#140 Around the Bay

An update: 8 weeks to go!

This Sunday (March 29th) marks eight weeks until the Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon on May 24th, the race I'm currently training for. 

Sunday is also the date of this year's historic, and one of my all-time favourite races, Around the Bay 30K in Hamilton, Ont.

ATB 2013 in which I ran 1:45:45 (my best ever race result).

As we head into spring and with weather and conditions set to improve, I'm happy to say that I survived another long, cold winter and have been logging consistent mileage and completing quality workouts for the past 12 weeks. Congrats to anyone who gutted it out and ran/trained in Ontario this winter. There were times I wondered whether it would ever end.

The good news aside, I am still far from the shape I have been in the past two years, in which I was probably at peak fitness and running my best times. As such, I am having reservations about lining up on Sunday not really knowing how the race will go or how I will do. Regardless, as always I am hoping to give it my (near) 100 per cent and see what I am able to do in a longer event, which I've convinced myself is my 'specialty.'

ATB will also be a big day for the Black Lungs, many of whom are running and racing as a tune-up before Boston. It will be great to see how the group does and many impressive results are expected.

As many already know, I continue to deal with a seemingly unchanging and everlasting hip injury that has prevented me from running and training to my full potential. Over the past four months I have run far too many miles in some degree of discomfort and have often had to ask myself why I continue to train through the pain. 

The short and simple answer is that it's really not that serious. Really, it's not! Just a really stubborn and chronically inflamed hip flexor and some weak and failing glutes to go with it. I'm certainly not convinced that taking time off would solve the problem which is why I've chosen to continue to run and train.

A cold winter run with the Black Lungs. Photo: Mark Blinch

The longer and far more complicated answer is that I honestly believe I'm much better off (mentally more so than physically) running, even if some of it is uncomfortable. One simply cannot discount the tremendous value that running has for (my) mental health and well-being as well as the social benefits that come with being a part and belonging to a supportive and close-knit group (that being the Lungs).

As such, my training will continue on and hopefully even improve over the next weeks and months. The result of ATB will definitely help determine how to proceed from here, including the overall volume and intensity of subsequent training. After ATB, I've still got the Yonge Street 10K (April 19th) and the Goodlife Half (May 3rd) to look forward to before racing in Ottawa. 

Unlike in the past, I have no set goals or times to aim for, but am instead, focused on enjoying the journey, sharing/celebrating with others and taking part in what is sure to be an incredible experience on race weekend #TORW2015.

Thanks as always for reading and all the best with your own running, training and racing!