Training Log Archive: W

Sprint Relay at Camrose with the Augustana and U of A kids! I was actually hoping for a bit more competition. I know the U of A guys are not bad, but they decided to go in a mixed team, and, well, Paul and I are not mixed. So, the first leg for both of us had a team behind us, but with the wind on part of the course, I decided to go for it on my second leg to prevent the other guys from drafting behind me and possibly having enough energy to hang on for leg three and sprint it out at the end. It worked out pretty much as I planned and I put on a 10 second gap which promptly caused them to go backwards on the third leg and we comfortably had the win. Its shame it wasn't a bit more competitive, but a good effort nonetheless.

My watch was totally not cooperating so this was our best guesstimate based on the time. We did a nice long warm-up and then went off for a fun ski of the Camrose trails afterwards. They're nice(ish) trails, but brutally difficult.

C • Camrose 2

Track time! Time for track! Getting a licence and entering the real races is a huge chore and really expensive, so I settled for the open race to go with the ACAC race at the Edmonton garrison. Not quite a U of A quality track, but a track nonetheless, and hopefully some healthy competition.

They put me in the slow heat. So much for healthy competition.

It was weird, At about lap 4 (800m in), it was the first time I actually looked around, since I suspected as much due to the silence behind me, and yes, I had a half a lap on the field. But, I don't mind, I've said before that racing alone is just an opportunity to try and push my boundaries a little. I'm not sure I quite did that today, I forgot to take k splits, though I know the first one was 3:10, and with a final time of 9:25, I must have sped up just a little. Or slowed way down and sped up a lot. Anyway, a negative split at some point seems required, so that's a plus.

I think given the winter of running training I've had, which is not nearly as great as I might've hoped, I can be satisfied with a mere 3 seconds off my PB. I'd like to try this again outdoors in the spring and get a sense of how things are going. I felt far more positive about my running shape the last time I did this in 2012, so running like that while feeling pessimistic is good, I think.

Also, if I'd run in the fast heat, I would have been 3rd. So... that'll learn 'em.

Tomorrow its a skate sprint relay in Camrose! I'm not sure I've ever done a run/ski race weekend. Should be a slice!

I've decided why my problem is. I'm tired of winter. Yep, its mid-february. And I've had enough. I want to wear shorts and a t-shirt. I don't feel like layering up six times to sunday and then sweat my balls off because if I don't I will be freezing cold from start to finish. Screw skiing. Bring on spring. POST-HASTE.

So, instead, I jumped on the bike. Hammered out 5 x 4 minutes and intensity kinda hard. I wish I had a power meter. But then I remember that they're like, 1200 dollars. And I stop wishing.

All this working crap is really putting a damper on my training. Curse you, Catch-22's!

I will catch up on training from the weekend eventually. Its been a little too busy lately! Unfortunately the weekend did not quite spark the training bug, nor did it stop the weather from still be really, really cold. 3000m this weekend though, so better do a bit of intensity! Yikes!!