tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63246535708497287892024-03-14T02:08:44.780-04:00The Rendezvoo PointPatrick Voohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10976504483436017793noreply@blogger.comBlogger307125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6324653570849728789.post-90989748302587485772024-02-12T14:27:00.001-05:002024-02-13T09:23:08.781-05:00The brightest lights sometimes shine for the shortest times<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">If you don't follow the world of professional running then this story may not mean much of anything to you ... but I was shocked to hear of the sudden and tragic passing of Kelvin Kiptum.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;">He was magic on his feet, and the world was his for the taking.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-68274984">https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-68274984</a></span></p><p><img alt="File:2023 London Marathon - Kelvin Kiptum.jpg" data-file-height="1879" data-file-width="1253" height="600" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/2023_London_Marathon_-_Kelvin_Kiptum.jpg/400px-2023_London_Marathon_-_Kelvin_Kiptum.jpg?20230423170310" width="400" /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: small;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: xx-small;"> <i>photo credit: Katie Chan</i></span><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: xx-small;"><i><br /></i></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">this content was originally posted by patrick voo on <a href=”http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/”>The Rendezvoo Point.</a></div>Patrick Voohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10976504483436017793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6324653570849728789.post-7168379187223775272023-09-13T10:51:00.008-04:002023-09-13T11:01:18.915-04:00Of blood and carbon<div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span>Well, it's just about time for my annual blog entry ...! </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This past weekend I managed to accomplish something which I'd never done before - I gave blood!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cw-yjVhPu-b/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-radius: 3px; border: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5) 0px 0px 1px 0px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15) 0px 1px 10px 0px; margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0px; width: calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding: 16px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cw-yjVhPu-b/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 0; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> <div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0px;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0px auto 12px; width: 50px;"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g fill-rule="evenodd" fill="none" stroke-width="1" stroke="none"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0px;"></div> <div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px;"><div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px); width: 12.5px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12.5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 14px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px); width: 12.5px;"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style="border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); border-top: 2px solid transparent; height: 0px; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg); width: 0px;"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="border-right: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); transform: translateY(16px); width: 0px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; transform: translateY(-4px); width: 16px;"></div> <div style="border-left: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); height: 0px; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px); width: 0px;"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0px 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cw-yjVhPu-b/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Patrick Voo (@pbfvoo)</a></p></span></div></blockquote><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> <script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">There have been a number of friends of mine who have been regular donors and it's something that I've thought about from time to time but never managed to pull the trigger on actually doing it. Any number of excuses come to mind, but none of them really outweighing the significant impact it could have on someone else's life (which may or may not actually depend on that available blood supply). I'm proud to say that I overcame whatever reservations I might have had to actually book this appointment, and the team at Canadian Blood Services were incredibly helpful, courteous and considerate. It was very straightforward and pretty much discomfort-free!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">That all being said - did I plan this out smartly ..?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I'm set to serve as a full-marathon pacer again at <a href="http://thecountymarathon.ca/" target="_blank">The County Marathon</a> in just less than three weeks' time, and it wasn't until after my donation that I paid attention to it's potential impact on training and performance. My radar was immediately alerted when the phlebotomist told me to make sure not to exert myself for 6-8 hours, and that made me wonder about my planned workout for the next morning. I then dove in my Google researching and found several helpful articles (check out <a href="https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Fulltext/2011/11000/Time_Course_for_Recovery_of_Peak_Aerobic_Power.14.aspx" target="_blank">this one</a>, <a href="https://runnersconnect.net/blood-donation-running-performance/" target="_blank">this one</a> and <a href="https://www.trailrunnermag.com/training/what-runners-should-know-about-donating-blood/" target="_blank">this one</a>) that shared a consensus opinion that the likely time required to full recovery aerobic recovery is about three weeks. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">How long is it again until I have to pace ...?<br /> <br /> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Yep.<br /><br /> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Perhaps I have not totally set myself up for failure (as last year's DNF as a pacer - due to back spasms - was not pleasant at all) as the race sits right at the boundary marker for the prescribed post-donation recovery period. I've also decided to drink the proverbial kool-aid and purchased a pair of Saucony Endorphin Pro 3 carbon-plated 'supershoes' specifically for race day. If I do happen to benefit from the <a href="https://www.engineering.com/story/carbon-plated-running-shoes-fad-or-science-based-style" target="_blank">supposed 2-4% improvement in running economy</a> then perhaps that will help to off-set any residual deficit from my reduced red blood cell count.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span><br /></p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cw8JdAxvrKX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-radius: 3px; border: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5) 0px 0px 1px 0px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15) 0px 1px 10px 0px; margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0px; width: calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding: 16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cw8JdAxvrKX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 0; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> <div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0px;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0px auto 12px; width: 50px;"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g fill-rule="evenodd" fill="none" stroke-width="1" stroke="none"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0px;"></div> <div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px;"><div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px); width: 12.5px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12.5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 14px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px); width: 12.5px;"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style="border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); border-top: 2px solid transparent; height: 0px; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg); width: 0px;"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="border-right: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); transform: translateY(16px); width: 0px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; transform: translateY(-4px); width: 16px;"></div> <div style="border-left: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); height: 0px; text-align: center; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px); width: 0px;"><br /></div></div></div></a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cw8JdAxvrKX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); line-height: 0; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> </div></a><p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0px 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cw8JdAxvrKX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Patrick Voo (@pbfvoo)</a></p></div></blockquote> <script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: x-small;"><i>Only really affordable thanks to a Running Room gift card from a friend ...!</i></span><br /></div><br /><div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">That's how things stand as of right now - and since I've set the stage for this upcoming race I suppose that I'll have to write-up a post-event report to close the loop on how everything worked out. Here's hoping that after October 1st I will have managed to both help save lives and help runners hit their time goals!</span></p></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">this content was originally posted by patrick voo on <a href=”http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/”>The Rendezvoo Point.</a></div>Patrick Voohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10976504483436017793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6324653570849728789.post-41909806773694361742022-10-28T09:58:00.003-04:002022-10-28T09:58:21.853-04:00LT training, cluster workouts and the Norwegian secret to taking over the running world<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">While I still maintain that Yuki Kawauchi is my running hero, I have certainly hopped aboard the Norwegian bandwagon as I've been most invested over the past 3 or 4 years watching two of my favourite track athletes: Karsten Warholm and Jakob Ingebrigtsen.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgEYnVQjDlyHL6_2J5kD25W84DROSHZ4AuwP8arnRj1S7fnybhwsvuZ_2T98LtRBdGd2qABa0ioRvhzDqpHzVNc95hxqCbiA8DEvJ-g1B_Z8tUf6ayaR0IAVqfJpkp71dNeBT9ninLttupnc_uILzjJYMZcWv220lcMLmL6JYGDrOyFOuLnwilHG5tkg/s1150/EKI30536_1500m_man_ingebrigtsen_(32374604457).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="1150" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgEYnVQjDlyHL6_2J5kD25W84DROSHZ4AuwP8arnRj1S7fnybhwsvuZ_2T98LtRBdGd2qABa0ioRvhzDqpHzVNc95hxqCbiA8DEvJ-g1B_Z8tUf6ayaR0IAVqfJpkp71dNeBT9ninLttupnc_uILzjJYMZcWv220lcMLmL6JYGDrOyFOuLnwilHG5tkg/s320/EKI30536_1500m_man_ingebrigtsen_(32374604457).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK_ORVEp18cwclm9Qb1LrYm1JVWo2O57Th0cjTXxbYtVkU5LM8eMZw8W4TV0uBmZNeIY7gbcKXJxA27Y1jEEbUPsq-i0c-tVietMvGCDiDIxoJFfUZQcfs041td2dSASGBZvT7vhq6ONG11_SlQu0JDBJNCU8bftBsgjk549TEhSmU0zM2dNRpSkLpdg/s2000/y8ivAhEj.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="2000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK_ORVEp18cwclm9Qb1LrYm1JVWo2O57Th0cjTXxbYtVkU5LM8eMZw8W4TV0uBmZNeIY7gbcKXJxA27Y1jEEbUPsq-i0c-tVietMvGCDiDIxoJFfUZQcfs041td2dSASGBZvT7vhq6ONG11_SlQu0JDBJNCU8bftBsgjk549TEhSmU0zM2dNRpSkLpdg/s320/y8ivAhEj.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">While they have certainly drawn the attention of the running world to Norway in recent years they are not the only Norwegian runners to have risen to dominance ... take 9-time NYC Marathon winner and the first woman to run a sub-2:30 marathon Grete Waitz for example. So you could argue that there's been something in the water there for a long time.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But what is it?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I stumbled across this article today and wanted to share it as perhaps a peeling back of the curtain on Norwegian training approaches and what may be a big difference maker in this little nation's performances on the world stage. I confess to not having heard about "cluster training" or training by a lactic acid meter so this is a real education piece for me. I definitely think that it is worth looking at and sharing: <a href="https://www.mariusbakken.com/the-norwegian-model.html">https://www.mariusbakken.com/the-norwegian-model.html</a></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I'm getting older and slower so my best racing days are long behind me - but if this dog isn't too old to learn new tricks then maybe I'll give the Norwegian method of systematic threshold training more than a passing glance. </span><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">this content was originally posted by patrick voo on <a href=”http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/”>The Rendezvoo Point.</a></div>Patrick Voohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10976504483436017793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6324653570849728789.post-51557931872154426942022-01-14T09:30:00.005-05:002022-01-14T09:31:52.603-05:00When You Get The Itch To Use Creatine<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I've not been one to use supplements to a great degree - it's not that I don't believe in the science behind it or want to benefit from the advantages that they may offer. It's usually because (a) I'm too cheap to invest in a lot of extras and (b) I'm too lazy to stay on schedule with taking them.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">That being said there have been a few things that have regularly been part of my intake:</span></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>Vitamin D</i> - since I'm primarily a pre-dawn runner I don't get out for a lot of natural sunlight, so this supplement helps boost my vitamin D levels. Plus I think that it couldn't hurt in helping to stave off COVID-19.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>Glucosamine - </i>over the past 12 years of running (usually 5-8 times a week) I have experienced intermittent knee pain issues so I'm trying to give myself a bit of an advantage here</span></li><li><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><i>Protein powder - </i>a must-add to my morning waffle mix, and a boost to my post-workout breakfast.</span></li></ul><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">However having eclipsed the half-century mark I paid special attention to the studies that indicate that muscle loss increases with age and so I thought that perhaps it might not be a bad idea to try to slow that rate in some fashion. As such I decided to give creatine supplementation a go.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEmLXzP4kkNbNK6SoFXdjw_6Qxmp-tP0I1eWdPcAHUtAVIwFuFsfSxTS6Y2bDv51yrWT7TE9MieAFzS4PP8NIju11hEvFLTeRxRJiCpBJLztenqPnjOiD0bvG-X9KvmiqktDRV2uLOL0DF3iN83fcDEC064OpcD1N1BhsP4nug1qjFbtfKpCmYqQ12MQ=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEmLXzP4kkNbNK6SoFXdjw_6Qxmp-tP0I1eWdPcAHUtAVIwFuFsfSxTS6Y2bDv51yrWT7TE9MieAFzS4PP8NIju11hEvFLTeRxRJiCpBJLztenqPnjOiD0bvG-X9KvmiqktDRV2uLOL0DF3iN83fcDEC064OpcD1N1BhsP4nug1qjFbtfKpCmYqQ12MQ=s320" width="240" /></a></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>This is the third 'brand' of creatine that I've tried now</i></span><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Since the intention was not to 'bulk up' but to just try and slow depletion I'm not sure that I expected to observe any demonstrable differences ... however to my surprise I did observe a change that coincided with the start of my creatine intake.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Hives.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I understand that creatine is a naturally occurring property, and that there is creatine already in my system. What I also know is that since I started with regular creatine supplementation I've had hives every night - starting just before bedtime and lasting through until after breakfast. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I've worked on eliminating all of the other 'regular' suspects - changing laundry detergents, checking for bedbugs, swapping shampoos and bar soaps, buying different skin moisturizers. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The only consistent thing during this period has been my creatine intake.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">A quick Google search will of course find varying opinions on the subject, but at least a few reads (e.g. <a href="https://www.drugs.com/creatine.html" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="https://startingstrength.com/resources/forum/nutrition-and-recovery/57448-effects-creatine.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=114083651&page=1" target="_blank">here</a>) have reassured me that I'm not an outlier here. Other people have wondered about the same sort of connection between creatine and allergic reactions/hives.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">While I'm neither a doctor nor a detective, I do subscribe to the old Sherlock Holmes adage that "<i>When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth</i>". So I'm going to put my creatine bucket away for now and see if my condition improves over the next few weeks.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Here's hoping that soon I won't feel the need to scratch that itch.</span><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">this content was originally posted by patrick voo on <a href=”http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/”>The Rendezvoo Point.</a></div>Patrick Voohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10976504483436017793noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6324653570849728789.post-70098294460132926752021-06-19T13:50:00.006-04:002021-06-20T09:33:08.783-04:00A new half-marathon PB ...<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> ... in Crocs.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">That's right. The slip-on, slip-off, top-aerated plasticky clogs that you can custom decorate with plug-through charms.</span></p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQTnWYdM7Fg/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255) none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border-radius: 3px; border: 0px none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5) 0px 0px 1px 0px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15) 0px 1px 10px 0px; margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0px; width: calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding: 16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQTnWYdM7Fg/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255) none repeat scroll 0% 0%; line-height: 0; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; width: 100%;" target="_blank"> <div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0px;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0px auto 12px; width: 50px;"><svg height="50px" version="1.1" viewbox="0 0 60 60" width="50px" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g fill-rule="evenodd" fill="none" stroke-width="1" stroke="none"><g fill="#000000" transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;"> View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0px;"></div> <div style="align-items: center; display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px;"><div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px); width: 12.5px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12.5px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 14px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px); width: 12.5px;"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style="border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); border-top: 2px solid transparent; height: 0px; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg); width: 0px;"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="border-right: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); transform: translateY(16px); width: 0px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; transform: translateY(-4px); width: 16px;"></div> <div style="border-left: 8px solid transparent; border-top: 8px solid rgb(244, 244, 244); height: 0px; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px); width: 0px;"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0px 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQTnWYdM7Fg/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Patrick Voo (@pbfvoo)</a></p></div></blockquote><p>
<script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I confess that I've found it very challenging to keep any kind of a 'training mentality' with only virtual races as the available competition options, so when a few friends collaborated to host an impromptu socially-distanced half-marathon today I joined in on the fun. However, knowing that I was far from optimal race-shape I thought that I would try something different ... and having recently just watched the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c5i9ObGH_8" target="_blank">video of Benjamin Pachev running a smokin' fast half-marathon in Crocs</a> I told myself "why not?". It would take the pressure off of trying to go all-out, and would provide a brand new experience.<br /><br />But maybe I should have tried running any distance in Crocs first.<br /><br />Even once.<br /><br />But nooooooooo ....<br /><br />So what was it like?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Well, it wasn't fast (at least for my liking). I could tell that after the first 3km that my quads were getting totally smashed. Perhaps that was due to the not-particularly-cushioned composition of the Crocs, or maybe my running form changed to accommodate the different feel of looser-fitting shoes on my feet.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I also found that since the route went along some crushed-limestone trail that there were various times that I could feel pebbles bouncing into and around the Crocs. To be fair I think that perhaps half of the stones that I detected going in also found a way to bounce out the same way that they came - but I also found at various times that I was subtly trying to maneuver the debris towards the front of the shoes in hopes that they would sift out the top through the holes. I'm going to guess that that tactic was mayyyyybe 40% effective as at least on one occasion I had to stop to remove a Croc and empty out the stones. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_frGEHAxrIc/YM4tTV6D7HI/AAAAAAAADYQ/L6J6w7mzDF0FyYm8AABo1dJ7w0ixq6NNwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Crocs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_frGEHAxrIc/YM4tTV6D7HI/AAAAAAAADYQ/L6J6w7mzDF0FyYm8AABo1dJ7w0ixq6NNwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Crocs.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Today's weapon of choice - only slid off of my foot once</i></p></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">After all was said and done I found that there were definitely sections of the run that I felt like I could have been running in any of the shoes in my regular rotation, so that's a plus. I did find that they were 'noticeable' when climbing sections of the route, and that could have been a bit of a slippage factor given that my feet weren't locked down into them. And upon returning home and removing my socks I did find that my pinky toes both had some significant rubbing/blistering that had taken place, in addition to 'hot spots' on the outside edges underneath my forefoot (both sides).</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v0b8igUDF7M/YM9CXupDLMI/AAAAAAAADYY/fz4hu-Y2fZUmaHKycfaUSgYoeXxqmdJOACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/196738769_190607909655153_8945293818506697614_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v0b8igUDF7M/YM9CXupDLMI/AAAAAAAADYY/fz4hu-Y2fZUmaHKycfaUSgYoeXxqmdJOACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/196738769_190607909655153_8945293818506697614_n.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><p style="text-align: center;"><i>It takes a special kind of crazy ...</i></p></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Was I glad that I did it? For sure. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Would I do it again? Maybe ... but I will definitely get in some training runs with them beforehand. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So the question is ... would you give it a try?<br /></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">this content was originally posted by patrick voo on <a href=”http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/”>The Rendezvoo Point.</a></div>Patrick Voohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10976504483436017793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6324653570849728789.post-62523756359370110462020-10-28T09:23:00.001-04:002020-10-28T09:23:08.659-04:00Reclaiming purpose in running<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It's been a cool 4+ months since I last showed up on Strava.<br /><br />My reasons why were very personal, and it was important for me to take a break from anyone's running expectations.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Now, with a new (to me) watch on wrist I've decided to resurface. But (despite majority opinion to the contrary) its not Strava that defines my running.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It's not racing that defines my running.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">To be honest, I can't say with 100% certainty anymore that I know what defines my running. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But it just could be something closer to this ... <br /></span></p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pbfvoo/posts/10160020707173943"><img alt="" src="data:image/png;base64,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" /></a></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">this content was originally posted by patrick voo on <a href=”http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/”>The Rendezvoo Point.</a></div>Patrick Voohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10976504483436017793noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6324653570849728789.post-39497829156026678122020-06-12T11:24:00.000-04:002020-06-12T12:41:38.599-04:00The mentally unwell side of running<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm sure that this is a post that no one wants to have to read.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's not attractive.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's not glamourous.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's not particularly flattering of this sport about which so many of us are passionate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But it's brutally real. At least for me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MOjsvE53DMM/XuOd3HYrbcI/AAAAAAAAC74/bQNhztisxf8ngQQbfy_qz7YN-_Gt2BeTACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/system-failure-1563862-1280x960.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MOjsvE53DMM/XuOd3HYrbcI/AAAAAAAAC74/bQNhztisxf8ngQQbfy_qz7YN-_Gt2BeTACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/system-failure-1563862-1280x960.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I've always said that I have a love-hate relationship with running. In short, I've never really liked running (ever since my days as a rotundly-shaped pre-teen with no cardio to speak of), but in the last 10 years or so I've been allured by the prospect of training and racing. That's always served as the carrot that was dangling in front of me ... or so I thought.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Somewhere along the way I began to feel really proud of getting regular exercise in, especially first thing in the morning when much of the world around me seemed to be sleeping or hitting their snooze buttons.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I also began tracking my workout data with a GPS watch, as recommended to me by my first official running coach.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Not long after that I discovered Strava, and a whole community of runners that I could follow and with whom I could share my running exploits.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It was glorious!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And in some insidious way it was disastrous.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I started to become addicted ... not to running per se, but to the appearance of running.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Don't get me wrong - I was putting in the workouts. It's just that now other people could see it. They could track with me how far I was going, how fast, where it was all taking place and with whom. I began to develop a bit of reputation as a rugged and relentless all-conditions runner. Again, it made me feel pretty good about myself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But somewhere along the way my striving to achieve hopes and dreams became a quest to continue to meet expectations.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's not like the people around me voiced it in that way. I'm not sure that any ever said (or even would have said) that they 'expected' me to keep running, or keeping hitting certain race times, or to maintain a certainly monthly mileage. I think that the people around me are too thoughtful and polite to do that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It was all happening in my own head. I felt, and still feel the weight of other people expecting me to keep running and keep performing at certain levels (even my non-runner acquaintances who think of me as 'a runner'). When I look around and observe others running and completing their workouts and races somehow I feel challenged by what they're doing. Not in a good way, mind you ... in a 'why can't I go as hard/fast/far/consistently as them' kind of way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Instead of running as a means of getting healthier and stronger, it has become a means of staving off guilt and shame.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's bad enough that I already have body-image problems, but to stack on top of that self-flagellation as it relates to my running habits/accomplishments meant that things were definitely going off of the rails.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Where this has all led me is to do a few things at this point in time:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I've made all of my Strava workout entries 'private' so that it's basically for my own tracking purposes only. I recognize that that may be unfair to some or all of my connections on Strava who may be looking to my workouts (as some have said) as motivation to get their own workouts in. Honestly I feel like I've gotta 'secure my own oxygen mask first' before I can be of any kind of help to anyone else.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I've given up stepping on the scale daily. It's become all too depressing, even though I realize that any right-thinking human being would probably shout me down for being insane for thinking that I'm overweight. But that's the point, isn't it ...? There's a certain insanity at work here. It's not unlike a conversation that I had not so long ago with a good friend of mine as he revealed that he was struggling with orthorexia (as strange as it sounds, that's defined as an unhealthy obsession with eating healthy) ... sometimes you just can't see the forest for the trees.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm stopping running. This is long overdue - even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown I've kept up training and running at least six times a week for the past several months. Even as I type this I'm thinking that the amount of running that I've done pales in comparison to others who I've been tracking on Strava and well-meaning Facebook groups. But my body is starting to provide some negative feedback, and while I'm sorely tempted to ignore it all I would probably do that at my own peril. So it's time to switch the machine off.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This post isn't particularly cathartic or opinionated (I hope) - it just is. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Maybe you will see me as weaker than you thought I was. That's cool with me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Maybe someone can relate to where I'm at, and in that way it could be helpful. If so, fabulous! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">At the end of the day I'm not asking anyone to sympathize, over-analyze or even understand. To some degree I'm even embarrassed to be occupying real estate in cyberspace at a time like this with this disclosure when I could and should probably instead be putting more energy into sharing anti-racist information and strategies. #blacklivesmatter</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However if you've read this far then I appreciate that you have had enough interest or care to hear me out, and I wish you the best with your own journeys and struggles.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Maybe some time I will see you around, possibly running.</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">this content was originally posted by patrick voo on <a href=”http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/”>The Rendezvoo Point.</a></div>Patrick Voohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10976504483436017793noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6324653570849728789.post-54377862384211657802020-03-19T08:39:00.003-04:002020-03-19T08:49:24.985-04:00What a year 2020 is shaping up to be!<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The first few months into the new decade have been pretty funky.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I rounded into 2020 thinking that I wanted to take another stab at a 'fast' marathon ... and for me that means trying once again to go under three hours. I wasn't (and still am not) sure about when that might happen, as none of the usual suspects in terms of spring races really caught my attention. Mississauga has been a hit-and-miss kind of event for me, and while I've not really raced the Toronto GoodLife Marathon for myself (having participated in it twice - <a href="http://rendezvoo.blogspot.com/2016/05/race-report-2016-goodlife-fitness_6.html" target="_blank">once as an unofficial pacer</a> and <a href="https://rendezvoo.blogspot.com/2017/05/race-report-2017-goodlife-fitness.html" target="_blank">once as part of a relay team</a>) the prospect of having to run out and back along Lakeshore Drive wasn't tickling my fancy. As such I have not yet registered for a goal marathon yet.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Turns out to have been somewhat serendipitous.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown just about everyone's racing season into turmoil, for both elite and recreational athletes alike. Races have been cancelled or rescheduled, forcing some events to congregate on a crowded timetable (September and October this year are going to be k-razy for marathon majors), and people's training schedules have either been totally trashed or put on hold for now.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Even community run clubs have suspended their group workouts in order to encourage social distancing (and wisely so).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What's a runner to do in these tumultuous times?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Today I read this article from Peter Liddle that I thought would be worth sharing if like me you want to try to figure out the best (and healthiest) way to get through this upcoming running season: </span><br />
<ul>
<li><i><b><a href="https://canute1.wordpress.com/2020/03/18/exercise-in-the-era-of-covid-19-what-should-we-do/"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">https://canute1.wordpress.com/2020/03/18/exercise-in-the-era-of-covid-19-what-should-we-do/</span></a></b></i></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is also another good read, providing some specific insights into just how the most disciplined and talented of runners are managing to keep it together (and in perspective):</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.podiumrunner.com/training/how-social-distancing-is-changing-the-way-elite-athletes-are-training/"><b><i>https://www.podiumrunner.com/training/how-social-distancing-is-changing-the-way-elite-athletes-are-training/</i></b></a></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">#staysafe #socialdistancing #keephealthy #flattenthecurve</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">this content was originally posted by patrick voo on <a href=”http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/”>The Rendezvoo Point.</a></div>Patrick Voohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10976504483436017793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6324653570849728789.post-57587567273046986912019-11-20T11:21:00.002-05:002019-11-20T11:21:49.329-05:00Gimme a break, gimme a break ...<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's been some kind of a year!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2019 has been my self-appointed 'year of ultra', with a focus on taking on almost exclusively (trail) ultra races and culminating in <a href="http://rendezvoo.blogspot.com/2019/10/belt-buckle-breakdown-run-woodstock.html">my first attempt at a 100-miler</a>. After a fairly strenuous endeavour such as that it only makes sense to take a significant break to allow the body to recover.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At least that's what anyone in their right mind would do. But me? Oh no.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I went ahead and served as one of the official pacers for The County Marathon (for the sixth year in a row), and then two weeks after that accepted an invitation from my good friend Holly to serve as her unofficial pacer at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon. So within the span of about six weeks I'd put in about 245 kilometres of racing (on top of the regular workouts that led up to both of the marathons). I wouldn't recommend that to anyone ... but I'm probably one of my own worst students.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After working with Holly to help her attain a new personal best (and another Boston Qualifying time) I knew that I wanted to take some time off. Somewhat arbitrarily I decided that it would be three weeks of complete inactivity, at least from a running/exercise perspective. And boy did my body need it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although I went just about stir crazy after a measly three days of not running, my knee, both feet and shoulders (oddly enough) were providing ample feedback to let me know that I should have taken time off sooner. And I don't mean a few weeks sooner, but probably something more like a few years sooner - because this three-week hiatus would turn out to be the longest time without lacing up the running shoes in about nine years.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">108 months. Or 469 weeks. Or 14265 days.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh I'd taken a week off here and there. Just nothing that really resembled a true off-season ... you know, the kind that even professional distance runners know that they are wise to take. If I'm going to be honest I think that the rationale behind this relentless drive to run was probably threefold in origin:</span><br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An addiction to running</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Negative body self-image</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">FOMO (fear of missing out) ... or maybe better yet FONBPAHCE (fear of not being perceived as hard-core enough).</span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As you can tell none of the three reasons above is a healthy motive to keep pressing forward. You might also have guessed that stopping my running routine actually wound up exacerbating all of these issues - to the extent that I basically had to go radio-silent on running-related social media channels to avoid feeling worse about myself while witnessing everyone else's outings and achievements. I also tucked the scale away underneath the bathroom counter so that it was basically inaccessible, as well as 'resigning' myself to eating guilt-free to try to undo some of the negative thoughts I had about weight loss equaling athletic prowess**.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FjDcztyjTaI/maxresdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="180" src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FjDcztyjTaI/maxresdefault.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>My friend David got it right ... I totally felt like 'fat Thor'</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The honest truth is that it was really difficult to take that break - more difficult than if I had continued to run regularly, although that would have almost certainly have put me on the shelf with an injury of some variety. I had difficulty sleeping (because I wasn't nearly as tired each night), I couldn't sleep in (as my body had been long-accustomed to waking routinely just before 5 a.m.) and I felt like someone had jumbled my schedule each day because it didn't start off with a run. Still, rest is a necessary act of discipline and I had to work at taking some rest. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Moment by moment, day by day I stayed the course. I made it to three weeks of inactivity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So now what?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I decided that next year I want to take another stab at the marathon, but I'm going to finally give a go at (low) heart-rate based training. I'd come across Floris Gierman on YouTube several years back and was astounded that he could <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGx-9DWT9J8" target="_blank">run a sub-3 marathon while simultaneously vlogging it</a> - and he attributed a great deal of his success to following the philosophy/methodology of Phil Maffetone and focusing in on aerobic system development. Floris now leads up the Extramilest network (including coaching and a podcast) and has become an influencer in the online running community. As a tinkerer I saw low heart-rate training as a way to ease back into an exercise schedule, and quite possibly a path towards finally getting my own sub-3 marathon PB.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I haven't yet picked a spring goal race, but I do have a trip to Burlington for the Chilly-Half Marathon booked again for 2020 - so that may be my first real test to see if I'm actually getting anywhere or just stuck on the dreadmill of self-sabotage.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However it goes, I'm happy to be back at it again!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- - - - - - </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">** <i>If you have also struggled with the whole 'weigh less, run faster' mentality then I might recommend at least giving a quick watch of this video from former NCAA D1 cross-country runner Emma Abrahamson ...</i></span><br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">this content was originally posted by patrick voo on <a href=”http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/”>The Rendezvoo Point.</a></div>Patrick Voohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10976504483436017793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6324653570849728789.post-14778263790300425292019-10-08T16:57:00.003-04:002020-10-07T08:33:30.829-04:00Belt-buckle breakdown: Run Woodstock Hallucination 100 mile race report<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It was such an epic journey that it's hard to know where to begin.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So in an effort to make this more readable I'm going to break this report down not in terms of chronological sequence but rather by component parts - and hopefully those of you who are only interested in certain facets can scroll through to what catches your fancy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here are the areas that I'm going to focus in on:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The course (including conditions)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The equipment</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The (other) people</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The advice</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The runner</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The mistakes.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u><i><b>The course</b></i></u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While I'd told many people that I was going to go to Hell (Michigan) - with the hopes of also fulfilling the "and back" part - the actual address to punch into the GPS navigator had me heading to Pinckney, a little northeast of Hell and about halfway between Ann Arbor and Lansing. I'd made the trek the night before the race to stay with my friends Chuck & Jan in Emeryville (just outside of Windsor) so that the day-of drive to Hell Creek Ranch Campground would only require 90 min. of travel time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As the name would indicate the property on which we'd be starting the race was a campground - and a funky-vibed one at that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2AuzhaiRd0s/XXk9WZ7vXBI/AAAAAAAACwo/_OAhiqNNgW8FpNFgfmoM2gasn0AzsLwMwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_1817.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1521" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2AuzhaiRd0s/XXk9WZ7vXBI/AAAAAAAACwo/_OAhiqNNgW8FpNFgfmoM2gasn0AzsLwMwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_1817.JPG" width="304" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Can you dig the speed limit, sucka .....?!?!</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The 100-mile race distance consists of six 16.6 mile loops (or 26.7 km), and as I was to find out upwards of 1/3 of the loop was either on crushed limestone rail-trail or rural sideroad. Aid stations were situated approximately 4 miles apart, so we had the initial start/finish aid station (with drop bag tent), the "Grace" station (at 4 mi. and then crossed again at 12 mi.) and "Richie's Haven". At each station there were plenty of friendly faces, loads of snacks/liquids/foods and rockin' tunage.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">With respect to the trail conditions they were very well groomed and not particularly technical - for all intents and purposes the entire course was runnable (except perhaps for the steepest and longest incline at 13 mi.) and there was only really one notable patch of mud that required circumnavigation. Aside from that the biggest hazard (and some were big) were the piles of horse droppings that greeted you from time to time ... easily dodged in the daylight, but almost indistinguishable from the regular trail footing at night (yuck).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There were boardwalks over ponds and creeks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There was marshland with shoulder-height grass and weeds (which I was almost certain would send me home with at least a few ticks, but thankfully none were found).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There were extended sections of downhill bombing with 'death to the right' (aka a steep drop-off, but I like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/rhondamarie.avery">Rhonda-Marie</a>'s descriptor better).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There were next-to-no bugs (mosquitoes, deerflies or otherwise). I think that during the entire race I might have swatted at bugs perhaps four times, and was never bitten.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And as for the conditions on the day (and night), you could hardly have asked for better. There was a steady rain that lasted for maybe 30-40 min. at around 1pm on Friday afternoon (the race start time was at 4pm), but after that there was no precipitation that affected the run. This meant that everything underfoot was relatively secure, and even when the nighttime temperatures cooled down to about 14°C (vs. the daytime high of about 24°C) there was nothing to make it miserable or even unenjoyable ... it was all-around pleasant. I didn't need to don any of the extra layers (e.g. long-sleeved tech top, rain jacket or running pants) that I'd brought with me so that minimized the amount of extra time that might otherwise have been required for changing into different outfits.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now I have to say something else about the vibe of the campground - when we looped back through the start/finish area it was hard not to feel encouraged. With so many people camping out as part of the race weekend (families, crew members, racers tackling different distances) there was never a point - even in the dead of night) when there wasn't a cascade of applause lifting your spirits. As well during the daylight hours there was music playing (live bands on the soundstage were a feature part of the camping experience), and just tons of colour to stimulate your visual senses. It was - dare I say it? - groovy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://scontent.fybz2-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/69619830_10162215828305032_7099932595030327296_n.jpg?_nc_cat=102&_nc_oc=AQmRSOb2xG3bnyEX5ZFxUtNHYLuUwqw_m1Lkgigj49uHdp11LtLVy4pMS56Ozdr7KyU&_nc_ht=scontent.fybz2-2.fna&oh=d45b2fb96d6feae80ead55fde756eb28&oe=5DFEF61C" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="597" height="320" src="https://scontent.fybz2-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/69619830_10162215828305032_7099932595030327296_n.jpg?_nc_cat=102&_nc_oc=AQmRSOb2xG3bnyEX5ZFxUtNHYLuUwqw_m1Lkgigj49uHdp11LtLVy4pMS56Ozdr7KyU&_nc_ht=scontent.fybz2-2.fna&oh=d45b2fb96d6feae80ead55fde756eb28&oe=5DFEF61C" width="238" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">[ Photo courtesy of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/runwoodstock/photos/pcb.10162215834500032/10162215828290032/?type=3&theater">Run Woodstock on Facebook</a> ]
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u><i><b>The equipment</b></i></u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is just a basic rundown of what I used during the race:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Shoes</i>: Reebok Floatride Forever Energy (although these are road shoes <a href="http://rendezvoo.blogspot.com/2019/08/are-trail-running-shoes-overrated.html">they did serve me well at the Sunburn Solstice Trail Run and the Limberlost Challenge</a> - plus I was encouraged when there were a few other 100-mile runners that I spoke with pre-race who had competed in this event in previous years and chose to lace up road shoes as well)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Apparel: </i>Reebok "Race Crew" ACTIVCHILL tee; Reebok 5-in. split shorts; Falke RU Energizing compression socks; Sugoi arm sleeves; Buff original headwear (as neck-warmer/sweat absorber)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Pack: </i>Ultimate Direction AK 2.0 Race Vest (with Platypus Big Zip LP 1.5L bladder, courtesy of superathlete extraordinaire <a href="http://www.christinablackley.com/">Christina Blackley</a>) </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Headlamps: </i>Princeton Tec Remix (125 lumens) and Black Diamond Astro (150 lumens)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Watch: </i>Epson RunSense SF-810 (which unfortunately ran out of battery partway through the fourth loop)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Nutrition: </i>REKARB energy syrups; GU gels; PC Organics banana & raspberry strained baby food pouches (this stuff was like magic!); assorted Timbits; Ironman Ruth's homemade oat-cakes and rhubarb/banana/chocolate muffins; Salt Stick salt tablets; Pep-O-Mint Lifesavers</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And then there was the extra stuff that I packed but never ended up actually using/needing (but was still glad that I had with me):</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Skechers GOTrail Ultra 3 (extra shoes)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dollar-store variety 'magic gloves'</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Reebok running performance cap</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Reebok run essentials s/s and l/s shirt</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Team Running Free fleece hoodie (at the advice of my friend Julius)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jar of pickles</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Trader Joe almonds </span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-960Kz-Kv-Ps/XZz1oUxnSJI/AAAAAAAACyM/QnhDqq0Ya8wAr0P95NhoM7fCTwIAoonGACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_1818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-960Kz-Kv-Ps/XZz1oUxnSJI/AAAAAAAACyM/QnhDqq0Ya8wAr0P95NhoM7fCTwIAoonGACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_1818.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">A pretty decent haul in the race kit goody bag!</span></i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><u><i>The people</i></u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This list go almost literally go on and on - prior to the race I deliberately sought the advice of a number of experienced ultrarunning friends, including <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/running-divine-podcast/id1417290907">Steph Hurtado</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/keith.lascelles.9">Keith Lascelles</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/chad.l.dickinson">Chad Dickinson</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/steven.parke.5">Steven Parke</a> and <a href="http://runjimmirun.blogspot.com/">Jim Willett</a>. I'd benefited so much as well from the comraderie and encouragment of my tribe the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/barrierunningninjas/">Barrie RunNinjas</a>, and would be remiss if I didn't thank the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/barrietrailrunningclub/">Barrie Trail Running Club</a> too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">However along the way in the race there were definitely a few folks who played a big part in the overall experience:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Marilyn </i>- we first met in the line for race kit pick-up. I immediately took notice of her slight and diminutive frame which I interpreted to be 'fit and fast' - and sure enough as she engaged me in pleasant small talk while we waited together in line she told me that while being a first-timer at the Hallucination 100 like me (she was from the greater Boston area) she was "6 for 10" in 100 milers. I would later pick her brain while setting up gear in the start/finish area drop-bag tent, covering everything from pacing to how much extra gear to bring on any given loop. We started pretty much together but after about 3k I (foolishly?) sped ahead and didn't see her again until my 5th lap when I was really struggling with GI issues and she passed me looking strong. I would only see her again after regaining some strength and obliviously saying "trying to pass on your left" at about mile 99. My finishing time was only about two minutes ahead of hers, and when she crossed I wanted to be there to greet her and offer up my thanks. She embraced me with the hugest bear-hug possible and tearfully congratulated me on my big accomplishment. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>David</i> - we had our stuff situated beside each other in the start/finish drop-bag tent, and got to chatting while waiting for the pre-race meeting. David was a local runner and had finished a few hundos, including the Hallucination 100 several years back. I immediately noticed his stars-and-stripes running shorts, and we connected not just on the fashion front but also as he is a dad to a few young-adult children. I loved going through David's fueling plan with him, which included some niacin tablets which I learned can warm you up when feeling cold during a long race. While a seasoned ultra-athlete, I saw David hurting during his third lap and he told me that his hamstrings were simply not having it that day ... and as such he had to drop out after about 45 miles.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Doug - </i>I connected with Doug as we started from the campground on the second loop. From the campground the course narrows to single track, so I got to chatting with him and another younger runner (Jacob) and we ran together for the next 4km or so. We were exchanging stories about how we got into running, and I found out that among other things Doug's nickname was "Goat" (apparently short for "Rancid Goat"!) and that he's been quite involved in charity races and helping execute races of various distances which are promoted as friendly to first-time racers. A super-friendly guy, Doug and I would end up playing 'leap-frog' for pretty much the remainder of the race - he and his pacer (unlike me, Doug had a full crew there to help him with logistics, refueling and pacing) would often pass me out on the course but we'd see each other at the aid stations because Doug (who was nursing a bad hamstring issue himself) would spend more time resting while I tried to grab some food and keep moving. Doug was 110% pure grit, and it was so inspiring and uplifting to my spirits to keep crossing paths with him all throughout the day and night and day again. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>The border patrol/customs agents - </i>obviously an unusual addition to a race report, but I found that both entering the USA and re-entering Canada the border guards were absolutely fascinated by the fact that my reason for travel was to run an ultramarathon, much less a 100 miler. As soon as they caught wind that that was the focus of my trip they completely abandoned the normal array of questions (e.g. where do you live, are you bringing anything into the country, how long is your stay, etc.) and just peppered me with questions about the logistics of the race, what kind of training was required and what kind of plan I had in place to stay awake and moving. I almost felt like I had to cut them off just so that I wouldn't tick off the other cars in line behind me. </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><u><b>The advice</b></u></i></span> <br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When I peruse through other people's race reports I admin to sometimes not reading through the entire narrative - not because its uninteresting, but because my sole purpose is try to walk away with a few nuggets of information that I can implement into my next comparable venture. As such I thought that I would highlight some of the key pieces of advice that I received which I think are worth noting for anyone attempting an ultramarathon, and perhaps in particular a hundred-miler:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Walk before you have to</i> - I know that I voiced this myself after reflecting on the <a href="http://rendezvoo.blogspot.com/2019/07/the-sunburn-solstice-trail-run-full.html">Sunburn Solstice Trail Run</a>, but I've also read/heard this from multiple fronts. At some point in an ultra you are most likely to have to walk - so incorporate them strategically instead of feeling that its a last resort. When you choose an interval to walk you are almost certainly even going to carry that on at a more vigourous pace than if you are reduced to having to walk.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Stay in the moment - </i>a video that I'd recently come across was a TED talk by a gent named Ned Phillips and out of all the stories that he told the one little bit that stuck with me was about how important it is when running to just think about running. Sounds simple, and it is - but profoundly so: <a href="https://youtu.be/_tc4K5Zujqw?t=629">https://youtu.be/_tc4K5Zujqw?t=629</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Be careful of over-preparing</i> - another video that proved immensely helpful was an interview with Anton Krupicka (won the Leadville 100 twice, and placed second in 2010 at Western States). Besides reiterating the 'stay in the moment' approach Anton also shared some reassuring words about how ignorance leading into one's first 100-miler can be underrated. It's not an excuse for negligence or laziness in making sure that you're well-trained and reasonably aware of what's in front of you, but that you can overthink your preparation. I even read that you can over-pack, putting energy and $$ into bring far more stuff than you need, especially to races (like the Hallucination 100) that has fantastic aid stations that are not too too far apart. Even the very small cooler of food/snacks that I brought was barely scratched because of how well stocked the race aid stations were. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Brushing your teeth can feel as good as a shower</i> - this was a tidbit advised by both my friends Steven and Steph. I packed a toothbrush and toothpaste and pulled them out after lap #4 (approx. 9:00 am) in the hopes that having a fresh mouth would revitalize me. It was no instant wake-up call, but I can say that I did have something to look forward to as I was plodding toward sunrise, and it was great to feel like my breath wouldn't melt metal.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u><b><i>The runner</i></b></u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What can I say? I spent an entire season only racing ultras in the hopes of being fit enough to complete the Hallucination 100 in the allotted time (30-hour cut-off, which would give me a Western States qualifying ballot). In addition to plenty of time logged on my feet I also took Steven's advice of trying to put in a few run streaks to try to help bolster my mental preparation - for me this meant running every day for the month of January (no mean feat during the polar vortex-type winters here in Barrie, ON) and the month of March. I figured that if I could get out there when I was not only tired but the conditions were certainly prohibitive that perhaps I would be ready for pushing through those proverbial 'walls' when I felt like running was the last thing that I wanted to do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And the walls, they came.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I think that there were at least five distinct occasions during my 100-mile run when I effectively thought that I was done. The earliest occurrence was at around kilometre 32 when I was walking up a hill and couldn't even maintain a straight path. Now I confess to have been battling light-headedness and vertigo for the five days leading up the Hallucination 100 - I think that it may have been a result of a sinus infection - and wasn't even sure that I would make it to the start line. However I felt like I could give it a go with my only real fear being that if/when I fell on the trails that the world might start spinning out-of-control. Thankfully that didn't end up happening (maybe in part due to the fact that when I did fall I went full-out Superman diving instead of my normal tuck-and-roll strategy). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Then there was the GI (gastro-intestinal) stuff.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As much as I have tried to learn from the assortment of ultras that I managed to complete this year, I still do not have a handle on how to fuel in a way that doesn't upset my stomach. By the time that I was going around on loop #5 (about 85km in) I was finding it very difficult to get in the calories that I needed without having my stomach reject it altogether. I was grateful that aid station #1/#3 (we passed by it twice) had plain cheese pizza, but the only way that I could get it down was to walk slowly and try to eat it in the smallest of nibble-sizes. I couldn't handle anything sweet - so no more gels, no candy, not enough peanut butter & jam sandwiches. And even chicken noodle soup threatened to make a reappearance after swallowing it if I tried to consume it in modestly-full spoonfuls. This made for a recipe of near-disaster as I went into a serious calorie-deficit position and pretty much walked the entire fifth lap.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">About 27km of watching people look good while I felt like a zombie. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">27km of hearing "on your left".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">27km of thinking about how I was going to draft my 'DNF' race report.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Oh, and did I mention that my watch had run out of battery life during the fourth loop?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'd told myself that I was pretty much spent, and that there would be no way that after the fifth lap that I would have enough time (at my current pace) to make the cut-off. That decision to bail was also made psychologically a bit easier given that the organizers give anyone who completes more than 100km the option to back down and receive a time for the "Happening 100k" (instead of a DNF in the 100 miler) as well as a medal for that distance.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Coming back into the campground at the end of lap 5 I sat down (and I really hadn't sat down all race long - I tried to keep moving at all times, even if it was just at a slow walk) convinced that I was done. The senior volunteer who was tracking bib numbers as we came through the aid station asked me how long before I'd set out for the last go-round, and I told her I was pretty much finished. Her response was "but you still have lots of time" ... and not knowing what time it was exactly I still had no designs on pressing on. I was pretty sure that it was past 4pm, and that would leave me a total of six hours or less to complete another 27km of feeling downright nasty.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"It's 3:31 pm", she said.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Moment of truth time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">With more than six hours left I somehow convinced myself that I could give it a go and pull out at one of the aid stations if/when things got extraordinarily ugly. So I (figuratively) girded my loins, and went to ring the bell that hung in the aid tent - it was explained to us during the pre-race meeting that on the final lap runners had to ring the bell to signal that they were only going round once more (much like you would hear at a track-and-field event). Once I gave it a good ring I planted my right foot forward to try to muster something of a jog ...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And guess what?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I actually found myself running. Faster than I had for the previous 5-7 hours. Not sure if it was the bell that mentally woke me up, or the prospect of potentially being able to earn my first belt buckle - whatever it was, I managed to make my last loop my third fastest of the race:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Loop 1 - 3:10</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Loop 2 - 3:53</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Loop 3 - 5:01</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Loop 4 - 5:10</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Loop 5 - 6:17</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Loop 6 - 4:23</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As a last note on this section I'll say that even though I did not have any crew or pacers with me (and honestly I think that this event was well set-up to not need any additional help) I did use the setting sun as my 'unofficial' pacer for the final loop. The last thing that I wanted to have to do is to pull out my headlamp again to run in the dark - so my cadence picked up with the lengthening shadows. There's nothing quite like desperation to keep your feet moving.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VXi2dYlrRnU/XZz1ZTLNa3I/AAAAAAAACyI/CXG7ImQrUyoGVpPxC4oSfUanFL5VCNmGQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Results.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="657" data-original-width="1338" height="157" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VXi2dYlrRnU/XZz1ZTLNa3I/AAAAAAAACyI/CXG7ImQrUyoGVpPxC4oSfUanFL5VCNmGQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Results.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">The final tale of the tape</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u><b><i>The mistakes</i></b></u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm sure that there are many more errors in judgment, preparation and execution but I think that I'll just note two of them here:</span><br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Driving home right after finishing</i> - yep, I waddled my way from the finishing to collect my drop-bag stuff and headed straight out of the campground to my car. I then launched headlong into the 5+ hour drive home, which included a late-night stop at McDonald's to grab a caffeine jolt and numerous overpass bridges that seemingly became Transformers before my eyes. Apparently the hallucinations for me were kept on hold until after the run. Still, I managed to get home safely somehow, grabbed a shower and hit the hay in my own bed. This all despite numerous recommendations not to extend my streak of 34 awake hours to 39 (including my wife telling me to just nab a hotel room). Don't try this at home, kids.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Giving myself very little recovery time - </i>I took two days off of running after getting home. I thought that my legs actually felt pretty good, and since I had already committed to pacing the County Marathon again this year I didn't want to dive into off-season mode quite yet. And while I didn't launch into a hardcore training week, I did help my friend Jeremy move the following weekend and promptly threw my back out completely. I was shelved for about three days with radiating lower-back pain, and after that subsided my neck seized up for another three days. I felt like I was physically falling to pieces, but I suspect that that was just my body telling me "what - you didn't think that I just did the most strenuous workout in 49 years of life?".</span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">-----</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So there it is - the Hallucination 100 as I best remember it. Where we go from here is to submit my single ballot into the 2020 Western States Endurance Run lottery - and even if I don't see my name drawn (which is almost guaranteed) I may think about hitting up another belt buckle adventure. It was an excellent time all in all, and I still believe that I could finish one in under 24 hours.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But first, some donuts and a decent off-season ...! :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sign me up for another rodeo, cowboy!
</span></i></span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">this content was originally posted by patrick voo on <a href=”http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/”>The Rendezvoo Point.</a></div>Patrick Voohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10976504483436017793noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6324653570849728789.post-66140300966917050872019-08-30T16:33:00.006-04:002019-08-30T16:38:34.526-04:00Are trail running shoes overrated?<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I can hardly believe that I'm actually writing this entry.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For as far as I can remember (since I started running) I've been a believer in specialization. That means that if you want to run fast, you need to run fast (as well as running slow in between workouts). To prep for hot weather racing, you should ... run in hot weather. For trail races, practice getting out on trail conditions of all kinds.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And different types of running should call for different types of shoes. Racing flats. Track spikes. Cushioned road shoes (for easy/recovery days). Trail shoes for trails.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But hold the phone ...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Out of (perhaps an overinflated) sense of obligation**, I decided to try out wearing the Reebok Forever Floatride Energy (FFE) as my footwear of choice for both the Sunburn Solstice Trail Run and the Limberlost Challenge. The FFE shoes are designed for the road, whereas both of the aforementioned races were conducted on trail surfaces. Now I know that anyone who has tackled either of those events would recognize that they are not particularly technical as far as trail conditions (on a scale of 1-10 the Sunburn Solstice might have been a 4 or 5, while the Limberlost Challenge might nab a 6 or 7 at most) so perhaps you could argue that they don't particularly demand the advantages that trail shoes offer. All the same they are marketed as trail races, and as such would lead your average runner (such as myself) to believe that trail shoes are either mandatory or at least recommended for the course surface.</span>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz1HEUPlwPd/" style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">These shoes have done more than I could have asked of them - even though they’re meant for the road they helped me log a 100km trail run ( on a 4km loop) and then two weeks later a more technical 56km trail ultra. I can for certain say that I #feelthefloatride ! #floatrideenergy #bemorehuman #sporttheunexpected #sunburnsolsticetrailrace #thelimberlostchallenge</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/pbfvoo/" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" target="_blank"> Patrick Voo</a> (@pbfvoo) on <time datetime="2019-07-12T20:18:51+00:00" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Jul 12, 2019 at 1:18pm PDT</time></span></div>
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How did I manage in attempting to take on these races in road shoes?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Long story short, surprisingly well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I didn't feel like I suffered much in the way of traction or stability, which I was surprised about given their fairly flat outsole profile. I may not have propelled my way up inclines effortlessly, but then again anything of a serious grade had me power-hiking (hands-on-knees style) anyway. Where things got technical-ish I was maneuvering slowly and deliberately anyhow, and through sections of significant mud I'm not sure that the traction currently offered to me by the trail shoes in my inventory (the Skechers GO Trail, GO Ultra Trail 3 and Merrell Mix Master 2) would have made a discernible difference.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9nJZ1eLahgw/XWmEPZdp1rI/AAAAAAAACvU/qFV6t5B_LSEzt76ZQO6e3LuMT1lvLSQdQCLcBGAs/s1600/FFE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="749" data-original-width="1333" height="179" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9nJZ1eLahgw/XWmEPZdp1rI/AAAAAAAACvU/qFV6t5B_LSEzt76ZQO6e3LuMT1lvLSQdQCLcBGAs/s320/FFE.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The Reebok Forever Floatride Energy - only ever-so-slightly nubby outsoles</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Basically since I wasn't doing any mountain climbing or <a href="https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/health/a763311/60-second-guide-fell-running/">fell running</a> (and that's not running while falling - that I've got covered) these road shoes were more than capable of getting me between points A and B, and multiple times over as required. I found my footing to be acceptably stable, and the FFEs provided plenty of comfort for hour upon hour of trail tromping.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">With this in mind I plan on using the FFE as my primary treads when I take on the Hallucination 100 miler next Friday just outside of Hell, Michigan (for real folks). I'll bring some trail shoes as backups since I've been advised that having extra shoes on hand is always wise for a hundie, but armed with the knowledge that I was able to get through 100km in the FFE blister-free (and retaining the original colour in all my toenails I might add) who knows whether or not I'll need to perform a mid-race swap.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Does that mean that I'm giving up on trail shoes?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Nope. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I think that trail shoes will still be handy just for the fact that they'll give my road shoes a rest and they may stimulate my feet and legs in a slightly different manner. That and my trail shoes are my go-tos for winter running traction.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Anyone else have further thoughts or comments on the necessity of trail shoes? Hit me up in the comments - I'm always open to learning as I bumble and fumble my way stride after stride!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">** <i>I received a complimentary pair of the Forever Floatride Energy directly from Reebok Canada, and am under no obligation (contractual or otherwise) to endorse their products on this blog. All opinions expressed - however poorly - are voluntary and entirely my own.</i></span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">this content was originally posted by patrick voo on <a href=”http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/”>The Rendezvoo Point.</a></div>Patrick Voohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10976504483436017793noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6324653570849728789.post-28006562681370765962019-07-03T15:15:00.006-04:002020-10-07T08:37:32.891-04:00The Sunburn Solstice Trail Run (Full) - race report<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Yes sir, the definition of insanity is indeed doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result ...</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">That was the kind of feeling that I had during this race.</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">I'd signed up to compete in the inaugural edition of Happy Trails Racing's "The Sunburn Solstice Trail Run" in the hopes of attacking it as a training run in advance of the planned 100-mile attempt later on this September. I thought that both in terms of time on my feet (as the event was scheduled to cover the entire period between sunrise and sunset - 15h23m - on June 22, the longest day of the summer) and projected distance this would be a solid test of my physical fitness and mental fortitude.</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Admittedly I did come into the race with my stores still somewhat depleted - not to make excuses or diminish my effort (or anyone else's for that matter), but I know that having participated in a 50 miler, a 300+ km relay and a 10km push-chair event in the month leading up to it that I'd done a delicate, or perhaps not-so-delicate dance with the overtraining monster. Still I'd scaled back significantly in the mid-June weeks to try to rest up and not be a ticking time-bomb standing at the start line.</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">One of the other very cool things about this event was that the Happy Trails Racing (HTR) team structured this race as a fundraiser for <a href="http://cyo.on.ca/campmarydale/1-to-1-program/">Camp Marydale's "One-to-One" program</a>. As we were running on the trails of Camp Marydale it seemed fitting to give back to them, and the "One-to-One" program is intended to help provide resources so that kids with exceptional needs could be given the opportunity to experience summer camp just like their peers. I decided to put some energy into this as a way of leveraging my running for the benefit of others, but also (just being honest here) because HTR offered to refund entry fees for anyone bringing in more than $200 in donations.</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Gotta say that I was blown away by the support of friends both newer and older, far and near who responded to my call for support - they all helped me to surpass my individual goal of $500, and the event's overall goal of raising $4000.</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><b><u><i>Highlights</i></u></b></span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">1. <i>The Happy Trails Racing team </i>- this was my first time participating in an HTR event although I'd known of Jeff (Rowthorn) and Heather (Borsellino) and always heard amazing things about them. A number of my friends have also been ambassadors for HTR and spoke highly of the great vibe at their races as well as about the high degree of excellence with which they are executed. The Sunburn Solstice Trail Run certainly delivered on all counts, from an amazing race kit including sunglasses, a metal whistle and a white pine sapling to the start/finish aid station which was fully staffed and fully stocked (e.g. protein balls, M&Ms, veggie dogs, pickles, grilled cheese sandwiches, watermelon, oh my!). The course was super-clearly marked, the photog was all over the course (thanks to the irrepressible <a href="https://suesitkiphoto.shotsee.com/gallery/2019_HTR_SUNBURN_SOLSTICE">Sue Sitki Photography</a>) and the venue pretty much ideal. Can't think of a negative thing to say about the day from the organizational perspective!</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">2. <i>So many amazing new friends made</i><b> - </b>While there were all sorts of familiar faces that I was so pleased to have bumped into (K, Sandi, Tyler, Steve, Spencer, Rebecca, April and Melanie to name a few) it was also a tremendous privilege to have shared the course with a whole bunch of new-to-me friends. From starting the day with Anna (choosing to celebrate her 21st anniversary with her husband at the race), Coffee (yup, that's his name!) and Reza (the eventual full-solstice winner) to meeting Jason (hiking the whole day with a 50-lb. rucksack), Brian, Jeff, Sheila, Craig, Mary, Renate, James, David and Julius (who helped drag my butt through the entire day), they were the ones who helped me to maintain a smile across the miles.</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/happytrailsracing/photos/a.152829215364340/348851589095434/?type=3&permPage=1"><img alt="https://www.facebook.com/happytrailsracing/photos/a.152829215364340/348851589095434/?type=3&permPage=1" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_rQdaSf7Fpo/XRvLX2HJydI/AAAAAAAACr4/e-RI3aGAvREr30opA_StURVHqkp_D45gQCLcBGAs/s320/64879439_348851592428767_4842891611278934016_n.jpg" width="256" /></a></span></div>
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">3. <i>The weather - </i>It was a totally suitable day for an outing called "The Sunburn Solstice" as the conditions included almost full sun with temperatures peaking at around 25°C and only light breezes - a pretty glorious environment all in all.</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">4. <i>The course - </i>Despite it being 'only' a 4km loop, there was sufficient variation in terrain to keep things interesting - from a short paved pathway to grassy tracks to, dusty trails to short wooden bridge crossings, and one hairpin turn in a parking lot around a small monument. The mud was almost negligible (woo hoo!) with only a short 4 ft. patch that actually threatened to encompass shoes.</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">5. <i>No tripping or blisters - </i>I'd elected to go full Reebok-kit on the day, including wearing the Floatride Forever Energy on my feet. Even with road shoes I managed to not stumble or fall, and my feet held up well with no hot spots, rubbing or soreness. #feelthefloatride ! </span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><u><b><i>Lowlights</i></b></u></span><br />
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Alas, it can't all be fun and games ...</span><br />
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><u><b><i> </i></b></u></span><br />
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">1. <i>Poor fueling - </i>Even though I'd loaded up my handheld with a GU electrolyte drink mix and stored an extra bottle's worth plus a tub of drink mix powder in my cooler at the start/finish pavilion area I somehow managed to neglect to consume enough calories through the first half of the day. By the time that I hit 42km (around 10:30 am) I was STARVING!! I'd been up since 2:00 am and really not had much to eat until that point, only sipping on my bottle maybe a handful of times ... so I decided to take a full-blown lunch break at the conclusion of that loop (maybe 20 min.) and downed some grilled cheese sandwiches, several pickles, some coke and a few cupcakes. I had to then spend the next 30 min. or so just walking the course so that I gave myself sufficient time to digest, and then started up running once more. And you know what? After eating I felt like a million bucks! -1000 points for not having a smart race-fueling strategy.</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">2. <i>The heat</i> - Despite my best efforts to dump water on my head regularly, take salt tabs and stay hydrated I think that I fell victim to a moderate form of heat stress. The course was about 50-60% canopied so it wasn't like we were constantly baked in the sun, but somewhere around 80km into the race my gut was feeling off ... like, waaaayyyy off. After departing the start/finish aid station at 88km I almost immediately threw up in the grass beside the paved pathway leading into the woods - I then recovered enough to walk/jog for another km before repeating my oh-so-lovely display of wretching. This continued for the pretty much the last 12km of my day, and thankfully I managed to not compound my situation by becoming seriously dehydrated. I'm glad that none of the photos captured these moments for posterity.</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">3. <i>Only 100km - </i>As ridiculous as it sounds, this was the minimum threshold of what I'd hoped to accomplish on this day, even considering that (a) I'd never run this long or (b) I'd never run this far in one session. Plus I barely made to this point. I limped away from the day seriously thinking that I need to bail on the Hallucination 100 miler because there'd be no way that I could pack in another 60km. However, after a short and slow 8km recovery run the next morning I was back to my ridiculously deluded self and am still planning on making the trip to Hell, Michigan in September.</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><u><i><b>Lessons Learned</b></i></u></span><br />
<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">1. <i>Eat, man, eat! - </i>I've gotta get better at pounding down the necessary calories, especially early in a race.</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">2. <i>Walk more - </i>Again this is something that I need to do before I need to do it.</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">3. <i>Pacers and crew can make a difference - </i>I'm grateful to Spencer (whom I first met a couple of years ago while pacing at The County Marathon) who jumped in to keep me going at around the halfway point when I just wasn't feeling it anymore. And there were folks like Anna and Sandi and Julius who lifted my spirits just when things were looking bleak ... in these distances running is definitely a team sport.</span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">4. <i>Even my hurt can be someone else's hope - </i>The HTR team was gracious enough to recognize me as one of their "Wolf Patch" recipients, stating that "<i>The Wolf Patch is for the runner who exhibits a 'pack mentality' by
showing an abundance of compassion and camaraderie on the course to the
other runners, sta</i><span class="text_exposed_show"><i>ff, and volunteers.</i>" I'm not sure how I was even considered for this as most of my race was focused on trying to keep myself upright and moving forward, but there must have been something in my grimacing and muttering that was perceived as helpful to my fellow competitors.</span></span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span class="text_exposed_show">- - - - - - -</span></span><br />
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<span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span class="text_exposed_show">I'll definitely have to add another HTR event to my calendar sometime soon, if even just to be blessed by the amazing energy of the folks who are a part of this tribe!</span></span><br />
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<span class="text_exposed_show"><span face=""helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">Next up is another attempt at redemption at <a href="https://thelimberlostchallenge.com/">The Limberlost Challenge 56k</a> this Saturday - let's see if I'm actually any wiser (if not better) this time around!</span></span><br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">this content was originally posted by patrick voo on <a href=”http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/”>The Rendezvoo Point.</a></div>Patrick Voohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10976504483436017793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6324653570849728789.post-2914944520954261272019-06-07T16:11:00.000-04:002019-06-07T16:13:35.681-04:00All about kills and blisters: Ragnar Relay Niagara race report<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There's nothing quite like living in a van down by the river. :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Unless it's spending two days in a van with five people you'd never met and trying to plot out how you're going to run 300+ km together.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That was the task that lay before us at this past weekend's Ragnar Relay Niagara as one of two teams sponsored by Reebok Canada. The first team was a 'corporate team', comprised of 12 employees of Adidas-Reebok, and our team was an 'ultra' team where none of us was officially employed by Reebok (although one of our members is an officially sponsored Reebok athlete). I had the honour of being recruited to the ultra team by my friend Martyna, and even though I had no practical concerns of covering the distance that would be allocated to me (a total of 49.6km) I was legitimately worried that I would be completely outclassed by my fellow ultra-mates. I'm happy to say that throughout our time on the road together the last thing that I felt was out of place, and that's entirely to the credit of my generous and incredibly encouraging new friends.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">R to L: Sara, Elisa, Jeph, Filsan, photobomber, Mandy</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The overall schedule had our team beginning with the 8:30am wave on Friday May 31 from Legion Fields in Cobourg, Ontario. We met initially at the Reebok Canada offices in Woodbridge and then loaded our van and traveled in teams to the start line - once there we were treated to a 10-minute 'safety essentials' video (including guidelines about obeying traffic laws and not pooping on people's lawns) and then it was just about waiting to see our first runner (Filsan) embark on the first leg of the journey. To be fair since we were an 'ultra' team she would be taking on the first two legs of the journey - we had coordinated in advance to split each person's allotment of miles into three double-leg segments instead of six single-legs, thinking that this would provide us with more of an opportunity to get into a decent rhythm as well as not having to play 'race the racer' to the next exchange point (especially since the shortest leg was something like 3km, and watching vans depart from that exchange to get to the next one was akin to watching an episode of <i>The Amazing Race</i>).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Rather than provide a detailed blow-by-blow of the entire 300km run let me provide some highlights from the three segments that I took on, along with some other notable observations and moments ...</span>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><u><b>Legs 9 & 10</b></u></i></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I received the snap-bracelet (in place of a baton) hand-off from a speedy <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tran.e7/">Elisa</a> at the Canlan Ice Sports complex in Oshawa at just before 4pm on Friday. I tried to offer the team a guesstimate of when I might finish up my 15.4kms, but honestly having just come off of the Sulphur Springs 50 miler not a week before and having twisted my left ankle nicely just two nights before on the trails I wasn't confident about presenting anything that looked like a run effort. I offered up "1:15 if I'm feeling good, probably more like 1:20-1:25, and less than 1:15 if I run stupid" - and this is what the team had to work off of in terms of timing their arrival at C4 Church in Ajax (exchange point #10).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The legs were officially given the ratings of "easy" (leg 9) and "hard" (leg 10), but from what I could tell the only quality that differentiated the two was that leg 10 had about a kilometre-long stretch that wound its way through a wooded park on dirt trail. Some of the other legs that were ranked "hard" or "very hard" had significant elevation gains, but for the most part I found that the rating scale had more to do with how much of a clear, safe path runners had underfoot.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I should also note here the "kill" factor - I learned that when you passed a runner on any given leg that was counted as a "kill", and you tallied the number of kills you accumulated and marked them on the side of your team van (along with all sorts of other expressive decor). Of course the competitor in me found this to be motivating, so the kill count was an important part of each leg.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It was within the first kilometre of leg 9 that I logged my first kill ... and then before completing km 2 I tracked another runner down. 2 kills in 2 km. "Hmmm" I thought ... I wonder if I could keep this ratio up - and so it went that kilometre after kilometre I was able to catch up to at least one other runner. By the time that I hit 15km on my <a href="http://rendezvoo.blogspot.com/2016/07/gear-review-epson-runsense-sf-810-gps.html">Epson RunSense 810</a> I'd racked up a kill count of 15, and was shoulder-to-shoulder with another runner.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">400m to go on a straightaway section of path, with the exchange point in sight.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We each started to pick up the pace.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We each saw one another's raise.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By the time that we had less than 80m to go we were full-out sprinting ... and I was grateful that I'd chosen to wear to the <a href="https://rendezvoo.blogspot.com/2018/06/road-review-reebok-floatride-run-fast.html">Floatride Run Fast Pro</a>, as the quicker the pace got the more responsive it was. In the end I managed to edge out my fellow Ragnarian by the slimmest of margins, only to look around and note that my team was not there for the bracelet hand-off.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I had run faster than I said I would, and arrived too early.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Apparently the team joked that I would finish in and around 1:10, but I came in closer to 1:08 ... and my friend <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jeph.runs.wincity/">Jeph</a> (who had the next legs) was still in the port-a-potty. After a bit of a mad scramble to try to locate him I was able to complete the exchange and he took off like a rocket.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Distance: 15.7k / Time: 1:07:49 / Shoes: Reebok Floatride Run Fast Pro</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><u><b>Legs 21 & 22</b></u></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I managed to get next-to-no sleep in advance of my next turn which came at around 12:15am on Saturday - I am grateful to <a href="https://www.mandygill.com/">Mandy</a> (the most incredibly positive and enthusiastic person ever, by the way!!) who offered to drive to the exchange point so as to afford me just a bit of shuteye even if it was only in the form of a power-nap. By the time that it came for me to meet Elisa after her 20km stretch I was the only one not snoozing the night away.</span><br />
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I knew that I was feeling pretty depleted from residual fatigue and the fact that I'd been on the go since 4:00am Friday, so I wasn't sure what kind of pace I would keep over the next 17.3km. Being that the streets were pretty lonely on the border between Mississauga and Oakville at that hour I just tried to keep some kind of mental focus by eyeballing the next runner ahead of me. This was made somewhat easier by virtue of the fact that in addition to wearing a headlamp and a reflective vest it was mandatory for each of the nighttime runners to wear a taillight of some kind.</span><br />
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It was pretty surreal plodding through the nearly-deserted streets of the city, being passed by the occasional vehicle (usually a Ragnar team van) and the odd (in more ways than one) pedestrian. In total I managed to accumulate 17 legitimate kills ... my original count was 23, but then Jeph pointed out to me that at night a number of runners often have a teammate pace them just for safety/company. After all was said and done I was pleased that I'd managed to keep a respectable pace for this part of my load and felt somewhat refreshed (and ready to drive again) by the time that I handed off to Jeph at exchange point 22.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Distance: 17.3k / Time: 1:25:11</i><i> / Shoes: Reebok Floatride Forever Energy</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><u><b>Legs 33 & 34</b></u></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This was a challenge from even before I received the bracelet - en route to exchange point 32 we took an unintended circuitous route to hit a Starbucks and that wound up adding some time to our van commute. Our concerns about making it to the exchange in time to meet up with Elisa were compounded exponentially when we arrived at an open drawbridge at the first lock of the Welland Canal ... needless to say there was no option for vehicles (or runners for that matter) around it and we were held up at least an extra 7-8 minutes awaiting six pleasure-craft to make their way across.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After the exchange finally happened (yes, we left Elisa hanging as she made it there first ...) I tried to once again settle into a manageable 'predatorial' pace. I gathered that everyone was beginning to feel the weariness of event but there were definitely more than a few folks who were looking fresher than others, and my best guess is that they were probably 12-person team runners who had perhaps snatched a half-decent rest through the night. While I managed to tally 12 kills I was also passed twice - once in the first leg by a runner who said he'd been hunting me down for about 6km, and once in the second leg by a runner whom I had passed but then managed to pick up speed and overtake me back.</span><br />
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It may have been that my legs were beginning to fail me, or the slowly rising humidity on the day but I could definitely sense my entry into pain cave territory. The last 4km of the final leg were downright nasty and I imagined that I looked something like a lumbering ent from "The Return of the King".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In my head I kept thinking "Jeph is fast, all I have to do is make it to the hand-off to Jeph" ... add to that the threat of being passed by any other runners and I managed to pick up the pace for the last kilometre to get to exchange point 34.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Distance: 16.8k / Time: 1:23:27 / Shoes: Reebok Floatride Run Fast</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><u><b>Last Stop: Niagara Falls</b></u></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm not sure that it's mandatory, but it's at least 'tradition' for each team to run the final 100m or so together to cross the finish line. By now the day had been brought to a slow simmer with pretty close to full sun and temps in the mid-20s ... this left Jeph really toughing it out as the ultimate leg of the relay is essentially all uphill, but we found him and managed to put a bow on our first ever Ragnar Relay together in just over 28 hours.</span><br />
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I simply can't overstate what amazing people my teammates are - to a person I'm confident that we'd all say that we had a fabulous time together, cheering each other on and laughing about the blisters (yep, there were serious blisters - on everyone but me somehow - and even more serious laughter ... right, Sara?!?) that were accumulated over the course of 300+ km of pavement pounding. Certainly there's something about the ethos of the running community that made this group click, but beyond that we had a kind of chemistry that you really can't orchestrate. We legitimately started out as strangers and ended our journey as family - and that beats any medal-bling or bragging rights that would come our way.</span><br />
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So many thanks have to go out to:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Martyna, Cheyenne and the good people at Reebok Canada for providing us with this amazing opportunity and entrusting us to carry one of the banners for the presenting sponsor. They took amazing care of us, providing for all of our needs from start to finish</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ben Flanagan (Canadian soil 5k record holder and Team Reebok athlete) for sending a hugely-inspiring send-off video to our teams</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The organizers of the Ragnar Relay for a really well-marked course (coming from a guy who's taken more than a few wrong turns in races) even if there were no "1 mile-ish to go" signs</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mandy for suggesting last year that Reebok should consider entering an 'ultra' team, and for being our unwaveringly positive bright light even when half-asleep</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Filsan for kicking us off in the perfect fashion and looking fashionable the whole way - no one else could have been as reliable, relentless and rock solid</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Elisa for having that championship spirit and taking on the witching hour 20k section</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sara for bringing the heat, taking on the hills and creating the greatest gut-busting moment of the whole experience</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jeph for being 'car-dad #1' and showing us that poutine and pizza can turn into jet fuel</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our significant others and families for supporting us in crazy ventures like these.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Reebok Ragnar Relay Niagara was unlike any other running event I'd participated in before - but if this experience was indicative of why there is a whole 'Ragnar culture' that exists (as evidenced by teams from New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Wisconsin, and more) then I can wholeheartedly endorse this as something that every runner should consider trying at least once.</span><br />
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You just might come away from it with friends for life.<br />
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#bemorehuman #feelthefloatride #TeamReebok #RagnarRelay #mindoverblisters <br />
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<u></u><i><u><b></b></u></i><div class="blogger-post-footer">this content was originally posted by patrick voo on <a href=”http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/”>The Rendezvoo Point.</a></div>Patrick Voohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10976504483436017793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6324653570849728789.post-8586377099738859002019-05-30T15:24:00.002-04:002019-05-30T15:24:35.743-04:00Taking a thrashing at the 2019 Sulphur Springs Trail Run (50 mile race report)<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I contemplated titling this post "Confessions of a Perpetual Overtrainer".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whatever you want to call it, this year's edition of the Sulphur Springs Trail Run was nothing short of ridiculously awful. Still, I lived to tell the tale, and would recommend it to anyone who'd care to give it a shot.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My second ultramarathon-distance race of the year turned out (yet again!) to be not just a test of endurance but an environmental challenge ... <a href="http://rendezvoo.blogspot.com/2019/05/from-pyp-2019-50k-to-sulphur-springs.html">last month it was the snow and wind</a>, and this time around it was the thunder, lightning, copious amounts of rain and subsequent pits of mud. As my friend Tyler (who finished 3rd overall for the 50-mile distance) described it, the course offered up 1/3 of its trail as an experience of running through glue. I would amend that and say that it was some devious combination of glue and Crisco. Imagine combining an ultramarathon with mud-wrestling, and you'll understand how I (and about 1200 other people) spent our Saturday.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To be fair, I had a great first loop running with my friend <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nickwagner42/">Nick Wagner</a> whom I hadn't seen since the <a href="http://rendezvoo.blogspot.com/2016/08/race-report-endurrun-2016-ultimate.html">2016 EndurRUN</a>. Back in 2016 Nick hadn't yet run anything beyond a half-marathon in terms of distance, but now he was an experienced ultramarathoner with at least one 100k race under his belt. I remember how strong a runner he was a few years ago, and he's only become fitter and more durable since then. We had a great 25k or so chatting it up and busting along not-yet-damp footing until I got a pebble in my shoe and had to stop to extricate it - I insisted that he continue forward, and while I was able to keep him within visual distance after starting up again I was never able to catch back up.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It wasn't long after that that the monsoon rains hit in the midst of what may well have been a severe thunderstorm warning. Of course this transformed the softer ground into tarpits, and while I was able to continue to stubbornly plug away it was at about 35k that I weebled-and-wobbled my way into a groin pull while trying to maintain my balance on one particularly greasy section. I knew pretty quickly that this didn't bode well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During the third loop my knees felt wrecked, my inner thighs overdone, and I was walking a significant portion of the loop. I seriously wanted to pull the plug after 60k but told myself that if I did that then there'd be no way that I'd have any hope of making it through a 100-miler ... so I resolved that even if it meant walking through the entire final 20k I'd finish this race. Two things helped me to see this resolution through: (1) the spring roll at aid station #3 was an out-of-body experience at 53k, and (2) the thought that if I could get done by 6pm I'd have a hope of making it back in time for the game 6 tip-off between the Toronto Raptors and the Milwaukee Bucks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have to say that having given myself that bit of margin was a real relief, and even though I saw many people passing me by (even the 50-mile winner lapped me with about 50 metres left to the start/finish line) I was content to just to try to pack the training miles in. I approached each long tract of mud with trepidation as I was concerned about doing any kind of serious damage that might jeopardize the next couple months' worth of running and racing. Plodding my way along I was also grateful to cross paths with Sherman Lam (a former Running Free teammate) at 73k - his positive attitude and trekking poles helped pace me through the next 5k or so, and I finally finished a shade over 11 hours.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Half-baked ramblings after hobbling my way to the car post-race</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The long car ride home was made even longer by torrential rains that brought Hwy. 403 to a crawl between Hamilton and Oakville, so a 90 min. drive had an extra hour tacked on to that because of the weather. So running or automobiling, the environmental conditions had my number that day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've now given myself a few days off of running this week to try to be ready to contribute to the Team Reebok effort at the Ragnar Relay - Niagara event starting tomorrow. I'll be running as part of the 'ultra' team, so each of our 6 members will have 6 legs of the course to do (ballpark of about 50 km as the total distance from Cobourg to Niagara Falls is 306 km). The only snag in this whole 'week of recovery' plan was going out last night for an easy trail run with the RunNinjas only to have turned my ankle for the first time all year leading to what quite possibly is a moderate strain of the extensor digitorum brevis muscle. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pain cave, once again here I come.</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">this content was originally posted by patrick voo on <a href=”http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/”>The Rendezvoo Point.</a></div>Patrick Voohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10976504483436017793noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6324653570849728789.post-3149761678220509172019-05-24T11:16:00.000-04:002019-05-24T11:16:01.094-04:00From PYP 2019 (50k) to Sulphur Springs 2019 (50 miler)<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's T-minus 20 hours until the start of my second-ever 50 mile race ... and boy, do I ever feel underpowered.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just about a month ago I completed the first ultra on my race calendar for 2019, the Pick Your Poison Trail Run. There's so much to like about it - a hometown race, early enough in the year to keep you motivated for winter training, plenty of elevation changes, scenic trails and fabulous goodies (the jar of honey at packet pick-up and the pair of socks at the finish line) - but this year it proved to be a doozie of a day with wicked winds and snow greeting competitors first thing in the morning.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Feeling like I've pulled into the base camp for an ascent of Mt. Everest!</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Yup ... I could just stay cozy inside the chalet all morning ...</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Knowing that I was approaching this event as a 'training day' (with my long-term preparation for the Hallucination 100 mile run in view) I wanted to do my best to exercise restraint and hold a controlled and manageable pace throughout this run. However, the formula of snowy trails + 375 runners equalled major mud + packed ice by the time that loops 3 and 4 (each loop being 12.5k) came around, so it felt more like a "how can I get through this uninjured" type of day. All in all though it turned out to be quite survivable, even enjoyable given the company along the route, great encouragement from spectating crowds and unbelievable support from the folks who willingly braved the elements to staff the aid stations. I was happy to walk away with a 6:09 finish time, and four reasonably even split times for each loop.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">A quick post-event video rundown!</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now I get to stretch out my trail running legs a bit longer - the <a href="https://rendezvoo.blogspot.com/2015/05/race-report-2015-sulphur-springs-trail.html">last time that I took on Sulphur Springs was four years ago for the 50k distance</a>, so this will definitely be a tougher test distance-wise, compounded by the forecast of thunderstorms.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ktT5zMak_G8/XOgKeolu9LI/AAAAAAAACnk/S4CezY3CinccHN5NFO2r9AtEInUWEJM8wCLcBGAs/s1600/Forecast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="702" height="277" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ktT5zMak_G8/XOgKeolu9LI/AAAAAAAACnk/S4CezY3CinccHN5NFO2r9AtEInUWEJM8wCLcBGAs/s320/Forecast.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Got my gels, pizza, cupcakes and cinnamon buns packed - let's do this thing!</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">this content was originally posted by patrick voo on <a href=”http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/”>The Rendezvoo Point.</a></div>Patrick Voohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10976504483436017793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6324653570849728789.post-64514212993175846332019-04-26T15:27:00.001-04:002019-04-26T15:27:10.668-04:00Long may you (and I) run<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tomorrow the racing season begins - or at least the racing season as I had planned it for 2019.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With the 50km <a href="http://www.pickyourpoison.ca/">Pick Your Poison Trail Run</a> set to go on soggy (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/PYPtrailrun/posts/2235005426750337?__xts__[0]=68.ARBL_jzzpU6DqzCgRtHSuqJGhZXaLaU-AIt-VhIFKvHdY7WlZWGwwuEzBDCpjfsyNEc4oO24ulL9cB4DIdpemldaJKlryb2aqhEOZqo2NfHlMMd7u3HuBFYPTlRaW9Oj5TagzfXAzbZv7KqPnyBblic3qbhhQWKx6Cf1_pvtT9gy9unEV1XfFcAP0EjncXYrgMT5vLoUxPlu9ppTyKptpjA0nRAEN3pGKRxE1KEkjbY8F6sxjn_260xdhzwivqedgeuiev75yHkV6eRoJp1ZNQPmtjvJieV5JT4XDU1FrOoV2XhWEco5-moL0zepvFJ9sGvGKjHM-cvCa8hkRkY16Y2d&__tn__=-R">and perhaps loggy ...?</a>) terrain I'll be embarking on my year of all-ultramarathon racing. It's been a pretty solid training season thus far, having focused my efforts on just banging out mile after mile and teaching/training myself to get out there even when I don't feel like it at all. My friend <a href="https://www.facebook.com/steven.parke.5">Steven Parke</a> (a wise, competitive and very experienced ultrarunner) recommended to me that one of the things that I might consider doing in preparation for my first 100-mile race this September (the <a href="https://www.runwoodstock.com/events/hundies">Hallucination 100</a>) is to take a month to run every day. This sounded like a good idea, so I picked January (all 31 days of nasty-ness) to lace up and get out every day ... and then I did so again in March, and hopefully will continue to pick off alternating months comprised of 31 days. I feel like I'm beating up my legs pretty well, but so far no real injuries and mentally I feel like I'm becoming more anti-fragile.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But to be fair, this will not be my first registered race of the year ... earlier this month I participated in the MEC Barrie Race One (10k), but not running for myself. I had the privilege of being asked to help with <a href="https://www.mttcanada.org/">MyTeam Triumph Canada</a> as an 'angel', pushing my 'captain' in a race-specific wheelchair. My captain's name was Matthew, and as someone confined to a wheelchair because of a disability it was a special opportunity for him to participate in a competition that was otherwise run by able-bodied individuals. We had an absolute blast ... Matthew with his cowbell in hand, ringing it to cheer on other competitors and to signal to me when he wanted us to throw it into 'high gear' (at one point we even managed to chase down the race leaders! ... for a few seconds). I was glad to have my new pair of <a href="https://www.reebok.ca/en/reebok-floatride-run-fast/CN6950.html">Reebok Floatride Run Fast</a> on my feet as they seriously helped me recruit speed on demand, especially considering that I'd run a 20km warmup before the start of the race. :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9LQ4xJQvzAY/XMNa9sNYvgI/AAAAAAAAClo/WnMwVMtemgMFT5eRZxqe-ynmdwohssbfwCLcBGAs/s1600/56728390_633652367099084_6614682899255918592_n%2B-%2BRace%2BOne%2Bw%2BCapn%2BMatthew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9LQ4xJQvzAY/XMNa9sNYvgI/AAAAAAAAClo/WnMwVMtemgMFT5eRZxqe-ynmdwohssbfwCLcBGAs/s320/56728390_633652367099084_6614682899255918592_n%2B-%2BRace%2BOne%2Bw%2BCapn%2BMatthew.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Captain Matthew has requested me as an 'angel' again for the MEC Barrie Race Two, which will be a half-marathon distance ... it's an honour to have been asked, and I hope to help make it another great experience for us both. As such my season will be peppered with non-ultra races ... or perhaps we can call those 'ultra-special' races, at least for me.<br /><br />#sporttheunexpected #MyTeamTriumph #highgear #feeltheFloatride #RunNinjas #werunthistown</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">this content was originally posted by patrick voo on <a href=”http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/”>The Rendezvoo Point.</a></div>Patrick Voohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10976504483436017793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6324653570849728789.post-79387294061299663742019-01-23T11:31:00.004-05:002019-01-23T11:31:54.350-05:00Washing away the grime of 2018<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can hardly believe that I've not posted anything since last September.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But with January quickly winding down, I thought that perhaps I'd better provide a bit of a wrap-up on how my 2018 went ... so if I could describe it in just one word it'd be:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><b>disappointingfrustratingconfusingdeflatingfutile</b></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(c'mon ... I bet that someone would want to use that every now and again to describe their feelings 'in one word')</span><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Wk7tNCQwqRI/XEiWzCJFmLI/AAAAAAAACiw/Co-mGOmi1gsTVF8zmIxeQaGv3yPzvWHogCLcBGAs/s1600/thinkilooklike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Wk7tNCQwqRI/XEiWzCJFmLI/AAAAAAAACiw/Co-mGOmi1gsTVF8zmIxeQaGv3yPzvWHogCLcBGAs/s320/thinkilooklike.jpg" width="275" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My single focus, my one all-consuming goal for 2018 was to cross the finish line in a marathon before the race clock read 3:00:00. To that end I worked once again with a coach (who happened to also be my friend and RunNinja leader <a href="https://www.instagram.com/m_mac88/">Mike MacInnes</a>) to try to make me sub-3 ready for last year's Mississauga Marathon. Under his guidance I incorporated strength work that I'd not put in since my university days, and bumped my weekly mileage as high as it had ever been (to 100 miles in a single week).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Alas, my efforts were fruitless ... I bumbled my way to a gun time of 3:19:58, one of my slowest efforts in a long time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Less than two weeks later, out of sheer stupidity, I ran the MEC London Marathon in 32°C unbridled heat, and it took me 3:32:02.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was getting worse.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Trying to reinject some speed I tackled a couple of 10ks over the summer, not being able to log anything better than a 45 minute gun time. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In an effort to keep the streak alive, I went back for a fifth time to perform pacing duties at The County Marathon (as the 3:30 bunny), wholly unsure that I was able to actually complete the job this year. However I managed somehow to keep it together to peg a 3:28:58.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Feeling like maybe I had one more kick at the can I accepted a bib transfer from my fleet-of-foot friend Jeremy Grampola and took on the Hamilton Marathon (a race that I've never really enjoyed or performed well at) - and sure enough, the best that I could muster was 3:17:16.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whatever balloon I had, had burst.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Caveat: I completely understand and appreciate that running two Boston qualifying times (for my age group) in one year should provide enough satisfaction to anyone. I don't want to diminish the objective accomplishment, nor cast any judgment on anyone else's performances or capabilities relative to those times. It's just that in comparison to my goal, and what I felt like I was fit and healthy enough to accomplish, I fell flat on my face.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Perhaps I've gotten too old for fast racing. Maybe I fooled myself thinking that I had the right stuff to go sub-3 in the first place.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The truth may lie somewhere in-between or elsewhere.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So with the books closed on 2018, my 2019 plans have shifted away from the marathon. Time to circle back around to the race that <a href="https://rendezvoo.blogspot.com/2016/07/why-100-miler-is-not-for-me-at-least.html">I bailed on back in 2016</a>. It's time to go after that belt buckle again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've resolved to focus on running ultras this year - so far I'm registered to tackle:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://raceroster.com/events/2019/20553/pick-your-poison-trail-run-2019">Pick Your Poison (50k)</a> - April 27</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://raceroster.com/events/2019/20124/sulphur-springs-trail-races-2019">Sulphur Springs Trail Race (50 miles)</a> - May 25</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://thelimberlostchallenge.com/">The Limberlost Challenge (56k)</a> - July 6</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.runwoodstock.com/index.php/events/hundies">Hallucination Run (100 miles)</a> - September 6 </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Needless to say this means that I will be shifting my focus from road-speed to trail-endurance, and testing my mental limits perhaps more than my physical ones. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also by way of a mini-update, I've elected not to renew my ambassadorships with <a href="https://shopsalmingcanada.com/">Salming Running</a> and <a href="https://endurancetap.com/">Endurance Tap</a>. Please don't get me wrong - I believe that both organizations and their respective product lines are great, and I would happily endorse them with anyone interested in stepping up their running performance. However I found that I personally did not have the best feel and feedback with my Salming running shoes despite the great technology and design elements integrated into their footwear, and even though many many people do experience them to be fantastic weapons in their arsenals and leading them to new personal bests. As for Endurance Tap, I'll probably still be packing my running vest pockets with their gels but I'm also looking to experiment a bit with <a href="https://www.maurten.com/products/canada">Maurten</a> as a number of friends have given it a big double-thumbs up.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That's a wrap for now - looking forward to turning a corner in 2019, and hoping all the best for you in your running and life adventures!</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">this content was originally posted by patrick voo on <a href=”http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/”>The Rendezvoo Point.</a></div>Patrick Voohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10976504483436017793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6324653570849728789.post-48126719292299202022018-09-25T16:37:00.000-04:002018-09-25T18:38:42.166-04:00[Guest Posts] Road review - Reebok Floatride Run<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Thanks to the thoughtfulness and generosity of my contact at Reebok Canada I was able to help hook up a few of my RunNinja club athletes with a pair of their Floatride Run shoes for testing and review.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Kk1y9_TPUJo/W6qZhPuVQtI/AAAAAAAACgI/pKxrlo4mxx8QDglg-o8_bJbtobNyUnTugCLcBGAs/s1600/BS8128_01_standard_Floatride%2BRun%2BKnit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="339" data-original-width="600" height="180" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Kk1y9_TPUJo/W6qZhPuVQtI/AAAAAAAACgI/pKxrlo4mxx8QDglg-o8_bJbtobNyUnTugCLcBGAs/s320/BS8128_01_standard_Floatride%2BRun%2BKnit.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Did I lose any friends over this? Read on and find out!</span></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I have been running consistently for about 6 years now, but I had never tried Rebook before. The shoes are simply amazing – very light and comfortable. They are completely different from other brands I have tried in the past, and I’m glad I got this pair of shoes. I would totally recommend these shoes to my running buddies. Thank you Reebok Canada!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">[ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/juanldu08/"><i>Juan A., Ecuadorian ultra-runner</i>, <i>college student</i></a> ]</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TAdUzEIkErU/W6qYafBhA2I/AAAAAAAACf0/GM8tMv7E9bo9ic5grOLVF9M2Go6mFQFAACLcBGAs/s1600/Juan2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="550" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TAdUzEIkErU/W6qYafBhA2I/AAAAAAAACf0/GM8tMv7E9bo9ic5grOLVF9M2Go6mFQFAACLcBGAs/s320/Juan2.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Reebok Floatride Run Ultraknit</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Weight 7 0z. / Drop 8 mm</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I tested these shoes on road runs between 5 km and 22 km.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Appearance</u></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Stylish. I generally don’t wear purple, but the colour combo of purple and smoky grey with white soles is flashy on my feet. The geometric shapes, honeycombs and triangles, add to the shoes attractive quality.
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Performance</u></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Overall, running in Floatride is fast and light. The shoes felt seamless to my feet. The fabric knit material on the tongue, and upper section of the shoes shaped to my feet, making them very comfortable to run in. However, due to the flexibility of the fabric, my feet moved around in the shoes. The shoes made a flapping sound with every foot strike. That was remedied when I was more mindful to be lighter with each of my steps. The geometric plastic frame on the sides of the shoes have 6 holes for the lacing. It would’ve been nice to have 8, to do up the lock lacing to keep my heels in place.
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><u>Recommendation</u></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I would recommend everyone to try on a pair of Floatride. They’re a fun pair to run in. They’re super light and have plenty of cushion and spring for the short and long runs. Just tie the laces a little tighter than usual for a snug fit.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XHBbU35BDMU/W6q41DA4tCI/AAAAAAAACgU/R0F7DClLnQ4s3MVN609JCqN7KGtyMt2FACLcBGAs/s1600/CBlackley%2B-Reebok.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XHBbU35BDMU/W6q41DA4tCI/AAAAAAAACgU/R0F7DClLnQ4s3MVN609JCqN7KGtyMt2FACLcBGAs/s320/CBlackley%2B-Reebok.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">[ <i><a href="https://christinablackley.com/">Christina B. trail runner, soccer player, graphic artist</a> </i>]</span></span>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Give 'em a try yourself! Head on over to https://www.reebok.ca/ (and why not check it out now while they're having a "VIP Sale" online ...?)!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Disclosure:
My friends received these products from Reebok Canada gratis but was
not obliged to provide anything but an objective review. All opinions
expressed are those of the reviewer!</i></span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">this content was originally posted by patrick voo on <a href=”http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/”>The Rendezvoo Point.</a></div>Patrick Voohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10976504483436017793noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6324653570849728789.post-67056174284462031942018-06-21T15:40:00.002-04:002018-06-21T16:00:31.241-04:00Road review - Reebok Floatride Run Fast Pro<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm almost never an 'early adopter', so this is unusual territory for me ... testing out the Reebok Floatride Run Fast Pro even before it's available to the public here in Canada!</span><br />
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<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BkDVMoBh5sl/" data-instgrm-version="8" style="background: #fff; border-radius: 3px; border: 0; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.5) , 0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: 99.375%;">
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BkDVMoBh5sl/" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">All I can say is that the running shoe fairy dropped off a gift for me today! #floatride #runfastpro #reebok #bemorehuman</a></div>
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A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/pbfvoo/" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" target="_blank"> Patrick Voo</a> (@pbfvoo) on <time datetime="2018-06-15T16:29:23+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Jun 15, 2018 at 9:29am PDT</time></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />Here's my video review after about a total of 20k running in them ... but good golly I had to say something!</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/55xWjo0wlCk/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/55xWjo0wlCk?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Disclosure: I received this product from Reebok Canada at their expense but was not obliged to provide anything but an objective review. All opinions expressed (however poorly) are my own!</i></span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">this content was originally posted by patrick voo on <a href=”http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/”>The Rendezvoo Point.</a></div>Patrick Voohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10976504483436017793noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6324653570849728789.post-59503024906238558992018-04-30T11:54:00.001-04:002018-05-03T09:41:55.422-04:00Is this going to go my way?<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After a long, icy winter here we are at last - week 23 of the 23 week breaking-3 (hour) marathon training plan.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It all comes down to this.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Or perhaps it's better said that it all comes together this Sunday.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That's the hope anyway - that the work that I've put in at the guidance of my coach <a href="https://www.instagram.com/m_mac88/">Mike MacInnes</a> will pay its dividends when I toe the line at the 15th annual Mississauga Marathon. It's been a season of new training tactics - from regular strength workouts to fewer 'rest/recovery days' to greater overall weekly mileage - all in an attempt to become faster, more durable and anti-fragile. Even though I'm still reasonably new to the running scene I do count myself as being an aging runner and the approach that coach Mike has had me take over the last few months has definitely stretched my limits.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How do I feel during this last week of tapering? My friend Lewis asked me that exact question this past weekend and my answer to him was "honestly, I'm not sure how I'm feeling". The reasons for that are because I've run two 'tune-up' races this season (the <a href="http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/2018/03/race-report-2018-chilly-half-marathon.html"><i>Chilly Half-Marathon</i></a> and the <a href="http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/2018/04/race-report-around-bay-road-race-2018.html"><i>Around The Bay 30k</i></a>) which both resulted in disappointing chip-times, and many of the prescribed race-pace (or faster) workouts have seen me fail to come close to the speeds that I was asked to hit. I also feel as if I've done that precarious dance on the overtraining line wondering at various times whether or not I'd actually crossed over into the dark side.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That all being said one of the refrains that has constantly run through my head during a long and dreary-ish winter has been "trust the training plan, trust your coach". I know that Mike is a stellar athlete himself and intelligent when it comes to the ways of exercise physiology, and he has clearly told me that the entire plan is designed to culminate on marathon race day ... that the final stage of <a href="http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/2014/02/how-slow-can-you-go.html">supercompensation</a> is focused on presenting the best version of myself on May 6.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://i1.wp.com/www.scienceforsport.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Figure-2-Supercompensation-Principle-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="800" height="177" src="https://i1.wp.com/www.scienceforsport.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Figure-2-Supercompensation-Principle-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">He's also been a big proponent of the mental training aspect, having recommended that I read "<a href="https://www.amazon.ca/How-Bad-You-Want-Psychology/dp/1937715418/ref=pd_sim_14_19?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=8YERW2BJMDPFV9QMGTBN">How Bad Do You Want It?</a>" by Matt Fitzgerald. I also received a recommendation from my pal Steve to read "<a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Endure-Curiously-Elastic-Limits-Performance/dp/0062499866/ref=pd_sim_14_4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=J6H39MA3PPDX3NN972C8">Endure</a>" by Alex Hutchinson - alas, being a reluctant reader I've not had an opportunity to benefit from either of these sport psychology-focused texts, but I have kept visualizing the huge smile on the face of my running icon <a href="http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/2014/05/on-run-with-yuki-kawauchi.html">Yuki Kawauchi</a> as he crossed the line as this year's Boston Marathon male champion.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OunLT5CkwY0/Wuc2vnuGWuI/AAAAAAAACcI/SV_vpqC9pSgTBiT-76-8mqgQzsmm6TH3wCLcBGAs/s1600/Winner%2BGIF-downsized_large.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" height="180" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OunLT5CkwY0/Wuc2vnuGWuI/AAAAAAAACcI/SV_vpqC9pSgTBiT-76-8mqgQzsmm6TH3wCLcBGAs/s320/Winner%2BGIF-downsized_large.gif" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So I can say with confidence that I've put the work in - I'm still riding a bit of a high having completed my first 100+ mile training week just over a week ago and believing that that is going to be a big contributor to how good I will feel especially in the later stages on the marathon. I'll also be wearing a new pair of racing flats (the <a href="https://shopsalmingcanada.com/collections/running-shoes/products/salming-race-5-shoe-men-ceramic-green"><i>Salming Race 5</i></a>) which I did not have available to me for my previous two races this spring and which feel much better and lighter than the <a href="https://shopsalmingcanada.com/collections/running-shoes/products/salming-speed-6-shoe-fluorescent-yellow-black"><i>Salming Speed 6</i></a> for posting fast times (at least in my humble opinion). And one other intangible - for which I can take absolutely no credit whatsoever but is nonetheless a mental boost for me - is that my friend <a href="http://Jeroen Hendrikx - Atleet">Jeroen Hendrikx</a> wore the singlet that I had in my drawer for the last year to a 19th place finish in yesterday's Hamburg Marathon, crossing the line in 2:20:45. </span><br />
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<a href="https://scontent.fybz2-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/31445130_2011956255712378_1331079642852884480_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=91b0759d9eb883669838e831482a13d5&oe=5B93C7B3" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="510" height="320" src="https://scontent.fybz2-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/31445130_2011956255712378_1331079642852884480_n.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=91b0759d9eb883669838e831482a13d5&oe=5B93C7B3" width="204" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Yep, that's my old race kit blazing through Germany in 2:20!</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There it is - I've done my part to control what I can control. The rest is up to the weather, how much rest I can get this week, the germs that I can manage to avoid and how smartly I control my pace out on course. Regardless of what my official finish time will be I'll know that I stretched beyond my comfort zone in preparing for this race and am grateful to coach Mike for his guidance and support and to my RunNinjas clubmates for all of their outstanding encouragement and companionship on this journey!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">#nononsense #runSwedish #teamTap #fuelsimply #werunthistown #breaking3</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">this content was originally posted by patrick voo on <a href=”http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/”>The Rendezvoo Point.</a></div>Patrick Voohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10976504483436017793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6324653570849728789.post-72264840822702905932018-04-12T09:12:00.001-04:002018-04-13T11:11:33.198-04:00Road review: Reebok Harmony Road 2<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The 'Bok?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As in a running 'Bok?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yup.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Having formerly been an employee of Nike in my twenties I recall Reebok being a bit of the 'also ran' of the sports-and-fitness world ... not quite a heavy hitter like Adidas, but had still enough of a recognizable presence that people would think of the brand when it came to athletic shoes. We wouldn't quite snicker at their employees, but we wouldn't give them much thought either.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Well, Reebok has managed to hang around all these years. The Union Jack logo has gone, and they've also found a new niche for themselves: the CrossFit revolution. They've also managed to snag an exclusive contract with one of the world's fastest growing professional sport associations, the UFC. And now they're returning to the culture of running.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After a few notable attempts with the "Zig" tech design for running shoes the designers at Reebok appear to have returned to a more traditional approach to building performance running footwear - and it looks to be turning some heads.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Thanks to a friend who works with Reebok Canada's events and partnerships division I received a pair of the new <a href="http://www.reebok.ca/en/men-s-reebok-harmony-road-2/CN1181.html">Harmony Road 2</a> to test drive.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cxXBPXv07Ms/WsJrjNgJqxI/AAAAAAAACaQ/Mel8fywL1NoS5p8iLds485q4WGCUEZPBgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0356_reebokHR2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cxXBPXv07Ms/WsJrjNgJqxI/AAAAAAAACaQ/Mel8fywL1NoS5p8iLds485q4WGCUEZPBgCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0356_reebokHR2.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Pretty!</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My initial impressions as I picked them up out of the box was that they were much more shoe than I had become accustomed to wearing - and the specs bore this out as well. At a reported 10.8oz for a men's size 9 and a stack height of 30mm-to-20mm (or <a href="https://www.runnersworld.com/shoe/reebok-harmony-road-2-mens">37.3mm-to-22.8mm if you take Runner's World at its word</a> - which is it folks?!?) it is definitely one of the beefiest shoes in my rotation with the most significant heel-to-toe drop.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v9qa5v7-dy8/WsJrjEy7SpI/AAAAAAAACaU/xOHeuAt7NX0o1xIKkh-dCqh_cy7VwLkvwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0358_reebokHR2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1201" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v9qa5v7-dy8/WsJrjEy7SpI/AAAAAAAACaU/xOHeuAt7NX0o1xIKkh-dCqh_cy7VwLkvwCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0358_reebokHR2.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What contributes to it's weight? It could be the carbon rubber applied to the outsole's 'impact zones' or the plush synthetic upper (which by the way provides a really nice wrap-feel on my foot). But truth be told the empirical data may tell one tale while the subjective experience reveals another ... and in this case the actual ride of the shoe was not nearly as cumbersome as other shoes that I've had on which may have been equally as robust or even lighter. My first outing in them involved a series of hill intervals with the RunNinjas and I was most pleasantly surprised at how they allowed me to pick up the pace and hold half-decent form.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n12-U32EFB8/WsKkvhkIZGI/AAAAAAAACa0/iosTrLHj1sAXrQ_nr3Aa-1udhOPC65BNwCLcBGAs/s1600/Animated%2BGIF-downsized_large.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" height="180" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n12-U32EFB8/WsKkvhkIZGI/AAAAAAAACa0/iosTrLHj1sAXrQ_nr3Aa-1udhOPC65BNwCLcBGAs/s320/Animated%2BGIF-downsized_large.gif" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The anticipation was there that a 10mm or more drop that I would find myself inadvertently heel-striking especially during easier effort segments but that didn't turn out to be a reality. I was able to stick with a forefoot (or at worst, midfoot) strike even while going at recovery paces, which is all the more surprising given that the Harmony Road 2 doesn't quite pass the one-handed roll-into-a-ball flex test.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FXb0mGBtFvs/WsOT6062LpI/AAAAAAAACbM/8up74FZ9w-8zbDwfOCu3QmHZHSPX78mxwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0360_reebokHR2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="901" data-original-width="1201" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FXb0mGBtFvs/WsOT6062LpI/AAAAAAAACbM/8up74FZ9w-8zbDwfOCu3QmHZHSPX78mxwCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0360_reebokHR2.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">I cheated - pressing down against the top of my dryer!</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here's what I liked about the Harmony Road 2:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Looks </b>-</i> Call me superficial, but the simple design of the HR2 actually appeals to me. Normally I like glitz and glam on my footwear, but something about these kicks say 'dignified' and 'efficient'. Plus there are just enough reflective accents to help keep me safe on the roads.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Fit </b></i>- True to size, suitably wide for some toe splay on impact, no heel slippage.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Feel - </i></b>The upper is comfortable without any noticeable seams along the top of the foot or around the sides/edges.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Ride </b></i>- There is an ample amount of cushioning thanks to their TriZone midsole design featuring the KOOSHRIDE TPU foam core, and it just seems nice and smooth without being marshmallowy/energy-depleting.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Traction </b></i><b>- </b>Probably due to the amount of rubber on the outsole, but add to that a decently grippy design these shoes have fared well so far even on the slushy/mildly icy surfaces that I've use to test them.<i><b> </b></i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Durability </b></i>- This is just going to be a guess of mine but based on my initial runs but there seems to me to be enough heft to this shoe to last well past 500kms of wear, so I should be keeping it in the rotation for a while.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> And what would I change?</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Weight</i></b> - This is definitely the downside of the 'traction' and 'durability' pros that I listed above ... if it could come down to something closer to 9oz. then it would be what I would consider a great everyday trainer (but then it might just have to be called the "<a href="http://www.reebok.ca/en/men-s-reebok-floatride-run-ultraknit/CM9056.html?pr=CUSTOMIZE_IMG_Men%27s%2520Reebok%2520Floatride%2520Run%2520Ultraknit">Floatride Run</a>" ...!).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><b>Drop -</b></i> As much as this doesn't feel quite like a shoe with a 10-14mm drop I believe that it would promote a better footstrike and running dynamic if it were closer to a 6mm heel-to-toe ramp.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Flex </i></b>- The fact that the shoe doesn't pass my 'fold in half with one hand' test means that it probably isn't conducive to a full range of proprioceptive feedback via the footstrike. I'd like my shoes to work a little more with the flex of my foot and less against it. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><i>Price -</i></b> At $145 CDN it's not cheap, but if it does last as long as I think that it will then it might pay for itself in the long run (no pun intended).</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All things considered I would happily recommend that you give this shoe a try if you are looking for something to use for your easy run days or if you need one pair of shoes to last you a good while - I give the Harmony Road 2 a solid four footprints out of five:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i6442N9ozEg/UbIjWSKYS_I/AAAAAAAABlA/rACKiEvptkgP9esigJtfyHIeEWa3QWGlQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/feetprint%2B4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="658" data-original-width="1383" height="152" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i6442N9ozEg/UbIjWSKYS_I/AAAAAAAABlA/rACKiEvptkgP9esigJtfyHIeEWa3QWGlQCPcBGAYYCw/s320/feetprint%2B4.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here's my video review for your entertainment:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So it looks like this player has re-entered the game
... and the other models in their current lineup (plus <a href="http://www.runblogrun.com/2018/04/introducing-the-reebok-floatride-runfast-pro-available-june-2018.html">a crazy-light racing flat</a> due out this summer!) lend credence to the fact that Reebok is a serious contender when it comes to what's shodding the feet of runners. Welcome back, 'Bok!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Disclosure: I received this product from Reebok Canada at their expense but was not obliged to provide anything but an objective review. All opinions expressed (however poorly) are my own!</i></span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">this content was originally posted by patrick voo on <a href=”http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/”>The Rendezvoo Point.</a></div>Patrick Voohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10976504483436017793noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6324653570849728789.post-76434333006586231792018-04-01T15:19:00.000-04:002018-04-01T15:19:03.089-04:00Race report: The Around The Bay Road Race 2018<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I believe that the applicable word is "terribler".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whether or not you'll insert that into your spell-checker is inconsequential ... it's been added to my vocabulary list now.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The last time that I participated in the <a href="http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/2016/04/race-report-2016-around-bay-road-race.html">Around The Bay Road Race was in 2016</a> and it's taken me a few years to try to shake some of the bad taste in my mouth that resulted from my run that day. What stood out for me was (a) how mentally dis-engaging the first half of the course was and (b) the disappointment of clocking what I perceived to be a sub-par effort for the condition that I felt that I was in at that time. However, eager to press out a sub-3 marathon this spring I felt like pairing the Chilly Half-Marathon and ATB this year would be a solid pre-season prep that would ready me for a PB kind of effort.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Instead what I learned was that I either have to learn a serious lesson in humility or accept the fact that age is taking its toll on me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u><i>Pre-race</i></u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had signed up for this race just shy of a full year ago as I wanted to take advantage of the earliest of the earlybird registration rates - which means that I had 365+ days to mentally prep for the event. And I would say that as I approached race day I had just about every box checked off in terms of being psyched to run well ... from customizing my shoes for the day (more on that in a future blogpost) to taking full advantage of all my possible placebo-effect advantages (i.e. loading up on beet juice, wearing compression socks, having my favourite racing toque on my head) to resting up the day before (as my friend and fellow RunNinja Rick was willing to pick up my race kit from the expo). The only things that I didn't feel that I had going for me were a solid <a href="https://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/2018/03/race-report-2018-chilly-half-marathon.html">half-marathon result at Chilly a few weeks prior</a> and the fact that I was failing to hit my prescribed training paces during the workouts that my coach had assigned to me over the last month or so. Still, all things factored in I felt like I could surprise myself on this day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BgvkBAADJiW/" style="color: black; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The “Steel City” won’t know what hit it - time to once again take on the oldest road race in North America. @aroundthebayrace #runswedish🇸🇪 #nononsense #TeamTap #fuelsimply #RunNinjas #werunthistown</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/pbfvoo/" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" target="_blank"> Patrick Voo</a> (@pbfvoo) on <time datetime="2018-03-25T10:39:52+00:00" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Mar 25, 2018 at 3:39am PDT</time></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On race morning I followed all of my 'standard' pre-race routines (wake-up shakeout run, breakfast, shower) and made my way out Hwy 403 with the hopes of arriving in Hamilton with a little more than 60 min. to spare before the airhorn start. The plan was to meet Rick in the lobby of the hotel where he was staying to collect my bib and timing chip - and perhaps this would be the first of the portents on the day as traffic got gnarly as I entered the downtown core, and the only available street parking that I could find was a good kilometre or more from the hotel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However I did manage to find my way to the Sheraton where Rick, Angela, Holly and Sarah (all RunNinja comrades) had gathered to brace themselves for the long journey ahead. We were far from alone in the lobby as many competitors had gathered there just for the warmth (it was about -11°C with the windchill) and also to make use of the indoor washrooms. I thanked Rick for picking up my kit, suited up with the bib and shoe-lace chip, and took a pre-start group photo. We then parted ways to carry on with our own individual routines.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><u><b>The race</b></u></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I lined up in the appropriate 'red' corral for estimated sub-2:15 racers (which as it happened to turn out was more wishful thinking than anything!), and it definitely felt like a corral as we were pretty much sandwiched shoulder-to-shoulder with little margin to even stretch out. And yet somehow out of nowhere I felt this tap on my shoulder accompanying a "Hey Patrick" - and sure enough my pal <a href="https://vrzand.blogspot.ca/">Vicki</a> had somehow managed to pick me out of this crowd just as she'd done at the Chilly Half less than a month ago. Vicki is a beast of a runner and super-fast as well so lining up next to her was at the very least a confidence (if not morale) boost.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So now let me break down the actual event into some smaller, digestible segments:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">--- KM 0-3</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I tried to just settle into a good rhythm and find a couple of bodies to tag along with - and while there wasn't really a 'pack' that I could latch onto I did find the first few kilometres clicking by rather effortlessly. By the time that we passed the 3k mark I thought to myself "just do this another nine time!". Easier said than done my friend, easier said than done.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">--- KM 4-15</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I had the last time that I tackled this event I took the inclines easier and tried to pick up a bit of pace on the backsides of the same slopes, but somehow this year there wasn't any acceleration as I went downhill. It wasn't long before I found my pace trailing off despite trying to maintain a consistent 'perceived effort' ... by the time that I hit the 14k mark I was ready to walk the rest of the course, but my pride wouldn't let me throw the towel in that easily.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">--- KM 16-20</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was somewhere along this stretch that I heard a voice closing in from behind me shout "Patrick Voo in the house!" - it was my friend <a href="https://twitter.com/PeterLeventis?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">Peter Leventis</a> (whom I'd first met while <a href="http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/2016/05/race-report-2016-goodlife-fitness_6.html">pacing my pal Navin at the 2016 GoodLife Fitness Toronto Marathon</a>). It was great to catch up with (or more accurately be caught up to by) him as we had a brief opportunity to chat: Peter had recently laid down a fantastic time at the Chilly Half and has just been getting stronger and faster. He was using this day's run as a bit of a tempo workout in advance of his trip to the Boston Marathon next month, and in true Peter-fashion he made it look oh-so-easy. I didn't want to hold him up so I let him stay in stride while I slowly but steadily fell back, cheering him forward as his disappeared into the distance.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">--- KM 21-26</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This section brought a few more rolling hills into play, including the one left-hand turn at the top of a hill where I recall being passed by the the 2:05 pace bunny in 2016. This time around I was doing my level best not to let the 2:15 bunny zip by. The only other real element of note was that it was great to once again see Stan "We Will Rock You" Wakeman in his wheelchair - once again I deviated from my normal tangent-tight route to slap him some skin with a high-five.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">--- KM 27-30</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 'Heartbreak Hill' simulator was definitely another slow-down, but it doesn't last too long. Coming into the final 3k downhill stretch into the heart of the city I tried once again to pick up some steam, but it was still fruitless - despite some goading from Tim "The Grim" (I snagged a low-five from him accompanied by the words "I like how slow you are") and even "Fast" Bill Steinburg jumping off of the curb in his jeans and puffy jacket to cheer me forward and run alongside me for about 100m. I managed to target two runners who were ahead of me and mustered the strength to pass one of them before the finish but the other one just had too much zip left as we entered the First Ontario Centre.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><u>Post-race</u></i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After crossing the finish line I hung out in the chute/collection area for about another 40 minutes to try to catch some other familiar faces wrap up their races. It was awesome to be able to cheer on and/or congratulate Vicki, Melissa, Jessica, Jack and Ryan as they finished up their 30k. I even had a random stranger come up to ask if she could have a photo taken with me because her husband's favourite cartoon character (Jake from <i>Adventure Time</i>) was depicted on my toque.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wlQR29yrQk0/WsEt4r0jLfI/AAAAAAAACaA/_yPhs-RXYdkAreZXSxX3Yvspry8FoT57gCLcBGAs/s1600/29547019_10210588508260216_2029321065_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="640" height="214" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wlQR29yrQk0/WsEt4r0jLfI/AAAAAAAACaA/_yPhs-RXYdkAreZXSxX3Yvspry8FoT57gCLcBGAs/s320/29547019_10210588508260216_2029321065_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> Me sporting my favourite lid (Photo credit: Mike MacInnes)</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since I was getting chilled from standing around in Gatorade/water soaked gear I jogged back to the car to get changed, dodging various bicycle-mounted police officers who were monitoring a situation involving a <a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/anti-fascists-clash-with-police-in-hamilton-ont-no-injuries-1.3858163">group of 'anti-fascist' demonstrators</a> (to whom I provided a wide berth while passing them by as they congregated). I then made my way back to the First Ontario Centre and reconnected with Rick, Holly, Angela and Sarah, each of them elated with their finishes. A few more group pictures and then it was time to call it a day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So it is that I look at this year's ATB in the rearview mirror once again thinking that I won't be back anytime soon. Don't get me wrong - the race organizers do a bang-up job of putting together an A-1 event and deserve plenty of congratulations and appreciation. It's just that for whatever reason it doesn't seem to agree with me, and I'm the one to blame this time around ("fool me once, shame on you - fool me twice, shame on me"). But if you have any inclination on taking on a 30k race to test yourself or to prep for your own spring marathon, by all means give this event some serious consideration!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Key race gear used:</i></span></span></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://shopsalmingcanada.com/collections/running-shoes/products/salming-speed-6-shoe-fluorescent-yellow-black"><i>Salming Speed 6</i></a></span></span></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://shopsalmingcanada.com/collections/mens-running-apparel/products/salming-race-singlet-men-lizard-deep-blue">Salming race singlet</a></i></span></span></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.reebok.ca/en/men-s-running-tights/CF8797.html"><i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Reebok running tights</span></i></a></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/2013/05/wired-for-speed.html"><i>Garmin Forerunner 305</i></a></span></span></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.runningfree.com/products/Endurance-Tap-Energy-Gel-p44399/k-f91f6244a38311a9a486f69eeba0e1ff/"><i>Endurance Tap energy gels</i></a></span></span></span></li>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">this content was originally posted by patrick voo on <a href=”http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/”>The Rendezvoo Point.</a></div>Patrick Voohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10976504483436017793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6324653570849728789.post-39751871478827505122018-03-13T09:41:00.000-04:002018-03-13T09:49:08.528-04:00Road review: Salming Speed 6<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It's probably a bit premature, but I wanted to share some of my thoughts on my first pair of Salming running shoes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I may have only logged about 24 miles in them, but 13.1 of them were at the Chilly Half-Marathon ... so they're not just road-tested, they've already been race-tested.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As for the bottom line?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">(Wait for it ...)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As a new Salming ambassador I must say that I was excited to get my hands (and feet) on a pair of the Speed 6. By all accounts these shoes are a strong everyday trainer as well as potential longer distance (e.g. half/full marathon) race-day shoe. At just around 7.4oz for a men's size 9 they clip the boundary of racing flat territory, while the 22mm-to-16mm stack height from heel to toe provides ample cushioning for hammering out the miles.</span>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Aside from the overall lightness of the package some of the more notable features of this shoe include the aesthetics - the fluorescent yellow/black colourway wreaks of velocity, but add to that the crazy prismatic effect that comes to life when light strikes the darkened panels on the upper and, well, you've got this pre-dawn runner giggling like a 7-year old on Christmas morning.</span>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kNUBqU2P3aA/WqaqY6yRlvI/AAAAAAAACZI/JjpmW2EJmDkSnyS-G_moDAytH9lTzXD7QCLcBGAs/s1600/Speed6-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kNUBqU2P3aA/WqaqY6yRlvI/AAAAAAAACZI/JjpmW2EJmDkSnyS-G_moDAytH9lTzXD7QCLcBGAs/s320/Speed6-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></span>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Noticeable on the outsole of the Speed 6 is the 62/75° flex groove, situated at what's described as the "ballet line". The shoe bends at this point (on the announced 75°angle) to help optimize the natural movement axes of the foot, with 62% of the shoe toward the rear of that line and designed with extra stability (more on that in a moment). You can also see the word "Recoil" printed underneath the heel area and this is the moniker given to Salming's midsole material which is marketed as an extremely lightweight cushioning material that provides a 'high rebound' (or energy-return) effect. A good deal of midsole is visible on the bottom of the shoe with really only six notable rubber-laden sections for added durability and traction, so the added weight is not significant or without merit. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The upper on the Speed 6 is a mesh with the chromatically-responsive overlays affixed to provide a bit of a structured feel - it was snug without being restrictive, and I find that my medium-wide foot didn't experience any rubbing or cramping issues at all (a vital part of shoe functionality for me). I swapped out a different pair of laces (because my shoes didn't come with any extra anythings out of the box) partly because I prefer flat laces (to the supplied round laces) and partly because I wanted to colour-match the orangey-pink lettering already printed on the shoe.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">So how'd these shoes work out?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Honestly, there's part of me that feels like my review is a carbon-copy of another review that I'd read online (which I now can no longer locate!) that made some observations about the feel of the shoe. My initial impressions were that the shoe felt rigid and resulted in a 'slapping' effect against the ground with each step - perhaps this is because of the 62% of 'stabilized' shoe and the only real flex points coming ahead of that 'ballet line'. The sensation made me think that I was thudding my way all around town, but when I got home after my first workout in them it turned out that my splits were faster than I'd surmised ... so feel aside the Speed 6 actually delivered. And during the half-marathon my friend Steve (who paced me for the final kilometre and to whom I owe a huge debt of gratitude!) asked me how the shoes were feeling and my unfiltered response was "well, I haven't noticed them and that's a good thing". This was true - the shoes pretty much disappeared on my feet and at no point did I process the 'pavement-slapping' feeling.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All in all I think that these shoes will do admirably well for marathon training and some uptempo workouts, although my preference will be to slide into a pair of the Race 6 shoes for my sub-3 attempt in May. But for sheer funkiness and and performance results I gotta give these shoes a solid four footprints out of five.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Who knows ... now that I've #runSwedish, I may never go back! :) Give it a try yourself at <a href="https://www.salming.com/ca/running/">https://www.salming.com/ca/running/</a> and use the promo code "VOO20" for a 20% discount!</span>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />#nononsense #SalmingRunning</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i><b>*** <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">D</span>iscl<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">osure</span>: <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I am affiliated with Salming Running Ambassadors (North America</span>) but was not obligated to provide a
positive review. <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A</span>ll opinions are my own.</b></i></span></span></span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">this content was originally posted by patrick voo on <a href=”http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/”>The Rendezvoo Point.</a></div>Patrick Voohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10976504483436017793noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6324653570849728789.post-69049754278340157892018-03-05T10:17:00.004-05:002018-03-05T13:51:21.222-05:00Race report - 2018 Chilly Half Marathon<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My momma taught me "if you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Well, I'll say a few things anyway ...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I've had two really positive experiences at the Chilly Half-Marathon, both in <a href="http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/2016/03/race-report-2016-chilly-half-marathon.html">2016</a> and <a href="http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/2017/03/race-report-2017-chilly-half-marathon.html">2017</a>. Maybe it's because they were freebies to me, maybe it's because I managed to clock PB times at both races. But those outings were certainly enough to entice me to go for it a third time around, and this time to actually foot the bill myself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Alas, perhaps I was getting a bit greedy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Having signed up a little less than a year ago (to nab the super-earlybird rate) I wanted to once again approach this race as a bit of a barometer as to my fitness level going into the spring racing season. In consultation with my coach it was clear that this was not a target race and that the training plan would have been structured differently had this been something that was intended to be a goal-oriented event - all the same I knew that in my previous two attempts here I had not peaked for this race either, and held some faint hopes in the back of my head that I might once again pleasantly surprise myself.</span><br />
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<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bf5nt1mD69K/" data-instgrm-version="8" style="background: #fff; border-radius: 3px; border: 0; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.5) , 0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: 99.375%;">
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bf5nt1mD69K/" style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">It’s go-time ... leave it all out there and know that you gave it your best. #nononsense #fuelsimply #RunNinjas #runswedish #TeamTap #werunthistown #chillyhalfmarathon</a></div>
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A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/pbfvoo/" style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" target="_blank"> Patrick Voo</a> (@pbfvoo) on <time datetime="2018-03-04T11:53:13+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Mar 4, 2018 at 3:53am PST</time></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The real story of this year's Chilly Half was about my friends - from Gillian (who picked up my race kit for me and saved me an extra trip to Burlington), to Stan (somehow I keep running into this guy despite the masses of people - some 3600 strong - who show up on race morning), to lining up with Jack (a fellow Trinity College alum with whom I'd had the pleasure of reconnecting at the <a href="https://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/2016/08/race-report-endurrun-2016-ultimate.html?showComment=1471871030886#c9102977224883700640">2016 EndurRUN</a>) and Jeremy (my bud from Barrie who seems to PB in just about every race he enters), to finally Steve (a star <a href="https://blacklungstoronto.wordpress.com/">Black Lungs</a> athlete who hopped off of the sidewalk to pace me for the final kilometre of the race). These people are the ones who really made an otherwise difficult race memorable, and who helped temper my disappointment with the result.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All in all it was a tough day - with some gusty winds, although the sun was out, the roads were clear and the temperatures manageable (at about -3°C). The race again featured a couple of Olympians (Reid Coolsaet and Krista DuChene) and all sorts of performance-level club runners (including my friends Josh Bolton, Rob Brouillette and Tanis Bolton), so the field was fast. It was my impression that a fast field encourages/drafts all participants to run that little bit faster, but maybe that's more in my imagination that in reality.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The short version is that my legs just didn't have any pop on this particular day, and that every time I thought that I was injecting a bit of pace it was effectively no change at all. The strongest part of my race came as Steve Elliott jumped in to help me over the final km and I was able to pass a few of the runners ahead of me to gut it out for a 1:29:51 finish. Thank goodness for small mercies, as if I'd clocked 1:30 or more I would definitely have walked away with my head hung low given where I thought that I was in terms of my speed, conditioning and strength.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eqoinqKkWyw/Wp1d6rxyalI/AAAAAAAACYw/l-fENG1ATsk-ROpAyeujuqzjAhCrdgfkACLcBGAs/s1600/results.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="377" data-original-width="970" height="124" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eqoinqKkWyw/Wp1d6rxyalI/AAAAAAAACYw/l-fENG1ATsk-ROpAyeujuqzjAhCrdgfkACLcBGAs/s320/results.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It was still a good day out there for Jeremy (who came across in 1:24:14) and my friends Peter (who managed a PB in 1:26:46) and Gillian (a PB as well!), so I'm happy to celebrate their great achievements! For my part I'll put my focus back onto executing my coach's training plan for my sub-3 marathon attempt in Mississauga. And we'll see what happens when I step up to the start line again in the Hamilton region for the 2018 edition of the Around The Bay 30k in three weeks' time ...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Key race gear used:</i></span></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://shopsalmingcanada.com/collections/running-shoes/products/salming-speed-6-shoe-fluorescent-yellow-black"><i>Salming Speed 6</i></a></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://shopsalmingcanada.com/collections/mens-running-apparel/products/salming-race-singlet-men-lizard-deep-blue">Salming race singlet</a></i></span></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/2015/09/gear-review-cw-x-stabilyx-ventilator.html"><i>CW-X Stabilyx Ventilator compression shorts</i></a></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/2013/05/wired-for-speed.html"><i>Garmin Forerunner 305</i></a></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.runningfree.com/products/Endurance-Tap-Energy-Gel-p44399/k-f91f6244a38311a9a486f69eeba0e1ff/"><i>Endurance Tap energy gels</i></a></span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">#nononsense #runSwedish<i> </i>#fuelsimply #TeamTap #werunthistown #RunNinjas</span><br /><i></i></span><br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">this content was originally posted by patrick voo on <a href=”http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/”>The Rendezvoo Point.</a></div>Patrick Voohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10976504483436017793noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6324653570849728789.post-52758515369180509242018-02-28T16:57:00.001-05:002018-02-28T16:57:24.889-05:00If I can make it there. I'll make it anywhere ... ♪ ♫ ♩ ♬ ♭ ♮ ♯<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, it looks like I'll be Big Apple-bound this fall ...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During the week leading up to the <a href="http://chillyhalfmarathon.ca/">2018 Chilly Half-Marathon</a> I found out that <a href="http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/2017/03/race-report-2017-chilly-half-marathon.html">my finishing time at the same race last year</a> has qualified me for a guaranteed entry into the <a href="https://www.tcsnycmarathon.org/">2018 TCS New York City Marathon</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm amped to be able to not only visit NYC for the first time ever, but to also check off another one of the <a href="https://www.worldmarathonmajors.com/">Abbott World Marathon Majors</a>. Time to hit up some family and friends for help to make this trip happen!</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">this content was originally posted by patrick voo on <a href=”http://rendezvoo.blogspot.ca/”>The Rendezvoo Point.</a></div>Patrick Voohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10976504483436017793noreply@blogger.com0