Double Digit TEmperatures to Deep FreezeThe perfect analogy to sum up the weather this past week in the Southern Ontario region is one heck of a roller-coaster at its best. The short term warm temperatures lead to slushy, slippery conditions which actually makes it even more difficult to run than it is in those frigid cold temperatures. You are more likely to get all muddy and miserable than ever while also having added risks of injury while trying to dodge puddles or thawing ice chunks on the road. Speaking of which, the risks of getting sick is also at an all-time high - especially if you are not properly dressed for the weather outside. Speaking of outside, here are my recommended suggestions of what to wear or to layer up for temperatures within the 0 to -15 degrees celsius or colder. Layering Up: becomING a Suburban Uptown Winter (Runner) warrior
(2) Athletic Technical T-Shirt + Hoodie / Tights (aka Compression Pants) If you have run multiple races or participated in various charity runs, I am sure that you have more than enough of those t-shirts (whether cotton or technical). I recommend choosing a moisture wicking kind of shirts so that sweat can be transported out easier, leaving you comfortable and conditioned amongst the warm layers of clothing. Long sleeves work too. Bonus: Q: Do you run with music from your smartphone? A: Based from experience, smartphones tend not to survive all too long in the Canadian cold. Battery life rapidly depletes quicker than usual when exposed and it is best to keep your phone warm during the run. Even if it involves minor inconvenience, wear your sports strap on first before wearing a second layer such as a hoodie. The next layer would be best if it is either a hoodie or a thick fabric sweater that you intend to abuse, sweat profusely, and wash repeatedly. It is essentially your insulation and storing as much heat as you can from the running. For the lower body, I suggest either a pair of performance tights or if last resort, joggers. As crazy as it sounds, tights will indeed make you more nimble and not feel like you're running in a sumo wrestler's suit. Most tights are also equipped with some sort of reflective strips to make sure you are visible at night (in addition to other apparels with other reflective imprints) (3) Wind Resistant Jacket Now that you have coated yourself with some lubrication for rigorous movement and sufficient clothing layering for insulation, getting a wind-resistant jacket top things off for your wintery run. Happy running and stay safe out there! - M.W.
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Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront half-Marathon
I took this particular week on the easier, relaxing side with the Niagara Falls International Marathon still fresh on my mind. Meanwhile, there was lots going on leading up to the local Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon happening exactly one week after the Niagara Falls. I signed up for this race months ago, speculating that I should have more than enough rest days to recuperate.
There was also another event called the Ghost Race happening in Toronto as hosted by Lululemon from October 13 - 22. Essentially, it was a live run that starts from a certain marked location and keep following through the hints within their set course. Once the course is completed, the raw GPS data must be uploaded onto the Strava app for validation. In the Toronto region, the run was located at the Martin Goodman Trail. I ran through this route with my buddy that was making a short homestay visit while we were picking our packet pickup at the Exhibition Grounds located in the Enercare Centre. I noticed that this event was mostly hosted in major cities. Although this is fine, it would be much preferred if they also have events like these in the uptown area.
A couple of days after the Ghost Run, it was finally the main feature - the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Half-Marathon. For me, this was effectively a mini redemption run - to expel some frustrations from the week before and also rectifying the smaller actions that attributed to last week's fuck up.
This year, I started all the way at the end of the first (red) corral. I was banking that this would give me ample of space to maneuver around various runners and set a constant, sustainable pace for the remainder of the run. The notion of "don't start bursting out of the floodgates too fast" was by and large from the very start of the race - especially since I committed such a rookie mistake still fresh from one week prior. I was very cautious of my pace for the first five kilometres of the race until the slight downhill segment (similar to the end line of the Sporting Life 10K area at the bridge and then the down slope) and then I started to increase my pace comfortably from the 5th kilometre to the 13th km where you do the turnaround at the Lakeshore Boulevard. I also conserved enough energy to make a huge boost by delaying my energy gel intake so that way the calories kick in right when you start running uphill at the 14 - 17th km slot. At the end of it all, I managed to register in a final chip time of 1:32:46 which almost eclipsed the all-time PB time I got back in June 2017 from the Barrie Half Marathon. Not bad considering this was a secondary cool down from the full-marathon from the week before. More importantly, it acts as a huge confidence booster with another few weeks until a second redemption opportunity knocks in the form of the Hamilton Road2Hope Marathon. As my university's universal motto goes, "keep pushing on!" (or Surgite!) - MW Hamilton Road2Hope Marathon
The weather for race day was certainly not the most ideal with intermittent rainfall and cold winds. However, I was able to manage my overall pace from start to finish as well as even distributing my energy gel pack intake.
Takeaways from this race: maintain a comfortable yet manageable pace / energy gels or chews are your best friend (the more the better... without upsetting your stomach that is) / study the route map and elevation (if you run with music, see how long your playlist is and sequence it in a sense where the most pumped up beats occur when you need it the most) I especially find this YouTube video embedded from the Hamilton Road2Hope Marathon website quite useful as I could envision the time and pace of where I want to be at, at a certain given time during the race.
I look forward to tackle this course again in the near future and use this as my benchmark for potential BQ times.
I'm still smiling ear to ear knowing that a carved out a 19 minute advantage over my last best marathon! Summer Mileage UpdatesHey everyone! Seems like summer is flying by at lightning speed fast and almost over before you know it.
From my last entry to now, the mileage accumulated still hovers around the 60km range while juggling weekday work and some other weekend casual part-time shifts. I noticed that I have been running much more efficiently compared to last summer. Base from the Strava stats, I see from the matched runs of the same routes that I do over and over is becoming easier to manage as proven by the overall pace, decreased average heart rate, and an increase on cadence. Once again, I see this as the real-life data analysis and application (math.... yeah.) contrary to my high school self thinking that I will never use what I learned ever again LOL. The crisp, not-so-humid weather and cooling temperatures is also gradually transitioning during the early morning and dusk hours. Good for runners and definitely a sign that autumn is just around the corner. No need to be reminded just by the pumpkin spice lattes alone haha! Anywho, back on the grind and race season is almost upon us! Cheers, M.W. Niagara Falls Marathon Training cont.Been slacking a bit on the blogging side of things, especially during the dogs days of summer - sorry! However, training has resumed three weeks ago and have been averaging around 68 km weekly for the past few weeks. Just like what I wrote the last blog entry , I have been roughly following through one of the Strava Premium training plans in preparation for my marquee fall race at Niagara Falls in October. One of the things I made flexible for myself is to not force runs on any particular given day and having the leverage to closely hit the weekly mileage target on a cumulative basis. This upcoming week, I will be entering week 4. And unlike previous training sessions, racking up such mileage doesn't feel as difficult from previous attempts. I do however have to constantly fight the mental side of things to get myself in tuned and getting outside for a run even though my mind doesn't feel like it. The highlight of these past few runs is finding the controversial cow statue up in Cathedraltown, Markham. I just had to see the hype in person! But what amazes me is that I am now physically capable of running off to places that would've otherwise require a bike ride or a short drive. I'll be back on the grind again for the next few weeks and update from there on!
Cheers, - M.W. |
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