Benefits of Running

After a good week of training (14 + hours), I should thank my wife, Rochelle, for letting me go out and play so much. And in case you think I’m a deadbeat dad or husband, most of these runs happen late at night once my son has gone to bed. During the week, I usually rush home after work, cook supper for the three of us and then play with Kieran until his bedtime. So, I try not to let my training interfere with my family responsibilities.

I think running makes me a better husband and father. While my wife relishes opportunities to meet up with friends and to attend large social gatherings, I find large groups and social activities particularly draining. Running offers me the silence and solitude I need to recharge my soul. As well, I’ve found that most problems or concerns can be figured out by the end of a good run.

Of course, there are the obvious health benefits that come from being physically active. In addition to feeling healthy, I’m glad that I’m setting a good example for my son. With rising obesity rates among young people, I hope Kieran learns the importance (and fun) of regular exercise. Rochelle also takes him to the gym with her during the week, so he sees both parents making physical activity a priority.

While the weather has been bitterly cold this week, the trail conditions have been pretty decent for running. Of course, water bottles freeze within minutes, but a little dehydration isn’t a big deal. Although most weeknights were spent on the roads, I did get in a night run on the trails, which was cool. I’m trying to get in at least one night run on the trails every week or so, just so that I will feel comfortable running at night with a headlamp in my 100 milers this year.

In addition to hill work during some lunch runs, I also started incorporating some hill sprints. Keith sent me the workout info, so I’m giving it a try. Essentially, the short workouts build muscle strength and also increase the power and efficiency of your stride. In my first session Wednesday, I did two reps of eight-second sprints up a hill. That didn’t feel too bad. Today I ran four reps, and really felt the burn. Kind of nice, actually. We’ll see how much stronger I get over the next few months as I gradually increase the reps.

Due to time constraints (and the fact that my water bottles froze), I split my long run in two this week. I ran for 3:35 on Saturday morning, and then an extra hour in the afternoon. I wore my NB MT100 for the first session, but found that after about two hours, they didn’t support my feet well on the downhills or technical sections. My feet got very tired, as they were forced to do a lot of work as the shoes don’t secure the forefront well. I think that I will need to find another shoe for my long runs and races that offers a bit more security. When I wore my Adidas Adizero Rocket road flats later in the afternoon, I found that they held my feet much more securely on the technical portions of the trail, but since the uppers are so minimal, I kept feeling sharp rocks and twigs striking my feet. I think I will explore the wonderful world of La Sportiva and see how their shoes perform.

Not sure how this next week will play out for training, as I have to go to Winnipeg for six days on Thursday. It will be really tough being away from Rochelle and Kieran, so I’m not looking forward to that. It’s also freakin’ cold there… and super flat. I’ll see if I can fit my Dion snowshoes in my suitcase.

Anyway, I’m starting to feel fit and I’m running well, so I’m pleased with my progress so far.

Weekly Total: 14:33 (8:18 trails; 6:15 road)

Monthly Total: 50:59 (17:58 trails; 29:00 road; 2:08 snowshoeing; 1:53 VFFs)