Well another weekend goes by and I laced up my running shoes in Baddeck, NS. Baddeck is in Cape Breton were I ran the 20th annual Cabot Trail Relay. This is a 17 man relay that runs the 298Km around the Cabot trail over approx. 27 hours. There were 65 teams from a variety of states and provinces. Runners from 17 to 75 participating in the event this weekend running legs from 13.25Km up to 20Km.
My leg was leg 3, which was a shorter 13.46 KM leg, consisting of rolling terrain. There were some nice gradual inclines as well as nice gradual down hills. So unlike the Bluenose or some of the other legs it was fairly easy to run. I was a bit nervous because having run a full marathon the week before I did not know how I would perform.
But I can tell you I had a great run. It was one of those runs where everything came together. I opted not to run with my Garmin and decided to hell with pacing, I was just going to go for it and giver all I had. That worked, I ran a very fast run, in fact in term of pace it was a Personal Best of 5:35KM breaking the previous 5:47 record set at the HBC run last year.
Will I go back to Cabot Trail and run the relay again you bet. It was a fantastic run, and a great weekend. Aingeal my partner in crime supported the first 3 legs making sure everyone had water and a friendly cheer to motivate them on. We ate in a very nice restaurant and the food was excellent.
Next up, not sure, but if I feel good by end of week, I think I will run 10K in Trenton, NS for the Johnny miles. On June 9th and 10th I will be on the Run for Life Cancer relay here at the Citadel in Nova Scotia. I may even be convinced to head over to Lunenburg on Sunday June 10th to run the famous 5K muffin run.
Harry
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Wed. May 23, 2007
Well a few days have passed and I am well on the road to recovery. I ran 4K this morning at a very slow pace and my legs held up very well. They are fatigued I can feel it but at least there is no pain.
Upcoming for this weekend is the Cabot Trail Relay in Cape Breton. It’s a 24 hour event where 65 teams put up 17 runners each and run almost 300K around Cape Breton. I have leg 3 which is 13.75Km and have 82 minutes to run it in. That is going to be a big challenge seeing that I just ran a marathon on Sunday.
Looking forward of easy running through the summer. Concentrating on 10K distances, I am going to try to keep hill work and speed work my training program, alternating them every other week, as well as try to throw in a 15 – 20K run once per month.
I will pick up a ½ marathon in October more then likely the Valley event in Kentville NS. It should be a nice run and flatter then Halifax.
Well back to the grindstone
Harry
Upcoming for this weekend is the Cabot Trail Relay in Cape Breton. It’s a 24 hour event where 65 teams put up 17 runners each and run almost 300K around Cape Breton. I have leg 3 which is 13.75Km and have 82 minutes to run it in. That is going to be a big challenge seeing that I just ran a marathon on Sunday.
Looking forward of easy running through the summer. Concentrating on 10K distances, I am going to try to keep hill work and speed work my training program, alternating them every other week, as well as try to throw in a 15 – 20K run once per month.
I will pick up a ½ marathon in October more then likely the Valley event in Kentville NS. It should be a nice run and flatter then Halifax.
Well back to the grindstone
Harry
Monday, May 21, 2007
Harry Runs a Marathon
Well Folks I ran the Blunose at 4:51 (offical) and 4:49(chip) time. While I would like to have finished faster, who cares I finsished and I am very happy with myself that i was one of only 303 folks to run a full marathon here in Halifax.
The first 20 Km where great, the pace was right on for a 4:30 marathon felt strong despite the showers. The temp was good around 14C so no problem in terms of over heating or being to cold. We did 10:1's and as I finshed the first half it was fantastic.
Then we crossed over to Dartmouth. In case you ever think of running here, make sure you hill train. Dartmouth is 60% up hill, 30% flat and 10% down. Its a nice course but the hills are tough. By the time Woodward avenue my quads were starting to really tighten up. This was unsuall since its not a big muscle I associate with running. But between the damp, hills and faster running speed I guess they were taken a betting.
Shubie park was nice, really did not like running on there new gravel its not flat so you feel the stones on your feet as you run. By the time I came out of the park and down a bit around the 34K mark, I can now tell you what the "wall" feels like. Thats the part of the race where you mind has to take control of your body. Up to then my body was on auto pilot.
The last 8Km where nothing Short of Hellish. I took more frequent walk breaks and I walked up the last 3rd of maple, my quads did not have anything to give for that hill. Once over maple I knew there was only about 5.5K left and I knew that i would finish. But at this point my walk breaks were pretty frequent.
Of course as I approached the finish the last 1.5K were run not to badly and I had a smile plastered on my face. As I approaced the finish I heard my name annouced and my GF was yelling Harry, Harry. I straigthend out, lifted my body up and look right at the photographer. Gave a big smile and the Winner pose with my hands right up in the air.
First thing I said to my Girlfriend was, "I don't ever want to do that again." As I am thinking about the next race. We had a good laugh as I shuffled back to get my bag and waited for my turn at the massage table. Watching the faster runners i realized that, no matter what time I finished, they were walking just like me.
Every ache, pain and twinged is well deserved and I could not be happier with myself.
Richard Marcinko "Rogue Warrior" and motivational speaker has my favorite quote.
"Pain is just mother natures way of telling you, that you are alive", Today I am very alive and Upright and Smiling.
Harry "Now a marathoner" Jacobs
The first 20 Km where great, the pace was right on for a 4:30 marathon felt strong despite the showers. The temp was good around 14C so no problem in terms of over heating or being to cold. We did 10:1's and as I finshed the first half it was fantastic.
Then we crossed over to Dartmouth. In case you ever think of running here, make sure you hill train. Dartmouth is 60% up hill, 30% flat and 10% down. Its a nice course but the hills are tough. By the time Woodward avenue my quads were starting to really tighten up. This was unsuall since its not a big muscle I associate with running. But between the damp, hills and faster running speed I guess they were taken a betting.
Shubie park was nice, really did not like running on there new gravel its not flat so you feel the stones on your feet as you run. By the time I came out of the park and down a bit around the 34K mark, I can now tell you what the "wall" feels like. Thats the part of the race where you mind has to take control of your body. Up to then my body was on auto pilot.
The last 8Km where nothing Short of Hellish. I took more frequent walk breaks and I walked up the last 3rd of maple, my quads did not have anything to give for that hill. Once over maple I knew there was only about 5.5K left and I knew that i would finish. But at this point my walk breaks were pretty frequent.
Of course as I approached the finish the last 1.5K were run not to badly and I had a smile plastered on my face. As I approaced the finish I heard my name annouced and my GF was yelling Harry, Harry. I straigthend out, lifted my body up and look right at the photographer. Gave a big smile and the Winner pose with my hands right up in the air.
First thing I said to my Girlfriend was, "I don't ever want to do that again." As I am thinking about the next race. We had a good laugh as I shuffled back to get my bag and waited for my turn at the massage table. Watching the faster runners i realized that, no matter what time I finished, they were walking just like me.
Every ache, pain and twinged is well deserved and I could not be happier with myself.
Richard Marcinko "Rogue Warrior" and motivational speaker has my favorite quote.
"Pain is just mother natures way of telling you, that you are alive", Today I am very alive and Upright and Smiling.
Harry "Now a marathoner" Jacobs
Monday, May 7, 2007
Sugar in foods
Interesting article to yesterday in the Chronicle Herald, it was about how sugar in foods have increased since 1978. Cereals are the worst hit with the sugar content in some cereals doubling. Full article can be found at: http://www.herald.ns.ca/Search/833700.html
One has to wonder why food manufactures feel the need to add more sugar to foods. Only one reason I can think of taste. People have sweet tooth’s so food producers aim there products to appeal to our pallet by making food sweeter. Sweet foods equal good tasting foods. How do you make kid’s eat their cereal, put in sugar so it tastes sweeter. Now the morning breakfast is like eating candy instead of a well rounded breakfast.
But no big surprise, manufactures have turned granola bars into candy bars. They chocolate coat them add marsh mellows, candy all kinds of sugar and tote it as a breakfast replacement. The mass public by into that, don’t have time for breakfast grab a chocolate coated granola bar for breakfast, might as well just grab a 3 musketeers bar.
Let me speculate and say that the problem with our eating habits is that we are fighting the mass media. How does the Canadian Diabetes or American Diabetes association fight billion dollar advertising budgets that say eating candy like granola bars are good for us. Can the government step in and start to crack down in advertising. Maybe we could have disclaimer such as “Having a Granola bar may not be a healthy replacement for a well balanced breakfast”. Or, “Eating this product may cause diabetes if eating in excess”.
The cigarette companies are forced to put disclaimers on there product. How about food, can you imagine Kraft being told to put a picture of an obese kid on the label with the caption, “This Product has no nutritional value, eating in excess can cause Heart attacks and obesity”. I am sure that would go well with the mass marketing media.
There is no easy answer I can think of. Manufactures of these food products are in the business to sell their product. The only solution is for the government to market food guides and health eating and make it fun. We need to get message out to children and families that a good breakfast is needed to start the day.
Harry
One has to wonder why food manufactures feel the need to add more sugar to foods. Only one reason I can think of taste. People have sweet tooth’s so food producers aim there products to appeal to our pallet by making food sweeter. Sweet foods equal good tasting foods. How do you make kid’s eat their cereal, put in sugar so it tastes sweeter. Now the morning breakfast is like eating candy instead of a well rounded breakfast.
But no big surprise, manufactures have turned granola bars into candy bars. They chocolate coat them add marsh mellows, candy all kinds of sugar and tote it as a breakfast replacement. The mass public by into that, don’t have time for breakfast grab a chocolate coated granola bar for breakfast, might as well just grab a 3 musketeers bar.
Let me speculate and say that the problem with our eating habits is that we are fighting the mass media. How does the Canadian Diabetes or American Diabetes association fight billion dollar advertising budgets that say eating candy like granola bars are good for us. Can the government step in and start to crack down in advertising. Maybe we could have disclaimer such as “Having a Granola bar may not be a healthy replacement for a well balanced breakfast”. Or, “Eating this product may cause diabetes if eating in excess”.
The cigarette companies are forced to put disclaimers on there product. How about food, can you imagine Kraft being told to put a picture of an obese kid on the label with the caption, “This Product has no nutritional value, eating in excess can cause Heart attacks and obesity”. I am sure that would go well with the mass marketing media.
There is no easy answer I can think of. Manufactures of these food products are in the business to sell their product. The only solution is for the government to market food guides and health eating and make it fun. We need to get message out to children and families that a good breakfast is needed to start the day.
Harry
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