Around the Bay

I ended up Banditing Around the Bay this year (because I forgot to register in time). All in all, it was tougher than last year, I started feeling it after the 21K mark. Although most people running with me can't tell because I tend to run on sweet sugary Cliff Blocks, endorphins and a positive attitude. Trust me, it's all an act to get me through a race. I hate running.

I've known for a number of years now I can easily "fake" a half marathon with zero training based on my strong cardio, but a full is tough for me to fake. There was a recent episode of How I Met Your Mother which had the character played by Doogie Howser insist that running a marathon was easy. He ended up doing it and finished it looking good in front of his friends. However, a few hours later he discovered that he couldn't move his legs. I can relate to that. That's pretty much the story of all the full marathons I've run.

We did manage to run Jen (and her dad) in to a new PB, but I knew that would be easy given the fact that we had to wait at a train crossing for about ten minutes last year.

I'm a bit stiff in the legs today, and it's my own damn fault for doing no running since I completed the Chicago Marathon in the fall. I should have bandited the Chilly half as the buildup to this one (again registration slipped my mind and it sold out). I definitely needed the 30K as a buildup to the full Flying Pig Marathon in six weeks (I've registered for that).

Last year's Around the Bay was a piece of cake because I had been running in the winter by doing events like the 10K Hannakah Hustle and Boxing Day 10-Miler in Hamilton, the Disney Goofy Challenge back-to-back Full and Half in January, and the Chilly half. This year is different because instead of running, I've continued to inline skate indoors and taken up ice speed skating. Which has the positive benefit of keeping me from the normal 10 pounds I gain during off season. I was also pretty dumb in that I didn't really taper my regular routine too much, and in fact increased my weights in the legs on Thursday.

By the end of the 30K yesterday, I was feeling it in my calves and the front of my left ankle/shin. I'm not as stiff as I would be had I run a full marathon, but I can't say there wasn't consquences to my lack of training, tapering or even build-up.

I'm sitting here debating whether to go to indoor inline tonight. It may be the only time I get to go skating this week depending on the weather outside.

Ended up doing Natalie's flow class tonight. Incredibly busy for a 7:45pm class. Went better than expected. On the way home I was struck with what it feels like to not be in complete control over your legs just walking down the street.

WHAT I ATE ON SUNDAY
Special K Berry Cereal with Soy Milk, Flax toaster waffle with margarine and real maple syrup, Cliff Blocks, half a stale Cliff Bar, Apple Sauce, Banana, Orange, Lick's Turkey burger on while wheat with all the fixin's and cheese, Veggie Chili on a whole wheat bun, large fries, cherry coke with whipped cream. Chicken, salad with fig balsamic dressing and some fruit, a couple of broccoli and potatoes in margarine, Monster Energy drink.

WHAT I ATE TODAY
Zen Cereal with Soy Milk, 2 Whole Wheat pita with peanut butter, green goodness smoothie, ministrone, grape tomatoes, bananas and yogurt, asparagus and pickles.