The “less is more” training program is great in that there is less pounding of the body and it doesn’t take up quite as much time as a program like ‘over distance, over time’, where one spends a lot of time in the runners putting in the mileage and time. Of course, the compromise on less time and distance is an increase in intensity. The other aspect of training for a marathon is again, flexibility in the schedule because sometimes it just makes sense to adjust your schedule for any one of a number of reasons such as injury, sickness, urgent matters that arise including work.
Monday was a day off with just a bit of light stretching and Tuesday involved several lengthy meetings so not home until well after 8pm and nothing to eat since lunch. Life has a way of throwing things at you so rather than complaining, explaining or moaning, do something, be it adjust or take care of it. On an empty stomach, thought that the scheduled workout would suffer in quality with my ‘guts’ rumbling and the energy reserves depleted so I adjusted and moved things back a day.
Then Wednesday rolled around and that meant some speed, or in my case, perhaps not so much “speed” as picking up the pace so that it feels fast, that the legs are being tested and the lungs are working harder. So, a few warm-up laps on the all too curvy track then back on that indefatigable machine, the treadmill and dialled in a 6:00min/mi (3min45 sec/km) and ran off a 400m interval on the belt. After a 60 sec or so rest, I repeated that; then for the last eight 400m intervals, I completed 2 each at a mile/min pace of 5:56; 5:52; 5:49; and 5:45. The best part of the workout, other than finishing and hitting the shower, was the reward of slowing down the treadmill for the recovery pace at the end of each 400m interval. Small things; it’s all about the small things!
Thursday, Feb 3: Choosing play over a workout
Another cross-training day arrived on the schedule and the family was keen on heading up to the Rec Centre for a couple hours to workout. I balked for a moment: work-out, why not simply go have some fun? It seemed strange to me that the 10 and 15 year old boys were talking about a work-out rather than just going up and doing a few activities, something that would be fun and still be great exercise. There was only minimal resistance to my concept of the four of us doing something fun together as a group -- as a family -- and once we were up there at the sport complex; it was indeed, a whole lot of fun. Between badminton and basketball, we paired up and simply “played” and after nearly 2 hours on the gym floor, it seemed that my cross-training needs were more than adequately addressed and more importantly, got to spend some of that elusive quality time with the family.
The change from a structured work-out or training session was a refreshing change, as it’s not so much about what the exercise is, it’s whether one’s choice of exercise is actually fun! It was a simple night out with no real structure or set plans, yet it seemed everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves, perhaps I most of all. I’m completely new to the ‘family’ thing in the sense of being a dad like figure, and although I have years and years in as a brother, uncle, and cousin, being a “step-dad” is a whole different facet of family dynamics. And I must admit, one I’m thoroughly enjoying!
Friday, Feb 4: “Slip-sliding away, slip-sliding away”...think Paul Simon
For those who have never experienced Calgary’s whacky winter weather, the first week of February provided an example of its fickle weather patterns. Over the course of the week, the average daily temperature climbed from a numbing -29C on Monday to a balmy +10C on Friday. Oh, how us southern Albertans cherish our Chinooks for their wonderful reprieve from an otherwise harsh winter. Feb 4 was one of those days, the Chinook having delivered a few days of warmth, clearing up the skies and allowing bright sunshine to combat the winter ‘blahs’. Living up to its reputation as a “snow-eater”, a mini-meltdown was in full swing with snow-banks seemingly disappearing one night. Water was running in the street, conspiratorially concealing its frozen cousin lying underneath. After a teleconference working session most of the morning, lunchtime was the opportunity to get out and enjoy the blue skies so off I took for a borderline tempo run for 8km. Borderline in that there was a lot of trepid footfalls on icy surfaces, countered by exuberant hops over small rivulets of water making their way to the Elbow River. Spring like, Mother Nature was taunting us as there was plenty of winter yet to come. But I also had another mini-escape planned....
Late afternoon saw me winging my way south and west back to Hawaii, this time to the idyllic island of Maui. To me, the only thing better than working in the airline industry is to have a significant other that works in the industry as inexpensive flights make for a lot of spontaneous trips. All one needs is time, and a plane going somewhere desirable with an empty seat or two.
Saturday, Feb 5: They paved part of paradise
All alone, the hotel lobby at the Westin Resort made the 6 hours of flying (one-way) almost worthwhile. The waterfall and lagoon that the lobby opened up to provided an incredible tropical ambience although I wrestled whether the live flamingos were a bit over-the-top, or the perfect touch?! Sipping a glass of cold IPA while sitting outside at 11pm in February has a definite appeal, flamingos or not.
Great View from the Hotel LobbyI modified the schedule again to accommodate a long run in the warmth of Ka’anapali, moving the Sunday long run up a day. It was a gorgeous day, but man, it sure seemed a lot hotter than +27C! To get in the 18km run without repeating the few kms along the sea too many times, I started out on the highway which certainly added to my sense of wilting under the sun with the heat rising off the black pavement. The traffic was also distracting in more ways than one, the noise rather annoying, but I was more on the edge over driving habits as thought that at any moment, I’d have to dive behind a palm tree to prevent becoming a hood ornament for a local preoccupied with his cell phone while driving.
Ka’anapali BeachAfter a few km, reason set back in and I made my way back down to the beach, following the boardwalk back to the hotel where Lisa was waiting to join me for the last 9km of the run. We managed to get most of our distance in on the boardwalk, apparently only upsetting a few strollers who seemed disturbed by our running in paradise. Obviously not conditioned for the warmth at this time of year, our faces resembled pomegranates by the time we had returned to our hotel, the exertion in the tropical heat perhaps just a tad too much. A cold shower and breakfast over-looking the ocean soon set things right. After serious re-hydrating, a long walk along the beach watching humpback whales playing off-shore a couple of hundred yards put a nice exclamation mark on this weekend run!
Stretching or holding on for dear life?!
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