Charging Forward – RunningWell

Hi Everyone!

Hope you’re all figuring out your layering and bundling for running this winter. I’ve made a few misjudgements this past week, but I think I’m getting the hang of it again.

You know what else I’ve been feeling these past two weeks – besides cold? All of your positive energy and excitement towards running. And it’s really rubbing off on me! We’re entering our second winter of COVID restrictions and looking at our third spring of race uncertainties and potential cancellations. And do you know what I feel we’ve learned? To stop getting beaten down by it. We’ve been through this. We know how it goes. We train hard towards our goals, but we remain flexible and nimble and adaptable if they change. We don’t moan and complain and sit on the couch and wait it out. We get out there and charge ahead, and every now and then the clouds break and we get to run a race or go to a destination, even if it’s not exactly how it used to be, and we celebrate that. I’m feeling like this January, despite restrictions on gatherings, gym and other closures, race uncertainties, an inability to make absolute plans, and really an unknown deadline to all of it, we are going forward with the energy and enthusiasm of the pre-2020 years! Obviously this is something that comes from a pre-learned pattern. We know how to get excited and work together to share our energy. This is resiliency. It’s standing tall despite the waves crashing over us. And it’s not just going through the motions in order to be defiant – I can tell it’s a true sensation of “I’m not beaten down, I’m excited to charge ahead”. I can tell this from the attitudes that I’m seeing showing up to runs and workouts. I can tell from the conversations I’m hearing around race goals and training plans. I can tell from workouts I’ve done with people where we’ve found that old energy of leaning in together again. It all feels like less of a struggle and more like enthusiasm and fun. And it’s contagious! (sorry – trigger word). But seriously, I’m super excited and super proud of us. Maybe we let ourselves get down for a bit there, but damn – we know when enough is enough! Time to work together, get fit, and charge towards new goals. Thank-you for sharing that with me.

Onto tomorrow’s workout:

Hills with a twist:

Meet at the Riverdale Clubhouse (Riverdale Park, south side, at Broadview).
1. 4-6 x hard up the cement hill (from the washrooms all the way to the sidewalk = ~ 200m) – run back down between reps. Take 2 mins at the top, THEN run 8 mins tempo (up Broadview to Danforth is about 1K so most won’t get further than that in an out-and back). REPEAT. So 8-12 x hills, 2 x 8 min total.

I’m not sure how this will feel, with the volume and intensity which is why there’s such a range. If we consider they’re about half of Pottery distance-wise, then that’s a pretty good volume with the tempo pieces.

The reasoning behind this: We know how to run hills and we know how to run hard. People running hilly races (Boston, Around The Bay, even Mississauga with a significant jarring downhill first portion) need to know how to run hard in between hills. So … practice makes perfect!

*I am getting boosted this aft so really hoping for minimal side-effects but will def be there even if I can’t fully participate

Thanks All – see you soon!

Seanna