No Nay Sayers Today

I won't have it!

A few years back I did a post where I talked about "Nay Saying Horses". Today as I passed a farm on Greenfield Rd I noticed some horses. It took me back instantly to that run.

Today there were no nay sayers. Today I was not having it. Today they looked at me running strong and said nothing. I continued on to the next pasture full of bison. Big, tough and lean they looked up and realized that I was not taking shit from them either.

After a few rolling hills I came to a farm at the bottom of a big hill. There again on my left was a horse. Big and brown with doubt steaming from his nostrils in the cold air. I lifted my hand in a salute and politely told him to fuck off, I was taking that hill.

It seemed this was not the last of the animals in my journey today. About 1.5km from my water station there is a dog sniffing the side of the road. As I approach he makes it known I am not welcome. More aggressive than most dogs he runs right up beside me barking with ferocity, teeth bared. I raise my hand, ready to strike and he backs off as I pass his property.

The beagle freed the mind and the horses got me up the hill. Nothing like a country run!

M

Tough Steps Are The Ones That Count

When I was running my 1km intervals the other night with my friend John Carson I noticed something. At interval pace (4:25/km) everything is tougher, specially when you are doing hill intervals! What hit me was that at this speed the slightest incline was noticeable in the feet and the legs.

I hadn't thought about it again until on my long run today. You see I was set to run with the Run for Life group Saturday morning when my wife was rescheduled to work. So as we runners do, I zigged. 25km all by my lonesome. Out came the iPod and away I went. First up on the iPod was my Free The Beagle audio book. This book always brings me something new every time I read/listen to it. As I got into chapter 11 there it was:

"Yesterday the lawyer had felt the forest floor begin to rise and had allowed the slight incline to guide his footsteps in the darkness. If a step seemed easy, he knew it was leading him downward. It was only the more difficult steps that would take him higher"

You see this book has helped guide me in business, in life and now was making sense in my running. These words hung heavy in my ears. I have just recently taken some difficult steps in my business and have been taking many difficult steps in running. Difficult steps lead you to higher ground.

"Having resolved to take only the difficult steps, he sat now in bright sunlight, high upon a hilltop, scanning a panoramic forest."

I often wonder why I see runners not pushing, not improving, not going to the next level. It's that simple, when the difficult steps come they take the easy ones. They walk up the hill, ease through the down hill, run as fast on the on minute as they do in the off minute, settle for 6.8km and not push on to 7km, or decide to not run because it's snowing, raining, cold, hot, foggy, or icy.

Figure what you want. Do you want to get to hang out in the village of compromise or climb the purple mountains on your way to Destinae?

Sickness Sucks

I spent 2 weeks unable to run and then a week just getting my legs back.

I ran my first interval run in almost a month last night. Felt good to push it. Felt good to suck some wind as Theresa pushed me to my limit in the last interval. Felt good to get home and realize that I was back in.

What really sucks is I am now 3 weeks back on my ATB training. That is always the challenge....not to race, to be prepared to race.

Winter always poses a significant challenge for us here in SW Ontario. Hence the popularity of fall races. Will I get my 2:30 at ATB....maybe. Will I finish, no doubt in my mind!!

M

Long Cool Run

Today was MUCH wrmer than last week. Amazing what -1C feels like after -15C!

I woke up this morning with a clogged nostril thinking 10km would be enough.As we headed out with the Harriers from Melville Cafe things got losend up. I always forget what a run in the cold can do for a clogged nose.

As we reached the 5km turn (which would have been the 10km run) I talked Robb into running the extra. So we continued on to add on almost 3km more. This meant the hills of Cheese Factory Rd just to ensure a good workout. As we headed onto Hwy 24 I was feeling good and picked up the pace for the final 4km. Always good to run a negative split they say!!

Next week's long run will be 16km and the last run before my 5km PropertyGuys.com race in Vegas!

Plans For The Week

Looking forward to my runs this week.

Tonight we have the infamous "Gordon Grind" which is a KILLER hill repeat in West Galt. With add on distance from running to and from I should get about 9km in total.

Thursday is the "Park Hill Loop", a great 6.5km tempo run with a few hills. Add on the run to and from I should be around 9km.

Saturday's route has not been announced but I will do 15-16km. This keeps me in line with my 2010km for the year!