AWESOME!!

Renee Alivio is AWESOME!!

Don’t worry, she hasn’t hijacked the blog. She really is awesome.

I got to run 5k with her on Thursday for the first time since our Tely 10 start line nap incident. Normally when we run together, we end up walking and discussing how much running sucks, but not this time. Renee was in the zone! She put in her headphones and took off like Colin Fewer at the Tely 10. I was behind her for almost the entire run. At first I thought it was because she has had her new Sauconys for longer than I have. Or maybe listening to Eddie Vedder really does give you the ability to run like the wind. But then I realized it was more likely that Renee is working towards achieving a goal. Maybe it’s to be faster. Maybe it’s to train harder. Maybe she secretly wants to beat her husband in just one race. Or maybe she, like me, is trying to learn to run without feeling horrible.

Whatever her motivation, it seems to be working.

Lots of PRCers say they need a goal in order to keep them running. They register for races so they will continue to train. Having a goal keeps them on track.

So maybe I should set a goal. Not the how-many-seasons-of-Elementary-can-I-watch-in-one-day type of goal, but something that will help me enjoy running more. My secret goal of the Tely/Half never came to fruition, so maybe I should figure out how to run beyond 13k and not spend the rest of the week horizontal. Or in the bathroom.

It’s possible it has to do with what I eat (or don’t eat) before or during a long run. I started drinking Gatorade on all my runs about 5 months ago and it has definitely made a difference. I no longer get the leg cramps that were obviously a sign of dehydration. Maybe it’s time to introduce some snacks into my runs as well.

There are thousands of articles online with advice on how to improve as a runner, but I figured I’d start with the ultimate source of running knowledge, the Ironman, Craig Pike. Ironman loves chocolate and he can run 67km in one day so maybe he has a secret food that gets him through (fingers crossed it’s Big Turk Bars).

Ironman had several suggestions:

1)     avoid milk and milk products on the day you run. (there goes the chocolate theory)

2)     replace 75% of the fluids you use on a run. (note to self, add another water bottle to your fuel belt)

3)     replace 50% of the calories you burn by eating something high in carbs/low in fibre during the run. Like Rice Krispy Cookies cut into small cubes. (….Did he just say cookies?)

My brain just fist pumped my taste buds. Ok, we need more info.

Is there a recommended cookie to kilometer ratio? Should I go with homemade or pre-packaged? And why has nobody mentioned this before?????

So on Monday afternoon, armed with my Gatorade and my little square treats I decided to put my new plan into action. Sugar decided to join me (I think it was to make sure I didn’t just sit in the car and eat a tray of cookies) and we headed down the T’railway with 10k on our minds. Somewhere along the route I bumped that number up to 13k, which is where my running goals came to an abrupt halt this summer. I wanted to see if Snap, Crackle and Pop could actually make a difference in my overall level of crappiness post run.

13k later, my muscles were a little sore, but I am pleased to announce that everything else stayed where it should. I couldn’t believe it. I could still function. There was no hatred, no disgust, no wanting to crawl into a hole and die.

Craig Pike is AWESOME!!

I am definitely looking forward to my next long run and not just because I get to eat cookies. I think I’m going to continue my original training plan and see how far it takes me. Just because I’m not running the races doesn’t mean I have to give up on the goal. There’s always next year.