February Wrap-Up

This month I ran 149 kilometers.

Tomorrow I move into a new apartment.

five in forty-five

This morning I ran five miles (the equivalent of eight kilometers) in forty-five minutes, exactly. I may have had to sprint the last ten seconds to make this happen, but man was it a sweet personal victory. I've been hovering just about the forty-five minute mark for weeks now, with my (previous) best time running this distance being 45:35. I'm pleased to say it took me less than two weeks to shave off those last 00:35 seconds and reach this new personal best. This isn't particularly fast by any means, but it's fast for me. I've been obsessing over split times lately (this little cheat sheet has come in handy) and it's rewarding to see real progress being made.

Today's run also means I've officially surpassed my February goal for kilometers run. This is the first month I've religiously tracked my mileage, so with that in mind I didn't set an overly ambitious goal, hoping to run between 120 and 130 kms. As of today I've run 141 kms during the month of February, averaging around 35 kms a week. With three days left in the month, I'm hoping to squeeze in another 15-20 kms. I think this is definitely possible, especially with warmer temperatures on the horizon and a long run scheduled for Saturday morning.

I haven't shared a running playlist in a while, so here's some of the music that's been accompanying me through these February runs:

• Girl Talk, Night Ripper: My favourite Girl Talk album, the perfect mash-up/mix for early morning runs when you need to get the blood pumping.
• Brand New, Deja Entendu: A high school favourite that I never grew out of. This album is great for post-work runs, when you've got to run off some stress.
• Drake, If You're Reading This It's Too Late: Yeah, I jumped on the Drake bandwagon as soon as he dropped this mix tape two weeks ago. What can I say? It's a great soundtrack for running through the streets of Toronto.
• Matt Nathanson, Last Of The Great Pretenders: This album is for quiet Saturday morning runs when it's less about speed and more about endurance. Matt Nathanson at his best, and the live acoustic version of Come On Get Higher is one of my all time favourite songs.
• Flume, Flume (Delux Edition): A new discovery thanks to my younger brother who loaded this onto my ipod as part of my pre-bonnaroo music education (we swapped bonnaroo discographies: I had all the alt-rock/indie/folk bands and he had all the dance/electronic/techno). So far I'm surprising myself by loving this album: not my usual go to, but a great rhythm and beat to run to when you really need to crank out the kilometers.

Week Seven Recap

Week seven: February 15-21, 2015

Total distance run: 41 kilometers 

This was a big week running-wise, but before I get into the nitty-gritty, a little music for your listening pleasure. The Franklin Electric opened for Ben Howard at Massey Hall last month, and man, are they fantastic. Pour yourself a cup of tea, snuggle under the covers and give 'em a listen:

 

The Franklin Electric - This is How I Let You Down (Full Album)

Now that I've set the mood, onto the running. Here's how my week looked:

Sunday: 4 kms

Monday: Rest

Tuesday: 4 kms

Wednesday: 8 kms

Thursday: 8 kms

Friday: 1-hour yoga + 6 km run

Saturday: 11 kms

As I mentioned earlier, I was off to a rough start on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, so I didn't have high hopes for the week. Thankfully, I found my grove again come Wednesday and was able to make up the missed kms to end the week proud, at 41 kms total. What was the source of my Monday-Tuesday running woes? I think it was a combination of a lack of sleep, and messing with my running routine. Both days I tried to run in the late-afternoon, and I find my body doesn't naturally love that time of day for running. The rest of the week I set my alarm for 5:15 am and got my run in before work, which was awesome. Look at me becoming a morning person!

Another big achievement for me? Gearing up and clocking (a very slow) 11 km on Saturday morning in the middle of a snowstorm. Yep, you heard that right, I ran while 15-20 centimeters of snow fell making the going slow (hello leg workout!) and WET. I came back wishing I'd worn goggles because of the inevitable snow-in-eyes-freezing-to-ice-inducing-blindness phenomena, which I can't say I've experienced before. But despite all the extra work it was to get my body moving I have to admit I felt particularity hardcore taking on the streets on these less than favourable conditions. 

February 21 snowstorm run. Yes my socks got very wet.

During the month of February, I've now run a total of 117 kilometres (including 8 km from today). I want to be ambitious, and see if I can reach the 50 km mark this week, but we'll see. I'm conscious of the need to listen to my body and not push myself too hard and end up injured with Spring (aka ideal running weather) just around the corner.

That night in Toronto

For as long as I can remember my family has been Tragically Hip obsessed. I distinctly remember driving home from a cottage - my parents up front and my little brother beside me - as Ahead By A Century played on the radio. I remember my Dad singing along as he drove and a feeling of utter contentment swept over me. I must have been six or seven, no more.

That same tune welcomed my parents, aunts and uncles into the new millennium as they attended a December 31, 1999 concert at the Air Canada Centre where the Hip preformed Ahead By A Century as the clock struck midnight. A story they tell over and over again to my cousins and I, who were left under the care of our grandparents for the evening.

When I was twelve or thirteen my Dad and Uncle took me on a fishing trip to Bobcaygeon, a town in east-central Ontario that up until that point only existed hypothetically, in a Tragically Hip song. I remember sitting in the car as it poured rain and wondering what it was about that place that had inspired such lyrics.

I first saw the Hip in concert at Live 8, a massive festival I attended in Barrie, Ontario with my Dad in 2005. At the age of 14 he made me wait in the shade under a cluster of trees by myself after I refused to stand any closer to the stage. It was loud and hot and getting as close as possible to Gord Downie didn't seem so important back then. Eventually that would change.

The Tragically Hip at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario on February 19, 2015

When I was up North with my cousins a few weeks ago, we were teasing the youngest that she couldn't claim family ties until she could recite the story of Bill Bureko, famously told in the song Fifty Mission Cap. We may have been joking, but she agreed anyway and we listen to the song on repeat until she had it memorized.

Some might say worshiping The Tragically Hip is my family's religion, I wouldn't disagree.

So on a cold Toronto night we headed downtown to have our minds Fully, Completely blown away by Mr. Gord Downie and The Tragically Hip for the Fully and Completely North American Tour. And they did not disappoint.

Here's the set list from the evening:

1. Grace, Too
2. At Transformation
3. Escape Is at Hand for the Travellin' Man
4. Ahead by a Century
5. My Music at Work
6. Courage (for Hugh MacLennan)
7. Looking for a Place to Happen
8. At the Hundredth Meridian
9. Pigeon Camera
10. Lionized
11. Locked in the Trunk of a Car
12. We'll Go Too
13. Fully Completely
14. Fifty-Mission Cap
15. Wheat Kings
16. The Wherewithal
17. Eldorado
18. In View
19. Poets
20. Bobcaygeon
21. Nautical Disaster
22. Blow at High Dough

Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.

"Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional. Say you're running and you think, 'Man, this hurts, I can't take it anymore.' The 'hurt part is an unavoidable reality, but whether or not you can stand anymore is up to the runner himself."

- Haruki Murakami, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

I hit a rough patch in my training last week: a combination of too little sleep, and an over abundance of chocolate on Valentine's Day means I fell short of my goal last week, running only 28 kilometers. That, couple with two tough runs on Sunday and Tuesday had me worried I was facing something more serious. I've been lucky these past few weeks: the miles have come easy and I've felt strong and powerful. Cutting my run short on Sunday was tough, it felt like admitting defeat, like all the progress I've made still wasn't enough.

When the running is hard, I find myself thinking about the above quote by Haruki Murakami from his memoir What I Talk About When I Talk About Running. Runners and writers alike should read this memoir. Written during the months leading up to the New York marathon, Murakami documents his training while reflecting on his lifelong career as a writer and a runner.

The pain Murakami is talking about is the kind of pain you can run through, like the muscles in your legs complaining after a fierce uphill, or the feeling of fire in your lungs after sprinting around the track. Experience and faith in your body teach you that if you just keep running through this pains - just push through - you'll be stronger for it. I've made my peace with this type of pain, and near the end of my run when I'm feeling it, I call this quote to mind and push through.

My run on Sunday was filled with a different type of pain: the bad kind. The ifikeeprunningimayinjuremyself pain. The kind that all runners and athletes try to avoid. But it's important we listen to our bodies and know what pain we can push through, and what pain we can't. On Sunday I stopped running 5 kilometers into what should have been a 10 kilometer run. I took Monday off. On Tuesday I still felt rough and started to worry I'd lost all progress whatsoever.

But this morning I woke up just after 5am and went for a run and I felt strong again. I took it slow, maxing out at 5:45 kilometers, but I ran 8 kilometers without any issues. Fingers crossed the rough patch is behind me. Today's run brings my weekly mileage up to a measly 16 kms with (hopefully) another 20 kms+ to be logged before week's end. So far in February I've run 86 kms bringing me 65% of the way to my monthly goal of 130 kms. Despite setbacks over the past few days, I feel on pace to reach this target.

In the meantime, I'll continue to listen to my body and remind myself over and over:
Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional. 

Winter Running Playlist: February 2015

It's a big world. Go run it.

Spotted this ad in Runner's World last night, which I promptly tapped up on my wall.

This morning I woke up early and ran eight kilometers before work. I started out at a 5:50 per km pace and ran my last kilometer in 5 minutes and 20 seconds (negative splits baby!) At 45:36 this was a new personal best for me, a result I'm extremely pleased with. A year ago I was struggling to run sub-10 minute miles, but today my legs felt powerful and strong as I kicked up the tempo and gave it all I've got.

The training doesn't stop here. A sub-53:00 minute 10 km is a short term goal I'm working towards this Spring. I really enjoy running in the morning and I hope to do this more frequently once the temperature rises above 0 degrees. It's nice to kick off my morning with a run, rather than have the kilometers looming over me all day at work.

Today's run brings my weekly distance up to 28 kilometers, with a long run planned for Saturday morning. I'm hoping to log at least 12 kms to bring my 7-day total to 40 kms to match last week. But with a cold front sweeping into the city and -30 temperatures threatening (not to mention my winter running wardrobe which is definitely lacking) I may be at the mercy of Mother Nature.

In the meantime, cheers to morning runs and personals bests!

Black Spruce Rough Cold Looking Trees

"You know just what I want, three trees... Black spruce rough cold looking trees. Trees against a cold green grey northern sky - where can I get them at once?" 

- Tom Thomson

This weekend I traded my runners for snowshoes and headed North of the city to one of my favourite places in this vast and beautiful country: Muskoka. The region of Muskoka encompasses many small towns and provincial parks, which are a popular destination for city-dwellers in the hotter months of the year. The summers of my childhood were spent cottaging and camping in Algonquin Provincial Park, huddled around a campfire playing cards and trading stories. And now, two and a half decades later, the towering white pines and pristine lakes feel like coming home. 

Overlooking Algonquin Provincial Park from the Visitor's Centre

Muskoka in the winter is how I imagine the rest of the world perceives the Canadian landscape to be year-round: frozen lakes glistening in fading sunlight, surrounded by freshly fallen snow. Barren, but for white pines towering above and quiet, like Mother Nature herself dare not disrupt the silence. 

Skating at Arrowhead Provincial Park

We took advantage of moderately warm temperatures on Saturday (it bottomed out at -8 degrees) to go snowshoeing and skating at Arrowhead Provincial Park, located 10 minutes North of Huntsville, Ont. Arrowhead has a skate trail over a kilometer long that twists and turns through the forest.

Running trails at Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville, Ontario

Sunday morning I bundled up and ran up and down the snowy ski hills at Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville, Ontario. Weekly training goal: 5 kilometers down, 30+ to go. Here's how the next 6 days are looking:

• Monday: 8 km
• Tuesday: Cardioblast
• Wednesday: 10 km
• Thursday: 7 km
• Friday: Yoga
• Saturday: 15 km

February: Accept It and Embrace It

My training plan for the month of February rests on two simple ideas: Accept it and embrace it. During my 10k run yesterday, the temperature dropped to -15, so cold that my iPod stopped working ten minutes into the run. I won't lie, I thought about high tailing it home rather than facing the next 45+ minutes with nothing to listen to but the steady sound of my breathing. But I didn't. The trail series I race in the summer is a strictly "no headphones" event (racing on trails can get kind of dicey, you need to be alert for other runners, thus the no headphones rule) so I told myself this was good practice for passing the gruesome miles in silence.

Running outdoors twelve months a year in Canada is no easy feat. A snowstorm on Monday left the sidewalks covered in a slick layer of slush and ice that makes for slippery going. Some side streets aren't plowed, and I've found myself leaping over snowbanks and puddles. One of the biggest takeaways I can share from these recent experiences, is that we can't fight Mother Nature. Accept it and embrace it. Choose to face the elements, but remember to stay patient: the snow and ice outside might affect the route you choose or the speed you run and that's okay. 

This February my goal is to run 120 kilometers. Thanks to an awesome training week, I'm already 30% of the way there. Here's how my week has looked so far:

• Sunday: 8 kms outside
• Monday: 7 kms (treadmill)
• Tuesday: 8 kms (treadmill)
• Wednesday: Rest
• Thursday:  10 snowy kms outside sans music
• Friday: 7 kms (treadmill)

Total distance: 40 kms

This weekend I'm heading north of the city to do some cross country skiing. Can you say cross training? I can't wait to test my endurance and soak up some vitamin D surrounded by great white pine trees and blankets of snow.

I Forget Where We Were

Ben Howard takes the stage at Massey Hall in Toronto, Ontario on February 1, 2015.

On Sunday evening as the first major snowfall blanketed the city I found myself in silent rapture as Ben Howard took the stage at Massey Hall in the Garden District in downtown Toronto. In between each song you could hear a pin drop as nearly 3,000 people waited with bated breath to be swept away on a musical journey by Howard and his five piece band. The sold out crowd of mostly 20 and 30 something's sat (and then stood) captivated for the entire 90-minute set.

Hailing from Devon, England, Howard humbly acknowledged how honored he felt to take the stage at Massey Hall, whose previous occupants include Neil Young, Gordon Lightfoot, Rush and even Justin Bieber.

"Massey Hall... I've been quite looking forward to this," Howard said. "Last time I came to Toronto I played in a park. This is a bit more formal." Spotlights then lite up the three tiered balcony of Massey Hall, which were visibly filled to the brim. 

"Good evening, Toronto," Howard concluded, with a shy smirk playing on his lips.

A brilliant light show swept through the venue during "End of The Affair" the set's climax.

Howard stuck mostly to his newer material, playing his new album I Forget Where We Were in it's entirety. He also surprised the audience with some older favourites from his debut album Every Kingdom, including: Black Flies and The Fear. The climax of the set came three-quarters of the way though, with "End of The Affair".

"Now for a love song," Howard declared, before sinking into the seven minute long confession, about lost love and moving on. 

The song swells slowly, with an acoustic guitar and gentle strums on an upright bass, before building into a crescendo of complex drums, piano and haunting vocals repeated over and over:

This is it
This is just it
Go to him
What the hell, love?
What the hell?

By the time the band returned for a four song encore the entire venue was on it's feet, and remained standing until Howard and company left the stage for good.

If you haven't yet, check out Ben Howard's music here.