Going to the well

Sorry about the slacking on the blog post this week- will try to keep it consistent with weekend updates. 

This past weekend a group of us headed up to Ottawa to compete in the five and ten kilometre road races in the capital. It was a smaller group than years past, but it was still a great trip on the whole, and accommodations with the Andersen family were top-notch. 

The week leading up to the race was frustrating, mainly because I was afraid of doing any more damage but also feeling ansy. My IT felt tight Monday, so I went for a long walk. Tuesday I felt a little better, so I added in short jogs of 3, 4 and 5 minutes into my stroll. My 20 minute test Wednesday was a success so I attempted (and completed) the workout Thursday. Friday morning the same tightness and pain returned, and I was quite worried during the ride up to Ottawa. Liam Mulroy (who was generous enough to lend me his foam roller, which has definitely helped my recovery) wanted my bib for the 5K if I couldn't run, and given how I was feeling, it was probable he would get it. 

The car ride up didn't help, and I was feeling incredibly stiff and sore when I went to bed Friday evening. But I woke up Saturday morning feeling better, which coupled with massaging my leg periodically had me feeling good enough to try a pre-race warmup. 

About 10 minutes into the warmup Justin asked me how the IT band felt, to which I responded that I didn't really want to think about it, which was truthful; my leg felt stiff yet did not feel like it was deteriorating. When we hopped into the corrals a few minutes before the gun, attempting to jostle our way to the front of the mass of people, I felt confident enough that I kept my bib, with Liam joining Justin and I as a bandit. 

The start was somewhat chaotic, mainly the result of too many people at the front not belonging there, and thereby getting swallowed up immediately by faster athletes. A few hobby joggers hit the deck, but the rest of us got out clean. 

I'll have to be honest- the race itself was a bit of a blur. The kilometres weren't marked, so without having any real idea how fast I was going, I checked my watch every few minutes and guessed how long I had until I would be done hurting. And I was certainly hurting, even early on. For the entire race, I did my best to chase down the leaders, and like my last race at the Terry Goodenough Memorial Run, I believe I really went to the well effort-wise. There are days when you feel like you could have pushed harder. But with these past two efforts, I really feel like I've dug deep, and have come away satisfied as a result. And while I may not be running stellar times right now, if I can get into good shape and still tap into my extra reserves, those will fall into place easily enough. 

As it turns out, the five of us were all fairly satisfied with our efforts in our respective races, and Ryan Dos Santos, who make the trip up after racing in Woodstock that morning, had a very impressive double as a bandit in the 10k, making the group 6 for 6 on the day. Ottawa Race weekend is great trip regardless, but driving 6 hours+ and running well makes it all the sweeter. 

The plan for Sunday was to hop into the the half marathon and use it as a long run. With the way the course was set up, we were able to slip right in with the masses exiting the corrals in the first 400 metres, and set out running kilometres in the mid-fours range, with no real goal finish time. After feeling it out for a few kilometres and making full use of the aid stations set up on course, competitive instincts kicked in and chasing the 1:30 pace group became a priority. 

Prior to the run, I had told the guys that I would potentially have to drop out before the finish, given my struggles of late. But as we clicked on progressively faster kilometres, bouncing between being well ahead of the pace bunny to slightly behind after combinations of pit stops and aid stations, my IT never worsened, and so finishing became the minimum. After covering the first 10 kilometres in around 43 minutes, we finished in roughly by dropping an average of 8 seconds per kilometre off our pace through 10k. 

In the final 100m, our shirts went off in tandem, and the crowds lining the finish reacted in a way I didn't expect- they absolutely erupted! In response, we hammered across the line.

A fantastic weekend on the whole. And something to build on for me personally I hope. 

Sunday: 1:30 biking

Monday: 60 min walk 

Tuesday: 60 min walk with 3, 4, 5 min jog 

Wednesday: 50 min walk with 20 min jog in middle

Thursday: Bike warmup, 9x300 w/ 100 jog, 4x150 fast-float-fast, Bike cool down

Friday: 35 min am

Saturday: 12 min w/u+ drills, 16:04 Road PB Ottawa, 10 min c/d