Saturday morning I woke up before my alarm. I immediately turned my basal insulin down to 50% for 4 hours. I got dressed, had a bowl of Dorset cereal with kefir and a banana sliced on top for which I took 1.5 units of insulin instead of 5.
I was heading to my first Saturday morning brick training workout and had no idea what to do with my insulin or my blood sugar. I was playing it very conservatively because I did not want to find myself having to pull over in the middle of a workout due to a low.
I tossed my running shoes and my glucometer into a bag, along with six emergency packages of fruit chews (in addition to the four that were already shoved into my the bag on my bike) and headed off. I was the first one to arrive. Followed soon after by three very young, lean, fit-looking people with bikes that could eat mine for breakfast.
I forced myself not to bolt and ignored the voice in my head that said to run away now while no one knew me so they'd never know who the crazy girl was who showed up and then left.
Two friends showed up, thank heavens, and assured me that I would indeed be fine. Perhaps a little tired at the end but fine.
The plan for the day was the following. Cycle about 5k to one of the athlete's houses. Our coach would bring his car loaded with our shoes and meet us there. Then head off for a hilly 12k (or so) ride (at tempo pace) to a meeting point. From there, we would do a 5 1/2k loop at race pace. Most people would do it three times. A few of us, including me, would do it twice. Cycle back to our shoes. Go for a run. My run was to be a 2k run (run out 1k, turn around, run back), rest two minutes, then run out 1k again, rest 1 minute, and run back 1k. Cycle about 6k home.
Grand total: 42k of riding. 4k of running. Time spent moving: a little over 2 hours.
That's how it worked out on paper. Here's how it worked out in real life.
Five minutes before leaving, my pump alarmed to tell me that battery in my continuous glucose monitor transmitter was low and instructed me to order a new one. Bloody hell! I've worn this transmitter for about 8 months now. I knew that would happen eventually but not on the Saturday of a long weekend. I couldn't order a new one until Tuesday now and I have no idea how long a low battery will survive. Hours? Days? Weeks? I tossed my glucometer in my bag just in case and headed out, grateful for and yet cursing technology.
I kept up fairly well during the warm-up ride. Everyone did a 'leisurely' 25km/hour pace and I pedalled madly to keep up. It worked. I was quite warm quite quickly.
The tempo ride up and down the hills outside of town was faster than my race pace. It was crazy. Everyone else was just gone. One friend, who was on an easy week to recover from her Olympic triathlon the week before, held back with me but the rest of the group was just gone. I would have despaired if I wasn't so freaking proud of myself for keeping up such an aggressive pace (for me anyway).
Then came the 5 1/2k loops. "I want you to race this" were the instructions. And I want your times at the end of the loop because we'll do this again in a few weeks.
"I've been going faster than race pace already" I mumbled. "This should be interesting".
It was. The loop had some pretty tough sections with some pretty steep hills. I pedalled hard up the hills and hard on the flats. We finished the loop in about 14 minutes. Rest two minutes and do it again.
The instructions on the way back were 'go at tempo pace. Don't race it but it shouldn't be easy.'
I was dropped, and I mean dropped, within a minute. I lost sight of everyone despite forcing my tired legs to dig deep and hold a 30+ km/hour pace on anything that looked remotely flat. By the time I made it back to the meeting point, everyone else was in the running shoes and ready to run.
I changed quickly, received my instructions and headed off...for what turned out to be a really good run.
I ran the kilometres in 6:12, 6:18, 5:49 and 5:54 min/k. Anyone who knows my running speed knows that this is crazy fast. And yet it felt pretty comfortable.
I cycled home, guzzled my chocolate milk, stretched, showered and spent the day not doing too much. It was fun and I'll definitely do it again.
Blood sugar report: I hung out around 10.0 for most of the bike ride. I had dropped to 7.9 by the time we were ready to cycle back so I had a package of fruit chews. I finished the run at 8.9 and was 6.9 by the time I got home. That, my friends, is success!
Showing posts with label hills. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hills. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Heart Rate Update
I think it's about time for a heart rate update. Seeing as how I track it pretty religiously these days, I might as well report back in case anyone out there is thinking about training using your heart rate.
Since running is the sport that I do the most (3 times per week rather than just 1 or 2) it's the activity that I am getting the most practice with in terms of figuring out heart rate.
What I've been trying to do is to keep my long runs under 160 beats per minute while keeping my shorter runs under 165. Last week I started doing speed work again and I'm planning to get back into hill workouts this week. For those I just go full speed ahead and then check what my heart rate is at the end. For the speed work I peaked at 174 beats per minute and for hills I'm guessing I'll max out at 180 since that was my max last fall.
Here is an example of how things have been going:
Saturday I ran 14k. I tried very hard to keep my heart rate between 155-160 and it stayed there easily for most of it but kept creeping over 160 during the last few kilometres. That being said, I ran 14k without too much effort and I did not stop once. Not even for 15 seconds at a red light. I just started running at the end of my driveway, ran 7k, turned around and ran back to my driveway. Best part was that I didn't want to stop. It felt easy enough that I knew I could do it so I did.
The tradeoff is that I'm slower than I used to be. Not by a lot but still slower.
That being said, I'll take 15 seconds per kilometre slower if the tradeoff is that I can run for 90 minutes with no great difficulty and feel completely fine for the rest of the day.
I'll be ramping up the mileage over the next few weeks as I train for my spring half marathon. I'm running 16k next week, 18k not long after and then I'm in the 20s for a few weeks in a row. If I can keep my heart rate down and glide through those distances too, I'll be completely sold on this new way of running.
On to other activities!
I have used the erg (aka rowing machine) four times now at my new fitness centre. I've tracked my heart rate each time as well as my distance. During my first two 30-minute workouts it was a struggle to get 6000m done. On the third one I did 6400m and just this past Sunday I was able to do 6650m. So I'm obviously getting the hang of this thing.
My heart rate numbers are pretty similar to my running ones. Once I get going I'm hovering in the high 150s, up to 160, for the rest of the workout. Strangely, that heart rate makes for a pretty easy run but it makes for a pretty intense erg session. At the end of 30 minutes I'm dripping wet, panting and exhausted.
For cycling, I can't seem to get my heart rate up to 150, never mind above it. Even when the dude on the video is yelling at us to climb faster or spin faster or push harder, I tend to hover around 145bpm. I feel like I'm working pretty darn hard but it's not reflected in my heart rate.
Tracking my heart rate during a swim is not an option at this point because I don't have the waterproof watch to do it.
Lessons learned so far?
1. Running using heart rate works very well for me. It might not work for the speed demons out there who like to give it their all during every run but it works for me as I try to find a way to run long distance races feeling strong from start to finish.
2. A given heart rate (say 155bpm) is easy to reach during some activities, hard in others and seeming impossible in others still. Yet the effort I'm putting out is different for each activity.
- 155bpm = pretty easy running
- 155bpm = pretty tough erg'ing
- 155bpm = I've never reached that on the bike so I'm guessing it might kill me if I do
Heart rate training may not be for everyone but it's definitely a tool I'm keeping in my fitness toolbox.
Since running is the sport that I do the most (3 times per week rather than just 1 or 2) it's the activity that I am getting the most practice with in terms of figuring out heart rate.
What I've been trying to do is to keep my long runs under 160 beats per minute while keeping my shorter runs under 165. Last week I started doing speed work again and I'm planning to get back into hill workouts this week. For those I just go full speed ahead and then check what my heart rate is at the end. For the speed work I peaked at 174 beats per minute and for hills I'm guessing I'll max out at 180 since that was my max last fall.
Here is an example of how things have been going:
Saturday I ran 14k. I tried very hard to keep my heart rate between 155-160 and it stayed there easily for most of it but kept creeping over 160 during the last few kilometres. That being said, I ran 14k without too much effort and I did not stop once. Not even for 15 seconds at a red light. I just started running at the end of my driveway, ran 7k, turned around and ran back to my driveway. Best part was that I didn't want to stop. It felt easy enough that I knew I could do it so I did.
The tradeoff is that I'm slower than I used to be. Not by a lot but still slower.
That being said, I'll take 15 seconds per kilometre slower if the tradeoff is that I can run for 90 minutes with no great difficulty and feel completely fine for the rest of the day.
I'll be ramping up the mileage over the next few weeks as I train for my spring half marathon. I'm running 16k next week, 18k not long after and then I'm in the 20s for a few weeks in a row. If I can keep my heart rate down and glide through those distances too, I'll be completely sold on this new way of running.
On to other activities!
I have used the erg (aka rowing machine) four times now at my new fitness centre. I've tracked my heart rate each time as well as my distance. During my first two 30-minute workouts it was a struggle to get 6000m done. On the third one I did 6400m and just this past Sunday I was able to do 6650m. So I'm obviously getting the hang of this thing.
My heart rate numbers are pretty similar to my running ones. Once I get going I'm hovering in the high 150s, up to 160, for the rest of the workout. Strangely, that heart rate makes for a pretty easy run but it makes for a pretty intense erg session. At the end of 30 minutes I'm dripping wet, panting and exhausted.
For cycling, I can't seem to get my heart rate up to 150, never mind above it. Even when the dude on the video is yelling at us to climb faster or spin faster or push harder, I tend to hover around 145bpm. I feel like I'm working pretty darn hard but it's not reflected in my heart rate.
Tracking my heart rate during a swim is not an option at this point because I don't have the waterproof watch to do it.
Lessons learned so far?
1. Running using heart rate works very well for me. It might not work for the speed demons out there who like to give it their all during every run but it works for me as I try to find a way to run long distance races feeling strong from start to finish.
2. A given heart rate (say 155bpm) is easy to reach during some activities, hard in others and seeming impossible in others still. Yet the effort I'm putting out is different for each activity.
- 155bpm = pretty easy running
- 155bpm = pretty tough erg'ing
- 155bpm = I've never reached that on the bike so I'm guessing it might kill me if I do
Heart rate training may not be for everyone but it's definitely a tool I'm keeping in my fitness toolbox.
Friday, January 23, 2015
Early Morning Hills and Max HR
I think I figured out my max heart rate.
I first did it by using the standard calculation of 220 minus my age which gave me 180. I'll let you do the reverse math if you want to figure out x (x being my age of course).
Having done that, I had read enough literature in the last week about how inaccurate this formula can be that I decided to figure it out the ol'fashioned way. Don't worry, I didn't do anything rash. I simply followed a suggestion that I read on several running sites. They all suggested that I strap on my heart rate monitor and head out for a good ol' hill workout.
So that's exactly what I did on Thursday morning.
As instructed, I ran 2k first to warm up. The instructions were then to run a big hill three times. Check my heart rate at the top of the first two climbs. On the third, go all out as hard as I could to the top. Check heart rate and that should be my max (or pretty close to it anyway).
After my 2k, I ran partway up the hill twice just to make sure I was warmed up enough. Once back at the bottom, I let my heart rate drop back down to below 120 beats per minute (bpm) and then I headed up to the top. At the top, I checked my watch and saw 170 bpm on the screen.
I trotted back down again.
The second time up I pushed harder. At the top, I saw 175 bpm.
The third time I pushed so hard that I didn't actually manage to run right to the top. I was so out of breath and shaky that I stopped two telephone poles from the top for fear of collapse.
My heart rate?
180 on the dot.
Exactly the same number that the heart rate formula spit out.
When I uploaded the run from my watch later that day, it confirmed that my max heart rate during that hill workout was exactly 180 bpm.
What have I learned so far?
- I've learned my max heart rate.
- I've learned that, for once, I am exactly as the textbook says I should be.
- I've learned that I'm not actually all the pleased about being exactly as I am supposed to be - I much prefer to be a little more interesting than that.
- I've learned that I have been doing my long runs at a heart rate that is way too high (172-175 bpm).
What am I going to do about that?
Well, since I'm not training for anything specific right now, I'm going to spend the next few weeks running in my heart rate zones. I'm going to do my Saturday long run at a slower heart rate (80-85% of my max) rather than what I've been doing it as which, as it turns out, is about 95% of my max.
I'm guessing that it's going to feel really really slow. I'm guessing I'm going to be annoyed at the fact that I'll have to keep slowing down to keep my heart rate in the zone (especially considering that I already feel rather slow). But I have enough friends who have had great success using their heart rate as a guide that I'm willing to give it a try.
Not a half-hearted try where I do one slower Saturday run and then resume my normal running pace but a real try. The kind where I pretend to forget everything I know about running and start over.
Because if using this technique can help me become a stronger running and allow me to run a half marathon at a pace that I can sustain from start to finish, I'll take it in a heart beat.
(Get it?)
I first did it by using the standard calculation of 220 minus my age which gave me 180. I'll let you do the reverse math if you want to figure out x (x being my age of course).
Having done that, I had read enough literature in the last week about how inaccurate this formula can be that I decided to figure it out the ol'fashioned way. Don't worry, I didn't do anything rash. I simply followed a suggestion that I read on several running sites. They all suggested that I strap on my heart rate monitor and head out for a good ol' hill workout.
So that's exactly what I did on Thursday morning.
As instructed, I ran 2k first to warm up. The instructions were then to run a big hill three times. Check my heart rate at the top of the first two climbs. On the third, go all out as hard as I could to the top. Check heart rate and that should be my max (or pretty close to it anyway).
After my 2k, I ran partway up the hill twice just to make sure I was warmed up enough. Once back at the bottom, I let my heart rate drop back down to below 120 beats per minute (bpm) and then I headed up to the top. At the top, I checked my watch and saw 170 bpm on the screen.
I trotted back down again.
The second time up I pushed harder. At the top, I saw 175 bpm.
The third time I pushed so hard that I didn't actually manage to run right to the top. I was so out of breath and shaky that I stopped two telephone poles from the top for fear of collapse.
My heart rate?
180 on the dot.
Exactly the same number that the heart rate formula spit out.
When I uploaded the run from my watch later that day, it confirmed that my max heart rate during that hill workout was exactly 180 bpm.
What have I learned so far?
- I've learned my max heart rate.
- I've learned that, for once, I am exactly as the textbook says I should be.
- I've learned that I'm not actually all the pleased about being exactly as I am supposed to be - I much prefer to be a little more interesting than that.
- I've learned that I have been doing my long runs at a heart rate that is way too high (172-175 bpm).
What am I going to do about that?
Well, since I'm not training for anything specific right now, I'm going to spend the next few weeks running in my heart rate zones. I'm going to do my Saturday long run at a slower heart rate (80-85% of my max) rather than what I've been doing it as which, as it turns out, is about 95% of my max.
I'm guessing that it's going to feel really really slow. I'm guessing I'm going to be annoyed at the fact that I'll have to keep slowing down to keep my heart rate in the zone (especially considering that I already feel rather slow). But I have enough friends who have had great success using their heart rate as a guide that I'm willing to give it a try.
Not a half-hearted try where I do one slower Saturday run and then resume my normal running pace but a real try. The kind where I pretend to forget everything I know about running and start over.
Because if using this technique can help me become a stronger running and allow me to run a half marathon at a pace that I can sustain from start to finish, I'll take it in a heart beat.
(Get it?)
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Too Focused To Pay Attention
For the five weeks, I have been running with two goals in mind. Recover from my autumn cold and increase my weekend long runs to 15k so that I can run 90 minutes without too much difficulty.
Five weekends ago I ran 10k which was demoralizing after having been off for a few weeks.
Four weekends ago I ran 12k which was pretty tough.
Three weekends ago I ran 14k which was tough but a little bit less so.
Two weekends ago I ran 15k and also went back to my much hillier route which meant added distance and difficulty. It felt surprisingly good and I was pumped. Runner girl was back!
This past Saturday I did the same 15k hilly route again. The hills and the first 10k went quite well. Then I turned into a nasty headwind for 3k which sapped my strength and slowed me down. I persevered and finished but was exhausted by the end...and for the rest of the afternoon. I also had some foot and shin pain which seemed a little odd because I had stretched and iced right after the run and hadn't experienced any problems up to that point.
Later that afternoon I entered my run into my online training program (Training Peaks) and I looked at how my mileage was adding up.
That's when the first of two things hit me.
Céline, you've been so focused on getting your running fitness back that you forgot all about recovery weeks.
I have been running for five weeks without a break - increasing the mileage every single week without slowing down to let my body recover.
So, ready or not, this week is an easy week - 5k runs in the morning before work and 10k on Saturday. C'est tout!
Then the second thing hit me as I limped around the house all afternoon.
How old are your running shoes anyway?
Because I had not been training for anything official since early September, I wasn't paying close attention to the mileage on my shoes. Thankfully, Training Peaks tracks that for me too. I did a little checkie-check and discovered that my 'new' shoes had actually been purchased in June (June!) and had 719k on them.
I usually trade them in at 500k to avoid injury.
How does one run an extra 200k without noticing?
My mathematical prediction?
Easy week + new shoes = an extra little bounce in my step.
Friday, August 8, 2014
All Figured Out?
I have had diabetes for 11 years, 10 months and 7 days.
You'd think I'd have it all figured out by now.
I like numbers and patterns and I have a degree in biology. Heck, I even took an entire course called "The Discovery of Insulin".
You'd think I'd have it all figured out by now.
I like routine and, when something works, I do it over and over rather than messing with a good thing.
You'd think I'd have it all figured out by now.
And yet...
Yesterday morning I did my 6x800m speed workout. Other than my easy 1.5k warmup where I lope along at a leisurely pace, the rest of the workout is basically me sprinting as fast as possible at a speed I can just barely maintain for the entire 800m. I take a 2 minute rest. I do it again. The entire workout is just under 7k in distance and takes the same amount of time as when I run 7k but I'm running 12 fewer minutes overall because of the rest.
When I run 7k at a steady pace, my blood sugar steadily drops throughout the entire run. In order to deal with that, I typically eat one (or two) dates before my run, depending on my blood sugar. The dates keep me pretty steady and I have been known to start and end many a morning run at the same blood sugar number - right down to the decimal point.
When I run 7k in a speed workout, my blood sugar does not drop steadily throughout the run. It seems to either stay steady or even climb a bit. Having a date beforehand is not necessary and it can even cause a spike in blood sugar that is neither helpful nor particularly nice-feeling.
But I have to tell you that it takes a lot of willpower NOT to have a date on speed work mornings. My brain keeps telling me I will go low if I don't. It freaks me out to do such a tough workout with no backup sugar on board. I stalk my CGM like a hawk during the workout and I put several packs of emergency carbs on the roof of my car just in case. Even though the distance between the roof of my car and my kitchen is about 50 feet. Because you never know.
So I have figured out short steady runs (eat 1-2 dates) and I have figured out speed workouts (DON'T EAT A DATE!). I have not yet mastered hill workouts. They are tough sprint-like runs with rest periods built in. Kinda like speed workouts. And yet I seem to trend downward as I would in a regular run. The problem is that hill workouts don't take that long and I don't do them that often so I have yet to figure out the pattern.
So I eat my date because it makes me feel better. I bring extra carbs with me because that is the sensible thing to do. And I bolus a tiny bit extra with my breakfast if I climbed to high (ha!) during the hill workout. I guess that means I have figured out a pattern while I figure out the pattern.
Of course all of this will be shot to hell when the temperature dips below zero again and the winter winds blow cold and strong.
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Time to Shake it up Again
I am often surprised at how quickly I can settle into a routine. A week or two is often all it takes for me to turn something new into a habit.
This is often a good skill to have and I take advantage of it when I can.
It can often, however, leave me at a disadvantage.
Last fall, I decided for reasons unknown to me at the time, that I needed to get better at running hills. I also decided that I did not just want to do hill workouts. I wanted to incorporate hills into my regular runs.
So I changed my weekday morning route from 5-7k to 8k and added a pretty tough hill into the route. I also changed my long runs to incorporate that same hill as well as anther tough hill. No matter how tired I was, no matter how much I didn't feel like forcing myself up those hills, I refused to change the route. And trust me, at 6am, I often wanted nothing more than a mindless (and flat!) running route. As a result of my stubbornness and my new-found routine, I've gotten better at hills and better at recovering from them in the middle of long runs.
My Boxing Day PB proved that as did my 20k long run in Florida that, as I discovered, was chock full of hills - some of them pretty tough. I ran up them all, continued running once I reached the top and still had enough energy to do the distance.
Getting better at hills is the positive outcome of my forcing myself into a new habit.
Getting slower overall was the negative one.
During the winter months I ran more slowly than I was used to running simply because of all the snow and ice. It was impossible to gallop down the street and I setting into a safer, slower pace that slowed even more when I climbed hills.
Now the snow is melted and I've done a few runs on bare pavement. My pace, despite efforts on my part to push a little harder, does not seem to want to come back to it's pre-winter speed.
It looks like I'm going to have to get into a new running routine. One that has me continuing to run my hilly routes but that also includes one speed workout per week. I haven't done specific speed workout in over two years. Between injuries, recoveries, and triathlon training, it just never seemed to fit easily into the routine.
Guess it's time for a new routine.
Again.
This is often a good skill to have and I take advantage of it when I can.
It can often, however, leave me at a disadvantage.
Last fall, I decided for reasons unknown to me at the time, that I needed to get better at running hills. I also decided that I did not just want to do hill workouts. I wanted to incorporate hills into my regular runs.
So I changed my weekday morning route from 5-7k to 8k and added a pretty tough hill into the route. I also changed my long runs to incorporate that same hill as well as anther tough hill. No matter how tired I was, no matter how much I didn't feel like forcing myself up those hills, I refused to change the route. And trust me, at 6am, I often wanted nothing more than a mindless (and flat!) running route. As a result of my stubbornness and my new-found routine, I've gotten better at hills and better at recovering from them in the middle of long runs.
My Boxing Day PB proved that as did my 20k long run in Florida that, as I discovered, was chock full of hills - some of them pretty tough. I ran up them all, continued running once I reached the top and still had enough energy to do the distance.
Getting better at hills is the positive outcome of my forcing myself into a new habit.
Getting slower overall was the negative one.
During the winter months I ran more slowly than I was used to running simply because of all the snow and ice. It was impossible to gallop down the street and I setting into a safer, slower pace that slowed even more when I climbed hills.
Now the snow is melted and I've done a few runs on bare pavement. My pace, despite efforts on my part to push a little harder, does not seem to want to come back to it's pre-winter speed.
It looks like I'm going to have to get into a new running routine. One that has me continuing to run my hilly routes but that also includes one speed workout per week. I haven't done specific speed workout in over two years. Between injuries, recoveries, and triathlon training, it just never seemed to fit easily into the routine.
Guess it's time for a new routine.
Again.
Monday, July 15, 2013
Gravenhurst Olympic Triathlon - Race Recap
The other title to this post is: Diabetes Perfection.
It didn't start out that way. The night before the race, after driving to Gravenhurst, checking out the race route and having a pre-race pasta dinner overlooking Muskoka Bay, we went to bed. I woke up two hours later to a blood sugar of 13.3. I bolused and chugged water. Two hours later I was 17.4. I sighed, bolused more aggressively and drank more water. Two hours later I was 14.0. Same routine. At 5:30am, when my alarm went off, I was 9.0, dehydrated, exhausted and unsure what to do. There was no time for fiddling. I removed a one-day old infusion site and tossed out an almost full insulin reservoir. I was not taking any chances.
Fresh insulin and a fresh site, I started up my race day basal profile, drank a LOT of water and had my granola/yogurt/banana breakfast.
Being tired and emotionally spent after a night of fighting highs, we headed to the race with me feeling resigned rather than nervous. Which probably ended up being a very good thing.
I racked my bike, set up my transition area and listened to the very extensive pre-race instructions. There are a few more things to think about apparently when you take an old steamship to the start of the swim.
It didn't start out that way. The night before the race, after driving to Gravenhurst, checking out the race route and having a pre-race pasta dinner overlooking Muskoka Bay, we went to bed. I woke up two hours later to a blood sugar of 13.3. I bolused and chugged water. Two hours later I was 17.4. I sighed, bolused more aggressively and drank more water. Two hours later I was 14.0. Same routine. At 5:30am, when my alarm went off, I was 9.0, dehydrated, exhausted and unsure what to do. There was no time for fiddling. I removed a one-day old infusion site and tossed out an almost full insulin reservoir. I was not taking any chances.
Fresh insulin and a fresh site, I started up my race day basal profile, drank a LOT of water and had my granola/yogurt/banana breakfast.
Being tired and emotionally spent after a night of fighting highs, we headed to the race with me feeling resigned rather than nervous. Which probably ended up being a very good thing.
I racked my bike, set up my transition area and listened to the very extensive pre-race instructions. There are a few more things to think about apparently when you take an old steamship to the start of the swim.
The famous Jason Vurma giving us our pre-race instructions.
Down at the docks ready to board the steamship
I was feeling pretty calm about the whole thing but watching my blood sugar like a hawk. I was worried about the heat and knew that my blood sugar climbs when I compete in these types of temperates. I also didn't have time to make sure the new site was working and just had to hope for the best. Three checks, thirty minutes apart showed 7.1, 7.0, 6.7. Looks like the basal profile was holding up well so far. I had a box of raisins before heading on to the ship.
Leaving the dock and heading out to the starting buoys.
A lot of the ladies in my wave were pretty nervous about the 6 foot jump off the ship. I ate my pre-race gel, gripped my goggles in one hand, and was one of the first off the ship. I wanted to get away from the nervous energy. I treaded water waiting for the start.
The two steamships unloading their swimmer cargo.
We had to swim left for 400m (past the island you see) and then swim 1100m straight to shore.
The swim was awesome. I felt good the entire way and I swam a strong but not crazy pace. I finished the 1500m swim and the run to the transition zone in 32:59.
I wouldn't normally check my blood sugar between the swim and the bike but, I was worried, so I did. I was 6.3. So far so good Mr. Basal Profile. That meant my plan was working and I could have a gel on the bike.
Heading out for the 40k ride. Most of the route was quite hilly (rollers as they were described) which meant I worked hard on the ups but got breaks on the downs. My pace was slower overall but it felt easier because of the downs.
Coming in from the ride. I still felt really good which surprised me. I haven't ridden 40k at all this year and I had already swum first. I didn't expect this feeling good thing to last much longer. I finished the bike in 1:36:10.
I checked my BG again in the transition zone. It was 7.0. Unbelievable! My plan was still working and I got to have my pre-run gel. I have never had such stellar and stable numbers in an event and never been able to eat what I wanted when I wanted.
The run was hot and there was almost no shade for the entire 10k. It was also hilly for most of the course with a few short flat sections. I didn't know what to expect but I told myself to run easy rather than hard and try not to walk unless it's a water station. I managed to do that for the first 5k and, for the first time in my running career, I passed more people than passed me.
The 5k run back was harder and I was really overheating. I took more walk breaks but, 2k from the finish, a girl in my age category passed me. Normally, I wouldn't care but this time I did. I chased her, and passed her, on the last hill. She chased back, I could hear her behind me, but then she gave up. I ran the next kilometre at a good clip but, 500m from the finish, she sprinted past me. I gave chase but had no speeds left other than the one I was running.
But I ran those last 2k really fast and finished so proud of myself. I had expected a tough tough race. I didn't expect to feel good from start to finish. I finished the 10k in 1:10:40 instead of the 1:15 that I had hoped to do.
My final blood sugar check?
5.6
I enjoyed a post-race chocolate milk. After a well-deserved shower, we had a huge lunch. A big dinner. A chocolate bar.
My blood sugar never spiked and I didn't have one post-race low.
I think that's what made the difference. I ran a race with perfect blood sugars. I ate when I wanted. I drank what I wanted. My energy stayed high the entire time. I was an athlete like everyone else out there.
It was nice.
Friday, January 4, 2013
Heart Rate - Part II
By 9:30am on January 3rd, I already had two runs under my belt for 2013. This isn't any more or any less than I would normally do but I still felt rather virtuous about it.
Anyway, on to the heart rate report.
Tuesday morning I went for an 8k easy run. Easy runs, according to my heart rate research, are supposed to be run at 70-75% of my max heart rate (which is 186). Using the magic Karnoven formula, 70-75% of my MHR is 146-152.
So I hit the road with two goals. Run 8k and don't let my heart rate go above 152. I met one of my goals and failed rather miserably at the second one.
I started off at my usual 6:15 min/k pace but realized pretty quickly that I was going to need to slow down. I slowed, my heart rate dropped to, oh, 160 beats per minute. I slowed some more and it hovered around 158.
I was now running 7:00 min/k and felt like I was hardly working. Part of me felt ridiculous running so slowly that I wasn't even out of breath. Part of me couldn't believe that, according to my heart rate, I was still running too fast.
It took me just over 54 minutes to run 8k. Normally it would take between 48 and 50. My average heart rate for the entire run was 159 beats per minutes which was, apparently, still too fast. I just couldn't seem to get it down to the magic 70-75% zone. On a positive note, I finished the run full of energy and ready to do it again.
Here is a little look at my heart rate during the run. Beats per minute on the y axis and distance on the x.
(The drops in HR were when I had to stop at traffic lights and, at 4k, when I stopped for a good ol'fashioned nose blowing).
Perhaps that's part of it? Easy runs shouldn't be tiring - they are just about moving the body and getting it ready for, say, a Thursday morning hill workout.
Thursday morning, I woke up, strapped on my heart rate monitor, bundled up and headed for the hills with Doug. We are lucky as we have a perfect training hill two minutes from our house. We trotted over and started the workout. He does a different workout than I do. My technique is to run the distance of three telephone poles and then head back down. Then I add one telephone pole each time until I eventually reach the top of the hill. It takes nine trips up and down to do that and each one is more exhausting than the next. The entire workout is just under 5k and takes about 40 minutes (including rest breaks).
For hills and other interval workouts, I am supposed to keep my heart rate at 90-95% which is 172-179 beats per minute.
I am happy to report that I was much more successful with this than I was with Tuesday's easy run. The first hill, I peaked at 169 but it wasn't very high so I wasn't too worried. The next one I hit 172 and then climbed steadily up with each repeat. My highest was 178 and that was when I was pushing it at the top of the last climb. Every repeat, other than the first easy one, was exactly on target.
Not bad. Although I have no idea what it would take to get me to my max heart rate of 186 considering how hard I was working on those hills...
Saturday I am scheduled to run 12k which I think qualifies as a long run...which I think means I have to keep my heart rate at 70-75%. Based on the pace I was running on Tuesday, it means it will take me about three hours.
If anyone out there (Jeff?) can confirm whether or not I really do need to run that slowly, I'd appreciate your insight before I pull on my shoes on Saturday morning.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
The Numbers Game
Lots of numbers in the last few days.
- I went for my contact lens training session. In other words, I learned how to hold open my eyelids and not freak out as I inserted foreign objects into my eyeballs. It took 6 tries to get the first contact in. It took 5 to get the second. I took 8 tries to get the first one out and 6 to remove the second. It took 60 minutes for the entire lesson.
- I went home and braced myself to put them in again. I was told to wear them for 4 hours the first day so I put them in at 4:30pm so I could take them out at 8:30pm. It took me 10 tries on each eye to get them in - or 15 minutes. Good lord!
- Doug and I went to cycle the big bad Park Hill for a pre-race practice ride. The nasty hill is actually three hills in one, the last one being a 19% grade. The hill was both harder and easier than I remembered but we both made it to the top. I kept my eyes on my Garmin during the ride up and down. On the way up, I crawled along at 9km/hour. On the way down, I applied full brakes and never slowed below 35km/hour. The hill is so steep that I felt like I was going to flip forward over the handlebars. Don't worry - I didn't. But I don't mess with this hill - it just feels too steep, too fast and too dangerous to even ease up on the brakes. Other hills I will push my comfort zone. This one I will not.
- Monday morning, I went to the pool. Christine is away on vacation this week so Deliah has been coming over from Brock University to be our coach. She put us through several routines, one of which had me swimming 12x50m. On the even numbered ones, I had to practice getting as much glide as I could on every stroke. On the odd numbered ones, I had to build. I had to get a little faster (one second or so) on each one and the last had to be the fastest of the lot. My second last one was 52 seconds. My fastest (timed) 50m to this point has been 51 seconds. I pushed off and gave it everything I had - and got back to the other side to hear Deliah say "48 seconds!". She doesn't know me enough to know what a big deal that is but I gave her a huge grin and told her it was a world record. The one speed wonder has broken through the barrier!
- I ran out of VEGA Whole Food Health Optimizer the other day. I love that stuff and have a breakfast shake with it most days of the week. But it's expensive. So I went online looking for a deal and found one. Regular price is $70 but I found it for $40. So I ordered 2 of them. They are the older version (before the changed the container and the formula) but I liked the old one so I'm happy to go back in time a year and save a few $$.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Not Out and Back - Just Out
I ran 14k on Saturday morning.
It was wicked!
My body felt strong. Several times I looked at my watch and was surprised at how far I had already run. My blood sugar behaved thanks to two gels and a handful of raisins (9.6 before starting, 8.0 half way and 8.8 at the end). And I had a negative split (ran faster in the second half) despite turning around and discovering that the 7k home had me heading directly into a very cold headwind.
Every week since I reached 10k I've been adding 2 kilometres to my Saturday runs. If all goes well, I'll keep adding and, after a wee taper once I hit 22k, I'll be ready for the innaugural Niagara Falls Women's Half Marathon in June. Fingers crossed.
What's turning out to be my favourite part of this training (other than the fact that I can actually run without pain) is that I'm slowly, kilometre by kilometre, making my way back to my old stomping grounds....
...er, running grounds, I guess I should say.
Last summer, when I was pulling off 25+ kilometre runs, I discovered that I loved running from my house, down a long stretch of road that eventually lead out into the quiet, beautiful, Niagara countryside. It took me up and down rolling hills, past fields of horses, vineyards and woodlots. I loved it and I loved leaving home in the dark and running while the mist burned off the fields and the sun rose in the sky. The deer and foxes kept me company and herons flew overhead as I watched the world wake up.
The last few weeks, I've been running out and back runs on Saturday mornings that take me down that old familiar road. The first ten kilometre run didn't take me that far from home. Twelve kilometres had me getting one kilometre closer to the part that really starts feeling like countryside. On Saturday, when I added yet one more kilometre out, it took me to the base of the hill that starts it all.
This week is easy week (only have to run 10k) and then...I'll run that next kilometre up the Effingham hill.
The week after that - I'll be in the country!!
I'm not a big fan of out and back runs. I prefer to go on a journey so I typically run circular routes. The problem is that I'm not yet running far enough on Saturdays to start doing circular country side routes. At least not without hopping into my car and I'm just not ambitious enough to drive to run. Plus there's a part of me that like to earn that country run by running to get there.
During my run last Saturday I decided that, one weekend soon, I'm going to hire Doug to be my driver. I'm going to leave the house and just run out, not back. Sixteen or eighteen kilometres in one direction - out past my horses, my foxes, my vineyards and my herons.
We'll prearrange a pick-up time and I can just run and run and run.
That, my friends, will be heavenly.
It was wicked!
My body felt strong. Several times I looked at my watch and was surprised at how far I had already run. My blood sugar behaved thanks to two gels and a handful of raisins (9.6 before starting, 8.0 half way and 8.8 at the end). And I had a negative split (ran faster in the second half) despite turning around and discovering that the 7k home had me heading directly into a very cold headwind.
Every week since I reached 10k I've been adding 2 kilometres to my Saturday runs. If all goes well, I'll keep adding and, after a wee taper once I hit 22k, I'll be ready for the innaugural Niagara Falls Women's Half Marathon in June. Fingers crossed.
What's turning out to be my favourite part of this training (other than the fact that I can actually run without pain) is that I'm slowly, kilometre by kilometre, making my way back to my old stomping grounds....
...er, running grounds, I guess I should say.
Last summer, when I was pulling off 25+ kilometre runs, I discovered that I loved running from my house, down a long stretch of road that eventually lead out into the quiet, beautiful, Niagara countryside. It took me up and down rolling hills, past fields of horses, vineyards and woodlots. I loved it and I loved leaving home in the dark and running while the mist burned off the fields and the sun rose in the sky. The deer and foxes kept me company and herons flew overhead as I watched the world wake up.
The last few weeks, I've been running out and back runs on Saturday mornings that take me down that old familiar road. The first ten kilometre run didn't take me that far from home. Twelve kilometres had me getting one kilometre closer to the part that really starts feeling like countryside. On Saturday, when I added yet one more kilometre out, it took me to the base of the hill that starts it all.
This week is easy week (only have to run 10k) and then...I'll run that next kilometre up the Effingham hill.
The week after that - I'll be in the country!!
I'm not a big fan of out and back runs. I prefer to go on a journey so I typically run circular routes. The problem is that I'm not yet running far enough on Saturdays to start doing circular country side routes. At least not without hopping into my car and I'm just not ambitious enough to drive to run. Plus there's a part of me that like to earn that country run by running to get there.
During my run last Saturday I decided that, one weekend soon, I'm going to hire Doug to be my driver. I'm going to leave the house and just run out, not back. Sixteen or eighteen kilometres in one direction - out past my horses, my foxes, my vineyards and my herons.
We'll prearrange a pick-up time and I can just run and run and run.
That, my friends, will be heavenly.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Ups an Downs
It was a weekend of ups and downs.
Saturday was a 24k run. Typically, our running route from the store is an out and back route. We add two kilometres each week so we simply run one extra kilometre out from the store. This route makes it easier to keep an eye on the runners and provide water and emotional support.
I was getting a little tired of running this route so I decided to run a different first half. Run from home, head down the country roads and meet up with the group for the run back in. The only challenge was that I would have to run up the big hill to Rockway and then run down a super steep hill to meet up with the group. The Rockway hill is always a challenge on the bike so I was a little apprehensive trying to run up. The hill down is terrifying on a bike so I was afraid of what it might do to my shins as I pounded down with the extra weight of gravity to add to the pressure.
Here is what I learned. Hill climbs are harder on a bike than on foot. I spent the first 8k thinking about the mindset I would need to be in to tackle the climb. Then I actually started the climb and practically sailed up. It was surprisingly easy. Sweet!
The run down is also a lot easier than expected. The scary part of riding down the hill is the speed combined with the blind corners. Running slows everything down to a manageable pace. I sailed down sans problème.
Ups and downs.
Sunday we headed to Grimbsy to cycle the 25k route of the Niagara duathlon. Several riders are in the race next weekend so it a great opportunity to practice the route. Or, more importantly, practice riding the dreaded Park Street Hill. We ride up and down the Niagara Escarpment quite often and, while it's never easy, it's manageable.
The Park Street Hill is an entirely different beast.
It's steep - really really steep. It's windy. It starts off hard and fast - straight up. It has one short plateau after the first climb which is just long enough to catch your breath before the next two upward surges. Each surge gets progressively steeper. I've ridden it three times before and, trust me when I say, it's just nasty.
Going down is even worse. For me anyway, it is terrifying. Some of the riders like the rush of hitting 60+ km/hour on a bike. I am not one of them. I tossed and turned most of Saturday night - troubled by dreams of cycling down the hill interspersed with dreams of being attacked by grisly bears. To say that I did not sleep well is a wee bit of an understatement.
We rode the route. We started the climb and, except for a minor shifting emergency at the beginning, it was ok. We all made it up, exhausted but victorious. We cycled the remaining flat part of the route and, too soon, found ourselves at the top....looking down. One after another, we headed down the hill. I lost sight of the others within seconds as they took up and I rode my brakes the entire way down. Heart pounding, legs shaking, terrified but in control. I made it down.
Ups and downs.
Physical ones. Emotional ones.
I overcame them all.
Let's see what week seven has in store.
Saturday was a 24k run. Typically, our running route from the store is an out and back route. We add two kilometres each week so we simply run one extra kilometre out from the store. This route makes it easier to keep an eye on the runners and provide water and emotional support.
I was getting a little tired of running this route so I decided to run a different first half. Run from home, head down the country roads and meet up with the group for the run back in. The only challenge was that I would have to run up the big hill to Rockway and then run down a super steep hill to meet up with the group. The Rockway hill is always a challenge on the bike so I was a little apprehensive trying to run up. The hill down is terrifying on a bike so I was afraid of what it might do to my shins as I pounded down with the extra weight of gravity to add to the pressure.
Here is what I learned. Hill climbs are harder on a bike than on foot. I spent the first 8k thinking about the mindset I would need to be in to tackle the climb. Then I actually started the climb and practically sailed up. It was surprisingly easy. Sweet!
The run down is also a lot easier than expected. The scary part of riding down the hill is the speed combined with the blind corners. Running slows everything down to a manageable pace. I sailed down sans problème.
Ups and downs.
Sunday we headed to Grimbsy to cycle the 25k route of the Niagara duathlon. Several riders are in the race next weekend so it a great opportunity to practice the route. Or, more importantly, practice riding the dreaded Park Street Hill. We ride up and down the Niagara Escarpment quite often and, while it's never easy, it's manageable.
The Park Street Hill is an entirely different beast.
It's steep - really really steep. It's windy. It starts off hard and fast - straight up. It has one short plateau after the first climb which is just long enough to catch your breath before the next two upward surges. Each surge gets progressively steeper. I've ridden it three times before and, trust me when I say, it's just nasty.
Going down is even worse. For me anyway, it is terrifying. Some of the riders like the rush of hitting 60+ km/hour on a bike. I am not one of them. I tossed and turned most of Saturday night - troubled by dreams of cycling down the hill interspersed with dreams of being attacked by grisly bears. To say that I did not sleep well is a wee bit of an understatement.
We rode the route. We started the climb and, except for a minor shifting emergency at the beginning, it was ok. We all made it up, exhausted but victorious. We cycled the remaining flat part of the route and, too soon, found ourselves at the top....looking down. One after another, we headed down the hill. I lost sight of the others within seconds as they took up and I rode my brakes the entire way down. Heart pounding, legs shaking, terrified but in control. I made it down.
Ups and downs.
Physical ones. Emotional ones.
I overcame them all.
Let's see what week seven has in store.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
To Hell and Back
Day three of the heat wave from hell.
Up at 5 - ready to head out the door at 5:30am. The Weather Network said that it was already 27 degrees out and that it felt like 35 with the humidity.
I opened the door and walked into a shimmering, vibrating wall of heat. Bloody hell.
There was no sign of the sun yet although the sky was already bright. Today was not the day to enjoy a peaceful run. It was a day to plug in the music and finish the hill training as quickly as possible. I was not racing to beat my time - I was racing to beat the sun.
I trotted over to Rodman hill and down to the bottom to start the telephone pole routine. Run up the hill for a distance of three telephone poles. Run back down. Run up for four telephone poles. Run back down. Up for five. Six. Repeat until dead.
I stopped after every second climb for some water. It was sweltering. There were no birds. No signing coming from the trees. No squirrels. I felt like I was running in the twilight zone.
At the eighth telephone pole, I turned around and saw the sun. A huge, red orb climbing up through the trees.
"Omigod! Run for your life" are the exact words that erupted in my head at the sight of it.
My response was so visceral that I might as well have turned around and come face to face with a T.Rex.
Well, maybe not quite as bad as ol' Rexy but I felt a deep down fear that kept my legs moving despite the struggle for air.
Two more climbs up and two more trots back down. Done! All I had to do was put on my now empty water belt and do one last climb up and out of the valley and back home again.
Scully, I took the other hill. The crazy steep one that almost killed us last time. I did it in your honour and made it to the top alive and still running. I missed you out there today.
Blood sugar report - I woke up at 7.8. No basal change. I had a gel but did not bolus for it. I finished the hills and was 9.1.
I think I'm getting the hang of these early morning runs.
Stay cool folks.
Up at 5 - ready to head out the door at 5:30am. The Weather Network said that it was already 27 degrees out and that it felt like 35 with the humidity.
I opened the door and walked into a shimmering, vibrating wall of heat. Bloody hell.
There was no sign of the sun yet although the sky was already bright. Today was not the day to enjoy a peaceful run. It was a day to plug in the music and finish the hill training as quickly as possible. I was not racing to beat my time - I was racing to beat the sun.
I trotted over to Rodman hill and down to the bottom to start the telephone pole routine. Run up the hill for a distance of three telephone poles. Run back down. Run up for four telephone poles. Run back down. Up for five. Six. Repeat until dead.
I stopped after every second climb for some water. It was sweltering. There were no birds. No signing coming from the trees. No squirrels. I felt like I was running in the twilight zone.
At the eighth telephone pole, I turned around and saw the sun. A huge, red orb climbing up through the trees.
"Omigod! Run for your life" are the exact words that erupted in my head at the sight of it.
My response was so visceral that I might as well have turned around and come face to face with a T.Rex.
Two more climbs up and two more trots back down. Done! All I had to do was put on my now empty water belt and do one last climb up and out of the valley and back home again.
Scully, I took the other hill. The crazy steep one that almost killed us last time. I did it in your honour and made it to the top alive and still running. I missed you out there today.
Blood sugar report - I woke up at 7.8. No basal change. I had a gel but did not bolus for it. I finished the hills and was 9.1.
I think I'm getting the hang of these early morning runs.
Stay cool folks.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Cross-Training Epiphany
People actually do know what they're talking about...
...well sometimes they do.
When it comes to cycling and the wonders of cross-training, it took me a long time to become a believer and to jump on the bandwagon. Now I'm firmly on, have pitched my tent, and am not going anywhere.
Less than two years ago, I bought myself a road bike during the annual clear out the summer stock fall sale. It was mostly on a whim as I had not really thought about wanting to cycle until I saw the flyer. I walked in to the store, saw a very pretty blue and white bike and the only one left was in my size. I'm not one who believes in fate - I tend to believe more in faeries - but the signs were all leading me to my Trek. A few days later, I was learning how to clip in to my new pedals and, within a week, I had made it to the top of Rockway hill without falling off, walking, or suffering some other form of embarassment.
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My avid cycling friends, most of whom were seasoned marathoners, had told me that cycling was a great form of cross-training. It helps to flush the legs after their Saturday long run and, apparently, cycling uses different muscles so you can still have a great ride even if you're exhausted from your run.
For the few months I had left in my first cycling season, it was all I could do to keep up. I trailed behind the group, panting along the flat parts and gasping on the slightest incline. It was hard. Just as hard as running - although different.
The second season wasn't much different. I had learned how to make the gears work for me, wasn't afraid of hills and no longer doubted my ability to finish a ride. I was not signing up for the Tour de France but I did sign up for two duathlons.
Yesterday, in the middle of my third season of cycling, I finally got it. I finally saw how cycling and running are made for each other.
On Saturday, I stretched for almost an hour after my run. And yet I was still limping around the house for most of the afternoon. My hips were tight, my ankles had lost their flexibility and my knees hurt.
Sunday, I groaned as I swung my leg over the crossbar and got on the bike. Someone mentioned that we were cycling up the big hill by Niagara College and I silently cursed everyone I could think of. Wasn't an 18k run enough for one weekend?
I told myself to suck it up, it was only 75 minutes on the bike.
It turns out that the ride was exactly what I needed. It was hot and humid out but the breeze on the bike was refreshing. The heat limbered up my tight muscles. The hill was long but gradual and I just kept pumping my legs until I got to the top. The long stretches of flat road worked wonders on my legs - flushing out all the crap from the run the day before.
I creaked and groaned when I got on the bike but I was an entirely different person by the time I got off. Everything had loosened up, my hips worked properly, my knees were fine and I felt energized again.
Apparently there is something to this whole cross training thing.
In fact, my spontaneous bike purchase on that random fall day may be what ends up saving me this summer.
Who knows - I may run this damn marathon because I cycle on Sundays.
Go figure.
...well sometimes they do.
When it comes to cycling and the wonders of cross-training, it took me a long time to become a believer and to jump on the bandwagon. Now I'm firmly on, have pitched my tent, and am not going anywhere.
Less than two years ago, I bought myself a road bike during the annual clear out the summer stock fall sale. It was mostly on a whim as I had not really thought about wanting to cycle until I saw the flyer. I walked in to the store, saw a very pretty blue and white bike and the only one left was in my size. I'm not one who believes in fate - I tend to believe more in faeries - but the signs were all leading me to my Trek. A few days later, I was learning how to clip in to my new pedals and, within a week, I had made it to the top of Rockway hill without falling off, walking, or suffering some other form of embarassment.
I was a cyclist!
My avid cycling friends, most of whom were seasoned marathoners, had told me that cycling was a great form of cross-training. It helps to flush the legs after their Saturday long run and, apparently, cycling uses different muscles so you can still have a great ride even if you're exhausted from your run.
For the few months I had left in my first cycling season, it was all I could do to keep up. I trailed behind the group, panting along the flat parts and gasping on the slightest incline. It was hard. Just as hard as running - although different.
The second season wasn't much different. I had learned how to make the gears work for me, wasn't afraid of hills and no longer doubted my ability to finish a ride. I was not signing up for the Tour de France but I did sign up for two duathlons.
Yesterday, in the middle of my third season of cycling, I finally got it. I finally saw how cycling and running are made for each other.
On Saturday, I stretched for almost an hour after my run. And yet I was still limping around the house for most of the afternoon. My hips were tight, my ankles had lost their flexibility and my knees hurt.
Sunday, I groaned as I swung my leg over the crossbar and got on the bike. Someone mentioned that we were cycling up the big hill by Niagara College and I silently cursed everyone I could think of. Wasn't an 18k run enough for one weekend?
I told myself to suck it up, it was only 75 minutes on the bike.
It turns out that the ride was exactly what I needed. It was hot and humid out but the breeze on the bike was refreshing. The heat limbered up my tight muscles. The hill was long but gradual and I just kept pumping my legs until I got to the top. The long stretches of flat road worked wonders on my legs - flushing out all the crap from the run the day before.
I creaked and groaned when I got on the bike but I was an entirely different person by the time I got off. Everything had loosened up, my hips worked properly, my knees were fine and I felt energized again.
Apparently there is something to this whole cross training thing.
In fact, my spontaneous bike purchase on that random fall day may be what ends up saving me this summer.
Who knows - I may run this damn marathon because I cycle on Sundays.
Go figure.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Up Down Up Down
There aren't too many friendships where, on the first date you go for tea, the second you go for a nice 5k run by the canal and, by the third, you're doing hill training in the pouring rain. The fourth has already been booked and will involve running 800m intervals until we drop. Fun!
As promised, Scully and I met up after work yesterday to run hills. She showed up at my place and, within minutes, we were comparing glucometers, insulin pump insertion sites, basal rates, pre-running carb options and running belts. She even brought me two of her tummietote belts to try. Thank you!!
Because we are not only T1s but are also runners, we talked about resting heart rates, marathon training schedules and running paces. It's great to be able to talk the talk with someone who knows the lingo.
So back to hills.
Running on relatively flat surfaces is one thing. Hill training is a very different beast and something that is hard to really understand until you do it. So Scully bravely headed out with Doug and I, not quite sure what she was getting herself in to. We ran down to the bottom of the hill, turned around and ran part way up (three hydro poles to be exact). Back down to the bottom and then up four hydro poles. And five. And six. And so forth until we finally got to the top. Every time, Doug took off like a rocket, I ran my pace and Scully was a few steps behind. The farther up the hill we ran, the more she closed the distance.
Did I mention that this was her first official hill training session?
And that this is something I've been doing semi-regularly for three years?
She is one strong runner!
Every time we got to the top, we caught our breath and caught up on our numbers. How's your sugar? How's your heart rate?
Once we made it to the top of the hill, I said that I would normally do one more hill and then head home. She suggested two.
Atta girl!
After the run, I suggested that Scully join Doug and I next week again for some 800m interval training. She readily agreed. I explained exactly what we are going to do so that she knows how long the run will be and can figure out what to do about adjusting basal rates. 'Cause us diabetics gotta know these things.
In exchange for hill and interval training, I am going to bedragged going to Hamilton at some point to try stair climbing. Apparently it's a great workout that I will feel for days afterwards.
Gulp.
As promised, Scully and I met up after work yesterday to run hills. She showed up at my place and, within minutes, we were comparing glucometers, insulin pump insertion sites, basal rates, pre-running carb options and running belts. She even brought me two of her tummietote belts to try. Thank you!!
Because we are not only T1s but are also runners, we talked about resting heart rates, marathon training schedules and running paces. It's great to be able to talk the talk with someone who knows the lingo.
So back to hills.
Running on relatively flat surfaces is one thing. Hill training is a very different beast and something that is hard to really understand until you do it. So Scully bravely headed out with Doug and I, not quite sure what she was getting herself in to. We ran down to the bottom of the hill, turned around and ran part way up (three hydro poles to be exact). Back down to the bottom and then up four hydro poles. And five. And six. And so forth until we finally got to the top. Every time, Doug took off like a rocket, I ran my pace and Scully was a few steps behind. The farther up the hill we ran, the more she closed the distance.
Did I mention that this was her first official hill training session?
And that this is something I've been doing semi-regularly for three years?
She is one strong runner!
Every time we got to the top, we caught our breath and caught up on our numbers. How's your sugar? How's your heart rate?
Once we made it to the top of the hill, I said that I would normally do one more hill and then head home. She suggested two.
Atta girl!
After the run, I suggested that Scully join Doug and I next week again for some 800m interval training. She readily agreed. I explained exactly what we are going to do so that she knows how long the run will be and can figure out what to do about adjusting basal rates. 'Cause us diabetics gotta know these things.
In exchange for hill and interval training, I am going to be
Gulp.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Pump Adjustments and Hill Running
Well, I changed my infusion site yesterday and my blood sugar levels dropped back to almost normal. Still running a little high but that means 8-9 rather than 17+ so I can't complain too much. It will be nice when this post high headache I'm nursing decides to fly the coop.
Despite my sugars heading back down to a less horrifying range, something still feels off. I may be fighting a cold or something else might be kicking my liver into producing a little extra sugar. Or it may be time to adjust my pump settings.
That's always a little scary because, when I find something that works, it tends to work for a while. I've had pretty consistently good sugars for a few months now so I'm not looking forward to messing with them. Fiddling with basal rates, correction rates and bolus calculations always makes things worse before they get better. So I'm holding out another day to see if things settle - or if I start coughing and sneezing.
On a happier note, I have a date tonight. A hill running date with Scully, my T1 running buddy. We don't have to run hills. It's not on any training schedule. We could just head out along the canal path for a while and chat as we run. But nope, we're doing hills...
...for fun.
It's supposed to be pouring rain just to add a little more adventure to the mix.
I'm looking forward to it. And so is she - despite her nervous sounding emails :) It's always good to push ourselves a bit and it will be interesting to compare blood sugar reactions and heart rate fluctuations. There aren't many people out there I can do both with. I can hear the conversation already.
Scully: "My blood sugar was 8.7 before and it's 7.4 after. How was yours?"
Celine: "Well, mine was 11.6 but my heart rate never went above 145. Yours?"
Scully: "Mine hit 195!"
Celine: "Is that good? I don't know if that's good. I still haven't figure out the heart rate thing. Gawd!"
So, if anyone spots two ladies with matching insulin pumps wrapped in ziplock bags running hills in the rain this afternoon - that would be us.
And if it's not us, get their email addresses so that we can invite them to join our little group of nutters.
Despite my sugars heading back down to a less horrifying range, something still feels off. I may be fighting a cold or something else might be kicking my liver into producing a little extra sugar. Or it may be time to adjust my pump settings.
That's always a little scary because, when I find something that works, it tends to work for a while. I've had pretty consistently good sugars for a few months now so I'm not looking forward to messing with them. Fiddling with basal rates, correction rates and bolus calculations always makes things worse before they get better. So I'm holding out another day to see if things settle - or if I start coughing and sneezing.
On a happier note, I have a date tonight. A hill running date with Scully, my T1 running buddy. We don't have to run hills. It's not on any training schedule. We could just head out along the canal path for a while and chat as we run. But nope, we're doing hills...
...for fun.
It's supposed to be pouring rain just to add a little more adventure to the mix.
I'm looking forward to it. And so is she - despite her nervous sounding emails :) It's always good to push ourselves a bit and it will be interesting to compare blood sugar reactions and heart rate fluctuations. There aren't many people out there I can do both with. I can hear the conversation already.
Scully: "My blood sugar was 8.7 before and it's 7.4 after. How was yours?"
Celine: "Well, mine was 11.6 but my heart rate never went above 145. Yours?"
Scully: "Mine hit 195!"
Celine: "Is that good? I don't know if that's good. I still haven't figure out the heart rate thing. Gawd!"
So, if anyone spots two ladies with matching insulin pumps wrapped in ziplock bags running hills in the rain this afternoon - that would be us.
And if it's not us, get their email addresses so that we can invite them to join our little group of nutters.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Uphill, It All Evens Out
I don't know if you remember my run two weeks ago when I went out with two younger gentlemen for an 'easy' 5k. Well, one of those boys (Matt) and I are trying to fit in a weekly 30-40 minute run together.
The plan for this week was to leave from my house, run down the Rodman Hall hill and hit the trails.
Anyone living in Southern Ontario knows that it has been raining non-stop for days now so the trail idea was quickly kiboshed. No need to come home completely soaked AND covered in mud.
So, I suggested a wee bit of hill training. Matt, being gung ho for pretty much anything, quickly agreed. We headed out in the rain and ran down down down to the bottom of the hill. He's never really done hill training before so I did a quick review on how to swing his arms and to keep his eyes focused on the top of the hill. I explained that we typically run up the length of two telephone poles, turn around and run back down. Then we run up three telephone poles, and back down. This cycle continues until we get to the top which is eleven telephone poles away.
Sounds easy non?
Absofrak'inlutely not!
But it is so rewarding when you're done. We felt ambitious so we started out with three telephone poles and ran that hill 8 times, clocking 4.6k in total (uphill and downhill). Pretty much the same distance as our regular 5k runs but a completely different workout. We felt exhausted and pumped at the same time and headed home looking like someone threw buckets of water on us. Man it was raining!
The best part for me? I struggle to keep up with Matt on flat ground. Add a bit of an incline and suddenly things were a little more evenly balanced. The longer the hill, the farther I inched ahead. Nice!
Here's hoping it rains a lot this summer :)
For those of you interested in the little details - I decided to try my heart rate monitor during the run. I rarely wear it and am trying to get a sense of my heart rate, target zones, max rate etc. My sitting down on my ass heart rate is about 55 bpm. Yesterday night, my average during the run was 156 and the peak (nearing the top of the last hill climb) was 177. Not sure yet if that means I was seconds away from death or if I'm an athlete of olympic quality but those were the numbers.
The plan for this week was to leave from my house, run down the Rodman Hall hill and hit the trails.
Anyone living in Southern Ontario knows that it has been raining non-stop for days now so the trail idea was quickly kiboshed. No need to come home completely soaked AND covered in mud.
So, I suggested a wee bit of hill training. Matt, being gung ho for pretty much anything, quickly agreed. We headed out in the rain and ran down down down to the bottom of the hill. He's never really done hill training before so I did a quick review on how to swing his arms and to keep his eyes focused on the top of the hill. I explained that we typically run up the length of two telephone poles, turn around and run back down. Then we run up three telephone poles, and back down. This cycle continues until we get to the top which is eleven telephone poles away.
Sounds easy non?
Absofrak'inlutely not!
But it is so rewarding when you're done. We felt ambitious so we started out with three telephone poles and ran that hill 8 times, clocking 4.6k in total (uphill and downhill). Pretty much the same distance as our regular 5k runs but a completely different workout. We felt exhausted and pumped at the same time and headed home looking like someone threw buckets of water on us. Man it was raining!
The best part for me? I struggle to keep up with Matt on flat ground. Add a bit of an incline and suddenly things were a little more evenly balanced. The longer the hill, the farther I inched ahead. Nice!
Here's hoping it rains a lot this summer :)
For those of you interested in the little details - I decided to try my heart rate monitor during the run. I rarely wear it and am trying to get a sense of my heart rate, target zones, max rate etc. My sitting down on my ass heart rate is about 55 bpm. Yesterday night, my average during the run was 156 and the peak (nearing the top of the last hill climb) was 177. Not sure yet if that means I was seconds away from death or if I'm an athlete of olympic quality but those were the numbers.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Back in the Saddle Again
My recovery week is at an end.
I relaxed.
I walked.
I put my legs up on the couch and read for hours at a time.
It was nice which it lasted.
Tomorrow, I have to be up, fed and ready to ride with the Runners' Edge cycling club by 8am. It's our first outdoor bike ride of the year. The first since last November when it just got way too cold to be on the road.
It's too bad that we can run when it's minus 30 degrees out but we have to stop cycling as soon as it gets anywhere near zero. But it's just too hard on a bike because speed equals wind which equals really really cold. Imagine driving your car in the winter with the windows open and you get the idea.
Tomorrow, we're braving the elements. It's supposed to be above zero but that still means that we will have several layers on and probably won't be able to feel our fingers, toes or face by the end of the ride.
Not having ridden outside for a few months, it's going to be a challenge to get the body moving again. We've been riding our trainers indoors all winter but it's not the same...at all. It's a lot harder on a bike when there are real hills to climb and incessant wind to contend with.
My feelings about cycling are really mixed. I love love love being on a bike. I love the speed and I love how we travel so far so fast. Compared to running, we cover a huge amount of distance in no time at all and our weekend rides take us up and down the Niagara Escarpment as we explore all that this area has to offer.
My issues with cycling can be blamed entirely on my very active imagination and the very real car accident that my family and I were in when I was 16. I am terrified of what could happen if I lose control or if a car pulls out in front of me. I hate blind corners and I doubly hate steep hills that abruptly end at a stop sign. Shaking, sweating, panicky kinda scared. I am scared when other cyclists ride too close to my back wheel, when squirrels look like they might dart in front of me, or when I can't see right to the bottom of the hill. It's just too easy to imagine all the things that could happen...in very vivid detail.
The good news is that I've never been one to let fear dictate what I do. It's there and I can't make it go away. But I've learned to control it. I know how to breathe through the fear in a way that keeps me in control and lets me enjoy the ride. I take my time in areas that frighten me and, when I need to, I will let everyone else go ahead of me so that I can go at my own pace.
The end result is that I get to do something I love, be with people I like being with, and prove to myself yet again that fear can be managed and conquered.
Plus we get to go to Tim Hortons afterwards for our weekly coffee klatsch which makes it all worthwhile!
I relaxed.
I walked.
I put my legs up on the couch and read for hours at a time.
It was nice which it lasted.
Tomorrow, I have to be up, fed and ready to ride with the Runners' Edge cycling club by 8am. It's our first outdoor bike ride of the year. The first since last November when it just got way too cold to be on the road.
It's too bad that we can run when it's minus 30 degrees out but we have to stop cycling as soon as it gets anywhere near zero. But it's just too hard on a bike because speed equals wind which equals really really cold. Imagine driving your car in the winter with the windows open and you get the idea.
Tomorrow, we're braving the elements. It's supposed to be above zero but that still means that we will have several layers on and probably won't be able to feel our fingers, toes or face by the end of the ride.
Not having ridden outside for a few months, it's going to be a challenge to get the body moving again. We've been riding our trainers indoors all winter but it's not the same...at all. It's a lot harder on a bike when there are real hills to climb and incessant wind to contend with.
My feelings about cycling are really mixed. I love love love being on a bike. I love the speed and I love how we travel so far so fast. Compared to running, we cover a huge amount of distance in no time at all and our weekend rides take us up and down the Niagara Escarpment as we explore all that this area has to offer.
My issues with cycling can be blamed entirely on my very active imagination and the very real car accident that my family and I were in when I was 16. I am terrified of what could happen if I lose control or if a car pulls out in front of me. I hate blind corners and I doubly hate steep hills that abruptly end at a stop sign. Shaking, sweating, panicky kinda scared. I am scared when other cyclists ride too close to my back wheel, when squirrels look like they might dart in front of me, or when I can't see right to the bottom of the hill. It's just too easy to imagine all the things that could happen...in very vivid detail.
The good news is that I've never been one to let fear dictate what I do. It's there and I can't make it go away. But I've learned to control it. I know how to breathe through the fear in a way that keeps me in control and lets me enjoy the ride. I take my time in areas that frighten me and, when I need to, I will let everyone else go ahead of me so that I can go at my own pace.
The end result is that I get to do something I love, be with people I like being with, and prove to myself yet again that fear can be managed and conquered.
Plus we get to go to Tim Hortons afterwards for our weekly coffee klatsch which makes it all worthwhile!
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Pass Me The Crayons
I'm colouring outside the running lines this week. We'll see if it turns out to be a good idea or if I should just stick to paint by number running.
The plan this week, according to our running schedule, was to run 13k on Tuesday, run hills on Thursday and then run 22k on Saturday.
I am not doing that.
I did run 13k on Tuesday. So far so good.
Tonight's hill workout had to be passed up because I consistently get injured doing hills during the last month of training before a race. So I've learned after many panicked trips to my fabulous massage therapist Janice that it's just not worth it to run hills four weeks out. So I don't. Even though I want to. Even though there are deadly hills along the race route. Even though all my friends are out there running them.
Instead I ran 30 minutes along a very flat course. Which seems like a pretty wimpy alternative to hills I know but there is method to the wimpy-ness.
See, I'm also not running 22k on Saturday.
I'm going to run 27k tomorrow instead.
Let me add a qualifier here. We have an amazing running coach and he has designed a really good, sensible training plan for Around the Bay. I trust him and I truly believe that his plan will get all of us runners across that finish line.
The reality is that I know myself and I know what things cause me stress.
I need to have run almost the full distance (if not more than the full distance) of a race before race day or my mind doubts my body's ability to cross that finish line. Our schedule had us peaking at 25k which is just not quite long enough for my mental health. 27 feels better. If I imagine the actual race route, 27k gets me to the top of the awful last hill in the race. As Doug says, it's all downhill from there to the finish line.
So, I ran 30 minutes today just to keep the legs moving. I run 27k in the morning.
The route is mapped out. Doug is tasked with driving out to meet me at the 1 hour 45 minute mark to refill my water and eload, replenish my carbohydrate stashes, take my gloves, pat my head and tell me that I'm doing a great job and already way past half way.
If I start at 9am as planned, I will not be home until almost 12:30pm. That's a freaking long time to run.
So tonight I'm stretching, trigger pointing, drinking tons of water and pretending it's race day tomorrow.
No bib, no shirt, no medal...but the peace of mind that comes with knowing that there will be a few less demons to conquer on March 27.
Friday, February 11, 2011
The Hills are Alive...
My running friend Michelle is motivating, inspiring and, occasionally, downright annoying in her positivity. And I love her for more reasons that she'll ever know.
One of those reasons is that she helped drag my ass over the Boxing Day 10 Miler finish line in record time. Towards the end of that race, we realized we were going to have to push hard to make the crazy finish time I had foolishly suggested we aim for. I was already exhausted and now she wanted me to run faster. She yelled at me: c'mon Céline, you can do ANYTHING for three minutes!
I laughed out loud, plucked up my courage and pushed to the finish.
Thanks Michelle, for that day and for that now famous line.
It got me through last night's hill workout. 800m x 10 repeats with 60 seconds off between each rep. I've never done more than 6 repeats on that particular course. Ten seemed more than a little daunting and the now familiar Canadian winter weather (-20 with a biting wind) was not going to help.
I started my first repeat with what felt like lead in my shoes. I really wondered whether I'd be able to do six, let alone ten. Michelle sailed past me going up the hill and, despite her silent exterior, I heard her voice ring out in my head. "C'mon Céline, you can do ANYTHING for three minutes!" I giggled and trotted up the hill. One done!
I saw her on every hill and heard her voice on every hill. I finished my ten repeats and felt strong enough to do a few more. Not crazy enough to actually do them mind you but I swear I could have!
I don't think people realize what an impact they can have on others. So it's important to tell them.
Thanks Michelle!
One of those reasons is that she helped drag my ass over the Boxing Day 10 Miler finish line in record time. Towards the end of that race, we realized we were going to have to push hard to make the crazy finish time I had foolishly suggested we aim for. I was already exhausted and now she wanted me to run faster. She yelled at me: c'mon Céline, you can do ANYTHING for three minutes!
I laughed out loud, plucked up my courage and pushed to the finish.
Thanks Michelle, for that day and for that now famous line.
It got me through last night's hill workout. 800m x 10 repeats with 60 seconds off between each rep. I've never done more than 6 repeats on that particular course. Ten seemed more than a little daunting and the now familiar Canadian winter weather (-20 with a biting wind) was not going to help.
I started my first repeat with what felt like lead in my shoes. I really wondered whether I'd be able to do six, let alone ten. Michelle sailed past me going up the hill and, despite her silent exterior, I heard her voice ring out in my head. "C'mon Céline, you can do ANYTHING for three minutes!" I giggled and trotted up the hill. One done!
I saw her on every hill and heard her voice on every hill. I finished my ten repeats and felt strong enough to do a few more. Not crazy enough to actually do them mind you but I swear I could have!
I don't think people realize what an impact they can have on others. So it's important to tell them.
Thanks Michelle!
Friday, January 14, 2011
Into the Abyss
Last night, we ran hills.
Hills are a strange beast. First of all, we have to run to the hill in order to train on it. So we headed out from the store and ran 2.5k through the snow before we even started the hill training. Meaning of course that, after the hills, we had to run 2.5k back to the store again.
Keep in mind that, in order to run up a hill, you have to first get to the bottom. That long, lonely run down the hill can be frightening. This was a new hill for me, and for lots of other runners last night. I got to the top and looked down
and down
and down.
I couldn't even see the bottom.
*sigh*
A thought struck me as I took the first step into the abyss: it takes a lot of confidence to be a runner, even if we don't recognize it as that. We need a certain amount of faith in our own abilities in order to tie up our shoes and head out.
Blindly, we all headed down the hill, not having any idea how long or how steep it was. But we knew that we would somehow find the strength needed to complete the hill workout and then climb back up to the top so that we could head home again.
Saturdays are another great example of having faith in oneself. Saturdays are the days when we add distance to our runs - 2 to 3 kilometers per week. Sometimes this distance makes us nervous, sometimes it hurts, but we do the run and never doubt that we will finish.
We could all take a lesson from running and apply it to our every day lives. Break things down into small manageable chunks and don't be afraid to head into the abyss. It's never that scary once you take the first step.
Hills are a strange beast. First of all, we have to run to the hill in order to train on it. So we headed out from the store and ran 2.5k through the snow before we even started the hill training. Meaning of course that, after the hills, we had to run 2.5k back to the store again.
Keep in mind that, in order to run up a hill, you have to first get to the bottom. That long, lonely run down the hill can be frightening. This was a new hill for me, and for lots of other runners last night. I got to the top and looked down
and down
and down.
I couldn't even see the bottom.
*sigh*
A thought struck me as I took the first step into the abyss: it takes a lot of confidence to be a runner, even if we don't recognize it as that. We need a certain amount of faith in our own abilities in order to tie up our shoes and head out.
Blindly, we all headed down the hill, not having any idea how long or how steep it was. But we knew that we would somehow find the strength needed to complete the hill workout and then climb back up to the top so that we could head home again.
Saturdays are another great example of having faith in oneself. Saturdays are the days when we add distance to our runs - 2 to 3 kilometers per week. Sometimes this distance makes us nervous, sometimes it hurts, but we do the run and never doubt that we will finish.
We could all take a lesson from running and apply it to our every day lives. Break things down into small manageable chunks and don't be afraid to head into the abyss. It's never that scary once you take the first step.
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