Rocked another 32km and now we’re tapering!
The marathon is less than a month away. I can’t wait! We are all so excited for it. Had lots of crazy stuff going on in the last 2 weeks. Met lots of new runners too. This running thing could really catch on.
For our last 32km run we ran the last 32km of the marathon route, preparing ourselves mentally. It was great.
Icing my legs at the beach after a our 32km run. I still can’t believe I live here. Life is so so good.
The Marathon Mob @ The Running Room after our 32km run from Dalvay to Charlottetown. So fun.
The Crazy Factor
So what makes runners run in the rain, sleet, snow, freezing cold, sweltering summer heat, complete darkness, ultra-distances, or run 274km tip-to-tip, non-stop, for 42 hours across on Prince Edward Island? The Crazy Factor! We’re talking about a community of people who think losing your toenail is like some sort of trophy. Yup, pretty crazy.
There’s just something about the craziness that makes it so much fun. It makes you feel like a kid again. This week we ran our speed training in the pouring rain and were completely drenched. It was awesome! We laugh at ourselves a lot and always remark about how it makes us feel like kids again. People always think we’re nuts. Rain, snow and darkness never stopped you from playing as a kid.
Ran the trail in the dark one night with my headlamp. Reeeally dark! I’d love to try that again but not alone. It was a really cool experience and running through the complete darkness, only seeing a spot of light in front of you, and bats flying at you in the dark, yeah it was crazy. Crazy fun!!! I had to call my husband to come and get me when I came out of the trail. It was pitch black out. My pace was so fast on that run because I was so nervous. I was flying! Had my iPhone and Nike+ on so I heard my facebook friends’ cheers and it made me feel like I wasn’t alone out there. Thanks!!! I also had George Harrison’s Beware of Darkness playing. Can you believe that?! So funny, and yes… crazy!
Speaking of The Crazy Factor, our friend and endurance runner Michael Gaudet did one of the craziest and coolest things this past weekend. He inspired so many of us runners by running PEI tip-to-tip on the Confederation Trail, non-stop, over 42 hours. He left Tignish on Friday morning at around 6:00 am and ran the 274km to Elmira, arriving around midnight Saturday night. Can you imagine??? It was astounding and so inspirational!
At 100 Miles. Scott & Dave out running through the night with him. ~Photo by PEIrunman, Flickr
There were so many people supporting Michael and cheering him on. I love the running community on PEI. I wanted so much to run a bit of it with him. Imagine trying to find him? Where was he? Thanks to everyone’s updates on facebook and Scott Clark on his support team, I managed to find him at the Freetown entrance to the Confederation Trail. Given his location, the time, and my 32km run on Sunday I couldn’t join him. I had hoped to run Hunter River to Darling or Colville Roads, Oh well, maybe next time, eh Michael?
At the halfway 130km mark, seeing those headlamps coming down the trail was so cool. It was so dark, so quiet and all you heard was the gravel under their feet. It was amazing.
Echocardiogram @ QEH for my big heart.
Way back in April, the week before running the WR3 Half Marathon, I had an EKG done which found that I have an enlarged left atrium. I wasn’t worried. I’ve always had fantastic blood pressure, so what’s the worry? But when my doctor mentioned massive heart failure I did get a little freaked out. I’m hoping it’s Athletic Heart Syndrome from running. So my doctor arranged for me to have an electrocardiogram, and last week I went to the QEH.
Technician, “You have a very low heart rate. Are you a runner?”
Me, “Yes.”
Technician, “Do you run a lot?”
Me, “I’m training for a marathon, so yeah I guess.”
I turn my head to look at my heart rate on the computer screen: 47bpm.
Holy crap.
How’s your running going?
Do you ‘get’ The Crazy Factor?
Did you follow Michael Gaudet’s run?
I want to know!
We’re almost there!
Heather Ogg
Photographer, Designer, Social Media Hound, WordPress Lover, Happiness Bully, Creative Junkie, Runner, Hobby Farmer, Blogger. Not necessarily in that order ; )
Heather OggLive Happy ; )
Hey Heather,
I’ve been following your blog all along, and lovin’ it! I’ll also be running in the PEI Marathon. A little over a week to go!
This will actually be my 7th marathon. I just started running marathons 2 years ago… my first being Ottawa, 2010. But I can still totally relate to all your emotional highs and lows – apprehension, enthusiasm, paranoia, aches, jubilation, and so on :-)
Unfortunately I am nursing an injury, but unrelated to running. More related to old age ;) (I turned 47 this year) I’m dealing with a hernia, and I need to watch my intensity, otherwise I’m in agony :( So this will probably be my worst time ever, but I still plan on getting ‘er done :)
Anyway, just wanted to let you know I’ve enjoyed your blog entries immensely!
Rob
Saint John, NB
Hi Rob, Wow thank you so much. This has been an incredible experience and has definitely affected me deeply. I have tried to emulate that in my posts. It’s about so much more than running and I’ve loved every step.
Seventh marathon, eh? I’ve been wondering if crossing that finish line will make me what to run another full, or say never again! I’ve spoken with many people and the responses are varied. You’ve run 7 so what was your reaction after finishing your first? Take care of yourself and that hernia, 47 isn’t old age… I’ll be 46 in December and have never felt better! :D
lol…that ‘age’ statement was mostly ‘tongue-in-cheek’ since most of my Running Room posse are younger than me :-) I’m now in better shape than I have ever been. I’ve been obese for most of my life, and was never athletic until I took up running in 2007. I’ve lost a bunch of weight, and like you say, I’ve never felt better!
I’m sure you’re anticipating lots of crazy emotions as you cross that finish line, but trust me, you’ll underestimate what follows. With me, it was practically surreal. I experienced this tremendous flood of emotion that I never thought possible. After I passed under that gorgeous, beautiful, stunning banner that said F-I-N-I-S-H, I walked around the recovery area in shock…in disbelief…in awe. I did it. I am a MARATHONER. And I will always be a MARATHONER. All those months. All those miles. all that training. Came down to that one moment as I took that final stride across the finish line. Honestly, it brought me to tears.
After that, I thought – “never again”! But you know, after taking a week or so to recover, I slowly started running again. Then it hit me. I can do better next time :-)