Since moving back to St. John’s last May after 8 years of living and training in Burnaby, BC, I have immensely enjoyed becoming reacquainted with all of the beautiful running trails as well as a more laidback feel of a smaller city.
St. John's is ideal for training during the Fall months because this is the time when I do most of my longer, toughen-me-up training sessions: long runs (20km +), long(er) tempo runs and interval workouts off the track. The rugged, hilly terrain and upredictable weather patterns of St. John's are great to up the mental toughness component of these workouts during this time of year!
I would argue that St. John’s is underappreciated for how great our running trails are for such as small city. Many of the rivers, ponds and lakes throughout the city are connected by a network of gravel trails that are ideal for workouts. Although our current track facilities are not ideal, I’m excited about what this rapidly growing city will have to offer runners as I have heard about future plans for state of the art track and field facilities to be built in the coming years.
On the other hand, as track season approaches and Winter takes hold, it's time to sublet the apartment and get outta dodge. Consistency and quality is key during this time of year, which has brought me down to Phoenix, the polar opposite of St. John's: barely a hill to be found with winds that almost never exceed 20km/h and * if * there are clouds they most likely contain dust, not moisture. I've realized that I'm not a huge fan of living in the desert, but these conditions are ideal for track work. The first few days down here kinda make me feel like Rango fresh outta the aquarium and I also suddenly develop a strange propensity for Country Music.
Anyway, I'm not complaining. I know that it is a huge privilege to be down here training with the likes of Lisa Aguilera, Ashley Hinther, Leanna MacLean, Celia Peters and Lemlem Ogbassilassie, among other elites who come and go.
But, I'll sure be happy to get back home to St. John's when all is said and done!
Wednesday 29 February 2012
Rant and Roar Like a True Newfoundlander
The idea of starting a blog is terrifying, but no more terrifying than running a race in front of thousands of people. In the same way that your time and placing will be permanently accessible to the public after a race, so too will this blog be available to the masses on the “tinternet”, as my Mom says, which is why it has taken me awhile to actually post this post, haha. Oh yeah, and also, Fadder gave out the URL before I had any posts on it, which also gave me a kick in the arse. Thanks for that. :P
So, why write this blog? Well, as I continue to pursue my goals in this sport, I realize that being an elite runner can be isolating– in terms of becoming isolated from other loved ones who are non-runners- while on the other hand, provide opportunity for connection with other runners: connections through this sport are often long-lasting. So, first, I want to decrease the disconnect between myself and those interested non-runners, i.e., my family and friends, when I am on the road for training and competition. As much as I hate talking about myself, I hope that through this blog I can begin to paint the picture of my unique lifestyle and the trials and tribulations of a Canadian middle distance runner, especially in an Olympic year.
Secondly, I want to facilitate connection with other runners/coaches, as I have learned through a decade of competing at a high level in this sport that you don’t improve unless you are open to new ways of doing things and new perspectives on training and preparing for competition, both mentally and physically. And finally, I hope that my rants (and probably some roars) can provide some inspiration (and some reality checks) for others who are passionate about running and who want to pursue the sport at a high level.
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