Running Wild

Unpredictability of race can be cruel master

As I write this, I think back to the opening theme to the old sports show on ABC called Wide World of Sports.
I’ll always remember the part “from the thrill of victory, to the agony of defeat.”
This saying was never so true as it was this weekend.
I was a spectator at the Scotiabank Waterfront Marathon and I witnessed both.
I’ve always enjoyed being a spectator at marathons. I mean I know more than anybody what it means when a perfect stranger sees the name on your bib and cheers you on.
It lifts you.
So, for the first time in a long time, I grabbed a latte and found a position at the start line and watched from above the thousands of runners walking to the start line, with music blaring, I wasn’t even racing, but I got excited as each one of the people I was there for saw me waving encouragement to them.
When the last of them went off, I killed some time cheering for the 5k runners.
Soon, the first of the half marathoners came through and boy were they fast.
But on days such as this, the people you most gravitate to, or at least I do, are the people who don’t do it easily.
For some, the pain is etched on their face as they climbed that last bit of the course on Bay Street. For others, exhaustion looks about to grip them as they keep going one foot in front of the other.
Nowhere else can you see such a diverse group of people all trying to accomplish different goals all pushing as hard as they can.
As some of the half marathoners were finishing, the elite marathoners starting coming through.
It doesn’t seem to matter how many times you see the elites run live, it always takes your breath away as they gracefully glide by you almost effortlessly.
Then came those trying to qualify for Boston, heading up that final 200 metres, with sheer exhaustion having taken them over.
In my crowd, there was one very special person, running her first marathon Sunday.
My initial plan was to catch her at the beginning and then take off and congratulate her after a race well done, but while we were waiting, the call came.
She had run into problems with leg cramps at the 28k mark and was having to walk. She’s as tough as nails on any day, so if cramps were forcing her to walk they had to be bad.
She didn’t walk off the course. She didn’t quit. Instead, she trudged on and not one of us left, even those who had run a half marathon hours before.
We stood there on Bay Street until she came and we walked her up to the finish line.
She showed heart and courage. It happens to the best of people on race day and it’s the unpredictability that is so cruel.
Her performance reminded me of a quote I often see by famed marathoner Steven Prefontaine, who said, “Most people run a race to see who is fastest. I run a race to see who has the most guts.”
She showed guts. She finished even without her legs co-operating.
And when she comes across the finish line in her next marathon it will all the sweeter.
Trust me I know.

Late season twinges all part of game

It’s that time of year again.
For some, it’s less than a week away from completing the race they’ve trained for all summer, for others its a few more weeks. In the last week, I’ve started hearing the refrains.
“I have a twinge. It’s new.”
It hasn’t been one person, it’s been quite a few, complaining of a new pain here or a new pain there.
It’s hamstrings, it’s knee pain, it’s shins and ankles.
This is completely normal.
After four months of speed training, hill training and long runs your legs are finally starting to rebel.
The most important thing to remember just before a race is to listen to your body.
That extra speed loop or that extra hill will not make a difference in how fast or well you run if you’re close to race day.
I’ve learned this the hard way and have learned to step back, when I start to have those feelings.
I have a little pain issue in my left leg which will slow me down for the next couple of weeks.
Sure, I could run and probably still run well, but having run races injured before, I don’t want to go there again.
The important thing is to always listen to your body.
Always. If you feel anything like I do that time sitting on the couch is time wasted, there are cross training options too.
Go for a swim or ride a bike and you can still get cardio, but not pound your legs.
The most important way to stay in top form is to avoid doing anything to aggravate whatever aches and pains have popped up.
Until next time, happy trails.

Runners make worst party guests

I was told runners are the worst people at parties by a non-runner.
Before I got defensive, I asked why, really already knowing the answer.
“Because!” he said emphatically. “All you guys want to talk about is running.”
I’m guilty.
My friends are guilty.
Sometimes, it’s like being in a cult.
Whether it’s how much mileage you’ve done this week, what races you are training for or what you eat before a run, all these mundane details tend to take centre stage when a group of runners get together.
While we might not be the most fun at parties, we are an honest bunch.
We have to be.
Or Sportstats.ca will tell on us.
The Internet has not only changed the way we work and communicate it’s changed the way we run.
This Sportstats and other event websites, all show how you did on race day. All you need is a first name and a last name and a lot of the races you have done come up.
Before you have a chance to call your friends and family to tell them how you did, they can look up your time, your finishing place, your pace and even your split times and beat you to the punch with a phone call.
I think it’s cool, but some think it adds pressure to performing well.
Others think it’s akin to stalking people.
I admit, it does add a little pressure if there are expectations of a specific time.
But I love to see how I did in the race, broken down into many parts of the race.
It’s like an instant report card.
In the triathlon, I can look at my bike time and see that it is an area I need to improve.
With a run I can see if my last half is a lot slower than my first half, meaning I probably started too fast.
I love seeing all my statistics–how I did against all the other women and how I did in my age category.
And the best part of all is that nobody can lie about their race time, because it’s all right there in black and white.
There are drawbacks though.
Let’s say it was brutally hot and your time was way slower than usual, there’s no little asterisk to say “humid conditions”, just a crappy time, posted.
Ah well, nothing is perfect.

Goggles make for interesting swim

The Teal Terror and I have parted ways.
With a quick kiss to the frame, we went in different directions on Sunday, but not before conquering the Milton Women’s Triathlon.
I woke up Sunday morning, not feeling sick with nerves the way I did in Cobourg.
Instead, it was a sense of calm.
It lasted pretty much until I was standing on the edge of the water, bathing cap on, wetsuit on, that the calm was replaced with disbelief.
“Oh my God. I’m really going to do this!”
No turning back now, I thought to myself as the countdown began.
That’s it I was in the water.
That’s where I learned what me and Michael Phelps have in common.
It’s not a fast swim time or near perfect muscles — it’s crappy goggles.
Much like Mr. Phelps who struggled in one of his races with bad goggles, I had the same problem.
I think I must have gotten about 100 metres into my swim when my right goggle filled with water.
Panic-stricken, I kept swimming hoping it would go away.
It didn’t of course and I had to resort to swimming on my back for part of the swim, swimming with my face out of the water at points and just getting it done.
I made it out of the water and could hear cheering, but I was already focussed on how I was going to get this second skin off in an expedient manner.
In transition, still dizzy from the swim, I had to hold onto the bike bar for support.
I discarded my suit in a heap and flew out of transition with the Teal Terror in tow.
I can’t quite explain this, but it is completely exhilarating when you take those first few pedals on the bike.
With my number flapping behind me in the wind, I felt like I’m in the Tour de France.
I knew what to expect on the bike this time, so I was thrilled I could pass some people.
But I still need a new bike.
Once I completed my bike, I was off to run and was greeted with a very mean hill about 200 metres into the run, but it didn’t matter because I was still having fun out there.
As I crossed the finish line, it was a new feeling.
Inexplicably different than a marathon, but the same type of high.
Now it’s back to the pool to perfect my swim stroke and try out a new pair of goggles.