series and Athletics Canada for ensuring drug testing is in place at these competitions.

Lastly I need to say a huge thank you to so many:

Firstly my family, who support me in this passion of mine for running, my friends and running community who sent me so many beautiful messages both before and after the race. Seriously they brought me such joy and lifted me up. My friend and Oiselle Team Mate Sasha Gollish who hosted for a few days before I moved into the hotel.

My coach Richard Lee who knows what to say even in those tough moments. My BC Endurance Project teammates who encouraged me in workouts, who sent me funny messages about oatmeal, who all love this sport as much as me. Also a huge thanks to Brian McCalder and BC athletics for supporting and believing in high performance training groups.

Alan Brookes, Clifton Cunningham and all the Canada Running Series Staff who put on an exceptional event and really promote the sport of running here in Canada.

The volunteers who ensured we were fed, well rested and got where we needed to be over the weekend.

Lastly thanks to my sponsors who have supported me as a masters athlete. Not all companies are willing to support older athletes and I love that these companies believe in the life long pursuit of goals and running. Oiselle, Nuun, Zensah, Addaday Canada, Forerunners, New Balance Canada Thank you !


                JP Bedard &  I. JP  ran 6 marathons over  the course of the weekend to raise awareness for childhood sexual abuse. What an accomplishment and inspiration!                  

Sasha and I after my last workout pre marathon! best host and pacer around 

 Me in my focused zone through the beaches (thanks Claire for the pics)

 the final push to the finish (thx Mimi for the photo) 

Time for a break

Today is a beautiful fall day and it felt like the perfect time to sit down and write about running. Normally on a day like today I would be out running but I'm not as I am on a running break. This break came a few weeks earlier than I had anticipated, however, I am trying to embrace the rest and let my body and mind recover from a huge year of training and competing. Originally my break was scheduled for after October 18th, when I was hoping to be competing at the Canadian Marathon Championships in Toronto at STWM. That goal has now been put to the side.

When I came back from Pan Ams in July, my coach Richard Lee and I sat down to determine my fall goals. Knowing I had already run 3 marathons, Houston, Eugene and Pan Ams we knew aiming for a 4th was a gamble, however, I had managed to stay healthy throughout the training, and with Pan Ams not having a marathon build training cycle prior, due to the short notice, I had really only completed two marathon training cycles. We recognized it was a gamble as to whether I would remain healthy building to Toronto and were cognizant that I may have to pull out if my body or mind led me to. Richard developed a training plan for me that included 2 lead up races, the Eastside 10k in Vancouver, followed by the San Jose half marathon in California.

With it being summer I also had a couple of trips planned. In August, I had the opportunity to go to Bird Camp. This is a camp put on by my sponsor Oiselle and was held in Leavenworth Washington at the beautiful Sleeping Lady Resort. Prior to camp I had only met my team mates via social media, so I  was really excited to meet them in person. What an incredible experience. Oiselle is a company that truly practices what it preaches. Oiselle's love of running, along with their belief in pure sport, and their creation of communities and relationships made me even more proud to be a part of their team. I met some amazing women and had some incredible experiences that included running, hiking, eating, river floating, meditation, yoga and core work.

Following camp, I headed with my family to Naramata in the Okanagon. This is a usually one of my favourite trips as it is a beautiful lake getaway. The running involves lots of hills and it is typically hot but it is a great strength builder during a marathon build. Unfortunately, this year the forest fires from Washington were enclosing the area in a smoke filled haze. The air quality wasn't great and it made running not so much fun. It caused my asthma to flare up which made running more difficult but I was able to continue running.

Upon returning to Vancouver, my running workouts were going okay. I didn't feel as fresh as I had hoped to and I was experiencing a bit of a foot niggle with my left foot. It was strange as the bottom of my foot began to feel bruised. The pain wasn't anywhere specific and it tended to come and go and move around. I had a callous buildup on the ball of my foot, and some swelling on the top of my foot, but again this came and went and with treatment would often dissipate. I consulted with my sports med Dr Bovard and with my physio Marilou Lamy and we determined that I could continue to train as long as the pain didn't increase. 

My first race, the Eastside 10k was on September 19th. It was a very wet rainy day making the roads a bit slick. I warmed up for the race with a group of running friends and did not feel fresh, although I often feel this way in the warm up. I also was aware of my foot as it was hurting a bit. I didn't feel the pain was greater than usual and believed I would be fine to race. I put on my flats, the gun went off and I started to run. I knew from the start something was off. My left side just wasn't turning over probably and I had limited power from my left foot. I wasn't able to turnover any faster and it was frustrating. I didn't feel any pain in my foot, however, I was aware I wasn't planting my foot properly. I finished the race pain free but nowhere near as fast as I knew I was capable of. Starting on my cool down my foot started to really hurt. I realized I was limping and this scared me.

Fortunately I had a pre-booked appointment with my sports med doc for the Tuesday following the race. When I saw him and explained what had happened he decided we needed to do some testing to see what was going on. He sent me for an X-ray and a bone scan. He also told me I needed to stop running as he suspected a stress reaction or fracture. The X-ray came back clear and the bone scan showed a hot spot. I am still waiting on final results from the bone scan as they had a CT component that should be able to pinpoint whether there is a fracture or not.

After meeting with Dr. Bovard, prior to the tests,  I talked with Richard again and we decided it was time to call it a season. There is  no point in trying to recoup quickly from this. We both know it is better for me to get healthy and strong again for the spring season. So where does that leave me now?I know I am not running until I am pain free. I will start cross training next week, but until then I am having two full weeks off to recover from the year. It has been quite a while since I had a long break and I am managing it quite well at the moment. I always find it hard when it is a beautiful running day and I wish I was out there doing what I love to do, but I know I need to be smart, patient and remain positive if I want to come back and compete.

I am also embracing running by cheering on my friends who still are running. So many of my amazing running friends will be competing in marathons over the next few weeks and I can't wait to see how all their hard work pays off. I will continue to enjoy the journey as I get healthy and strong.

A huge thank you again to my coach Richard Lee, whose guidance and support are exactly what I need. Also to my sponsor Oiselle, who not only make the most kick ass running gear, but who are an example of the power of a running community that speaks up for what it believes in. Thanks to Nuun who keep me hydrated by making such yummy flavours (especially watermelon and grape). Thanks to Sports Uber and Zensah Compression who make sure whenever my calves get tight or I am flying somewhere that I am compressed and supported. Also thanks to Fast and Female, for whom I am an ambassador. They work hard to help motivate girls to stay in sport. check them out!!

                                                 Enjoying the view after a hike at Bird Camp

 
                                                  A beautiful long run with Oiselle team mates

                                                   Some of the Oiselle crew post long run

With Leanna Keto, a fellow Canadian Oiselle team mate and Kristin Metcalfe the best team leader!

                                           post long tempo run in the smoky Naramata haze

       
                                          A Naramata sunset our last night, after the smoke cleared

                                             The start of the Eastside 10k in Vancouver
                                                photo cred: Dave Burroughs

                                                  Racing the raindrops in the Eastside 10k
                                                     photo cred : Dave Burroughs

The Return to Racing

This past weekend was my first foray back in the racing circuit since the marathon. I had hoped to start racing the week prior, however, a nasty virus decided to circulate through the family and I got it a couple of days before the race (why do the mom's always get it last?) I had to make the decision whether to race or not. This was a harder decision than it should have been for me. I don't like to miss out on races, and the St. Patricks Day 5k is one of my favourite on the circuit, however, the marathon is my goal for the Spring and that is where my focus is. So I missed the race took a couple of easy days and jumped back in to training. Definitely the right decision. Unfortunately, the virus is lingering and I am still coughing almost 2 weeks later. I have been able to train though, and was able to run my first race back this past weekend.

The Modo 8k is  a Canada Running Series (CRS) event and is their opening event in the series. CRS puts together strong elite fields and a fun event. Last year running this race I had already run a few races leading in to it and was focusing on speed workouts on the track. This year with my training focusing on the marathon I knew this would be a very different experience, as I would lack the speed training. When focusing on the marathon, often speed is sacrificed for longer workouts, as maintaining marathon pace for a long time is key, not running a series of fast 400s on the track. Also I would not be tapering at all for this race, instead I would be running 3 big workouts the week prior. The Sunday before I had a 20 mile run with 10k at marathon pace, followed by 5x2k/2'' the following Tuesday and a 25k run with 15k of alternating km paces. I am really loving all these longer workouts. Seriously :)

The plan going into this race was really just to go out hard and try and hold a fast pace as long as I could. The race went out fast with Lanni Marchant, Rachel Cliff and Dayna Pidhoresky leading and me trying to hold on. I was already a few seconds back at 1km which I went through in 3:14 (it's a fast start with some downhill). I just tried to focus on moving my legs. It was interesting as I felt like I was running hard but my legs didn't feel like they wanted to turnover. Also with the fast pace my breathing was not sounding great. I didn't panic though and just kept moving forward. I was in no mans land for most of the race until around 6.5 k where I caught a couple of the guys and one of them went with me. The last km of the race is uphill and I really felt this. My coach was mid way up the hill and yelled "only 90 more seconds", I think it was longer than that but it helped to know I was close. I crossed the finish line in 28:00 flat, 4th overall and 1st master.

Crossing the line, my initial response was disappointment. In 2014 I had really had a great year and had set PBs at every distance, so to start the 2015 season without a PB felt strange. Upon reflection though I recognized that this was actually a pretty strong start given my training that week and lack of speed training and taper. To not be far off last years time, where I focused on the shorter races was really encouraging. As the day went on I became really happy with the result. I think this is great start to the season and I can't wait for the marathon. I am excited to hopefully PB at the marathon distance and it will definitely be worth the sacrifice of the shorter races maybe not being as fast as last year.


A huge congrats to Lanni, Rachel and Dayna who finished in that order in strong form! And thank you to Dayna who accompanied me on part of my long run following the race. Also thanks to Natasha Wodak who always gives the best cheers and presented us with our awards!


I am excited for what the season ahead brings and loving being back in the racing community. Loving this journey....

Thanks to Rita Ivanuskus for always taking great race photos. I think I was in a lot of pain at this point. 

At the awards ceremony with Natasha, Dayna and Rachel (apparently I missed the memo to wear pink)

Photo cred Natasha Wodak. Me in my race kit on a gorgeous morning in Vancouver

Beautiful Spring Blossoms in Vancouver

A poster I did for CRS and Oiselle

Some new Oiselle goodies

My race kit, loving the Asics Hyperspeeds for the short races

Post Marathon now what?

So the marathon is over and it's time to regroup so now what? Upon returning from Houston I was feeling pretty mixed about things. It's always hard when you have set goals and they haven't quite gone to plan. That said I was looking at the positives of the race and recognizing my accomplishment.

I sat down with coach Rich to discuss the Spring and we decided that I'm not finished with the marathon yet. Building in some recovery from Houston then building back to a Spring marathon became the plan. So yes, I am embarking on another marathon journey and excited to see where this one takes me. Hopefully a Pan Am standard, sub 2:40, which I know I am capable of. Even if I make the standard I know it is unlikely I will make the team given the depth of fast women in the marathon in Canada at the moment, however, for me it's important to know I can achieve the standard and be considered for the team.

I also needed to check in with the family to make sure they were OK with me embarking on this journey again. It's not just the time required for training, but the time to recover which includes rolling and massage, strength training, nutrition and just being tired! The family was awesome and jumped on board. Unfortunately the flu hit a couple of members of our household just as my mileage and training ramped up so I ended up pretty tired, even though so far I've been spared the flu.

So after 3 weeks of easy lower mileage I began to build back up and add some fartleks into my runs. Six  weeks later I am back to full mileage in the marathon build. It's fun being out there doing long workouts again, plus it's been much easier with the absolutely amazing weather we have been having. Going for long tempos, long interval and track sessions when the sun is shining is so much easier than the rain.

My typical week at the moment hovers around 140km and includes a long run, which typically has a workout built in to it, as well as two more sessions including a track/trail interval session or a long tempo or long interval session workout. I find any more than 3 big workouts a week too much for me and I seem to adjust pretty well to this schedule. Most of my track work is long sessions as well, so not any quick speed workout which is what I am used to doing at this time of year. I am definitely tired moving back to full training but excited to see where it takes me.

Next weekend will be my first race of the season, The St Patricks Day 5k in Stanley Park. I love this race, as the organizers Steve and Karen put on a great event for all, and the prizes and post race party are always fun! I have no idea how it will go, as I haven't been doing any short speed work, so basically I am just hoping to make my legs go fast. I will have a workout right after as well.

http://www.stpatricks5k.com

The following weekend I will be racing the Modo 8k. This is a Canada Running Series event and again the organization is superb. Hopefully the 5k will get my legs into gear for this race. I love supporting the Canada Running Series as they go above and beyond in supporting us as athletes. Leading into this race my sponsor Oiselle will be teaming up with the Canada Running Series for a fun giveaway.

http://www.canadarunningseries.com/spring8k/

Basically both races will be an opportunity to get the legs moving but will be more of training runs. I am excited to get back out there with everyone.  I feel so fortunate to have such an amazing running community.


I also wanted to mention that Asics Canada has been extremely generous in working with Distance Runwear, and has provided me with a fantastic pair of shoes for training.

Also for a great article on my coach Richard Lee and the BC Endurance Project that I train with, check out the current issue of Canadian Running.

I look forward to the events ahead and I am constantly remembering to enjoy the journey on the way!

My new shoes from Asics Canada and Distance Runwear 

Just before a 10 mile tempo in the park with Natasha Wodak, Dylan Wykes and Rob Watson

 

Cooling down post km repeats with Natasha Wodak and Dayna Pidhoresky

Vancouver