Training overseas

One of perks of being a runner is that training provides the perfect opportunity to explore places on foot. I am in Turkey for 2 1/2 weeks and then in the Netherlands for five days. Both are family visits.

My sister has been living in Istanbul for nearly three years. After a visit in September 2007, I am back to see her. The difference between this time and the last is that she has become a runner too.

She started running in early 2008 with the goal of completing the 10km Nike Human race in
Istanbul. She did, and then trained for the 15km of Istanbul held in October. She completed that one as well and is still following a training routine that involves running four days a week.

Needless to say that I am so proud of her. She visited me in Canada earlier this year for 10 days and we did our runs together. Now we have a chance to do so again. Today is our long run and she will take me to the forests near Kylios.

I am looking forward to running outside as we have done our training on the treadmill this week. Mostly because when she returns home for work it is already pitch black outside.

Another reason is that last year I had an unpleasant encounter here with a couple of the many street dogs that roam this area. While most of them are friendly and asleep, early in the morning hunger puts some of them in a bad mood as they search for food. I was in the unfortunate position to run into a couple of those. Luckily, a local was around to help me out but the experience made me more cautious about running along the streets in this area early in the morning.

When I go to the Netherlands later this month, I plan to do the same 10km race I did there last year. This certified and flat 10km race was the first where I managed to run sub-41 mins. Since then I have broken 40 minutes twice, before suffering a few months of sluggishness and slower times in training and racing including a 10km of 41mins of change. That's a few months ago and I feel much better now so I am very keen to test my current level of fitness.

Prized Entry for the First Half in Vancouver

We knew that we had to sign up as soon as registration opened. Last year the 2000 spots for the First Half (a half marathon in Vancouver) sold out in five hours apparently.

I woke up a couple of times last night, reminding myself to sign up for this race as soon as I woke up. When I went to the online race registration at 7.15am, it was 73% full. Tim and I both registered as quick as we could. The race was sold out just before 8:30am, after opening at 5am.

Pfew, very lucky!

New goals

Time for a new six-month training program. The key goal is the Vancouver marathon in May. It's close to home and I would like to follow up the 2008 finish line with a much better one in 2009.

It will give me enough time to recover - both mentally and physically - from the Victoria marathon I just ran in October and also provides me with plenty of time to build back up. Coach Pat Carroll has given me five 3-hour training runs for this marathon, which is one more 3-hour run than I did for Victoria and a record total.

Along the way, there are some great goals such as the 5K race planned for the first weekend of December. It's been a long time since I raced a 5K and I am looking forward to getting closer to that 19:00 and possibly even into the 18:xx.

I love getting new training programs - such a great map for the next six months. I am excited!

Victoria marathon splits

For the first time, I was alert enough throughout the final stages of a marathon to keep taking all my km splits. Here they are:

4.15 2 (it was unreal how fast everyone started - even at this pace i had hundredSSS run past me)
4.26 6
4.23 3
4.11 5 (whoops though i do think this was downhill)
4.25 7
4.36 5
4.27 4
4.19 5
4.27 3
4.19 1
4.33 3
4.30 5
8.51 1
4.28 3
4.18 5
4.53 9 (i do think this marker and the previous one were were a bit off)
4.34 3
4.16 8 (must have been downhill again)
4.25 7
4.25 6 so 21K at 1.33 10

1.33 37 (halfway split as marked in results)

3.53 2 (no way i think but tt's what the watch says)
4.19 2
4.16 6
4.22 6
8.48 0
4.26 4
4.33 9
4.15 6
4.48 0 (think this and previous one are the sames kms as the above 4.18 and 4.53 on way back into town. turn was at about 23.5km
4.39 0
4.29 2
8.54 9
4.30 1
4.42 9
4.41 2
4.38 6
4.18 3
4.27 6
4.56 3 (for final 1.2km)

3.07.11 on watch, official result 3.07 10