1000 K Reached!

Great news - ran 3 K this morning to reach the 1000 K plateau. Very pleased the legs are cooperating. Enjoying the new route, Kay Gardner Trail.

Photos: 25K long run; Buskerfest

With humidity, the temperature was 29C when the ran began this morning. Planned for 20K but ended up with 25K. It wasn't that humid but the sun made the run challenging. Wore a hat and got on the sunscreen. The route was south on Cherry Street, through Cherry Park on the Martin Goodman Trail, to the entrance of Tommy Thompson Park, north on Leslie to Lakeshore, east to Asbridges Bay Park, and to Kew Beach Park. Took along a camera to capture some scenic views.

Photo 1: Cherry Beach Park:

 

 

Photo 2: Martin Goodman Trail

 



 

 

Photo 3: Asbridges Bay Park:

 



 

 

Photo 4: Asbridges Bay Park:

 



 

 

And some photos from Buskerfest after the run.

 

Photo 5: Alkakazam (The Human Knot) is from Australia. He could fit himself in a tennis racket. In the photo, he is 12 feet up, juggling 3 machetes, with a big blade in his mouth.

 



 

 

 

Photo 6: The Kamikaze Fireflies from Los Angeles, USA. In this photo, they are juggling 3 flamed torches each. The man is held by a spectator.

 





 

Photo 7: Magician Peter Snow, from Montreal, below puts 15 (?) razor blades one by one in his mouth. He also puts sewing string in his mouth. Then out comes the string with the razor blades attached.

 

Photo 8: Billions Cobra, from Toronto, juggles a mower on his mouth. The spectator throws a head of lettuce on the mower.

 

5K this morning - new route

Got in 5 K this morning before work - with no students, can arrive at school a bit later. Found a wonderful trail - Kay Gardiner Beltline Trail. Never knew it existed and must have passed it hundreds of times over the years! Lots of trees and would be great on those hot and humid days. Quite a few runners and walkers out there - so they know about it. YTD = 972 K

1 K run

Got in a 1 K run this morning. Reasons: Forgot running shoes with orthodics and only had time for a 1 K run - as I had a 9 AM appointment at the board office. Homework leave for work earlier tomorrow. Yesterday, I signed up for the Whitby International Marathon - cost only $30 - wow! Did this online. This evening, I filled out the paper version registration form for the Hamilton Marathon in November. Cost $95 and want to sign up for it now - will wait until the October expo for the Scotiabank Waterfront Marathon to sign up for the Mississauga Marathon in May 2013.

Midsummer Night's Run 30 K Race Report

Midsummer Night’s Run 30 K Race Report

This is the 5^th year participating in the Midsummer Night’s Run (once at 15 K and 4^th at 30 K). Of all the races, this year’s had the nicest weather – no humidity! The run was scenic and enjoyable. Overall, an organized race this year!

Left the house at 4:45 PM and made the trek to the race. Parked at the plaza which neighbours the race. Got in ½ K slow warm-up – was all the time I had before the race began. There were 699 participants in the 30 K. This year, there was a new 5 K race in addition to the 15 K walk and 15 K run. Since there were no gels on the course, I went to the local Running Room and bought 2 gels earlier in the day.

There are no pace bunnies – rather pace fairies. I situated at the start-line with the 3:00 pace fairy. The route goes west on Commissioner’s Road, with a detour slightly north, then south on Cherry Street, through Clarke Beach Park, turnaround proceeding west on Urwin Avenue, then north to Commissioner’s Road, east until Leslie Street, south into Tommy Thompson Park, then into Ashbridge’s Bay Park, and to the finish line. The route was scenic – especially in Clarke Beach Park, Tommy Thompson Park (12 K to 21 K), and Ashbridge’s Bay Park. Could see Lake Ontario!

For the first 10 K, I ran conservatively and stayed at 6 min/K. Then I ran at race pace and kept under 5:30 min/K. That took its toll in the final 10 K and had to take a few walk breaks when needed. For the marathon, I’ll run at a conservative pace and then race to finish – rather than “burn out” in the middle of the race. Took the 2 gels at 20 K and 27 K – I always wonder if the gels really work – but at least I haven’t “hit the wall” – so they must work!
Lots of high school students served as volunteers and they were enthusiastic and worked hard for their community service hours. The fluid stations were located so each are accessed twice (3 K and 6 K; 9 K; 12 K and 21 K; 15 K and 17 K; 23 K and 28 K).

It’s a good thing it hasn’t rained as the running surfaces could get muddy. Near the lighthouse in Tommy Thompson Park was rocky and gravel; same momentarily in Ashbridge’s Bay Park. Also ran on wooden chips and wooden board walk.
It only got dark with the last 3 K. I always wonder if it would be more exciting to start at 6:30 PM and then would definitely run in the dark for an hour – but that could not be safe.

Overall, found the race well organized. A surprise the location of the 26 K marker as throughout the first 25 K, my Garmin stated I was 120 m to 180 m short of the kilometre marker. Garmin said I ended running close to 500 m more – that’s normal so I think this year’s route was accurate in distance. The only other surprise was one of the fluid station only had water and the other side had Gatorade – almost got hit by a runner.

Time = 3:07:50

Chip = 3:07:25.6 (slowest of last 4 years’ runs)

Pace = 9.6 K/hour

Age category = 106 out of 130

Gender = 268 out of 338

21.1 K = 2:04:55

Nice finisher’s medal this year (in addition to the nice tech shirt):

YTD = 966 K

20K LSD today

Opted for my LSD this morning (rather than on the weekend)...not sure if the choice was the best. The "clouds" weren't really there and it was humid. Run started with temperature 22C and went up to the high 20s. Not that many people on the Martin Goodman Trail due to it being a weekday but there were runners and bicyclists. Happy to have run the 20K...last LSD until this Saturday's Midsummer Night's 30 K Run.

YTD = 930.5 K

5K + photos of Bud

5K this morning - opted not for LSD today due to the forecasted showers and thunderstorm. Light rain after the run - went to Metro to buy blueberries and raspberries. Will look at LSD Monday morning - although tomorrow is a possibility.

A couple of photos of Bud (taken yesterday evening):

5K yesterday

Forgot to write blog yesterday... 5K (yesterday). Afterwards, went to the Loblaws and bought peaches, kiwi, and cherries - my replacement for sweets! So delicious.

Raining this morning - thus "forces" me to have a rest day. Much "cooler" weather (21C) with no humidity. Weekend should be good as it will be cloudy.

25K

25 K this morning - much better weather but the sun was shining - with no humidity! Lots of runners and bicyclists on the Martin Goodman Trail. The sun made the run more challenging. Happy to have finished the run so I could stop at the Shopper's Drug Mart and get a cold drink - so good! YTD = 900.5 K. Hope to reach 1000 K by the end of August. Can't wait until the cooler weather arrives - at least without the humidity!

Did not register for the Toronto Marathon. Going to register for the Mississauga Marathon (both on the same day - again next year (!)). Want to register for the Whitby marathon - $30 right now. Also eyeing the Hamilton Marathon in November.

5 K -- too hot!!!

Today is Saturday and I'm delaying my LSD until Monday (Civic Day). It is just way too hot and humid. This morning I had 5 K instead - sweating... In the afternoon, with humidity, temperature was 41C. I don't like this weather - but I feel worse for Bud who has a thick fur of coat and lies in front of the fan whenever he can.

Did not sign up for the Toronto Marathon. Will sign up for the Mississauga Marathon before the end of the month. Too many hills - whether uphill (aargh!) or downhill.

Staff Blog: Why I Run

http://running.competitor.com/2012/08/staff-blog/staff-blog-why-i-run_56279

• By Mario Fraioli
• Published Aug. 1, 2012

It doesn't matter if I'm charging up one of the challenging hills near my home in San Diego or floating along a flat stretch of road in the middle of some previously undiscovered place, running is a large part of who I am and what I do every day. Photo: Kurt Hoy

We all started running for different reasons, even if it’s not the same reason we run now.
I started running in high school, taking up track the spring of my sophomore year with the idea that it would help my speed and quickness for my true love, basketball. The following fall I joined the cross-country team with the same objective: improve my athleticism — in this case, endurance — to prepare for the long basketball season over the winter.

Well, long story short, one thing led to another, competitiveness took over, that basketball season never happened, I joined the indoor track team, and before I knew it I had traded in my Nike Flights for a pair of adidas Osweego trainers and Nike Zoom Rival track spikes.

The competitive side of the sport is where I got my start in running — and over time, the only reason I kept running — during my final two years of high school, through college and for eight years out of school until this past spring, when I decided, or perhaps more accurately, realized, that I didn’t necessarily need a race on my calendar to have a reason for lacing up my training shoes every day.
After I ran the L.A. Marathon in March I stepped away from targeted training, taking a short amount of time completely off from running before resuming a regular, albeit unfocused schedule where I didn’t have any specific goal other than to get out the door for an hour a day — just 60 simple minutes to myself, or with others, where I ran as I felt with no regard to pace or distance covered. I just had fun with it. Well, that’s been my M.O. for about four-and-a-half months now, not that it wasn’t fun when every workout previously had some additional ulterior motive behind it. Most days I run for an hour, some days a little longer, others shorter, sometimes not at all, but that’s rarely by choice. I’ve run by myself and with hoards of others, gone to the track and done a workout on a whim, run over 90 minutes a few times and even found myself in the middle of a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants fartlek on more than one occasion, but I’m not training for anything. In fact, racing really hasn’t entered my mind, and for the first time in my life I’m A-OK with finding myself in this peculiar predicament. I’ve realized over time that I don’t necessarily need the motivation of competition to get out the door every day.

So why do I, Mr. Competitive Runner from the day I first laced up a pair of running shoes, still try to get out the door as often as I can even if I don’t plan to race?

The short answer is that the simple act of running is just something I really enjoy doing. It doesn’t matter if I’m running at under 5 minutes a mile and holding on for dear life at the end of a tough track workout or trotting along at a pace that more closely resembles walking, charging up one of the challenging hills near my home in San Diego or floating along a flat stretch of road in the middle of some previously undiscovered place, running is a large part of who I am and what I do every day. It’s responsible for many of the opportunities I’ve been presented with in life — including this job — along with the close relationships I’ve made over the years, including meeting my (now) fiance as well as my best friend, who, appropriately enough, I competed against just a few months after I took up the sport in high school.

The reasons why I run have evolved over the years, but today, more than ever, lacing up my running shoes and getting out the door might be the only hour, or 30 minutes, or whatever amount of time I have that day, that I can get away from the busyness of everyday life, the incessant buzzing of my cell phone, dinging of my e-mail alerts — you name it — and have some time to myself or with those who are important to me.

Why do YOU run? Have those reasons evolved over the years for you, too? Share your story with us in the comments section below.

Mario Fraioli

Mario Fraioli is the senior producer at Competitor.com. He was a cross country All-American at Stonehill College and has personal bests of 4:09.77 in the mile, 14:39 for 5,000m and 2:28:25 in the marathon. He coaches the Prado Women's Racing Team in San Diego and is the men's marathon coach for Costa Rica's 2012 Olympic team.