Peter's Team Diabetes Triathlon (and formerly Marathon) Blog

Unless you've gone way back through the archives of this blog, you won't have the story on why I am running for Team Diabetes. Simply put, it's a way to support my son Chris (Type 1, my brother Steve (Type 1, me (Type 2) and the more than 3 million Canadians who live with this disease.

A fellow blogger posted the following, which is well worth reading, on his site:

http://jprunsdublin.blogspot.com/2006/06/what-is-diabetes.html

Copy the link, paste it in your browser and you'll link to the story.

Appears both Chris and I are on the mend. He has regained some appetite (fettucine alfredo, fruit smoothie and Rolo ice cream were all part of today's nourishment) and the pain that I was experiencing yesterday seems to have faded. I am anxious to test it but I will lay off for one more day and wait till Saturday.

I've updated the links section of my blog with a couple of new ones and by deleting a couple that the authors seem to have given up on. Check out Derek and JP.

Today was one of those days. The good news is that Chris was discharged from the hospital. He's in for a long recovery period but getting home is at least a first step.

The bad news is that I injured myself at the start of my run today. Don't quite know what happened but just after I started my slow easy run I felt a twinge and then pain in my left groin. Tried some stretching, walking, etc. but each time I began to run again it started to hurt. Ended up having to walk back, obsessing the whole time about how severe it might be.

So, I've taken some Advil, iced it a bit and will see how I feel tomorrow. Won't try running again for at least a couple of days. In the interim, if I can ride my bike without pain, I'm going to do that.

Time will tell...

Bummer!!! My son Chris was diagnosed with mono AND strep throat on the weekend. He has been in the hospital since early Saturday. Until suppertime tonight (Tuesday) he hadn't had a thing to eat since Friday. Hopefully he's on the mend and will be discharged from the hospital before the weekend. Sure will mess up summer vacation though as he will be fatigued for up to a couple of months and will be forbidden from any type of rough activities - mountain biking, skateboarding, etc. - for at least 3 months. Man, is he going to be sour!!!

Yikes - the training schedule for this week is TOUGH!! Monday was a rest day as usual. Today I did 400 meter repeats - 8 times 400m (one lap of a standard track) at max intensity with a target time of 2:05-2:12 per lap. Each lap to be followed by a lap at easy run pace. I was also to start and finish with 10 minutes of running at easy run pace.

I knew long before the workout that it was going to be tough. Started the day after too little sleep, ate too little breakfast, drank too much coffee, ate the wrong stuff for lunch and left it too close to when I had planned my run. To top it off it was very hot and humid today.

Nearly died doing the workout but fought through. Did all 8 repeats in better than the target time (averaged just about 2:00 per lap). When it was over I couldn't manage the full 10 minutes of easy running to close off but I did about 5.

The only thing that kept me going today was the thought that this is all going to help come November in New York.

This morning I ran the Army 10K held at CFB Gagetown. What a great event. Of course, with the military organizing it you could expect that it would be run with precision and it was. Nice t-shirt (with a way cool crest!), well marked route, water stations, bagels/fruit/gatorade afterwards, lots of door prizes and medals for the top finishers. Course was an "out and back" on a gravel trail. A bit of a challenge as there were some partially washed out sections, loose gravel and a few changes in elevation. A little worried when I saw the "Beware of Bears" sign but figured that any rampaging wildlife would get the fastest or the slowest runners and I was neither.

Finished in a time of 1:02 - a little slower than planned but still close to my target and I was quicker over the second half (30:00) than the first (32:00) which was my goal.

My motivation for the run were the troops currently serving overseas and the many who will deploy in the near future. God speed and safe home.

My schedule called for a 30 minute run today at easy pace (11:04-11:34 per mile). I did an out and back route and so was able to compare my pace over the first half (roughly 10:30 per mile) with my pace for the return trip (11:00 per mile). Per Coach Mike's suggestion, I did the full 30 minutes without using my normal "10 minutes run:1 minute walk" system even though it was very warm and humid.

Tomorrow is a rest day and then Saturday, if household scheduling permits, I am going to participate in the Army 10K at Base Gagetown. Otherwise, I'll be doing a 90 minute easy run.

Finally home from my trip to Montreal. Nice to get away but even better to be home!!

Monday was a rest day and Tuesday was my first "progressive run". I did just over 55 minutes, starting with 30 minutes at easy pace then 20 minutes at race pace and ended with 5 minutes at maximum intensity. My route was along the Lachine Canal which was very pleasant.

Today (Wed) was a rest day - convenient since I was travelling and would have been tough to squeeze in a run.

Received another on-line donation while I was away. Thanks to my colleague Shirley (she of the fabulous shoe collection!!) for her generous contribution.

Today I am in beautiful Montreal, attending a conference for university administrators. Conveniently, my training schedule fit in perfectly with this trip. Friday, when I flew up, was a rest day. Yesterday I did a 60 minute run at my slow pace. My route was all along the Lachine locks and the river. It was 6 a.m. so had almost the entire waterfront to myself. Today (Sunday) was a 30 minute run at slow pace. I did a route through the side streets of the Old City. Very lovely and once again, at the early hour I was out, I was mostly alone. Both runs went very well and were done without scheduled walk breaks. Tomorrow is a rest day then Tuesday will be day 1 of the second week of my schedule. Possibly aiming to do a 10k race on Saturday, the "Army 10K" at CFB Gagetown. We'll see.

Although I was nervous about today's training, I was also excited to see if I could achieve the plan. It was a perfect day for running - overcast and not too warm. I completed all three parts of the workout (20 min easy run/10 min max effort/20 min easy run) per the instructions from Mike. Tomorrow is a rest day - convenient since I am travelling to Montreal for a conference. Saturday and Sunday are both long duration, easy pace workouts. It'll be the first time I've ever done long runs on consecutive days so anxious to see how it goes. So far, I'm really pleased with the new approach to training.

Today was Day 1 of my formal training schedule for New York. Here's what I was to do:

1. Run for 10 minutes at easy run pace. Approximately 11:04-11:34 minute mile pace.
2. 8 x 100m repeats at close to maximum intensity. Approximately 25.1-27.6 seconds per 100 meters. 100-meter walk recovery between repetitions.
3. Run for 10 minutes at easy run pace. Approximately 11:04-11:34 minute mile pace.

I managed to do all three components without problem. I used a nearby soccer field for the 100m repeats. On average I did the repeats in about 25 seconds. Tomorrow is a rest day. Thursday my schedule is:

1. Run for 20 minutes at easy run pace. Approximately 11:04-11:34 minute mile pace.
2. Run for 10 minutes at maximum intensity. Approximately 8:34-8:42 minute mile pace.
3. Run for 20 minutes at easy run pace. Approximately 11:04-11:34 minute mile pace.

One of the web-based discussion boards that I follow from time-to-time is www.runningmania.com. I first heard about "the maniacs" after reading about a woman in Winnipeg named Cheryl who took up running to lose weight, ended up completing the Chicago Marathon and was then profiled on the Oprah Winfrey show. Today while out for my noon run I met one of the Maniac (aka the RM Nation) regulars who goes by the name CeilidhOnTheRun.

After a lousy run yesterday, a complete different story today. Beautiful weather and felt good throughout my 6k. Anxious to get my training schedule from coach Mike - hopefully today.

Seems my blog has generated a little "trash talk" between my brother Bill and my buddy Dave. It started when I posted results from the Nordion 5K on the blog. Dave read them and noted in an email to me:

"Saw both your brothers got soundly whooped by their wives on the Ottawa run. Not that there is anything wrong with that ..."

To which Bill replied in a comment on the blog:

"I hear Mr.SuperJock is laying down a little smack on the McDougall brothers times at the Nordion 5K. I see this as a challenge, and think it should be settled over a game of golf...winner keeps the title of Mr.SuperJock. Will our MapleLeaf fella accept the challenge...time will tell. You know my number!!!"

Dave then wrote:

"Sound like we have ourselves a match. I look forward to the challenge of trying to keep up to the Brothers McD on the golf course. It must be a "No Tears" match where the results of the 1 game stand irrespective of the outcome. Sound fair? We just have to come up with a time and a place. Just for the record, I was complimenting the McD women, not trashing the McD men."

Bill responded:

"You tell Mr.Argo (is that who he played for?) that I'm looking forward to representing the McDougall clan...heaven knows I wouldn't put my rep on the line if I had to rely on your athletic abilities. I'm sure Dave is a jet-setter (aren't all bankers made of cash?), and is in Ottawa from time-to-time. If so, would love to have him (and his wife if possible) out for a game at Camelot with Kristy/me. Until such time, the name "Mr.SuperJock" shall not be used.

On the recommendation of my cousin, Dr. Chris, I've decided to engage a coach to assist me with preparations for the New York City marathon. The coach I'll be using is Mike Booth of Edurance Matters (www.endurancematters.com). He is an accomplished international calibre distance runner based in Winnipeg. The coaching will be done via the internet.

As I told Mike, my goal is not particularly related to improving my time. Rather, I want to feel as well prepared as possible for the run on November 5th so that I can enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime experience to the fullest.

As I receive them, I plan to post my training schedules here on my blog so you'll get a sense of what I'm doing.

In case you've not seen it, here is the $300 gold coin of my friend and college classmate Chris Hadfield (see my earlier post), two-time shuttle astronaut and first Canadian to do a spacewalk. I believe the spacewalk was to repair something - guess that makes him the zero gravity Canadian Tire guy.

Gosh, it's been a full week since I last posted. I'm in blog withdrawal!!! Spent most of the last week in Ottawa. I was there for activities associated with my role as a member of the National Advocacy Council of the Canadian Diabetes Association. Our meetings and workshops culminated with a full day on Parliament Hill, meeting with senior government officials and Members of Parliament. I had the pleasure of meeting Steven Fletcher, Mike Allen, Andy Scott and Peter Milliken, amongst others.

This weekend I start into my new training plan. I am just waiting to receive it from my coach Mike Booth of Endurance Matters (www.endurancematters.com). I am hoping that Mike can help me to be super well prepared for the New York City marathon on November 5th.