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.

Week 2: Came up a little short

Well, this was an interesting week.

Last Sunday night I went out for a nice run, but just as I was coming home ran into a pack of four loose dogs. Two of these dogs I'd encountered twice before since early December, and generally they act aggressively. Now there were two more added to the mix. What I view as the lead dog, a huskie, was growling, and staying right in front of me, while the other dogs tried to circle around from behind. I slowed down to a walk, not wanting to trigger a chase response, and just kept trying to face them, and not expose my back to any of them for very long. I only had maybe a hundred metres to get home, but it seemed to take a long time. I got up the stairs, and managed to get our gate closed (we've had a bungie cord holding it open since the frame of the porch is warped enough it won't close in this cold) when a vehicle pulled up to make sure I was okay, and that got the dogs moving away. I got inside, and phoned animal control, but I assume they didn't get there in time to intercept the dogs.

I didn't get bit, but that encounter certainly got the heart pumping!

Monday night I took off because I was feeling really tired, and Tuesday night because of an extreme wind chill warning (-52 with wind). Wednesday and Thursday nights were both fairly cold (-38 and -45 with wind, if I recall correctly), but I got in good runs both nights. There was a big water main break on Thursday night/early Friday morning that basically shut down the city on Friday. Twenty million litres of water escaped a broken pipe in twenty minutes, effectively draining the water storage at the treatment plant. We were without water most of that day, and I opted not to run because I wasn't confident there would be water to bathe with when I got home. Service was pretty much restored on Saturday, although there is still a boil water advisory in place and we're being warned to use water sparingly, but I got in a run last night and had a quick shower afterwards.

Totals for the week: Four runs; 33.87 km; average pace 5:12 min/km. A bit slower than last week, on average, but it is was also colder, and I have been taking fewer breaks during the runs. Last night was the first run I haven't stopped at all. Running total (pun fully intended) is 72.75 km, giving me a deficit of 4.25 km. Given that there is a blizzard warning in effect here right now, it doesn't look good for getting out today, either.

I got some sad news this week, my uncle Jim passed away on Tuesday. He collapsed while out clearing snow, and didn't make it. The medical examiner said he had advanced heart disease, but apparently wasn't showing symptoms. I feel really bad for my aunt Eileen, as this is her second partner to pass. I'm sorry Christine, Alexa and I won't be able to make the funeral, but the internment is being postponed until the summer, so we may be able to make that.

A somewhat happier subject is that my Mom is coming up for a visit this week. She arrives Tuesday, and will depart the following Tuesday. She's very excited to see her granddaughter, and we're looking forward to having her.

Week 1: Goal achieved, 38.9 km done

At the end of the first week of January, here's where I stand on my resolution:
I ran five times this week, skipping Tuesday and Friday. Total distance ran is 38.88 km (I need to do 38.5 km per week to meet my goal); average pace was 5:09/km. I did over 8 km on four of my runs, but did only about 6.5 km on Monday, due in part to the temperature (-45° C with the wind chill). I feel pretty good about it. Mostly I have been going out around 8 p.m., after Christine and Alexa have gone to bed, and it leaves me feeling energized. After I get home generally I get in some chores.

I'll update again next Saturday.

New Year, New Goals

Hello all, and happy New Year!

I was a delinquent blogger in 2011, and that is unlikely to change much in the new year. With a one month old daughter (welcome Alexa!), and other interests and responsibilities, regular blog entries about my life are not a big priority.

However, I do intend to use this space to track progress of a goal - I intend to run 2,012 km in 2012. I consider this an achievable, if not particularly ambitious, goal. After completing the Saskatchewan Marathon and winning a local 10 km road race in 2010, my running in 2011 was infrequent. So, I'd like to get back into it.

Thanks to the Garmin Forerunner GPS watch I got for my birthday, I can (reasonably) accurately track how much I've run. Today I did just over 8 km, averaging just under five minutes per kilometre. I'll spend a couple of weeks doing runs of 6 to 10 km per day, five times per week, while I get back into shape, and then start introducing interval training, hill training and longer runs into my routine. I fully expect there to be times (notably when I'm in the field) when I will not be able to run, but I'll try to post up my weekly totals here to keep me motivated.