New Year - New Possibilities

As 2019 comes to a close, it is important to reflect upon the year behind us, and to plan for the year ahead of us. If you met all your goals for 2019, congratulations! If not, reflect on why and then reprioritize your goals for 2020.  After all, the new year brings us 365 opportunities for challenges, adventure, goals and ambitions.  Be sure to stop and think about what you want to accomplish in 2020 and then lay out a plan to bring those goals to fruition.  Don't be afraid to ask for help in the process.  We rarely do it alone. 

Good luck and Happy New Year everybody!!

Ironman #2 - Mont Tremblant 2019

Ironman Mont Tremblant

Sunday, Aug 18, 2019

It is always difficult to blog after finishing an Ironman.  It is such a completely exhausting experience in so many aspects - mentally, emotionally and physically. I’m unsure of how to start.  

I just watched the IMMT race recap video on Ironman’s Facebook page: (https://www.facebook.com/IRONMANMontTremblant/videos/2553036451578367/UzpfSTc5NDU5NTMxODoxMDE2MjE5MzgzNDQ4MDMxOQ/) 

so I’ll start with their theme of how doing an Ironman is a very individual sport but nobody gets there alone.  And its very true.  There were a lot of long lonely training days, but I didn’t always do it alone.  While I’m self coached and do not belong to a training club, there are a few people who have helped along the way this time and made sure I got to the starting line fit, healthy and happy.   

This year a new friend, Sasha, joined me on a few long weekend rides up in Angus Glen, and I have to thank Carolynne for unwittingly, dragging me up that bloody hell of a hill in Milton at Tremaine/Steeles on what was supposed to be a fast and flat training ride for Welland.  I’m sure I’m a better cyclist for it.     

And while not actually training partners, my friends Mark and Shauna, have always provided me with a safe haven while in Mont Tremblant, that makes my race week so much calmer. Your home in La Conception is truly a warm and beautiful place.  Thank you everybody. Merci beaucoup mon amis.  

This year, 2019, I came into Ironman Mont Tremblant with much valuable experience that I gained back in 2017, when it was my first time doing an Ironman.  I was a little less star struck, more focussed and knew where the hell I was going this time.  I arrived earlier, stuck to my taper plan but still had time to swim the lake, bike the hills of Duplessis and nail a shake out run on the course. I felt good, nervous of course, but in a healthy respectful way you should be before attempting to swim bike run 140.6 miles (225km).   

In 2017, I finished the course in 13:53:42, and my goal for 2019 was to simply beat that time.  I took 2018 to focus on the weaker aspects of my performance.  I wanted to become a better swimmer and cyclist.  I always felt good about my running ability, for those who know me, running is the strongest of my 3 events and I felt if I swam and biked better I’d have more energy to lay down the marathon I knew I was capable of doing. I am a Boston and Chicago qualifier after all, however, living up to that speed in an Ironman has proven difficult. 

I made some good training gains in 2018 doing a couple half-irons and was ready to face a full iron again in 2019. 

This year I seeded myself at the 1:25:00 swim start. I knew I was going to beat my previous time of 1:33:24.  I worked hard on my swim in the time since, and I knew if I had a good warm up and stayed calm and form focussed I would nail it. The nice thing about this race is that there is a rolling swim start, meaning its a much calmer and orderly roll out, 5 racers every 5 seconds so you have more space. Unlike the mass age group swim start which is choppy chaos.  I like this swim start and I stayed calm the entire time.  The air conditions were cool and overcast and my goggles fogged up pretty bad 

but thankfully there were lots of pink and yellow fluorescent swims caps, and yellow and orange buoys around me so it wasn’t too hard to point myself in the right direction.  

I know I’m doing well when I hear music in my head when I’m doing my endurance cardio.  This morning ‘Humble’ by Kendrick Lamar was playing in my mind during the swim.  I’m not sure why.  I told myself to be more aggressive on this course because I was better trained and familiar with the lay out, but perhaps it was a subtle reminder to not get carried away, stick to what you did in your training, pay attention to my arm position and don’t get overconfident.  Be humble.  Either way it was good.  I came out of the water in 1:25:29 (just 29sec off my goal time) for the 3.8km swim. Eight minutes faster than last time I raced Lac Tremblant (pacing 2:13/100m instead of the previous 2:27/100m). It was a good start to a long day. 

Out of the water I used the wonderful wetsuit strippers again and ran (not walked) into T1 and managed to take my transition time down from 9:55 to 8:46. Faster again. Things were looking good. 

Now out onto the bike.  This is always the part of the course that I find the most difficult. I’m not a strong cyclist but with the purchase of a new TT bike and a commitment to staying in aero position longer, along with more hill training this year, I was going to push harder to see what I could do.  

However, my aggressive attitude landed me my first ever drafting penalty about 25km into the bike course. An official on a bike snuck up on me and busted me. Oh well.  Be humble.  The music stopped as I pulled into the bright yellow penalty tent to serve my 5min punishment.  Not how I wanted to be faster on the bike. lol!  All I could do was sit and think. No eating, drinking or port a potties here. Just breathe I was told. 

  

After serving my time, I pushed on and new songs popped into my head.  One of the aid stations played ‘Can’t Stop the Feeling’ by Justin Timberlake and that stayed with me for most of highway 117, until I reached Duplessis and I resurrected my own song from 2017 ‘I Love Hills!’ for the brutal climb up to the top (356m).  I was out of my seat singing about how much I loved hills and how lucky I was to be there climbing.  One guy next to me created his own verse about how he loved his granny gear on his bike.   It is nice to inspire others in our moments of suffering.  You feel the pain a little less when you sing and smile, and then its all downhill from there. Until you have to do your second lap... 

This time around I managed an average overall speed of 25.2km/h on the hilly bike course, with a max speed of 66.4km/h going down Duplessis. Overall it took me 7:12:08 (including my drafting penalty, ugh).  I ended up only doing the bike course 10min faster this year, which was not as much as I hoped for but it is what it is, obviously I need to work both harder and smarter for next time.   

On to T2... this time I understood that the transition zone volunteers were there to take your bike and rack it for you, so I did not resist them, saving me a few previous moments.  It was pretty funny in 2017 when I fought the volunteer who was only trying to help me. Guess I missed that in the athlete’s briefing. Not this time though!  I moved through T2 15 seconds faster - 4:50 down to 4:35. 

I think I had my cycling cleats on too tight, boy were my feet aching, it was so good to get them off and into the heavenly comfort of my runners. After a quick port a potty stop, I was off and running ready to knock off this third discipline - the marathon. 

I remember from 2017 feeling completely overwhelmed at the start of the marathon.  I was so tired and had so far to go.  The thought of running 42.2km was just so overwhelming, my pace sucked and I had to rethink how I was going to approach it.  

This year, I had anticipated this feeling and knew that I was going to take it simply one kilometre at a time.  I was going to run 1km 42x. And that works for me. Everybody has their own way. I celebrated each and every km.  I was even more mentally stronger in 2019 and I started out on the marathon much more optimistic, it makes a big difference when you have the right attitude going into an endurance competition. This point in the day is more mental than physical believe me.    

I have to admit, the bout of tendinitis I struggled through in the spring was in the back of my mind, but my hip was pain free for the entire run, including the hills.  Of course, I had the usual ‘I’ve been pushing hard all day aches and pains’, but no tendinopathy pain in my right hip/glute. That was a huge relief.  But I have to wonder how much faster I could have run if I spent more time on my run training leading up to this event.  But you could drive yourself mad thinking like that...  

Anytime I started thinking about how tired I was I would always pass by another person who seemed to be carrying a bigger burden than me and that quickly gave me a reality check.  There was a fireman doing the marathon in full kit, including jacket, hat and compressed air cylinder. There was also a member of the armed forces doing the run in full kit. I called out for them to stay strong, gave them a fist pump, and re-focussed my own efforts.  Stop complaining I told myself.  Keep running. I still have another lap to go. 

There were a few moments on the run where I struggled but these were not mental struggles, but more fuel related.  I decided to start fuelling with coke at the 14km mark, a little earlier than I had planned (7km earlier actually). I usually start after the 21km halfway mark, but I felt more fatigued than I expected and thought why not start now?  But I ended up taking too much coke in short a period of time.  It wasn’t flattened enough and I struggled with gas pain.  I had to take 2 port a potty stops and worked my way through the issue. But it cost me time.  I should have stuck to the GU gels and liquid base endurance drink and then switch to the coke after the 21k mark as I had planned. Lesson learned.   

Anyway, I still ran a faster marathon than last time. I felt mentally stronger and learned you can have too much of a good thing.     

I pushed harder on the run this year.  I know I’m not going to have my fastest run off a 180km hilly bike course, but I felt I could do better than the 4:43:23 marathon I did in 2017.  Upon reflection of that race, I felt I ran conservatively due to the simple fact that I worried about even finishing.  Maybe bonking or hitting the proverbial wall, something like that I suppose.  This year I knew I was capable of finishing an Ironman and I wanted to push myself harder than before. Instead of an average pace of 6:43/km in 2017, I managed to hold a 6:31/km pace and shaved 8min off the run finishing in 4:35:39. Its not another BQ but hey, I’ll take it for today.  

Overall I finished in a time of 13:26:36, almost 30min faster than my last Ironman performance.  I raised my age group ranking from 33/66 (50th percentile) to 48/118 (40th percentile), and gender position from 262/500 (52.4 percentile) up to 263/618 (42.6 percentile). 

So what are my overall feelings about this Ironman?  

I’m glad I did it the second time.  I didn’t want to be a one and done kind of Ironman.  To me, doing something once might just be a fluke.  If you can do it again, and maybe even do it better than before, its more special.  Which it was for me.   

I wanted to know that I could go back and do it faster the second time.  While it was faster, I wish it was a little faster than it was. Maybe there will have to be a third time. 

But for now I’ll be recovering for the next couple weeks.  Lots of naps, food and very easy workouts. I also find I need to mentally recover as much as physically. I often feel a little depressed after a big event and need to be kind to myself. With all the time and effort of the last 8 months putting everything I had into this training, a gap in your life hits you hard post-race.  I’ve already finished reading a book and settled into a few movies.  I’m just listening to myself and being kind. I highly recommend taking it easy to all the other finishers and thinking about all aspects of your recovery, mental and physical.  At least until we take on our next challenges, whatever they might be.  As the Ironman motto says: Anything is Possible!

Triathlon Training Update - Prepping for Another Ironman

This year, 2019, was the year I decided I wanted to go back and attempt another full ironman.  The first and only one was back in 2017, where I did the Ironman Mont Tremblant (IMMT) course in 13:53:43.  Not bad for a first attempt, I was told. 

In 2018 I wanted to focus on Ironman 70.3 races (half-irons) where I could focus on improving my bike and swim times, the areas where I felt I was weaker athletically, and then the next year go back for the full, new and improved.  I was happy with my training that year, especially with my swim at Barrelman where I knocked 6min off my 2km swim time, and did the full 3.8km swim in 1h24m at the LOST swim in Aug 2018 (down from 1h33m at IMMT). Things were looking good in the water. 

Late that fall (Dec 2018) I decided to upgrade my bike from my trusty Specialized Ruby road bike to a brand new TT bike, a Liv Avow Advanced Pro 2.  I was more committed to aero and speed on the bike. 

     

So far this year, I’ve had a mixed bag of results from the two races I’ve done, the Welland long course in June and the Ironman 70.3 Muskoka event in July. 

Due to a cold and wet spring, I did not have many opportunities for open water swimming before Welland and both my swim times so far average 42min/2km.  A few minutes below my PB of 40min. On this today I swam 43:43 down from 46:44 in 2017. An improvement from the last time I was at this event, but not my fastest. It was still early in the season, and I feel confident I can work on this in the month I have left before IMMT on Aug 18.  

I was actually really happy with my bike performance at Welland.  I knocked 12min off my bike time on the fast and flat course and that was a big confidence booster for me (1:55:26 down from 2:07:08).  The time I was spending on my my TT bike seemed to be paying off. Happiness.  

The run course was a different story.  If you’ve been following my blog this year, you’ll be aware of my hip/gluteal tendinitis injury. Basically I had to take a break from running for 6 weeks after my marathon in May, which set my running ability back from my usual performance.  Running has always been my strength and I personally struggled with my lack of performance despite being fully aware I was coming back form injury.  

Despite the run not being what I wanted it to be, I still had a PB at Welland this year in an overall time of 4:08 (2019), versus 4:17 (2017) and 4:25 (2016) in previous years. I finished 11th in my age group, so close to a top ten finish.  So overall Welland 2019 was a good event for me.   

The Muskoka half was more challenging for me however.  For those close to me, you know I struggle with depression and anxiety.  I hide it well from others. Not from shame but from a lack of desire to constantly discuss it at times.  For personal reasons, my anxiety had really flared up race weekend and I knew it was going to mess with my ability to perform on race day.  That’s just the shitty luck of the draw.  I don’t want to write a blog full of excuses but that was my reality that day.  I choked on the swim, had to breast stroke for 3 min at the mass start before I settled into my front crawl and made up time with a 42:57min swim in the end. (In 2018 I swam 42:39, so 18sec slower this year).

I started decently on the bike, but failed to push myself on the bike to my full ability like I did in Welland where my ride rocked.  There was no music playing in my head on this day, like last year when I knew I was in my groove. I just had this anxious fear of crashing.  I had witnessed 2 significant spills during my ride and it got under my nerves.   The bike sucked for me that day, less aero, more doubt. I only managed to pace an average speed of 26.6km/hr, while the previous year I paced 27.8km/hr. 

The run went better, I felt stronger and while I suffered in the heat and hills, and still hadn’t redeveloped my full run conditioning at this point, I felt more in control of my legs and ability, and I actually enjoyed the run.  I finished with a good kick passing several ladies on the last hill towards the chute and knew that my run strength was returning. More importantly, the run was completely pain free and I feel I’m now finally over the hip/gluteal tendinitis.  

I ended up finishing 33rd in my AG while last year I finished 17th. It just wasn’t my day out there. 

Needless to say, I have already started my more intensive run program to get my run back to where it should be with my physiotherapists blessing.  In regards to my anxiety, I’m discussing that with my doctor and I’ll leave it at that. 

So, triathlon training in 2019 has been a mixed bag for me.  Welland went well, Muskoka not so much.  But I’m taking lessons learned from both and working on controlling my anxiety better, building confidence on my kick ass, new TT bike, and rebuilding my run conditioning. My swim is good but I need more time in open water to work on the smoothness of my starts. 

I still have a month to go before Ironman Mont Tremblant on Aug 18, 2019, and I am confident that with the five weeks of training I have left, I can make up the grounds that I need to put in a solid performance.  I have some long sessions coming up in the next few weeks, but with the proper determination I'll get the work in I need to do to improve. 

I’ve decided to look at both Welland and Muskoka as 2 really tough brick workouts leading up to the main event.  I’ll be calmer, more rested, focussed and fully trained by the time I head over to Mont Tremblant. 

I got this.  

Build a Stronger Back

Many of my clients come to me complaining of back pain, and they want to know what exercises they can do to help build a stronger back, thereby reducing back pain in the process. 

In theses cases, I draw on my knowledge of yoga and pilates to outline a basic back strengthening program that most people can do at home. 

I created 2 short videos where I clearly demonstrate each technique and you can find them here:

Back basics 1: https://vimeo.com/341128426?activityReferer=1 

Back basics 2: https://vimeo.com/342510096?activityReferer=1  

In the first exercise series, I outline 3 back and core focused exercises that are generally safe for most of the population to do, including those with common back conditions such as arthritis, as all these exercises keep the spine in a safe neutral position (e.g. no arching or extension).

Exercise 1 is bird-dog.  Start by positioning yourself on your hands and knees. Then extend opposite arm and leg (e.g. right arm with left leg) into the air.  Switch sides after 10-15seconds. Repeat 3 times per side. Remember to keep your spine in a straight, neutral position. Do not arch/extend your back. 

Exercise 2 is the bridge. Start by lying on your back, knees bent. Then lift your hips into the air by squeezing your glutes up.  Hold for 10-60sec, repeat 3 times.

Exercise 3 is the deadbug. Start by lying on your back, lift arms and legs, with knees bent, into the air, then alternate your arms and legs back and forth.  Perform for 20-60sec, 3 times.  

In the second exercise series, I outline 3 more back exercises that are slightly more advanced.  They include some back extension, so if you have any pre-existing back conditions you may want to consult your doctor or exercise professional before attempting.   

Exercise 4 is superpose. Start by lying on your tummy, with your arms and legs reaching out on the mat. Then lift arms and legs into the air, bringing your back into extension.  Hold for 10sec, repeat 3 times.  

Exercise 5 is the swan.  Start by lying on your tummy, hands underneath your shoulders.  Slowly lift your head and shoulders off the mat until your arms are straight. Slowly lower after 10 sec, repeat 3-5 times. 

Exercise 6 is the mid-back row (you will need a thera-band for this one).  Sitting up on the mat, take your thera-band and wrap them around your feet. Keep your legs and back straight, then row the band towards your body squeezing your back as your row.  Do 12 reps of 3 sets.  

Try these exercises 3-4 times a week and you should feel a noticeable difference in your back strength and discomfort.  Remember life gets better when you have a strong back, so take this opportunity to take control of your back health. 

Ride for Heart 2019

The inaugural start to my long outdoor cycling season coincides nicely with the Heart & Stroke Foundation’s annual Ride for Heart Campaign.  Its both a charitable and festive event that is the perfect way for me to pedal out my first 100K of the riding season.  And there’s no excuse to miss it.  My very generous friends, family and clients always donate to the cause, and I get a fully supported ride (water, snacks, port a potties) all along the Gardiner and DVP in Toronto, two very busy highways that normally never allow cyclists due to the danger of high speed traffic.  

The weather was a little touch and go with rain letting up as the morning went on, besides, the energy of the riders and volunteers all made up for any attitude which was impossible to dampen. Go riders go! 

I met lots of friendly riders of all differing abilities. Some families were out with children doing the 25km route, while others did 50-75km.  Myself, I started early enough so that I could sneak in the ‘accidental third loop’ of the DVP and pedal out 100km.  When such an opportunity presents itself its hard to say no.  Especially when it compliments my Ironman training so nicely, so close to home.   

It is hard to believe that it has been six years in a row (2014-2019) that I have been a VIP rider for the Ride for Heart.  Every year I fundraise over $1000 for the Heart and Stroke Foundation.  Giving back to my community is such a great feeling, and we all have been touched by heart disease or stroke in some way.  I want to thank everybody for their generous support this year, and the years past. Hopefully we can do it all again next year! 

Sulphur Springs 50miler

Saturday morning dawned dark and dreary.  Although it was race day, Mother Nature was not going to be kind to us.  Severe T-storms were scheduled and I hoped that I would be able to at least get warmed up and some mileage behind me before the storm hit.  I managed to pick up my race kit in the dark and dry conditions. 

With my bib on, and trail bag packed full of all the goodies I would need to last me a possible 12 hour day, I readied myself near the starting line for pre-race announcements. 

The 50milers and 100milers started at 6am.  I had to run 4laps of a 20km course for a total of 80km/50miles.  We made it about an hour into the race (~10km) when the storm hit. The thunder and lightening storms lasted for the first 3 hours of the race, and it quickly led to huge quantities of mud and super slick conditions.  It was impossible to stay dry and clean, so I was covered in mud up to my knees. The lightening was a little unnerving but we were fairly deep in the woods and not exposed so I supposed that was a small comfort.  Soon the wet clothes were leading to chafing and blistering as I would sorely find out by the end of the race... 

                                 (thanks to Heather Borsellino for the screen shot picture)

I always seem to meet so many nice people on the trail, and chatting with them always helps me along the way. I ran the first lap with a guy named Bill who I meet through another trail race buddy, Ryan Rogers (IG: @RunRunRogers).  We chatted about running, the crappy weather, course records and how we were running way too fast to start, of course.  Despite that, he ran on past me for lap number two, but that’s fine, because everybody has to take this trail race at their own pace.  I’ve left others when I needed to push and vice versa.  Everybody has their own race to run.  I was still feeling good anyway, despite the rain and hills. 

On the second lap I chatted with a guy named Dan, although he definitely did most of the talking.  He had some great sounding kids and he talked about them mostly.  I suppose he drew most of his inspiration from them and I was happy to be distracted by him during the constant climbing we had to do on this course.  There was about 600m of elevation per 20km lap.  I was dying with the elevation, and reduced to hiking many sections of the course on the second lap. The course was constantly up and down with very few level parts, and I am definitely a fast and flat runner.  About 15km into the second lap Dan slowed up with an old injury and I found myself on my own again.   

The third lap started out really promising.  I was more than halfway done (always a celebratory milestone!) and the T-storms had stopped.  I tucked my rain jacked into my trail bag and soon after my compression sleeves had to go, as the heat and humidity set in.  A big weather swing.  Despite my happy go lucky attitude of the first two laps, and celebrating the midway milestone at 40km, I soon found myself sinking into a darker mood.  This third lap (kms 40-60) was the most difficult of all the laps.  Even more than the final lap.  I’m not sure why, maybe it was because my legs and feet were really starting to hurt and fatigue was setting in.  I knew I was more than halfway there, but still had so far to go, e.g. 40-80km.  But I really struggled mentally.  

Never before in a race did I want to cry, but I got emotional on this lap and struggled with why the hell I was doing this.  I never doubted my ability to do the course, and I never wanted to stop, but it was emotionally really challenging to finish the third loop.  This was something I have heard about in so many of the ultra marathon distance videos I’ve seen (e.g. Billy Yang’s - Why 100 Miles. I highly recommend you check it out on YouTube) but this was the first time I ever experienced it myself. I felt awful the third time I climbed the dreaded section called the 3 sisters (a super hilly section of the course with 3 short steep intense climbs in quick succession, about 14km into the 20km loop that we had to do 4 times).  My legs burned with lactic acid, my mind screamed and everything fucking sucked.  But the last 5 km were quite runnable (with the exception of the last hill up to the turn around/finishing line) so you got over those feelings quickly.  All in all, lap #3 was like experiencing depression on a run and it was new and awful.  But I like to think that at least now I’ve been through it and know that I can work through it.  Like a real life depression in many ways. 

My fourth lap I started feeling better. The crowds cheered me on loudly with hoots & hollers & cowbells when I announced it was my last lap, and knowing I didn’t have to run the course anymore after this lap made me feel tremendously better.   Although my legs and feet still hurt and I was still caked in mud, both dried and new fresh layers with each lap, my spirits picked up tremendously.  The dread I felt in the third lap left me and I was on my home stretch. I started fuelling with salty pretzels and coca cola at the aid stations for that final push (the hydration, caffeine and sugar helps tremendously).

A girl I was going back and forth with all day (Lisa maybe? I forget her name to be sure) caught up with me and we chatted about the third lap dread loop.  It made me feel a little better knowing she also experienced the same mental struggles I did on lap #3.  We were both feeling much better at this point in the lap and we headed off down the course at our respective paces. 

  

Soon after, I had a great chat with Jeff Rowthorn (from Happy Trails Racing) about what 100K courses he might recommend for someone who prefers fast and flat (I swore I wouldn’t be doing Sulphur Springs again) and he planted the seed for Brazos Bend 100 in Texas and some other races in the southern US.  Maybe a destination race for a milestone running event, who knows?   

Talking to people really helps pass the distance. Now with only 10km left I felt so much better.  I climbed the dreaded 3 sisters the last time with a guy named Matt but ran in the last 5 km (75-80km) on my own, giving high fives to random runners I passed on the way back on the home stretch.   

I was so happy to be finished. So incredibly happy.  This event was the toughest race I have ever ran.  Even tougher mentally and physically than Ironman.  It had to be a combination of weather extremes, total elevation, total distance and the mental challenge of it all. During Ironman I never experienced the same dread and doubt that I did during lap 3 at this event, even though I did Ironman in 13:53:42 and this 50mile trail race in 10:28:51. 

Over the 80km/50miles I ran a total elevation of 1,753m (according to Strava).  That has to be my record for running elevation in one day. My legs are thoroughly trashed today and will be tomorrow, and probably the next.  

Overall I managed a top ten finish in my first 50mile trail ultra-marathon which I am quite pleased with, considering I couldn’t train on hills as much as I would have liked to considering the hip/glute tendinopathy I have been dealing with over the last few months.  I’ll take it as a victory despite the days literal and figurative highs and lows. 

I am also happy to report that the nutritional plan I had laid out worked well for me.  I definitely overpacked on the snacks, as the aid stations provided GU gels, so I didn’t need to bring as many as I packed.  I also did not eat the shot blocks, as I did not crave the sweetness as much as I thought I would like I did during the Ironman bike course.  The biggest thing I took advantage of at the aid station were the salty snacks like chips and pretzels (these are harder to pack so I trusted the aid stations for this).  I was really well fed but managed to have zero GI issues. I hydrated with Tailwind for the first 3 laps, then drank coke for the last lap.  I peed a few times (I really tried to stay hydrated especially when the heat set in) but experienced no emergency pooping issues. Just once pre-race. Perfect.  I also go vegetarian 48 hours before big races, and that helps me tremendously.  So I would definitely go with this plan again, only a little lighter on the bag.

So everybody has asked me if I still want to run 100k after this experience, the darkness and all.  And my answer is still yes, but terrain will definitely hold a huge impact in the decision I make where I will do it.  I most definitely want a flatter and less muddy geography for it.  So stay tuned for that decision later! 

Top Ten Tips to Run Faster

Do you want to run faster? Here are my top ten tips to build speed and crush your next 5k race.  

This is the time of year many of my clients have their first spring race behind them now, and want to improve their run times for their summer/fall races.  Everyone wants to get faster for their next 5km race. Here are many of the things we work on to improve their speed and you can add into your training with some planning.

1. Check your form.  Running with proper form promotes flow and reduces impact on the body. Remember to keep your high knees, kick your hamstrings back, your foot should land underneath your hip, trying to avoid heel striking.  Your arms should pump opposite to your legs and your body should be slightly leaning forward. 

2. Strengthen your core, not just your legs.  Planks, superpose, Russian twists, bicycle crunches, squats and deadlifts all target key core muscles used in running.  Without an engaged core, your form will fall apart fast. 

3. Try plyometrics.  Build speed and power with explosive moves like box jumps, jump squats, running A skips, bench crossovers, plyo split squats.  These drills will build stamina and strength in your glutes and hips, the key muscles groups used in running.  

4. Change your surface.  Runners can switch it up between road, treadmill, track, and trail surfaces.  Each of these surfaces challenge the body differently keeping you well rounded as a runner, and also prevents boredom.  

5. Rest.  Get 8 hours sleep or grab a nap, you can’t perform at your best if your batteries are drained. 

6. Recovery.  Your muscles get sore, knotted and tired from all that hard work. Simple recovery techniques like foam rolling, massage therapy, epsom salt baths, refuelling with protein shakes, all help muscles recover between workouts.  This will reduce cramping, stiffness and fatigue. 

7. Work on your Flexibility and Mobility. I simply can not stress this enough.  If your hips and glutes are tight you won’t have the full ROM to get your best stride. Increasing ROM = free speed. If you are tight you fight your own body for full ROM in your running stride.  Improved flexibility will also reduce your injury risk and you won’t run fast if injured, trust me. Stretch and massage therapy, as well as yoga will help. 

8. Run intervals.  Next time you hit the track add in some sprinting intervals.  They should be much faster than race pace, and only maintained for a short time.  Think 100-200m sprints. If you want to run faster you have to leave your comfort zone even if its just for a little bit. Track interval workouts are great for this, or even add in some strides in your longer runs if you don’t have track access. 

9. Run slower.  Recovery run days should be run slower than all your other runs. Respect the recovery run speed so you don’t burn out. Recovery runs should be 60-90sec slower/km than your race pace. Your rest days are important for overall recovery will still keeping your body moving and loose. 

10, Cross train. If it is not a prescribed run day and you still want to workout, try rowing, swimming or biking. It will train your cardiovascular endurance still, without the high impact of running, thus reducing stress on your body.  New runners often overdo their running before their bodies adapt and that can often lead to injuries.  3-4 runs a week is enough for your first year of running. 

A more thorough analysis of my injury

A few weeks ago I finally admitted that my right hip pain was not healing up with acupuncture and massage therapy like I hoped it would, and decided that I finally had to seek medical advice.  I blogged about this on May 4, so I won’t go into all the details again.  I ended up with a diagnosis of tendinopathy (lateral hip/gluteal tendinitis) and the sports medicine doctor recommended rest and physiotherapy.   

Now that the Toronto marathon is over and done with for another year (May 5), it was time to finally get to the root source of my injury. 

Being a personal trainer, its a difficult process to admit you need physiotherapy, especially when you feel a little ashamed that you couldn’t spot your own weaknesses in your running form.  But it is hard to be objective about ones own performance, so I swallowed my pride and made the sensible decision to listen to the physiotherapist. 

I’m glad I did because the bigger picture is now coming into light as to why this tendinitis injury occurred, and what I can do to prevent it from recurring, and dare I dream, quoting Daft Punk, to become a stronger, better, faster runner in the future. 

Here is the big picture which Gordon (my physiotherapist) and I have pieced together over our last 2 sessions.  I was born with 2 different back conditions: hyperlordosis, which is a pronounced curve of the spine in the lower back (basically I have a very pronounced arch in my lower back), and also a minor case of scoliosis (when the spine curves to one side). I was already aware of this, but not to extent they were now affecting my athletic performance. 

These back conditions have lead to an anterior pelvic tilt, with my right side higher than the left. Over time (I think mostly from 2012-2019 when I’ve been training more competitively) the stress of running on my body has caused my muscle groups on the right and left sides of my body to work differently.  Basically my right glute medius and glute minimus were not firing properly which led to tendinitis in the hip area, which finally acutely flared up this marathon training season.  

The weak right hip/glute can also be evidenced in my running form where I display a distinct right sided pronation in my runners pose - my R knee turns inward from the weaker hip muscle, while my left side form is much better (watch for it in my video below).  

    

Now that the problem has been identified, Gordon worked some manual therapy techniques to release my locked SI joint on the right side, and has given me a series of exercises to help address the bigger issues.  Firstly, to address the anterior pelvic tilt, I perform a very simple tug of war motion with my right leg to keep the hip unlocked. This will most likely be a long term strategy but one that is very time efficient and easy to do. No problem. 

Next I have to strengthen and stabilize the weakened right hip/gluteal muscles.  I’ve created a short 2min video illustrating the two most important drills I have to do to help with this issue (there are actually 5 exercises in total).  I am going to film myself doing these two exercises each week to track my progress.  As you can see, I’m fairly shaky going into the process, but I will work hard to improve.  

Here is the link to the video:  https://vimeo.com/335754459

(Filmed May 12, 2019)

So why I am putting this online?  

* Basically, I want to lead by example and show my clients and followers that we are all human, and sometimes we get injured. It happens. There is no shame in that.  And the best thing we can do is seek professional advice as to how to solve the problem safely, efficiently and permanently.   

* Secondly, many people are born with back conditions. These 2 examples are mine.  But I want people to know that these sorts of genetic conditions do not necessarily prevent you from playing the sports you want to, as long as you pay attention to the red flags and address them early.  These things do not have to hold you back. In fact, being in tune with your body can help make you a better athlete. 

* Finally, I think it will be interesting to follow my own progress and to have a more objective record of the process that I can reflect on.  This will be a learning experience for me as well. I’ve already learned so much about my body, and I am going to use this knowledge to become a better athlete. 

Here’s to four more weeks of insightful physiotherapy and a stronger, straighter, speedier, Kelly. 

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Update May 19, 2019. 

I have been doing my physio exercises all week (x3) as prescribed by my physiotherapist. 
As promised, I created an updated video to track my progress.  What do you think of my balance and stability between the right and left sides now?  Also watch for the tracking of the knee when I move, as it signals strength (or lack thereof) of my hip.

Here is the link to video: https://vimeo.com/337089049    
(Filmed May 19/2019)

I will post next weeks video below here when the time comes.  It has been interesting to track my progress, and I'm looking forward to next weeks progression.  Feel free to post any of your thoughts and comments below.

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