Tag: Adidas
484 runners and I ran back in time last night in the Adidas #RunMore 10k race in Toronto. The race kicked off at 1 a.m. and ended at 1 a.m.! What a cool way to take advantage of turning the clocks back.
I usually use that extra hour to sleep more so I feel pretty darn productive having fit in a race. But a 1 a.m. race poses some interesting concerns: getting enough rest, when to eat, etc. The weather turned out to be unexpected, too. The day was warmer than it has been the past week, and it was of course colder at night but still warmer than I expected it to be, plus as luck would have it, it also rained pretty steadily from about 11 p.m. onward. I stuck to my original planned outfit, though (Adidas Energy Boost on my feet, Adidas leggings, tank, thin water-resistant shell and cap to keep the rain out of my eyes), and didn’t do my usual stressed-out change-my-mind-a-million times thing.
My goal for this race was to try to have fun. Does that sound odd? Maybe some runners can enjoy their races but I become a total basketcase all would up about doing well. PB or die, haha. I know I’m still weary though from the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon two weeks ago, and I’m sore from an intense Nike workout I did on Thursday with Master Trainer Eva Redpath. Plus, I also have two more half-marathons to run in the next five weeks and I can’t afford to injure myself and risk not being able to run those races. So I didn’t plan very carefully for this race: Friday night I went out and drank a lot of wine (oopsie) and Saturday, I went out and had a big dim sum lunch; both are things I wouldn’t normally do with a race in 24 hours. Last but not least with regards to what how I set a goal for this race? I know I’m not nearly in as good shape as I was for my 10k PB time of 47 minutes. I think I was at about 53 minutes at the 10k mark of the marathon two weeks ago so I decided 54 minutes would be a comfortable, safe time to aim for. If I was feeling strong, I thought I could try to aim for 52 minutes.
With it raining lightly, the race kicked off at 1 a.m., and I started off fast. The first few k I ran at a pace of 5:03, then it slowed to 5:06, then 5:13 and eventually to 5:26, which I wasn’t happy about since that is slower than the pace I have to maintain for a marathon to qualify for Boston. In the spring, I was easily running 10k in training at a 5:10 pace in warm weather without it even feeling hard, so I’m not as fit and/or really worn down from the marathon. At about 7k, I ran into a huge puddle so my feet got soaked, and at 8k my stomach started bothering me. I’d also taken off my jacket a few k into the race so I was a bit cold (but I knew with it on, I’d be too hot), so I was dealing with feeling chilled as well. A good thing about the race is that it was out and back on a section of the Martin Goodman Trail that I run frequently, so I was really familiar with the route, which is mostly flat, except for one moderate hill.
I ended up finishing in 53:52 so I did a pretty good job of judging what my body is capable of. That time places me 7th out of 25 women in my category, the 66th woman out of 266 and 154th out of 485 runners.
After the race, there was plenty of food (not only bananas and starchy carbs, but also juices from The Good Press (yum!) and some food trucks, and beer, hello! There was also a DJ and everyone hung out and celebrated; it’s too bad it was rainy and chilly, though, or else the party would’ve really been great. As it was, I was really cold and didn’t even go outside to the food trucks (that’s how cold I felt — it takes a lot for me to turn down some food truck eats!).
All in all, Adidas Canada put on a fun race with a unique concept and I’d definitely run it if it’s held again. Be sure to register early if it is, though, because it sold out quickly this year. Thanks to Adidas for the chance to use today to #runmore.
Next race: Rock n Rock Las Vegas Half-marathon, Nov. 14, 2015.
November 1, 2015
Fall is for many runners the best season for running. The cooler temperatures are more comfortable for working up a sweat and you can often run at a faster pace. For runners new to the sport, though, sometimes the cooler temperatures can sometimes be intimidating, and they may put off running until the spring. But this Sunday, November 1st, Adidas is challenging Toronto to #runmore.
And we essentially don’t have a good excuse not to. After all, November 1st is the day we turn the clocks back an hour. The 10k race kicks off at 1 a.m., and one hour later at 2 a.m. is when we turn the clocks back. Which means we’ll have taken advantage of that extra hour to fit in more running, and we’ll be done and celebrating the race at the same time the race started. Pretty wicked race concept.
As much as running a race that kicks off at 1 a.m. sounds fun and exciting it’s also a bit daunting, even for a night owl like myself (it brings up all sorts of running issues, like when to fuel, for example, and for non-night owls, how to make sure they’re not sleepy come go-time!). But we have a post-race party to look for with DJs and beer, not to mention a bold looking medal. The race kit itself is also pretty sweet. And proceeds from the race go to the Canadian Olympic Foundation, so runners can feel good about their funds going to help Canadian athletes.
The race is less than 48 hours away and I hope you’re registered already because it has indeed sold out. My race plan? With the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon just two weeks prior, I’m not prepared to go full out; my body still needs for me to give it a bit of a rest and stick to an easy pace for at least another week. Also, I want to make sure I’m prepared and healthy for the Rock n Roll Las Vegas Half-Marathon that I’m running two weeks after this Adidas #RunMore 10k.
Can’t wait to see everyone in the late hours of Halloween night to run out and back on the Martin Goodman Trail along Lake Shore Blvd. — be sure to wear your best reflective run gear so we can glow in the dark together (I’ll be in this outfit here; the jacket sleeves are highly reflective, which will great for this night race, and I’m liking the Energy Boost sneakers, they’re light on my feet and I love the crisp colour way)! And be sure to check back next week on the blog for my race report.
For more details on the race, check out www.runmore.ca.
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October 30, 2015
I’ve got five days to go until my Summer of Sweat goal race, the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon on Sunday, October 18th. How am I feeling? Anxious as ever; and that’s nothing new. I always get stressed out before a race, but this time it’s different. I think I’l have to adjust my goal significantly. But sometimes you can surprise yourself on race day. Everything might fall together wonderfully, as it did for me last year at the Chicago Marathon.
I’ll fill in you in in my final blog post, my post-race wrap up, but today I wanted to talk about my new post-run hydration regimen.
The best part of this Summer of Sweat goal thus far is how it’s forced me to focus on hydration during and after my runs (I still struggle with hydrating regularly when not working out, doh!). I’ve already shared how I’ve been hydrating during my actual runs, but a brand new element to my training regimen is how I’m hydrating after my run. Usually, as I’m checking my overall time and pace on my app after a run, I finish drinking the sports drink I have with me in my fuel belt (it’s been Gatorade Thirst Quencher all summer) and then as soon as I get home, I grab a protein shake, like a Gatorade Protein Shake from my fridge.
Designed to help recovery, the Protein Shakes, when icy cold out of the refrigerator, are a welcome (after a sweaty run!), and easy way to get some protein and carbs consumed right away. The little tears in our muscles caused by exercise use protein to help rebuild so the sooner you can get some protein into your system, the sooner your muscles starts to repair themselves (Check out www.gatorade.ca for more information on protein’s role in recovery). Protein drinks like Gatorade Protein Shake have 45 grams of carbs (For a closer look at how carbs can help you recover following a workout, visit www.gatorade.ca) I prefer the chocolate shake over the vanilla (To me, it basically tastes like a slightly thicker chocolate milk), and after I down it, I hop into the shower (my Summer of Sweat training leaves me drenched in sweat!) and then put on something cozy to wear as I eat a proper meal (usually something fairly healthy — I sometimes feel too guilty to chow down on something crazy fatty and sugary when I feel so strong and accomplished post-run; don’t get me wrong, I’ve done it, but not all the time). Then, more often than not, I have a nap.
Stay tuned to my Twitter and Instagram for more sweaty updates this week leading up to and, of course, on race day, October 18th! I’ll have my race report up on the blog the week of October 19th.
Please send good energy my way, I could use as much as I can get for the race, and come out to cheer the thousands of runners that day if you’re in Toronto! Your support, funny signs and high fives really do make a big difference for us runners!
(sponsored)
I told you I sweat A LOT.
October 13, 2015
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