Oak Bay Track 1:11:10

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

I’ve been trying the new Manon Lescaut aria and so far, so good. I’ve been cutting out just before hitting the high b flat.  I want to wait and work it with Selena so no bad habits set in right off the top. I will give it a shot at Friday’s lesson.

Tonight we were at the Oak Bay track. Alan showed up which is great, Gwen too! I wasn’t sure how I’d feel after Sunday’s race. I did a 20 minute warm-up and felt good. I did some strides and still felt pretty normal so Ron suggested I try the WO: 5 x 300m with 100m breaks x 2 with a lap set break. I stayed relaxed and tried to think of my form: 57-58-57-57-57 (3:56 break) 56-55-57-57-55 Ron cued us with running form reminders as we ran by him. He's got a great eye as often he would say something and yep...it would help or when he didn't say anything (I think that happened once) I knew things were flowing.

I felt extremely good and relaxed and felt no stiffness, surprisingly. I ran about 20 minutes for the cool-down, 10 of which at a brisk pace. I am so happy we're doing track over the summer. I believe they are really helping.

When I got home tonight there was a message on the answering machine from the director of the Victoria Conservatory asking me to drop my CV off. They want to hire me to teach this fall. It’s a tempting offer. I would have loads of flexibility but I wouldn’t have the same pay, security and benefits as where I am now. It would be nice to be doing music all day…something I intended to do when I applied for school. Teaching however is draining mentally and emotionally...well, I will just have to have a meeting with the director and find out how many students I would have and see if it even comes close to being interesting.

Rest

Monday, May 29, 2006

I had the deepest sleep last night. I went to bed at 9:30 to see if I could do some catching up and I think I fell asleep in about 10 minutes…Oh Ya!

My legs feel good today so far… I iced my calves yesterday as a precaution but they feel fine.

I went to core class this evening. I like the exercises now that I know what I am doing. I missed my two buddies though....

Took a needle to the blister last night…I’ll refrain from sharing the details but let’s just say, that baby was pressurized and ready to go! Such fun!

Oak Bay Half 1:21:36

Sunday, May 28, 2006

I set my alarm for 6:45am so I could sleep in as late as possible….I wish I were an early morning person. It was perfect day weather-wise for the race, cloudy and cool. RB was there to give me a heads up that a few other women had shown up for the race and to remind me to stick to the plan of a negative split. I was apprehensive about how I would feel running a half after having concentrated this winter on shorter races. I ran the first 10km in 38:43 which was about 45 seconds faster than the plan. I felt very relaxed however; I forgot how tough that last 5km can feel… I had to really concentrate on my cadence and form to maintain a steady rhythm to the finish. My splits were pretty even and my 10km splits were just a couple of seconds off from each other.

I am pleased with my run. My legs feel good so far…just a whopping blood-blister on the sole of my right foot. I can't wait to lance the sucker!

Pre-Race Run 56:19

Saturday, May 27, 2006

I went to the track this morning to do a warm-up run and to speak to RB about how I should run tomorrow’s race. We decided I would run conservatively for the first 10km at close to 39:30 and then try and pick it up if I feel good. Sounds good to me. I did the 25 minute warm-up with Jude and Kirsten who where going to do a track WO, followed by about 10 strides. I hung about waiting for Jude to finish, jogging while chatting in the centre field with Kirsten and then I did another 20 minutes or so with Jude afterward. My legs feel great but my energy is a bit droopy.

I sang for over an hour in the afternoon…it went really well. I love the new aria.

My brother Al arrived on his way from Tofino to Vancouver. We met up downtown and I brought him here to see our new place. Jennie and Simon had invited a bunch of us over for dinner and she was kind enough to invite Al too. I cannot say enough about how amazed I was (we all were) at what an incredible chef Jennie is. She is an artisan bread-maker and has a brick, wood-burning oven built right beside their house in their driveway. She just started using it a couple of weeks ago and although she said she has had a few baking disasters getting used to the new oven, her breads now are coming out beautifully! She made us all pizzas (baked in the oven) and they were like nothing else I have ever tasted…truly! We then moved indoors and she had another spread of food prepared and the most wonderful desserts! Lisa, Paul, Kate and Shan were there too. It was a great night with a lot of laughs!

Day Off

Friday, May 26, 2006

I had a good sleep last…Yay! Let’s hope I have broken the pattern.

My voice lesson today was pretty good. Selena gave me an aria from Manon Lescaut to work on…we’ll see how that one goes.

I made plans to meet up with Shan and Jennie after work at the Ross Bay pub at 5:45. I got there at 5:40 and found the only free table in the back…to make a long story short, Shan and Jennie did not see me in the restaurant and spent almost an hour looking for me in the parking lot until they finally gave up and sat in the pub. The waitress who I asked to keep and eye out for them finally figured they were supposed to be with me…It was hilarious!

After buying a few groceries I headed home and relaxed before bed.

 

Fun WO 1:04:40

Thursday, May 25, 2006.

I didn’t get to sing much this morning…woke up a bit late, but at least I had a decent enough sleep.

I had a dental check-up in the afternoon. I still get nervous going to the dentist. I haven’t had a cavity since I was a kid only because I am terrified of having a filling done so I brush and floss religiously. It’s the needle they use to freeze your mouth that freaks me out.

I got to the lakes early again this week. I did a 10 minute warm-up to the back stretch of the fire road again, did some Poser drills that moved into some easy strides which got me back to the parking lot.

Boob’s WO for us tonight was 3-6-3-3 with 2 minute rests. I eased into the first 3 to see if my legs felt recovered from Tuesday. RB said if I felt good I could do the WO since I won't be doing one on Saturday. I felt good so I gave a strong effort for the rest of the intervals sticking close to DonE. I felt great tonight and had a blast flying along those trails especially along the twisty parts. After resting a bit I did a brisk 15-20 minutes back to the parking lot with Boob.

Recovery Run 54:22

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Another dreadful sleep last night…I’ve been here before…just a phase. Otherwise I felt good. No muscle soreness from yesterday night's track race.

I got a good session of singing in before work. The Boheme aria is coming along. I know Selena will whip me into shape on Friday so I want to have it memorized so I can concentrate on what I need to do. It's a tough aria...big phrases...

I’m missing Joey…another WEEK and three days!

I hooked up with Boob, Wayne and Jarhead for our usual jogeroo on Wednesday nights. Boob took us along Pipeline Rd and then clockwise around Beaver Lake until we found a trail that took us up, up and up some more until we arrived on a quiet street which was lined with the most wonderful properties I have ever seen. Imagine owning a place surrounded by trees, with a view of the lakes down below and having a running trail at your doorstep, very few neighbors (who own horses and other animals!!) and being just minutes from the city…sigh…

We went back the same way we came. I saw Syl out with his cycling group looking pretty professional.

Jarhead and I did some weights…I am back up to doing seven chin-ups…just barely though…my arms were shaking on the last one…weakling.

Twilight 5,000 Metres 17:29

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Work drove me crazy today. I won’t go into details but just to say I was glad to leave and have the work day come to an end!

I nipped home and had a short rest before the track race. When I got back to UVic, Boob and RB were there and a few other runners from PIH. I didn’t see Shan or Lisa and started to panic a bit thinking they may have bailed. Boob and I did a good 20 minutes in the trails around campus as a warm-up. When I got back Matty, Kate and Jennie were there to cheer us on. They said Shan and Lisa had arrived and were warming up….whew! After some guidance for us novices on how a track race begins we all lined up and got into start position…all I hear is Shan saying something like “What the heck, everyone’s crouched…” then the race started. I went out too quickly but gradually found a proper rhythm. I went through the 3km marker at about 10:20…obviously a bit too fast since I fell back a bit in the last two kms. I was happily tucked in behind DonE for the first 6 laps but then Arturo passed me, and then Don. Don picked it up to try and hang on to Arturo. At that point, with 6 laps still to go, I didn’t have the courage to go with them so I just tried to keep the gap between me and Don from getting wider. The race didn’t feel as bad as the 3km time trial we did last month so it was actually quite fun. It was great having friends there cheering….it made it a lot easier. RB was so encouraging…even when I goofed up at the start. He just calmly told me to slow down and relax into the pace. Boob had an awesome race. I think Shan and Lisa enjoyed themselves and ran really well and looking strong. My bud Gar did the 800m and the 5000m and did very well in both as did SH. Good for them! I am looking forward to the next track race!

Now the men’s elite race was something else! What an exciting thing to watch with such a deep field of talented runners….and they all live on the island!! Five men ran sub-15 minutes. SW was definitely the star of the night with a gutsy performance running against seasoned track runners and managing to pull off a stunning win.

A bunch of us went out for pizza and beer afterwards. I stuck to my cran-ginger combo…big surprise there.

I have to say, we are pretty fortunate to have the support from all the people who made that race (and so many others on the island) possible…kewl.

Rainy Day 22:10

Monday, May 22, 2006

I had a great sleep last night…yay! I woke up just before 8am but lazed in bed until 9. I rang Shan and we decided we would spend the rainy day shopping. Joey called me from Stratford (where it is freezing!) so I started running a little late. I was just going to sing for 20 minutes or so but got carried away arriving at Shan’s late…sorry!

We spent the day bumming around shopping for nothing….but managing to buy stuff. We went into Island Runner and chatted a bit with Phil. We buzzed up to Langford but didn’t stay long since the shopping there kind of sucked (why we thought it was going to be thrilling is beyond us!) We ended up back downtown.

After dropping Shan off I came home, threw on some shorts and shoes and did a 20 minute run followed by some Pose drills and strides…and of course it started to pour just as I left the building.

I feel ready for tomorrow’s 5km race. The track is quite a different experience from running a road race, so I’ve been told. I hope there is a good turn out.

Fun Day! 1:03:21

Sunday, May 21, 2006

I met Matty this morning for a run at the lakes. I was feeling pretty tired after a restless sleep so we decided to just do one loop and then an extra 15-20 minutes. We kept a steady pace, chatting most of the way. Cutting the run short allowed me to do some stuff around home that I have been meaning to get to for quite a while.

Jarhead picked me up later in the afternoon to take me to a wine tasting at Venturi-Shulze vineyards just north of Mill Bay. It was such a fantastic thing to do on a rainy afternoon. Marilyn and Giordano, the couple who own the vineyard were extremely generous with their time and shared many stories while we toured the grounds about the ups and downs of owning a vineyard.  The property itself was stunning and I found myself imagining what a wonderful (although I am sure difficult) lifestyle these people have working outdoors all day long in this gorgeous surrounding!

The wine tasting was really fun and interesting. Most of the wines were coupled with local cheeses and breads which were equally delicious. I could feel myself getting a bit tanked as we headed into the last couple of wines so I had to give Jarhead some of my leftovers…he didn’t seem to mind.

We drove back into town and decided we would grab a bite at Ferris’ since it was getting late. I was pretty pooped so I was in my jammies about 20 seconds after I got in the door. I even missed TPB!

Saturday at the Track 1:14:21

Saturday, May 20, 2006

OK….I really cannot drink any alcohol the night before a WO. I couldn’t believe it, but those two lousy drinks had me tossing all night and I had a hang over the next morning….it’s so unfair. Lisa said I looked grey….two drinks...I might as well check myself into a convent…sigh.

I showed up to the track to find all the fast guys there ready to warm-up…no girls in sight….Shan and Lisa said they would be here….where the hell are they?! As I started the warm-up I remembered that Shan usually runs to the track as a warm-up. She better be there. Sure enough, I was relieved to see them when we got back to the track.

By now quite a large group of lanky guys had shown up for RB’s WO. We were to do 5 x 400 with a minute rest x 2 sets with a 5 minute set break.

I was basically alone for the first set and then Walter and Kevin did the second set with me which was great. My 400’s were: 77-79-76-75-78 then 76-78-78-77-77. I felt very relaxed and concentrated on my form as much as possible. I had done some Pose drills before the warm-up so I think that helped me a bit today. Shan and Lisa looked strong even at the end of the last set. I think they had a good WO.

I ran about 25 minutes for the cool-down and did a good 15 minute pick-up near the end. My legs felt perky from the track session this time compared to Wednesday.

This afternoon I met Rebecca for brunch, something we’ve been meaning to do for ages. I did a bit of shopping downtown then came home and cleaned up the place for my brother’s visit. I still don’t know when he is coming…could be tonight….could be tomorrow….or maybe Monday!

My friend Caroline from Calgary flew into town last night (she’s an airline stewardess for Air Canada) so we went for dinner. I just got in and am knackered…time for bed!

Girls Night Out!

Friday, May 19, 2006

I picked Shan up after work. I had to pick up a pair of shoes downtown so we went together and then headed over to Sauce. She made reservations for us as well as Jennie and Lisa. I knew it was going to be a pretty fun night with a lot of laughs with the four of us girls. We talked a lot about food at first and then the conversation became more and more hilarious about topics I cannot divulge on this blog! The food was excellent. Shan brought us fancy chocolates to share for dessert. It was such a great night with some great gals! I really went all out and had TWO white wine spritzers.

 

Drills at the Lakes 1:13:02

Thursday, May 18, 2006

Another beautiful day! I had a good practice this morning on a new aria from La Boheme. I think it might be a good one to work on with Selena. I am getting the urge to put together a small recital. Joey and I spoke about doing a joint one with him playing saxophone. It might be a fun summer project.

I got to the lakes a bit early tonight so I could do a good session of Pose drills beforehand. I ran over to the road near the 9km marker where it’s flatter and started the drills there slowly making my way back. I have to do these drills daily, no excuses. They make such a difference to me. There was a good group out tonight. Lisa is back and all burnt from being in Florida. Her skin is fried and had us in stitches as usual with her descriptions of her sun burn. Mike C thought Boob wasn’t going to show so he said perhaps a 3km pick-up from the 6km marker to the 9km would be a good one to do since it was pretty warm out. Boob showed up at the last second and agreed that that WO would be a good one for tonight. We all ran leisurely around to the 6km marker, stopping to drink at the fountains along the way. I ran the 3kms at close to 5km to prepare for the 5km track race this coming Tuesday. I ran alone so I wouldn’t push and ran a 3:35 pace which felt comfy. I am hoping to run a bit quicker on Tuesday.

 

Recovery Run 1:09:51

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Joey called from Montreal last night to say he got there ok. I miss him already.

DonE and Wayne and I met at my place for tonight’s run. Boob couldn’t make it so we decided to run from here and do part of the Lochside trail. It was another warm night and there were a lot of cyclists along the route biking home from work. We kept a steady pace going but nothing strenuous. We eventually crossed Royal Oak, ran another 10 minutes then turned around and headed back. I felt ok after yesterday’s WO. I came home and did some upper body weights and some core exercises that I have learned in the core class. Joey called again and is off to London Ontario to assist on the opera (Rigoletto) that they brought over from here. He says it’s been raining in Montreal….I tried not to rub it in that the weather here has been fabulous….but I couldn’t help it!

Oak Bay Track 1:05:22

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

I got a longer practice session in this morning and it went really well. I need to find some repertoire I haven’t sung before to see if what I am doing can stick to new peices.

Tonight's WO was at the Oak Bay track since the UVic track was being occupied. The WO seemed daunting…6-8 x 600m with 200m rests. RB was there and he said we could take a longer rest after a set of three and to keep the 600’s at about 3km pace. It was a weird WO for me. I missed my timing for the first two intervals (my watch button seems to be sticking lately) so I have no clue what the first two 600s were in but my third was 2:00 so I think my first two were about the same. Hmmm...I felt I was going quicker than that so that was a disappointment. We had a set break and I decided to pick it up: 1:55, 1:56, 1:58…not the greatest but they just felt tough and I did not feel smooth….argh! 600s suck. A few others were grumbling about their times too so I didn’t feel as bad, but still…not my best WO. There were some impressive fast men in another group who passed us a few times as though we were strolling. Incredible.

DonE and I ran over to Willow’s beach and cruised along the waterfront for the cool-down. What a beautiful place to live! I still pinch myself every time I see those coastal mountains!

Weights and Core Night

Monday, May 15, 2006

I had a really good sing this morning but didn’t get enough time…a bit of a late start only gave me twenty minutes to sing.

I decided to take the day off from running today since I had a pretty big weekend. I spent the evening with Joey instead until he had to go to a concert that his choir was performing in. I did some weights and core exercises on my own.

Thetis Lake 1:19:56

Sunday, May 14, 2006

Today’s schedule was a bit different for a Sunday. We slept in until 9:00 (Squintch woke us up to let us know it was a nice day out…thanks). Boob couldn’t run at 9:00 so Matty and I said we would go with him a bit later. I practiced for a good hour and then when Matt arrived we called Boob who said he couldn’t go until the afternoon. So the two of us went to Thetis and did an easy long run along the usual trail route. I felt surprisingly good but kept the pace easy.

RB's Saturday WO 1:26:56

Saturday, May 13, 2006

This morning’s WO was at the lakes. Shan and Kate picked me up and we did our usual complaining session on the way to the lakes…it’s become a ritual. Ha!

There were a bunch of svelte tri-athletes there this morning so we were a bit intimidated at first but soon found out they were super friendly.

The WO was variations of 9 minutes with 3 minute breaks and 4 minutes with 2 minute breaks. RB was there giving us all suggestions on what combination we should do. He thought 2 x 9 and then 4 x 4 would work for me. The two 9’s we did as an out and back and then did the 4’s heading around the lakes. I eased into the first 9 running in perfect sync with Kate. We slowly caught up to Carolyn and held the pace with her. The second 9 started at the pace we ended with and I continued to pace with Carolyn. It was like running with Judith which was great. We just kept a strong steady pace and worked together…it was awesome! She had planned a third interval of nine minutes so Shan and I re-grouped with Matty and started our 4’s. Shan is obviously off to a great start after her break! We caught up to Boob just as we finished our last interval and we all did a cool-down together by finishing off the loop. I was very happy with how the WO felt.

I quickly showered when I got home and went for brunch with Joey at Mollé’s. I had their Banana Griddle Cakes with buttermilk cream and maple syrup! We spent the rest of the day on a sugar high, hanging out and shopping. We went to a party and were intending to stay just for an hour but just couldn’t find a good time to leave. All these great people showed up that we wanted to chat with just as we were heading out! We finally left and met Squintch at the Penny Farthing for a beer and some grub.

Day Off

Friday, May 12, 2006

It was a tough day at work today. One of the profs who is super stressed right now had a melt-down on the phone and I got the brunt of it. I kept my cool though and she eventually calmed down.

A nice part of my day was my voice lesson. Selena is pleased with my progress and so am I!

I came home right after work and did some cleaning so my weekend would be free….it’s supposed to be stellar, weather-wise so I want to be able to have the time to enjoy it!

T's B-day! 55:47

Thursday, May 11, 2006

I spent the day taking minutes at a faculty retreat out at Dunsmuir Lodge today. What a fantastic views this place had. Unfortunately the meeting lasted all day so there was no time to do any hiking around the gorgeous grounds.

Joey picked me up at the end of the day and we drove to the lakes together to meet up with the IRR gang. It was a bit on the chilly side but once we got going it was great. The WO was 6 x 2 minutes with 2 minute rests. I did the intervals at a tempo pace and just enjoyed everyone’s company. Joey was really tearing up the trails tonight!

We met up with Jarhead and T after the WO for T’s birthday at a Mexican restaurant. Jarhead was so sweet. He had everyone secretly sign a T-shirt for her and had a big birthday cake brought out. It was quite touching.

 

Adventure Run! 1:01:22

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Tonight was an adventure run with Boob and Wayne leading Joey, Jarhead and me through uncharted territory. We up to Strawberry Vale, wound through a gorgeous section of trails, then through a brand-new subdivision, back on some more trails we found to where we started from. The run was nice and easy which was a welcomed pace for most of us. I was feeling a bit flat for some reason so it was a good recovery run for me. We did some weights and core exercises in the gym. I felt a bit droopy so I could only squeezed out six chin-ups.

It is a beautiful night. Joey and I are going to head over to the Italian Bakery for some gelato!!

Track Session 1:08:06

Tuesday, May 9, 2006

Tonight we were back at the track after missing last week. It was such a nice afternoon. I had to deal with Matty pushing me into the bushes as we ran the warm-up…I’ll be putting an end to that shortly. It was great to see Shan out again. She had a great WO after a well deserved break. Actually, there were a lot of people out tonight which was so fantastic! After a 20 minute warm-up and some strides on the grass we did 300m-200m-100m with 100m breaks x 4 with 400m set breaks. I was much wiser this week and started with less vigor so my times and breaks were pretty consistent:

(57-39-17) (56-36-18) (52-36-17) (55-38-18) the 100m breaks were 30-40 seconds long and the set breaks were between 2:25 and 2:35. The intervals were super fun and felt pretty good. I am going to get some pose drills going before the WO next week to see if I can get better efficiency going. I am so looking forward to cleaning up some bad habits that have snuck back this past winter. The summer track sessions should help a lot.  RB is there watching and calling out things to think about. I am hoping he will help get me running with more fluididitty…fluitiddy…fluitiddity…I’m hooped.

Core Class

Monday, May 8, 2006

I had another good practice this morning. At my lesson last Friday we worked on both of Liu’s arias from Turandot and then switched to Ah! Je Veux Vivre to work on the coloratura. (I can’t wait for Syl’s comments on this one).  I hadn’t sung that ditty in years but I was surprised at how much easier it felt. I did the same thing this morning and again the arias went quite well. It was so fun!

I didn’t have time to run today but I did go to the Monday night core class. When I got home our TV was being mounted on the wall by a couple of guys we hired who also manage to hide all the wires. It looks pretty good and saves us a lot of room.

Long Run 1:27:15

Sunday, May 7, 2006

Last night was so fun! We had a last minute call from Squintch saying that Pan and Lin had decided to come to town that afternoon. Joey and I met up with them at Il Greco’s along with two women who worked with Lin last year who were visiting from Japan. We laughed a lot…mostly at Squintch’s expense. The girls took pictures with him and even took close-up shots of his huge hands and feet. They couldn’t get over how tall he was! It was hilarious watching them pose for photos, giggling while looking up at him! Pan’s folks were there too and brought out a huge spread of food for us all with samplings of all the Greek specialties.

It was a wet run today. I was pretty sleepy…I need to get some more sleep! I did loops at the lakes with Matty with Joey doing his first long run in a while. He ran a loop and then did a 2km out and back.

Matt and I did a comfy first loop in 44:45 and the second gradually quicker in 42:30 taking the scenic trail closest to the lake both times. I felt good despite having a constant barrage of bugs flying into my eyes and mouth. Our faces were wet from the rain so when we finished we had dozens of black bugs plastered to our faces…yummy.

Joey and I spent the rest of the day doing errands. We went to Island Runners to pick out some gear. Phil was great and gave me a new knapsack and a couple of items I intended to buy. He has been extremely generous!

Squintch came over after dinner and we all watched TPB together….what a goofy show…don’t ask me why I find it funny.

Week Wrap-up

Saturday May 6, 2006

Yikes!! Has it really been four days since I last wrote an entry?! I’m starting to get lazy about this…I knew that would happen sooner or later.

Wednesday, Joey, Don E and I did 54 minutes of easy running around Cedar Hill golf course. It was hot and muggy and brought back strong memories of the brutal (but fun) WO’s we did there last summer.

Thursday was a run at the lakes. Boob’s WO was 5-4-3-2-1 with 2 minutes rest. I did the first three intervals at a moderate pace, picking it up bit by bit and then had a blast and flew in the last two short intervals trying to catch Tony who was on fire! I then rushed home to get ready for a dinner Joey and I were invited to with Mario Bernardi who is in town conducting the symphony. He’s quite a nice man. He’s still conducting at age 75+ and looks like he’ll be going strong for quite a while longer! He asked me at one point if Joey is engaging me in any future concerts. I said “Well no…and I thought sleeping with the conductor would get me some gigs, but so far it hasn’t gotten me anywhere!” There was a pause and for a split second I thought my potty mouth had really done it this time but he howled as soon as he realized what I said. Joey told me afterwards that Mr. Bernardi likes that kind of humor (thank gawd!). As we were all saying our goodbyes, Mr. Bernardi said he would like me to sing for him one day…I almost said something like…”Well don’t expect any “payment” from me…I’ve had it!...but thought better of it!

Friday was a day off from running. We had a special dinner at Brasserie L’école with  Squintch to celebrate Joey’s end of season. We had the best steak-frites with the best crème brûlée I’ve ever had!

This morning Shan picked me up and we went to Thetis Lake for RB’s WO. It was just a simple 75 minute run along the trails and roads behind the lake with a few tempo bits and surges on the hills. We ran with Nanc (who is smoking ready to run the Ottawa Marathon in a few weeks) and Kevin (who is equally ready) and Buddy. We all had a great time, chatting during the slower bits and challenging each other on the faster parts. Great fun! 75 minutes.

Recovery Run 54:16

Tuesday, May 2, 2006

I didn’t sing this morning. I accidentally slept in…I am still catching up on some sleep and was dead to the world when Joey woke me up at 8:15! I was having the strangest dream. I was working at an ice-cream stand and instead of serving the ice-cream on cones, customers were using their cupped hands to carry the ice-cream to picnic tables that were set up in a large field. It was really hot so by the time they made it to the tables, the ice-cream had become a big soupy mess, prompting them to lick the stuff off of the tables….bizarre.

There was a small group out for the run tonight at the lakes. Boob cancelled the track WO to give everyone a rest after the race. I did a very enjoyable lap with Lisa while Boob and Matty ran ahead. They apparently hooked up with Hicham and Pierre near the fire road and it suddenly became a race. We were so glad we stayed back and missed all the flying testosterone! We did a little extra by going back and picking up Alan and Roy. My calves are completely fine today.

The plan for the rest of the week is to take a rest after four months of hard training. RB said I should go back to some longer steady runs to work towards the Scotia Bank Vancouver Half in June. There will also be some informal track races this summer. I really want to work on my form on the track with RB’s help this summer. I have been neglecting my Pose drills and need to tune back in. I found that it’s hard to find the time to work on Pose when the training is intense. I also would love to find a Pose partner since some drills take two people. I can feel I have fallen back into a few bad habits…

Core Day

Monday, May 1, 2006

Boy, did I sleep last night! I didn’t have any major aches and pains this morning…just some calf tightness which I think will be alleviated after today’s icing regimen. I brought an ice pack to work and propped my leg up while I worked on the computer!

RB called and said that not doing a negative split on the course yesterday was ok since we faced some headwind in the second half which could have been a factor for the slower time in the second 5km. I don’t remember any wind…I was so focused at that point, I didn’t notice anything…including Shan’s squeaky brakes!

I went to core class tonight and had a few good laughs with Jen M. I kept sliding off the ball in the most inelegant ways!

 

Times Colonist 10 km 36:44

Sunday, April 30, 2006

Well, after a torturous night of not sleeping a wink, I was a bit worried I wouldn’t be able to run even a kilometer today. I have only experienced staying up all night once before a few years ago while on my first tour with Les Violons du Roy. We were in Quebec City and had just had an evening rehearsal. I tried to sleep that night but was up all night long because I was just so excited to be there and involved in such a great project. I made it through the next day of rehearsals, but just barely.

So, with a bit of apprehension about how I was going to survive, Joey and I made our way to the start line where we had arranged to meet Squintch for a warm-up. We ran the first couple kms of the route, looping around the petting zoo and then along Dallas where we could see the mountains clear as day. Jarhead was at the start to wish us luck.  I finally spotted RB who reassured me that one night of lost sleep would not affect today’s’ run.  I trusted his words and also thought, ‘Well, you’re here now so just go for it.’ After a last minute pit stop (with the aid of Sandi H who stood guard) I did some strides and got myself to the start line where I saw Wayne, Jennie, Boob and a bunch more. Boob and Jennie also assured me that I would be fine. My favorite part of the race is hanging out with my friends and feeling the excitement of the race vibe at the start line!

The race was a good lesson for me on trusting my pace. I thought I might have gone out too slowly since a couple of women whom I normally keep pace with were quite a distance in front of me for the first few km. I hadn’t started my watch so I had no idea what was really going on. I decided I better try and pick it up in case I had gone out too slowly. I managed to catch them but it turned out that they had gone out fast so I ended up running a faster first half than I wanted to. By my rough calculation I did the first 5km in about 8:16. I should have done the second part of the course quicker with such a great downgrade section along Dallas so a slower second half tells me I lost some time due to some fatigue accumulated from a quick first half. Next time I will trust that my legs know what they are doing. I used the memory of the tempo WO’s with Jude to keep my pace strong in the last few kms.  In any case, I had a great run and managed to break 37 minutes, which was my goal. I heard RB telling me to use my arms in the last 400 meters and so I apparently started swinging my arms like a maniac….I guess I need to work on my arm swing!

So many people had great race times today. Joey time was 44:01 a good four and a half minutes faster than last year…not bad for someone who hasn’t had time to train in the past month! Matty was there to congratulate us saying I will be hit 35 minutes next year….hmmm...that seems a bit insane.

Joey and I went for brunch with Squintch, Dave H, and Matty at Demi-Tasse. I was apparently falling asleep at the table while we waited for our orders …although I swear I closed my eyes for just a few seconds. I stayed awake long enough to gobble down a big plate of eggs benedict. We had a few laughs about Shan’s squeaky bike brakes that could be heard at various points in the race. She hadn’t ridden her bike in a couple years and it appears it needs a tune-up!

Joey and I spent the rest of the day shopping. We bought a really soft throw for the couch…which still looks great in our space! Squintch had invited us for dinner so I took an ice pack with me as RB suggested and iced my calves just in case I pulverized them today while he cooked us dinner. I fell asleep again after supper on Squintch’s couch while he and Joey watched TPB.

One Day to Go! 30:56

Saturday, April 29, 2006

We woke up to really lousy weather. I had to wait until our couch arrived before doing my final warm-up run before tomorrow’s race so I listened to my lesson that I recorded from the day before trying to absorb all the nuances we were working on. The movers finally showed up at about 11:00 and I have to say, the new couch fits in perfectly. It really lightens the place up and opens the room up a lot. I am thrilled!

I sang for about an hour and then saw that there was a break in the rain so I popped my shoes on and ran down to the Goose to do an easy 15 minute out and back. I threw in a few short tempo bits just to get some spin going and finished off with a few strides. My legs feel very rested and ready for tomorrow. I feel a bit sleepy but I think that’s from the small taper this week.

Joey and I spent the rest of the afternoon doing some errands before meeting Squintch for dinner. Joey has his closing night show tonight followed by a closing night party. I warned him to be super quiet getting home so I could get a good night’s sleep. The rest of the night for me will be spent hanging out and getting our gear ready for tomorrow.

Rest Day

Friday, April 28, 2006

I had another good voice lesson today. We worked on the new piece I learned at the beginning of the week and then went back and did Liu’s aria from Turandot. It was going so well we went 10 minutes overtime! I was a bit late getting back to work…oops!

I took my usual day off today from any running and just spent the evening relaxing and catching up on email. Our couch is being delivered tomorrow morning!