Bonking out on a 20

Today's workout was not pretty.  By a long shot.

This 20k being my last long workout before the Victoria 1/2 Marathon in a couple weeks, I was looking forward to finishing it strong.  The first 10k I carried my hand-bottle with a gel that I downed at 8k (Gu choc mint=very high level of awesomeness).  My right achilles tendon is flaring up and so I focused on a slower pace but aimed at keeping my heart rate averaging out just under 150 bpm.

At 10k things started to go very wrong, soon after I made one of those decisions that only a person not thinking straight makes.  I stopped at my vehicle and tossed my waterbottle in there since it was empty.  I had ate the Gu at 8k, and drank a bottle of gatorade that Id carried, and sipped a bit of water quick at the car.  I rationalized with myself that I don't need to carry another bottle the next 10k loop of Burnaby Lake then.  I rationalized wrong.

The k's slowly ticked by as the rain pounded harder and harder.  Drenched through and through I used it as a motivation, to push through the hard workouts always makes a person stronger and allows you to enjoy the easier workouts (from Wood years back).   At 15k I had crossed the dam and was on the home stretch, but my mind was already there.  A couple of dogs were held in by their owner to which I gladly thanked her and gave her a wave.  2 turns later and another dog came absolutely tearing at me and went right at me sniffing away.  I stopped in my tracks and waited.  The skid loser owner didnt even call his dog, just sauntered up fixing his ipod.  I tore into him about leashes and controlling his dog to which he didn't even give a nod, a sorry, nothing.  On a rant here but I think that Vancouver folk are easily the least responsible dog owners (and most pretentious and defensive of the dog owners rights).  I remember being up at Lynn Valley for a hike, finished up and was back at the car, doors open just putting muddy boots in the trunk...when a dog comes streaking out of the trees and freaks out, jumped into the passenger seat, across to the drivers seat, then in to the back seat!  The owners come up and justify their dogs actions (weakly).  Put a f**king leash on!

So where was I?  15k point, thinking just 5k to finish up when things started to go downhill.  I regretted not having a sip of water available or a honey drop to suck on.  At 17k my legs cramped and I shuffled.  At 18k I was forced to an old-man-on-his-way-to-the-Dennys-special speed walk.  But I never stopped, always keep moving.

The final K was around 6 minutes or so and I clicked the watch at 20k.  Soaking wet from the rains and depleted of energy, but a great workout.

18k Long Run

Throwback pick to the Terry Fox Run 2008 - Here at Central Park


September 17th, 2010

Out for my long run on a day off, perfect temperature out for it and felt fairly well rested even though my achilles' weren't happy after yesterday's Grouse Grind push.

Kept a reasonable pace running home to Central Park (5k), then looped the Terry Fox trail around the park before a smaller loop, and finally back onto the BC Parkway for a run home.  Around km 12 & 13 I started to fade and ran some 6min+ km's and saw my goal of a negative split die.

The final 4k I got a second wind and those 4km were my fastest of all 18 (526, 513, 510, 515).  Final split:

1/2 (9k) 51:25
1/2 (9k) 50:21

Heart rate avg'd out at 147, a good long slow distance #.

Terry Fox Run this Sunday!