Year end Review 2014

Well I can not believe 2014 is almost over, it was a big year for me, my goal for 2014 was to do a race a month and I managed to do this and then some.  I did 16 races, 3 triathlons and 13 running plus I swam 3 heats at the World Master Swim Championships in Montreal in August.  Not all my races had bling but this is the bling I did accumulate this year, quite a collection.

Jan - Disney half and full marathon

Feb - Ottawa BIA 3K for the Heart and Stroke Foundation

Mar - Around the Bay 30K race (PB)

April - 10K for Kideny Health (PB)

May - ORW Half Marathon

June - 70.3 Tremblant

July - Canada 5K 

August - The National Capital Olympic Triathlon (PB)

Sept - 70.3 Muskoka and Army Run half marathon

Oct - Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Nov - Mec half marathon, Rock and Roll Las Vegas 5K and half marathon (PB)

Dec - Santa Shuffle 5K

Will I do it again, not for a while, next years race plan is much less, 8 races so far but it included the big one, Ironman Mont-Tremblant, the one I have been working toward for 2 years.  I was thrilled to see that the voice of IM, Mike Reilly would be at IMMT...all I want for my 50th birthday is to hear him say "Allyson Chisnall....you are an Ironman".  

Part of the year end review is to assess what went right (not a lot), what went wrong (lots) and figure out how to get better (listen to my coach).  I think I can best sum up what happened as this, I lost my drive to get outside my comfort zone.  I did not push myself enough, I was comfortable and until I got uncomfortable, the magic did not happen.  

After a frustrating spring, summer and fall, I figured this out at the MEC half marathon on Nov 1. This was a tough hilly race and I had no intention of running it all but that day, I decided enough was enough, I was going to get uncomfortable and run it all...and I did.  I set an aggressive time goal for my Las Vegas half marathon and I was so close to hitting it (6 min per km pace) that next time I have no doubt I can do it, I did get a PB however. Next year, I need to be uncomfortable, a lot and push myself outside my comfort zone.  I need to trust my training, give 110% for all my training and follow my program...always.  I am glad I learned this lesson now and not on Aug 16, 2015 when I start my long day of fun (that is how I want to think about it), it will be hard, it will hurt but I will have fun because I will have finally grown into the person who can accomplish it!

I am looking forward to 2015, first up is the Miami half marathon on Jan 25th, a chance to hit that 6 min per km goal before I go on a cruise with my friend Debbie.  I have enjoyed a few weeks of reduced training and am excited to get started on next years goals, goals that include a 2 hour half marathon and a 4:30 marathon as well as my Ironman.  2015 will be uncomfortable and I can't wait to get statrted!

MEC and Las Vegas Race Recap

Sorry for being quiet, I was away on vacation and ran a few races, here is the recap.  

On Nov 1, I ran the MEC Gatineau Park half marathon, it was the loop I biked all summer and in August when this race was announced, I thought it would be fun to run the loop (yes, I am crazy). After I signed I started having issues with my left hamstring so I decided I would walk up the hills and run the downhills and flats.  Finally race day rolled around and I woke up and decided that today, I was going to run up all the hills, every darn one of them.  It was a cold day and snow was threatening but once Anita and I started to run, we warmed up quickly, then the hills started.  The loop has 8 or so big hills, one is my biking nemesis, Black hill, it goes on f o r e v e r.  I had a disappointing season and I was not going to let this defeat me as well so I was determined to run strong that day. My favorite quote about a half marathon..." A half marathon is a 10 mile warm up to a 5K race" and at the 16K mark, I said to Anita that the warm up was complete and it was time to run the 5K race and increase the speed. We finished the race running downhill and fast and I finished with a 2:15, my fastest half marathon this year.  

A week later I was on a plane to Phoenix for a vacation before our Las Vegas race.  I hiked in Phoenix, Sedona and 2 days in the Grand Canyon and loved every minute of it.  I had gone to the Grand Canyon in 2007 and was not in shape to hike but this time I was and boy did I have fun.  We hiked Camelback Mountain in Phoenix, Cathedral Rock in Sedona, the Rim Trail at the Grand Canyon and down into the Canyon to Indian Gardens and a bit more to the plateau.  I not only kept up but I pushed myself and the others to keep up the pace.  Photos do not do justice to the area, it is breathtakingly beautiful and I am so glad I got to go back and experience it again. 

We finally made it to Las Vegas for our race.  Anita and I where running the 5K on the Saturday nigh and the half marathon on the Sunday. We were running the 5K as a shake out run, just a warm up and decided to dress up as showgirls for this run. It was a warm night and my legs were sore to start but eventually everything clicked and it was fun, lots of fun.  

On Sunday, the temperatures were cooler and it was the perfect day to run.  We started at about 5pm and it was getting dark.  I was looking forward to running the strip at night and yesterdays speed and great feeling stuck around and the run was great.  The first 10K was fabulous and once we got to the old part of LV, the crowds got thicker and my time got slower.  I was frustrated but I kept on running, I wanted a PB and I was not going to let a few people keep me from my goal.  I am not going to lie, the last 3 km was tough, I was tired and ready to be done.  This was the first time I was running the half marathon non-stop and I was chasing a PB.  I was thrilled to cross the finish line with a new PB of 2:08:59!  

We had a fabulous month, Anita and I did 3 races together and had a great vacation of hiking and sight-seeing.  The Las Vegas race marked the end of my season, I have a 5K fun run in December so that I can accomplish my goal of one race per month.  I have trained for 17 months straight and while it might not have all been quality, I did it to the best of my ability at the time and I learned a lot. This is my big takeaway from my training and something I need to remember as I tackle next year is this

Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

Sorry this is a bit late but we had a traumatic week her in Ottawa and then I had company in town to see Fleetwood Mac this weekend.  I ran my third marathon on Oct 18th in Toronto and I have to say it was a hard run but I was happy with the results.  

I had a rough summer of training and as I headed into the marathon, I was nursing some leg issues, left hamstring and my glutes were playing up but I was going to do the best I could and get it done.  It was a cool morning but clear, almost perfect running conditions and as Barbara and I started I was happy to be there.  The first 21.1K went great, I was almost on pace and the km were going by fast. At the half marathon point Barbara and I parted ways and I headed out on my own.  I felt really good until til the 29K mark and them my hamstring started to hurt and my pace started to slow.  By the time I got to the turnaround point at my glutes and hip flexors joined in the pity party and I was hurting.  The marathon had runners to help you during the last 10km if you were sufferring, they are called Bonnie`s Angels.  I was happy to have my own angel run with me for my worst 4km, from 35 to 39km.  Once I hit the last overpass, I knew the end was near and I thanked my angel and picked up my pace for the last 3.2 km to the finish line.  My watch stopped when I made my 2 potty stops so I did not know if I was ahead of or behind my Chicago time but I powered on.  During the dark period I on the run I thought about my IM next year and wondered how I was suppose to run a marathon after swimming and biking all day.  I also swore I would never run a marathon again...EVER!!!

I happily accepted my medal and stretched while I waited for Barbara to finish, she was only 3 mins behind me and we headed off to get our food and wait for our friends to finish.  I stopped by the sports stats tent to check my time and was thrilled to find out I had run 30 seconds faster then my Chicago time, despite my legs no co-operating I got a PB and it capped off the day, official time 4:51:24.  On and I am already planning marathon 4 and 5 for next year!

Jane, Barbara, Kiza, Liette and me, we all finished!

Desperately Seeking Motivation

Two weeks until my next marathon and I did my last long run on Sunday and I killed it.  I did a fast 6K to start as a warm up, a long slower 22K in the middle and a fast 6K at the end as my cool-down.  It has been a hit or miss summer racing for me, I have not hit any goal since my 10K in April and my confidence has been eroding like sands on a beach.  I needed to find my mojo and get re-focused for next year and Ironman training.

On Saturday I went to a motivational talk with 3 great speakers.  The first speaker was Canadian Olympic medalist Adam VanKoeverden.  He was fabulous, a great speaker and I got a few great tips from his talk.  He said we are the only person on the gas pedal of our car(dreams) and we are the only person who can control it. Translated, we are the only one who can do the work and determine the speed at which we get to our goal. He also said that if you want to get faster, you need to do what faster people are doing so go seek them out, even train with them if you can. 

The second speaker was Jen Segger.  Jen is an adventure racer and ultra-marathoner.  I love the idea of adventure racing so I was excited to hear her talk.  She talked about knowing when to reset, when to give up and how to stay in the moment.  She talked about having fun and doing things that makes you happy not just training all the time.  I believe we must listen to our bodies, know when to throw in the towel and when to take a rest, we need to push through pain and tackle what is hard.  The biggest takeaway was about dealing with  pain, let's face it, sometime what we do hurts.  Jen talked about a pain box and when she hurts, she put it in her pain box and does not open it until the race is over.  I learned a bit about this in Muskoka when I did the whole run with a huge knot in my left hamstring.  I need to focus on putting the pain away during a training day or race and focus on what I need to do.

The third speaker was Ray Zahab, an ultra-marathoner and adventurer of epic proportions.  Ray has run huge distances in extreme conditions, heat and cold.   I have followed Ray on Facebook for a few years and was anxious to meet him.  Ray founded a charity called Impossible2Possible that takes youth on adventures that involve running and doing education programs around the world.  I love Ray's story and what he does with his charity work and as a motivational speaker he is fabulous.  Ray was a smoker who decided to get healthy and do what his brother was doing and eventually it lead to running.  I had read Ray's book and watched Running the Sahara and loved the stories he told us.  I think the biggest take-away from Ray was to believe in yourself, to prepare and plan and you can do anything you set your mind too. 

The evening was exactly what I needed, exactly when I needed it most and I will take the motivation and start believing in myself a little bit more.  My coach has been telling me I have so much potential and I can do more then I think and I need to believe that and her.  My coach is a great motivational source as well, an ultra-marathoner who proves everyday that hard work equals great results, she walks the walk, not just talks the talk.  I am also luckily to be surrounded by motivational people, I don't have to go far to find someone who has overcome obstacles or tackled huge challenges or even small ones and inspire everyone around them.   To misquote one of my favorite movies, If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that motivation actually is all around.

Army Run

So two years ago I ran the Army Run half marathon for the first time and as my first half marathon.  I was suppose to run it with my friend Roy but he had foot problems and I ran it alone. This year I signed up again to run the half and my friend Roy signed up to do the 5K.  Finally we would get to do this race together, different events but together.  Roy, Cindy and her husband Paul were come for the race, Cindy to run the half and Paul and Roy to do the 5K.   It was a long drive for a weekend but they were excited to do it and I was excited to have them stay. They arrived late Friday night and Saturday we went to the expo and did some sightseeing around Parliament Hill and the Market.

Roy, Cindy, Paul and I at the Expo

Roy and I before the race 

Race day started wet as it rained all night and we were worried about the weather for the race. Luckily it was clear for the 5k and and Roy and Paul had great weather for the race.  Paul had a great first 5k and Roy walked his 5k with a smile on his face.  Finally it was time for the half marathon and it started off clear but I knew rain was on it's way, the question was when.  It started to drizzle around the 8k mark and by the time I got to the Governor General's residence it was a downpour.  The last 5k was miserable, I was wet and cold but I knew the end was near so I kept on running, slowing down a bit but still under my marathon race pace which was my goal. For the third year in a row, just as I crossed Pretoria bridge, "Son't Stop Believing" by Journey came through my headphones, it seems to be my theme song for this race and I love running down to the canal listening to it.  Finally I finished, received my medal from a soldier, all I wanted was to get warm and dry, time to find the others.  

Cindy and Paul after the race, wet but happy

Finally home, showered, warm and dry we had our victory pizza and beverages.  We were all happy with the day, Cindy got a PB, I managed to run it under the pace I wanted and Paul and Roy had great 5K races.  I started the summer running a 5K with Roy and Cindy in NS and it was fitting we ended the summer running together again.  Roy and I finally did the race together, not exactly the way we planned but that did not matter, every runner has a different journey but we all cross the same two lines, the start line and the finish line and I was proud to do that with my friends.

Muskoka 70.3 or actually 72.13 Recap

Ok, let's start with the title. Muskoka is NOT a 70.3 despite the name, it is a 2km swim, a 94km bike ride and a 21.1km run, that equals 117.1km or 72.13 miles.   All summer I heard "You know it's hilly", yes I knew it was hilly and I tried to do all my bike rides on hills and it helped...somewhat.  

I was relaxed and happy heading to Muskoka Friday morning with Neale.  I had done the training, had my pre-race panic attack and was at peace with whatever would happen next, in other words I was in denial.  We headed to the Deerhurst resort to check in and it was very very different from Tremblant, smaller and much less organized but we got through fairly quickly and did a bit of shopping before heading to get groceries and to the rental house.  Our friends Anita and Andre were late leaving Ottawa so we had a nice night watching a movie and having some wine.  

Saturday we headed back to Deerhurst to rack our bikes and get Andre checked in and then we drove the bike course.  OMG, the hills looked huge and the road covering was not the greatest in parts, I was now worried about the hills, really worried.  I also realized that it was going to be an open course so I would have to deal with cars and trucks as well.  My nerves were not helped by finding out that a local cyclist was killed on a charity ride at home, hit by a garbage truck.  I did not know at the time but the cyclist was a member of my swim team, a mother of 2 who was about to get re-married, she was happy, healthy and full of life.  My thoughts and prayer are with Laurie today, her family, friends and community will miss her greatly.  

Sunday morning started at 5:30am, a bit later then normal but the race had an 8am start rather then the usual 7am.  We got ready and walked to the swim start. It was a water start so we got into the water 10mins before our start to warm up and then found a spot and tread water until our start time.  I decided to stay close to the buoy line this time and not swim extra by staying too far left.  I had a great swim start and was feeling good as I turned the first buoy.  As I approached the next turn buoy the front swimmers of the last wave, Men 50+ and relays caught me.  I got shoved around a bit but I held my ground and turned to the back straight.  I was about 100 past the turn when the next wave of men reached me and one guy swam right over me.  I reached up and grabbed him and he grabbed my arm and pulled me to the surface asking if I was OK and swam on.  My biggest fear on the swim came true and I had about a km left to swim...so I did.  I finished the swim in 50:25, a bit slower then I wanted but I was happy given what had happened.  It was a long run to transition and as I approached transition, Andre passed me but I did not see Neale.  I am slow in T1, it is hard to put compression socks on wet feet but I took a few mins off my Tremblant time.  My coach told me to be in and out in 8 mins but I could not, T1 was 9:40.

I headed out on the bike and it was nice, not to cool but a bit windy.  The bike course in Muskoka is described as "the stick" and "the loop"  The stick is an 8km section from the resort to the road around the lake and the loop is the road around the lake, we do the stick twice and the loop once.  The stick is all hills and I was off to a slow start but once I got to the highway I was able to pick up my speed and instead of being the one passed I was able to pass people, even on the uphills.  I was feeling good as I got to Dorset and the first aid station, I handled the long highway climbs with ease and was ready for the next section.  I remembered there were some big climbs ahead and set off determined to keep up my speed when I could and pass people.  It was fun seeing a cyclist in front and slowly reel them in, I had definitely improved on the flats.  Every 5km was marked and I used that an opportunity to be grateful for being there, I thought of a lady named Cara and her son Tyler who committed suicide a few weeks before and the cyclist who died the day before.   At the end of the loop is another hill and we have the downhill before we make a sharp left turn back onto the stick.  I climbed the hill and as I crested the top an OPP officer motioned me to the left side of the lane to make the turn and allow traffic to go straight.  I heard a loud muffler coming up behind me so I stayed to the right of the lane and waited for them to pass.  Suddenly a pickup truck flew over the top and down the hill, going well over the posted speed limit. The OPP officer was less impressed then I was and motioned the driver to the side of the road and motioned me to make my turn, he assured me the driver would realize his error quickly.  Finally I was finished the bike leg and I was soooo happy, bike time 4:16, a lot longer then I wanted but I was done.  T2 is alot faster and I was in and out in 2:55.

The first 3k and the last 3k of the run are really hilly, big hills and I ran as many as I could but walked one big one.  On that hill I met Shelley and we ran/walked the whole half marathon together.  We ran when we could and walked when we needed too and it was much better then suffering alone.  I had a knot in my hamstring the whole run and I was afraid  I would tear it if I pushed too hard.  It was not a great run, my runs had been my downfall this summer and this one was no exception.  It was faster than Tremblant but not the run I had hoped for.  At the 18km mark I felt dehydrated and the medic asked me if I was OK, there was no way I was getting pulled so I said I was fine and would get medical attention at the end if I needed it.  I grabbed water and as sponge and headed off.  Did I mention the last 3k is hilly, we did more walking then running but eventually I saw Neale and Anita and the end was in sight.  I was so happy to be done, it was a hard race and a long day, I worked hard and never gave up and most important I finished upright and smiling.  Overall race time 8:09:37, slower the Tremblant and much slower then my goal and way slower them my coach's goal for me.  

I only saw Neale once during the race as he passed me on the bike, I was worried that it took him until the 25k mark to pass me, it usually happens much faster.  He had a slower swim then me but as usual he had a great bike and run.  He finished in 7:00:08 and has mentioned several places that could have cost him those 8 seconds but he is happy with his time overall. 

I grabbed a quick massage for my hamstring and got my stuff.  We were driving home and we saw three cyclists in front of us. All of a sudden I hear Neale swear and slam on the breaks.  My first thought was the car in front of us hit the cyclist but has it turns out he hit the edge of the road and fell off his bike and down the embankment.  The cyclist was conscience and moving, he had a cut on his forehead and a shoulder injury and a medic from the race drove by at that moment.  Since the cyclist was OK and getting medical attention we left and drove home.  A shower and change of clothes and then we were off for a celebratory dinner and drinks. Another 70.3 in the books, learned lots and I have a lot of work to do before next years IM in Tremblant but I am not afraid of hard work and I am looking forward to the journey as much as the destination. 

Let's do this

Well I can not believe August is almost over, where did the time go?  I know I spent a great deal of it training for my next race in 9 days (yikes) and I celebrated my 25th anniversary but I want my summer back, it went too fast.  

On August 17th we headed to Mont Tremblant to watch some friends do the Ironman and to volunteer.  We were at a run station last year and this year we would be at the swim start.  I wanted to be a wetsuit stripper but we were on the wrong team so I opted for my second choice and stood in the water, cheering on the athletes as they exited the swim.  It was great but the weather was not optimal and the air temps were colder then the water.

After we warmed up we headed to the bike turn around to watch the athletes and cheer on our friends. Later we moved to the run course and saw the lead men and women finish and saw some amazing athletes, one lady doing the marathon in a boot and she finished.  We stayed to watch our friends finish and headed back to our B&B, we ever up at 3:30am to get to the beach so it was a long day.  The next day, at 9am, we were in line to register for next year, both of us!  So proud and happy that Neale signed up as well, he is such an amazing athlete and will kill it next year.  

After we got back home, I knew my bike would not do for a full IM so I started looking around for a new ride.  I had a limited budget so I was looking at a road bike and not a tri bike.  A friend suggested I at least see what frame size I was for a tri bike as you can get some good deals second-hand.  I called a local bike store that had a bike I liked to see if they had any small or extra small tri bikes in stock and they had one extra small of my dream bike, marked down to $1299.  I could not get to the store fast enough to try it out and it was a perfect fit.  I did not try it out too much, I trust my gut and this bike was made for me.  Meet Skyrider, my new bike.

I have an appointment to get fitted at the end of September and then we will be spending long hours on the trainer together this winter.  I had been admiring this bike on the website for months but the $1999 price was more then I could afford and they just marked it down that morning, I know it was meant to be and Skyrider and I will have many great races together in the future.  I am taking my current bike, Ella Blu, to my next race, it will not be our last I am sure and I look forward to sharing the 94km of hills in Muskoka with her.

So I knew my big race for next summer, time to add a few more and to have a meeting with my coach.  I lost my confidence a bit this summer, my disastrous half marathon in May and my less the stellar 70.3 in Tremblant sure did a number on my head.  While I am not back to full confidence, I have a renewed sense of enthusiasm towards my training and I am ready to get this done.  I trained well this summer, I worked hard but I know I could have done better but you can not cry over spilled milk and you have to let it go and move forward.  This next year will be a crazy ride but I am not afraid of hard work, I have the determination to finish what I have started and awesome friends and husband to support me.  They can not do it for me, I have to do that and I am ready, ready for the good days and the bad days, the sore muscles and overwhelming tiredness that is to come, I AM READY so let's do this.