Week 9: Getting by

So, this past week I achieved my goal, just barely, but didn't make much in the way of gains. I only got out for four runs. I skipped Monday because I was tired, Thursday for grocery shopping, and Friday because it was -37 with windchill. I'm really tired of running in -35 to -45 conditions. However, it looks like I probably have at least another month during which those will be the prevailing temperatures.

Because I blew off my run on Friday, I needed to go on a longer run yesterday. It was colder (-30, -45 with wind), but at least it was in daylight. I ran out to Apex and back, the only snare being that for a good portion of the return trip I was running directly into the wind. After doing 9.3 km, I had to come home to warm up, then went out again to do another 4+ km.

This week I did 38.57 km, which including my surplus from last weeks leaves me just over 1 km to the good. Overall total is 347.5 km.

Otherwise, it was a pretty normal week. Alexa is learning how to laugh, which is cute, and has started grabbing toys and blankets. We pretty well have finalized our itinerary for our trip to Saskatchewan and Manitoba in May, it will be a busy trip, but we should be able to fit in most people we want to see (and who will want to meet Alexa).

Week 8: Making up distance

Oop! I'm slipping! Normally I get my weekly post up on Saturday or Sunday, but since I forgot, I'll do a short one this morning before work.

This past week I made up for the previous one. I ran five times, only skipping Tuesday and Friday, for a total of 46.27 km at an average pace of 4:56 m/km. This brings my overall total to 308.97 km, and a slight surplus of 0.97 km.

I have a spreadsheet in which I track all of my runs, and it appears that I am gradually getting faster on average each week, although I wonder how much of it is improved fitness, and how much is just how cold, dark and windy it is. There definitely seems to be a correlation between the temperature and windchill and how fast I run, plus the runs I do in the daylight seem to go better.

We had a really nice weekend. Christine and I left Alexa in her godmother's care on Saturday for a few hours, and had a nice lunch, followed by a short walk out on the ice of Frobisher Bay, and a trip to the visitor's centre and library. Alexa is getting much more attentive and involved in what's going on around her, it's really neat to see her developing.

Well, now I'd best have breakfast and get ready for work.

Week 7: A little short, but okay

Running this week was somewhat as predicted. Due to my travel to Yellowknife and Cambridge Bay (which almost didn't happen), I only got in three runs, one of which was on a treadmill. I did runs Sunday (8.18 km), Tuesday (8.48 km on a treadmill) and Saturday (16.03 km). The Saturday run somewhat made up for missing a couple of days, but I'm still sitting 5.8 km short of my goal for the week, and 6.8 km short overall. My running total for the year is 262.7 km, not including my run today.

As mentioned above, based on the forecast and what I had heard I was expecting my trip to be cancelled, which would have been disappointing. My flight was scheduled to leave at 17:20, and a blizzard hit just after 16:00, with poor visibility. We managed to make it out though. I then overnighted in Yellowknife, and headed up to Cambridge Bay on Tuesday for the Kitikmeot trade show. This was my second year attending the event, and it was nice to catch up with some people, and meet some new faces.

While in Cambridge Bay, I was able to pick up a couple of packages of ground muskox, and a muskox roast. This was my third time there, and the first time I've been able to get some muskox meat. I've been wanting ground muskox for a while, so that I can make chili with it.

After the trade show wrapped up on Wednesday, I spent Thursday morning meeting with some people before flying to Yellowknife. Once there, I took advantage of the opportunity to pick up some items hard to find in Iqaluit, and also stocked up on the (relatively) inexpensive meat. I ended up bringing back about 50 lbs. worth, so that should last us for a while.

The trip was a pleasant break from the office, but I was glad to return home to my girls (all four of them)!

Week Six: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

So, I didn't make my goal this week. I ran Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, doing between 8.08 and 8.36 km each day, at an average pace of 5:05 minutes per km. Monday I skipped because I was tired, Thursday so that I could get groceries and Saturday due to a blizzard. I was planning on doing 10 to 12 km on Saturday, but with visibility below 1 km, temperature of -32 C, -52 with wind, I decided it was safer to stay in. My total for the week was 32.87 km, about 5.7 km less than my goal. With my extra km from last week, I'm now sitting at a 1 km deficit, and a total of 230 km so far this year.

This week I'm heading to Cambridge Bay (via Yellowknife), so my running may suffer a bit. I'm not planning on doing any outdoor running during my trip, but am bringing the bare essentials so that I can work out in the hotel fitness centre, which I'm hoping will have a treadmill. I'm not a fan of treadmill running, but if it'll get me closer to the goal for the week, I'll do it.

I'm scheduled to leave tomorrow around suppertime, and to get back Friday around the same time. However, there is a blizzard warning in effect, and the forecast for tomorrow afternoon is for conditions to get worse, so I may not be going anywhere. I would be disappointed if the trip got cancelled due to weather, as this would be my second trip this winter to fail due to weather. Assuming it does go ahead, it will be a bit hard, as this will be the first time I'll be away from Alexa for that long. It'll be a bit hard on Christine as well, since she will be responsible for our daughter without much help, although a few friends may be willing to stop by.

Week 5: Back in the black!

Today was a pretty good week for running. I got out five times, rather than the six I was hoping for, but I'm still pleased with how the week went. We had really nice weather Sunday, Monday and Saturday, and those runs were all faster than 5 minutes/km pace. Tuesday and Wednesday were slower, and also colder/more windy, but I got in at least 8 km each of those days. My run yesterday is the longest so far this year, 11.0 km, and involved running to Apex in back, including the very long and steep hill just before that settlement. My total for this week was 43.72 km, which puts me 4.68 km to the good. Edit: Almost forgot, my overall total is 197.2 km.

I've made it through January and am sticking to my resolution, which is a good feeling. I remember when I used to train regularly in the Field House in Regina that starting in early January we'd see an influx of people who'd set New Year resolutions to get in shape...by the end of January all those people were gone, and we'd be back to the same crowd that was there in December.

Nothing else really exciting to report. Thursday I took off to get groceries, and Friday we had Alexa's godmother and family over for supper (which they supplied). Yesterday we had over my boss in the morning to see little Alexa, then Christine had a friend over in the afternoon, and went over to our friend Nik's place for an excellent spaghetti dinner. Alexa was a bit over-stimulated, as there were more than a dozen people at Nik's, including two others with little ones (a toddler and a one month old baby).

Well, I'm on baby duty right now, so I will sign off.

Week 4: Goal achieved, almost back in the black

This week the cold and dark was really starting to get to me on my runs. I wasn't feeling very motivated, but nonetheless made sure I got out for at least 8 km each time.

Breakdown by day:
Sunday - another blizzard, which kept me indoors.
Monday - 8.32 km at 5:09 min/km pace.
Tuesday - 8.03 km at 5:06 min/km pace.
Wednesday - stayed in to help out with Alexa as Christine wasn't feeling well.
Thursday - 8.09 km at 5:12 min/km pace. This was a nasty night, -47 with wind, that kept me close to home. The wind was so bad I ended up doing ~1.5 km laps in my immediate neighbourhood. I also had problems with one of the traction devices I wear on my shoes, the one on my left foot slipped off four times - I ended up swapping which shoe they were on, which seems to be helping, but I really didn't like having to stop repeatedly to pick it up, and put it back on.
Friday - 8.64 km at 5:08 min/km pace.
Saturday - 9.00 km at 4:52 min/km pace. I really enjoyed my run today, because it was in daylight! This is only the third time in 2012 I haven't been running in the dark. It's also my quickest run yet this year. It's not exactly a screaming pace, but it's not bad either for -31 C and being bundled up in three layers pretty well head to toe.

Total kilometres for the week is 42.08 km, which leaves me only 0.54 km in the red. Overall I've run 153.46 km since January 1. I'm hoping the forecast for the next two days is accurate, since it's predicting temperatures warmer than -20 C. That will be a real treat, especially since it's supposed to get colder again after that.

If I can find time, I'm hoping to do six runs this coming week, and perhaps the week after as well. I'm off to Cambridge Bay for the Kitikmeot Trade Show the week of Feb. 13 to 17, during which time I may not have many chances to run, so I'll need to start banking up a few extra kilometres.

Alexa continues to grow, 10 lbs. 15 oz. as of last Wednesday, and is learning quickly. She has started mimicking Mom and Dad - if you stick your tongue out at her, she does it right back, and if one of us lies on the floor next to her and raises our arms or legs, she does her best to do the same. It's pretty cute. Earlier today she managed to roll from her back to her side, which is also good progress.

Week 3: Goal achieved, but still in the red

This week I achieved my objective, but wasn't able to put much of a dent into my deficit from last week. I only managed to get four runs in, since there was a bit of a blizzard on Sunday and I was fighting off a cold on Wednesday and Thursday. However, the runs this week were all longer than the ones I had done previously. Here's the break-down by day:

• Monday I did 9.17 km in 47:16
• Tuesday I did 9.74 km in 49:27
• Friday I did 10.01 km in 52:27
• Saturday I did 9.71 km in 50:48

My total this week was 38.63 km, and the running total is 111.38 km. I still have a little bit over 4 km to make up, but if I can get in five runs this coming week I should be able to address that. I've decided to hold off from much in the way of interval training until we get some warmer weather. So far this month we've generally had base temperatures approaching or colder than -30 C, and wind chills colder than -40 C, which isn't very conducive to speed-work.

As for other events in my life this week: my mother arrived on Tuesday, and has been really enjoying some bonding time with her granddaughter. Alexa was baptized today, with many friends, and what family was available, in attendance. I took a bit of time off work for my mother's visit, and won't be going back until she heads home around lunch-time on Tuesday.