Post race analysis

The 2010 running of the Fredericton Marathon is now history and history was made with Chris Brake setting a new course record of 2:34:30. For me, the history is that I beat my half marathon goal of 1:55 with a 1:53:24. So, I now have motivation to continue and look to a fall marathon. But, as said, first things first and that is to get my diet and weight into sync. I've set up a tracking mechanism using the Canada Food Guide.

So far it's been a process of monitoring my present diet and looking to improve it with changes in food choices and/or supplements. Already I'm seeing that my current diet has too much sugar. So, my first step is to substitute some of my processed foods with natural choices.

Hopefully these suttle changes on a gradual basis will get me where I need to be. Stay tuned.

The weigh in

It's the night before my first race of the season and I just did the 'weigh in'. Not a surprise, but I'm about 15 lbs over my fighting weight. Needless to say that's going to be a factor tomorrow. However, it's also going to tell me that I need to take this opportunity to assess this aspect of my condition and in turn check my diet. So, on Monday I'll roll out the Canada Food Guide and do an assessment. My goal would be to take off 10lbs in three months and then prepare for a fall marathon. The rational behind this order of things is that it is best to trim the weight from a diet adjustment first rather than through the extra running in a marathon preparation.

Running culture

It's the first week of May and already the season seems like its going too fast. I mowed the lawn yesterday and will soon be complaining about that ongoing task of mowing and trying to appreciate the beauty of the dandelion. Having said that, why don't I turn this around and look at it from a different perspective. The dandelion is one of the most resilient of plants. After the drab colors of winter the sea of yellow it provides is somewhat uplifting. On a practical side it puts down an amazing root tuber that could be used for a vegetable. The top of the plant has potential for a salad green and the basis for a wine if so inclined. So as they say, it's what you make of it that counts.

The culture of running and the events that support the activity are much like this. Take the Fredericton Marathon for example. It's the first of the main events in the maritimes and it will bring out a sea of colorful runners that will cover the streets and trails of Fredericton. I've run Fredericton numerous times and have had some good runs and some tough ones as well. Fredericton has had numerous courses over the years and their amenities vary also, so one is never sure what to expect. For the runners who put down a good root in preparation for the event, they will feel well about the experience and may even taste the wine. For those like me, who are not so well prepared we could be prone to comment on the amenities or lack of rather than the rewards of the personal experience of being one of many dandelion runners who will brighten up the Fredericton landscape for a brief but hopefully notable time.

My first race of the season

Two weeks today and I'll be running my first race of the season, a half marathon in Fredericton. My training has been hit and miss, so I need this race to re-motivate. My goal is to be around 1:55. The numbers are looking good for the event and son Sean is doing the full. Another running buddy is doing the half, so it should be a good day.

I was in Windsor NS this past weekend for a wedding and also to a do little research of my family roots around the Minas Basin. Its always good to catch up with family past and present, but the real plus is all the other people to meet along the way. As soon as conversation begins, one soon realizes that we're all pretty closely connected. Yesterday morning I met a guy at breakfast who ran the 2009 Boston I did and is going to Fredericton this year as well.

Where does time go?

April seems to be a month when time flies by. Here it is almost two weeks since my last post, so I need to update. The beginner running group I'm leading has grown to 11, so that is working out well. It's always interesting to see how new runners approach the sport and always there's something to learn from the new perspectives.

Over the past two weeks I've been on a mission to appeal my property taxes and have gotten a real insight into the complexity of the political process between provincial and municipal jurisdictions. Both sides have lots of work to do to become more accountable to taxpayers. The only reponse I've been able to get is that one blames the other and that taxpayers have no recourse when it comes to challenging these cohorts of sorts.

On the marathon side of things it was good to see so many locals do well in Boston. Boston kicks the running season off and so we'll soon see many more of the locals plying their trade in the numerous events around the Maritimes. In the Saint John area, we've finally heard that Marathon By The Sea has a new terrain for their marathon. They've moved to the hills of Lily Lake. Using the Lily Lake center makes some sense for festivities but the parking will be a challenge. No word on the marathon course but speculation is that it'll be a double loop of some kind. I still have hope that some day the KV course from Hampton to Saint John will be part of this event.

Back to Basics

Now that my vacation is over, it's time to get back to a schedule of sorts and what better way to do it than by going back to basics. So, starting on Monday I'll be leading a 10 week running program for beginners. They say that one of the best ways to perk up your running is to run with a group that's running slower and then also with a group that's running faster for a good mix.
The beginner program is a mix of walking and running with a goal of running a 5k at the end. Part of the program is also focused on good running technique to ensure a good experience.
Anyone interested can email johnkell@nb.sympatico.ca for details.

Back home after holiday break

Well here I am back home after a shortened spring vacation in Florida. It was shortened unfortunately because son Christian developed a brain clot and had to be hospitalized. I've waited to say because I can now report he is on the road to recovery with no apparent damage at this stage.
It really shows how fragile life is and that we should be thankful for what we have and use it to the best we can, everyday.
I'll leave that thought for mulling and resume my writing in a day or two.