The Route
I am currently in Vancouver so I ran a beautiful route. My parents dropped me off in West point grey and I went off around UBC, Spanish Banks, Jericho, Kits, Granville Island, False Creek and up the Cambie street bridge. Met them at Whole Foods to fill up the fridge with organic goodness.
The Run
I kept a decent pace, I aimed to finish before the 2 hour mark and I did so. I ran a 5:37/km pace and finished in 1:58:47. I found myself having to slow myself down a lot of the run since I was super pumped to be out there for a long one again. I find taper mentally super difficult since I live for these Sunday LSD runs. Also, being Jet lagged, I felt like I had finished at 1 pm..but it was actually 4 pm. Crazy how much 3 hours makes a difference!
Eats
Before my run I had Peanut Butter on 2 slices of High Fibre bread. This was all we really had left in the house after being away for a week! I snacked on an apple before my run as well. (with Coffee of course!) After my run, my Mom picked up my all time favourite salad from Milestones. The California Spring Salad. Leafy greens with onion, spiced pecans, goats cheese, strawberries and a vinaigrette of sorts. Ah-maze-ing! I had 19 points to eat (from my daily points+ allowance!) after my run so this was perfect. Also had a Puffed Kamut square (which is about 5 points+, somewhat like a healthy rice crispy square...no butter or marshmallows.) Now I am having a liquorish tea while watching the Vancouver Canucks play the LA kings. (GO CANUCKS GO!)
Overall
LOVED the route I took, absolutely beautiful and my parents are moving to West Point Grey so I will definitely run around there when I am in town! Only downfall? I managed to lose my debit card on my run. It must have fallen out of my fuel back when I took my phone out to text my Mom at the half way point. Such a bummer! It is such a relief running distances like this sometimes, its just long enough that I get my distance fix, and short enough that I don't feel totally knackered for the rest of the day.
Taper Time
I really have a love hate with Tapering down before the race. I love the feeling of being energized after my Sunday runs instead of completely useless. I hate not getting my distance fix. I love having extra time on Sundays to get errands done. I hate the random phantom pains and mental doubts. I can look back at my training on Daily Mile, SEE I put the training in, the milage in and the drills and cross training in. Yet I somehow get the "what if it wasn't enough?" During my last marathon, I wrote "One more thing, One more time" (Josh Sundquist Quote) on my forearm as a reminder. I know I put in the work and committed to it prior to race day. The only "one more thing" I can do is keep strong on race day. Whether that be keeping my eye on my pacing for the first half of the race, or keeping my ego in check and don't think 'hey I SO can keep up with that chick.' I know I can do ONE more thing ONE more time BETTER then my past races. I have learned so much from past race mistakes and you know what? I WILL break 4 hours during this race. I will do one more thing, one more time. At the moment, that one more thing? it is clean eating and I got this.
The BIG #5
I am shocked that I will be resting after running the Toronto Marathon at this moment 2 weeks from now. Where does time go?! I cannot wait for the feeling I get for the last 250 meters of the race. Hearing the crowds screaming, the wind going threw my hair, the music blaring, the sight of the gates, the finish line in the distance, the butterflies in my tummy and the sudden burst of energy as I pick up for my final sprint. NOTHING beats that feeling, and if you haven't experienced a road race yet? Get out there!
Now I have a question for all of you. Why do you race? and if you do not, what mantra or quote gets you through the tough times of a workout, cycle or run?
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