BMO 2011

I ran the Vancouver Marathon on May 1st. Beautiful day it was. I drove down day off, with an hour to spare. Spent most of that hour in the bathroom line up. At 7:29(race start 7:30), I rushed to bag check ditched my bag, and raced off to race start(that had already started), so I felt panicky. I had so much energy! I started off way to fast, trying to find my place in the race. I just felt so great. I kept telling myself to slow down! I did slow down 20km-42! But still finished. My best BMO time is 3:51, so I was slightly disappointed in my 4:07 time, but also had a great day, and was proud to finish! The Canucks shirt: I wore it during race. It was so fun int he beginning. People cheering " Ya little Canuck!" and " Go Canucks!" By km 30 when people cheering out something Canuck related I just felt like crying " But, but, I'm Shannon MacLeod!" Not Canuck this and that. Funny nevertheless and was fantastic day!

Road Running Rule#1. Don't finger a red neck.

Today was a planned 3hr road run in preparation for the May 1st Vancouver Marathon. I was actually looking forward to the tedious out and back workout. No cougars, no snow, can start at an early hour, and no hills! I also forgot how much distance you can cover in 3hrs! (27k in my case) I live in downtown Squamish and ran out to the Paradise Valley. That's regarded as a far drive let alone run. I kept waiting for the watch to hit 1:30 so I could run home! But no, just kept running farther and farther from it. Not sure I actually knew everyone who honked and waved, but I smiled and waved back. I fingered one guy. He drove so close to me even though both lanes were free. Not surprising the truck was missing its muffler and the driver was smoking. I know he's just jealous that I'm all athletic, fit, and healthy(kidding, but kinda not) but that gives him no reason to scare me off the road. So I fingered him. Not really the smartest move for a Blondie on her lonesome, early in the morning on a less than busy road. I waiting for the sound of screeching breaks...but he didn't come back for my head, so I live to tell the tale. So in the end I didn't see any cougars, just a hungover bitter redneck. *judgemental pants coming off*

#70 "Because it motivates others to be more active."

Local athlete and author Margreet Dietz just completed her book "A Hundred Reasons to Run 100km" I'm reason # 70 "Because it motivates others to be more active."

Excerpt of A Hundred Reasons to Run 100km

Shannon MacLeod has inspired the entire daycare centre where she works. A relatively novice runner, she boldly signed up for the six-day 226-km Coastal Challenge footrace in Costa Rica and trained hard for seven months. When she registered for the race, she'd yet to run her first marathon. Six months later she ran her second marathon as a training day for her multi-day event. Many people told her she was nuts. Others, especially her colleagues at the daycare, thought she was amazing. And the little kids thought it was pretty cool, too. She organized a special Costa Rica-themed week during which the daycare's children learned more about the country bordered by Nicaragua and Panama, particularly about its animals as it's one of the most bio-diverse regions in the world. Many kids drew her good-luck pictures and there was a party when she came home to celebrate her successful finish. Because all the children at the daycare followed her progress, many have told their parents they want to run in Costa Rica too when they grow up. Maya Teleki, a friend and former colleague from Bloomberg News who's recently begun running with her 10-year-old son, told me how enthusiastic she was about my 100km race because it reminded her of the ultrarunning teacher she had as a youngster. “I remember having a substitute teacher in either high school or junior high who had done a century run—he had this massive belt buckle on that said 100. It made a big impression then, and still does.”

The books blog:
http://ahundredreasonstorun100km.blogspot.com/

Back on the Grid

Well I must say I've been away from blogging for far too long! Partly because I have no Internet, and partly because I had taken a break from serious running and training. In January I signed up with Jen Segger again. For personal training, and as a member of her new Challenge by Choice studio, located here in Squamish BC. http://www.challengebychoice.ca/ I think part of the reason I've been keen to run again is the studio. 3-4x a week I'm doing a spin, or C3(Strength/Endurance) class there. Keeping me on track, and giving me a chance to be social. I'm also excited about racing again and have jumped back into it. Goals for 2011 are:
March 12-Dirty Duo 25k(done-blog to come)
May 1st-Vancouver Marathon
June 4th-Whistler 1/2
June 26th- Comfortably Numb
August 6th- Stormy 50 miler.

Big list of fall races too-but I'll get to that in the fall.
Other than that I'm so ready for some clear, rain free trails!

Standup4coffee

Two Fridays ago I just happened to have a Friday off. I also just happened to be bummed about bailing on the Stormy 50miler. It also happened to be a Standup4coffee trip day! Had to do it. SUP(stand up paddle board) from Nexen Beach in Squamish to Britannia Beach for coffee at Galileo coffee shop. Doesn't that sound just about perfect? Well it was. The trip took two hours. Weather was perfect and the sea was calm. The seals were extra curious, popping up behind my board to say hi. After an amazing paddle we grab the boards and cross Hwy 99 to get to the coffee!!!! Spent the next 45minutes chatting with new friends before been shuttled back to Nexen. How perfect. Have I mentioned that?
Thanks Norm! http://www.mountainsurfadventures.com/
Check out the pics:

Decisions

Well I didn't end up doing Stormy this year. So my Stormy love affair is not over! Hard decision to make let me tell you. I found myself dreading each and every workout. Even when I got out the door I wasn't enjoying the run. Rain or shine. Good company or not. I didn't want to go into my first 50 miler with a negative attitude-especially Stormy. My first 50 miler is supposed to be an exciting challenge. One I'm stoked, and scared, to take on. At one point I thought "what the hell, I'll just do it." Then decided that if I got injured or dropped it would have an even more negative impact on me. So I decided not to do it. Jen Segger(coach) was very supportive and understood where I was at. She knows damn well I will do it next year, and that I need a break. I've trained hard for a year now (Coastal Challenge 2010), and for Stormy. Burnt myself out. So lesson learned for me personally: ONE major goal a year. Stormy 2011-can't wait!!!!

My Stormy Love Affair

My Stormy Love affair started in:

2007
At this stage I have just stared getting into running. I've run a couple of 5 peaks races, and am up into the 1hr range. I don't think there's much sense in running for more than an hour, because really-why? I'm working at daycare one day, minding my own business when one of the kids Dads (Dennis) comes in.
"Shannon you run right?"
Well.....
" We need a runner for the last leg of the Stormy"
Storm-what?
"Its only 11K"
Maybe-when is this...
"Its tomorrow"
Oh, well.
"We're really stuck"
Ok. Sure. I meet the team at 6am the next morning to send them off. I go back to bed. *Bring* phone rings "We're moving faster than we thought-you'll be running soon." Shit. I get up, get to my stage, see my teamate, do the high five send off, and I'm running. As I'm running it occurs to me that A) Every-ones at the finish waiting for me, B) I have some time to make up, and C) I'm not a team player and 6 people are relying on me, and D) I better get the f moving. I do the 11.2k in one hour. It felt awesome having teamates cheer me through the finish. This is when I realize that not only do people run the entire 50 miles on their own-there is a 100 mile option as well. Seriously???What a bunch of freaks.

2008
In the past year I've done some 20-25ks. They were fun. I meet Tammy. Tammy says,
"Hey do you want to do half the Stormy with me? Well this seems like a natural progression sorta thing to do. Its just an extra leg added onto last years 11.2 leg. Why not. The 22.8k, 9 mile hill leg!!!!!!!!! Oh mother of pearl, now what have I agreed to. I do the 35k in 4hrs. I learn a new word: Ultra. Hmmm...wonder if I could ever do the entire 50 miles? OMG shut up Shannon.

2009
Well as life would have it I've now done some 25ks, and completed a marathon. Oh and signed up for a little 240km run across Costa Rica. Um what? Yes. WTF? How did that happen? I'm a little impulsive some say. Jen Seggers got 7 months to train me for this. This year I do the same last two stages in the Stormy as a training run with future friend and Costa Rican teamate Jude.
After not only beating last years Stormy 35k by 13minutes, I complete the Costa Rica 240k in 39hrs, done some more marathons, and am now ready for....

2010
My first Ultra-Marathon. Goal: 50miles in under 11hours.
Story: too be continued...

Summer Solstice Trail Marathon

This was my make it or break it race. I have been feeling love/hate about running lately, and was unsure of how I'd react to 42.2km, 1866m elevation trail marathon. I'd been a bit slack in my training as well. If this race sucked I was going to postpone my first 50miler until next summer.
Sooooo....the weather was overcast-perfect. My mood-great. Energy-lots of it. What I loved about this race was there were maybe 30 runners entered. I met running great Adam Campbell(he won). Maybe if I wasn't introducing myself to him during the course briefing I wouldn't have gotten lost! (that story coming up). Felt very cozy as I got to know some great new people. One of which was Andie. We ran up Grouse, and down Old Mountain Hwy together. She was telling me her daughter wants her ears pierced at 7-I told her to just let her. I shared my struggles with training lately-she told me I'm burnt out. Moments like these are why I love racing. Struggling up a mountain and talking about life with a complete stranger. Then I got lost and didn't see Andie for the rest of the race :( Getting lost is an exaggeration. I simply did these two loops in the wrong order. I saw flagging and just turned off to follow it. Poor 80yr old race volley didn't tell me I had to do that loop 2nd as A) she was 80, and B) my bib was on my pack so she didn't realize I was racing. Well I didn't quite realize my mistake until I saw Adam Campbell running lightning fast towards me. We waved, I ran, the loop looped, and I realized: "This.Is.Not.Right. I SHOULD NOT be behind Adam Campbell. Shit." All said and done it made no difference.
Nearing the end I hit an aid station where I promptly ate about 3 cut up oranges. I couldn't stop! Most Delicious. And sorry to anyone who may have wanted oranges running behind me. Left that aid station as Chickie said "8k to go!" Yippee!!! I get going with heavy legs. I run for about 30 minutes when I come up to another aid station. As I run by Chickie says" Only 8k to go!" Well WTF. I know better than to believe what I'm told about km countdowns-but still. Of course the trail meanders through the forest, and I know I'm close to been back near Grouse. I think its almost time for the downhill sprint to the finish when *gulp* flagging leads me back up Grouse Mountain. Mother%&$^^. Was stoked when I did end up on that downhill sprint to the finish, in at 6:18. Andie was there cheering me on-she'd thought I'd injured myself so she was thankful to hear I'd only done the route ass backwards. I sat at the finish for awhile, freezing my ass off at the Summer Solstice race. How ironic.
I must say now that Summer Solstice is done, I can solely focus on the Stormy 50 miler and I'm feeling super pumped for it! Then I'll take some chill time, do some smaller races, and become a fair weather runner!

Bit of Bypolar

Running has been an emotional roller coaster for me lately. One day I love it, googling every run, race, and runner that exists. I day dream of destination races, and achievements. The next day I hate running, and exercise in general. Wishing I was a lazy couch potato and OK with that. Never want to run again, and don't get why people do it in the first place. I blame the weather. Its cold and wet. I trained in cold and wet for Costa Rica and I guess I'm over it. I knew the Iron Lung 25k (May 30th) would give the drive and motivation I so require. Just pinning my bib number on my shorts was enough of a rush. I had so much energy and enthusiasm during that race. I was worried my mind and body wouldn't show up. So glad I was wrong. I had a great race, it was a beautiful day and a fun course. It was just what I needed to get back in the game!
Summer Solstice in a couple weeks!
I'm now excited about upcoming runs, races, and goals!

Not MY best friend

I know you love your dog(s) and think they can do no wrong. They are the apple of your eye, and they love you unconditionally. Well they don't love me unconditionally so call off the hounds. I hate how nervous I get while running in the trails and coming upon unleashed dogs. Most dogs could care less, and breeze by me. That's cool. Its the ones that are jumping happily all over me while the owner says "He's just friendly." I don't want friendly dog slobbering over me mid run, thanks. Get him off me. Then I find said dogs stupid hair in my food days later??? Gross. Or the dog that sprints full tilt towards me, playing chicken with me on the trail, when just as I'm about to jump into the ditch it darts slightly right, grazing my shorts as it passes. "Awe....wasn't that cute" the owners gush. Cute?!!! Here, have my shorts I just soiled-hows that for cute? Yesterday I had a dog growling at me as it bounced back and forth deciding whether to attack me. That owners response? " We just got him from a shelter, so he's still figuring out who is good or bad." Welllll....I'm not out here to be your mother f&$%*king guinea pig! Test him out in a prison yard!

A couple of weeks ago a dog actually made contact, ripping my 100$ jacket with his teeth. I just wanted to get up the bloody Chief and beat my personal best time, but noooooo the owner was so upset she was crying all over the place, saying "that's never happened before." Ya well it just did.

I do like the dogs that just come out of nowhere and run with me for a bit. That is until I worry he's adopted me as his future freaky dog owner.

Oh and believe me I can't wait to get a dog to run with. Will I put it on a leash? Probably not-that's just cruel. He'd be friendly and oh so cute, and would NEVER jump on you. He could do no wrong.