Monday, December 13, 2010

Week in Review: Dec 6th - Dec 12th (5 Weeks to HURT)

This week was crazy.  I though it would be really low mileage, but I ended up having a chance to run on the weekend so it wasn't too bad.  I finally found some tape called 'Rocktape', which is basically a different brand of KT tape, worked great and my shin felt pretty good after a 40k.

Mon - off
Tues - 17k trail, 30min stairs, 30min ebike, core workout
Wed - 30min ebike, upper body workout
Thurs - leg workout, core workout
Fri - 20k trail, 30 min stairs, 30 min ebike
Sat - off
Sun - 40k trail

Total: 77k trail / 1 hr stairs / 1.5hr ebike

I only had a few chances to run this week as I had the kids most mornings and evenings.  I was supposed to have them all weekend, so I actually took a vacation day on Thursday just so I could run.  Next week I plan to do a long run in Durham Forest which will start early and in the dark, but I've never been there so I really wanted to run there in the daylight first.  The plan was to get in 40k there on Thursday, but my daughter threw up in the morning so I ended up using my vacation day to cuddle and watch Family Channel with her all day.  At this point I though this was my only chance to run and so I'd finish the week with 17k from Tuesday, but then it turned out I didn't have the kids Friday evening (got in a 20k) and Sunday.

Sunday was stupid.  I knew a snowstorm was on the way, so I got up at 5am hoping to beat the worst of it.  I was out late and didn't get to sleep until 2am, so I only got 3hrs sleep.  When I left the house it was pouring rain, just above freezing.  As I headed north away from the lake, it got colder and it all turned to snow.  LOTS of snow.  They were saying on the radio that Durham Region would get dumped on, which was evident when I got there.  I made it to a few hundred metres away from the trail entrance, but there was too much snow to turn onto the last road, and it was only 8am!  Even if I was able to make my way down to it and park, it was supposed to snow all day so there's no way I'd get my crappy Kia out of there.  I was pissed, I got up early and drove for an hour and 15 minutes and I had to turn around!

I decided to make the best of it, I drove all the way out to Ancaster back to the Sulpher Springs course I ran last week.  I figured this was more south and close to the lake.  Even if it was cold enough to snow, it's just off a major road so driving won't be a problem.  Turns out it was just above freezing, so there was no snow, just pouring rain all day!  I got there at 10:40am, after driving for almost 4 friggin hours.  I ran a 20k loop, and got drenched.  When I got back to the car, I changed into dry shirts and then did another 20k loop.  I had been planning for 60k today (shin permitting), but I was out of time.  After 40k it was now getting dark, I hadn't counted on driving 4hrs this morning so I didn't bring a light with me to run in the dark.  I felt great though (although very cold and wet now), could have kept going.

Now, my shin.  I had been wearing my white athletic tape all week during runs, this shit is really starting to irritate my skin though.  On Saturday I found some Rocktape which Running Room just started carrying.  It's much more comfortable, doesn't irritate the skin, has some stretch to it and you can wear it for a few days including showering (20 bucks a roll, compared to the white shit at 5 bucks a roll).  I put it on for the first time on Sunday morning before the 40k.  When I put it on, I thought it had too much stretch to it and I really didn't think it would do anything.  Wow, was I wrong.  My shin felt GREAT.  It got a little sore at one point at about 25k but then the feeling went away.  I can't even feel this tape, whereas the white shit pulls at my skin.  I still need to learn how to apply it properly, but it was fantastic.  We'll see how it handles a longer run next weekend.

So next week I can't get too many decent runs in during the week due to a crappy schedule, but that's ok as next Sunday I'm planning for an 80k out in Durham Forest.  This trail is supposed to be much rougher and hillier than trails like Sulpher, so this won't be an easy run.  I'll have to start in the dark on a trail I've never been on, this could be good.  Hopefully the weather co-operates this time, along with my shin.

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