Vancouver Marathon Training - Week 4

Today marks a major miletone in my blogging life - my first comments posted by John of the Ladysmith Striders on Vancouver Island and Jane (who I happen to know is a co-worker of mine) - thanks to all two of you reading my blog! So it was a pretty good week - though I managed to miss a run for the second week in a row...I feel OK about that since there was a deadline at work that required me to stay late a few nights...which PAINS me to do. Tuesday - 5K - 25:16 I was even more grateful to worship at the temple of Run today than usual. If I hadn't taken a much needed 1 hour break to run, stretch, shower, and change it would have been a 12 hour day in the cube. And I would have been even grumpier - yes, new coworkers, it IS possible. Wednesday - work-imposed "rest" Worked too many hours - no run :( However I DID enjoy a big ol' after work margherita - so it wasn't a complete waste of a day. Thursday-10K to Second Beach Pool & Back in record time (56:52) Wicked late afternoon seawall run made possible by all the long hours over the last 2 weeks. Left work at 3pm today and went running into a gorgeous orange sunset beside the gently lapping waves of English Bay...Sweet. Evenings like these are why I live here. Friday- rest Rested up for big honkin' run tomorrow - ate carbs. Saturday - 13K - 1:34 (=embarrassing) Again, we spent the weekend in Pemberton (about 20 minutes up the highway from Whistler) and was given another opportunity to practice winter running. The temperature was a crisp -5C and it was snowing pretty hard, so I wore a lot of layers. T-shirt, long sleeved thermal top, fleece, toque, gloves, and a light super reflective lemon-yellow running jacket (and pants, duh). That was overkill as it turned out - not the pants dummy - I had to make a wardrobe change after only 10 minutes and tied the fleece around my waist. The road I was on today was way busier than I expected and the shoulder seemed to get narrower and narrower as I went along. Every time I tried to move a bit to the side to leave extra room for passing cars my feet sank into deep snow and I looked like a stumbling drunk. Super embarrassing. About 1 Km short of home a snowplow passed on the opposite side of the road - speeding down the highway like a bat out of hell - sparks flying. Needless to say, I sped up - fearing it would turn around at some point and come barreling toward me. On purpose no doubt. After a minute or two I came to my senses, reached for my cell phone and prepared to call in the reinforcements ....when amazingly my chariot - in the form of our Honda Accord - pulled up! That is why I love you Honda (and your driver). Next week will be better. Note to self - in blowing snow goggles should not be considered excessive.

Sunday - cross training - huge meal followed by absurd portion of chocolate mousse