Weekend Update – Summer Skies?

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Weekend Update

Vancouver is choking under skies that elude to the apocalypse…

But that’s not where I should be starting.

The big national holidays of North America – Canada Day and Independence Day – have come and gone. It’s a long stretch before the next long weekend. But I’ve committed to some solid training and this is what the past week looked like, following last Sunday’s Scotiabank Half Marathon:

Monday

Met up with Lisa for training at the YMCA. We were both suffering a bit from the previous day’s race, but since we had committed to each other to be there – there we were. She gave me a refresher on some of the exercises learned in our last training session, and I left with more confidence in what I was going to be doing at the gym.

I also convinced Lisa to sign up for next weekend’s Fort Langley Half Marathon!

Tuesday – 5.8km

Lana and I headed out for our Lost Lagoon loop, joined today by Diane. While very fit, Diane hasn’t done a lot of running, but she soldiered through and completed the whole 5.8km route, with just a few walking breaks. Very proud of her!

Wednesday– 3km

Canada Day! I took advantage of the mid-week holiday and slept in. We attended the festivities on Granville Island, and enjoyed lazing around for much of the day.

Canada flag

We still had choir practice, so I showed up for that. And since I had committed to #JulyRunStreak (3km per day), I got home from choir and headed out for 3km along English Bay at sunset.

Sunset

Honestly – I don’t think I’ve ever been so hot during a run. By the end of those excruciating 15 or so minutes, I was drenched in sweat. Practically melting. But I had started the month out right!

Thursday – 4km

Before all of the learning slipped from my sieve-like brain, I thought I’d better get to the gym. Squats and dead lifts, plus a bunch of arm exercises. I am going to build my strength! And then, in the spirit of July, I headed out the door for 4km along the Seawall. As I reached the end, I spotted Brie doing her stair workout! We chatted briefly and agreed to run the next day.

Friday – 6.8km

Lana and I had already planned a Friday run. So Brie joined us and one other coworker for our run around Lost Lagoon.

Lana, Brie and me

Nearly 7km later, Brie and I enjoyed Justin’s peanut butter & dark chocolate cups as our post-run ‘fuel’. I only just learned about them at our weekly #BibChat on Tuesday – and discovered that they’re available at Starbucks!

Justin's

And, for the first time in I’m not sure how many weeks, I went to Pilates! Great to be back in the painful swing of things, along with one of my best friends!

Finally – since Friday was the last day for earlybird registration (and I’m a sucker for earlybird registration…), I signed up for the Summerfast 10K – it will be held 2 weeks from  now in Stanley Park. Wish me luck!

Saturday – 16.5km

For the 2016 West Van Run, Kirill has invited me to be part of the promo team! I’ve very excited about this opportunity to talk more about one of my favourite races!

Kirill has also started a #WestVanRun team run on Saturday mornings. Forerunners was taking a break between clinics, so I was free to join in, requiring me to run nearly 10km through Stanley Park and over Lion’s Gate Bridge to reach the meeting spot! I did this, and then ran an additional 7km with Kirill and 8 others. We ended up running halfway back across Lion’s Gate! But for the views and the chance to meet new running friends, it was totally worth it!

WestVanRunWest Van

I took the bus home.

Sunday – 9.1km

Have I mentioned Van Race? It’s a new local race – both 15km and 30km distances – around False Creek and Stanley Park. It will be held on Sunday, September 6 (Labour Day long weekend). I’ve decided to run the 15km, in line with my ongoing half marathon training.

Anyway, last night Van Race tweeted:

VanRace tweet

So I got up (a bit late) and stepped out onto the balcony. I was greeted with this sight:

Forest fire sky

Due to wildfires raging around the province, the skies were hazy and eerily orange. Nevertheless, I made a beeline for Third Beach, met up with some of the Van Race crew.

Alison and me

Happy to once again team up with Tara at Running ‘n’ Reading for the Weekend Update linkup!

weekend-update

How was your weekend?

How is your training going?

Have you signed up for any new races?

16 Comments

  1. Sherry

    What a great week of running! Very cool that you run with your co-workers! I’ve heard of Justin’s peanut butter & dark chocolate cups but have yet to try them.

  2. Mike

    Hey Bradley!

    I enjoy reading your updates. Not only is your writing interesting but it is inspiring to me also! You are a large part of my small running community! Lol! so I am grateful for your timely updates on your running/racing activities.

    This past week I did get to the gym twice to continue my ab and strength training. My most recent 5k was a PB of 6.16/km average, which was 10 seconds better than the previous time. If I could improve by 10 seconds a week I would be happy.

    I also had my first sprint exercise session where I did 3-1 km sprints. This new training will be of good benefit to my run training.

    Unfortunately I was unable to attend the MEC 3 km trail race at Camp Fortune in Gatineau, PQ due to work demands. I rest my case.

    My goal for a half marathon next year has changed slightly. I had planned on running the half marathon at the Ottawa Run Weekend next May. Next year the on June 26, 2016 will be the first Perth, Ontario full, half and 10 k run. This will be the day after the annual Perth Kilt Run of 8k. The PKR next year will also be another Guiness World Book of Records qualifier for the “largest kilt run in the world”! So I hope to do both the PKR on the Saturday followed by the half marathon on the Sunday.

    Another training tool is the bicycle I recently acquired. It is a Specialized Secteur road bike. My first training ride is a 15 km loop. I had 3 rides this past week, 3 runs and 2 sessions at the gym.

    Currently I am reading: The Motivation Manifesto 9 Declarations to Claim Your Personal Power by Brendon Burchard. It is motivating me! Lol!

    Have a great week!

    • bjcjapan

      Thanks so much for this comment, Mike – it really means a lot to you! Your blog is also very inspiring!

      Great progress on the 5k time – every little bit of speed increase is an achievement. I hit some PB’s earlier this year, but things have slowed a bit lately. We’ll see what the 2nd half of the year brings!

      I love that you’re planning to do a double race weekend next year! I’m actually signing up for a 10k/half marathon weekend in October – the Vancouver Rock ‘n’ Roll weekend.

      I am not a cyclist, but I think it’s a great way to cross-train, if that’s your thing.

      Thanks so much for the check-in!

  3. Judy @ Chocolaterunsjudy

    Running in Stanley Park would be great! I wasn’t a runner when I went there. The second time I was in Victoria I got to run along the ocean, though – it was lovely!

    Sounds like you’re hitting everything you need to between the Pilates, strength training & running.

    • bjcjapan

      Stanley Park is great because you can run the Seawall (flat) or trails (hilly) – or a combination of both! Plus the ocean views (at sea level or from above) are breathtaking! I have not yet run in Victoria, but I’m thinking about doing the Victoria Half in October. Thanks for dropping by!

    • bjcjapan

      Are there fires around Chicago, or is it just heat-related air pollution? We’re on a weather advisory right now, and everything smells like campfire.

      I’m not a huge sports fan, although I did run past the Japanese women’s team on the Seawall last week! We started watching the final yesterday – but because we were cheering for Japan, I was told to turn off the TV pretty early on in the game!! 🙁

    • bjcjapan

      Justin’s trump Reese’s anytime! SO yummy!! Thanks – I’ll need the luck on my race, especially if the weather/wildfires continue out this way!!

  6. Emily G

    Good for you! I haven’t really run since last Sunday, haha. The streak thing is a neat idea and 1 month seems a good balance between doable and challenging…though I might not have picked July!! I have a running “acquaintance” who ran every day for 2 years, even after ultras, etc. That’s a whole other category of crazy. Be careful running in this smoke!

    • bjcjapan

      Haruki Murakami runs every day, and has done so for like 9 years. Craziness. Today was a treadmill day because of the smoke, and it was painful. I’m trying…and hope I can push through to the end of the month (even when in San Fran??).

  7. M @readeatwriterun

    Such lovely pictures! Someday I’d like to visit Vancouver.

    Sieve-like brain – I know whereof you speak! I describe my memory as a sieve with progressively bigger holes….and if stressed, hoo boy!

    I haven’t signed up, but I’m debating a 12k 4 weeks after my Oct marathon. Before that is Beach to Beacon 10k on Aug. 1 – 10d after we move!

  8. Brie Hemingway

    Reading … reading … reading … Hey look it’s me!!! Hahaha 🙂

    I ran Canada Day evening too! Just 4 km around Crescent beach and it was HOT even with a little breeze … then followed it up with a BBQ and beers 🙂

  9. @VanRaceBC

    Hi Bradley,
    I only just saw this, thanks for the boost! I’m a big fan of Justin’s PB as well, love those little packets Starbucks has in their protein snack packs…

    If anyone wants more info on our race just click on my name!
    – VanRace (Alison)

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