Doing the Running Thing

Almost ready to go

• By rejean
• 14 January, 2013
• 5 Comments

I’m a bit late with my first post of the year and new year wishes…here it is! Happy new year!!! Thanks to everyone who’s been part of my life in some way in 2012.

I’m very lucky to have the best support system I could ask for. There’s the people I see and talk to most days, and put up with my crap…Jenny, my parents, coaches( Hugh, Dave, Eddie), Dr.Kris Sheppard, and my teammates. There’s the generous people/companies that makes it financially possible for me to train full time and not have any excuses to reach my full potential…MQM(Leo-Paul Theriault), St-Isisdore Asphalt(Richard Losier), the town and people of St-Isidore/Tracadie/NB, Classique de golf Luc Bourdon(Dave Cowan), Albenie Losier, ANB, and all the race directors who do their part to help the sport around the country. Brooks and Eload for providing me with the best products out there that helps me push my body to it’s limits every day. And last but not least, everyone who follows me and are interested in what I do…everybody back home in NB, friends and family, The Runners Shop and their club. You all help me getting my ass out of bed and work hard every day. Sorry if I forgot anyone…love you all!

*****

I’m back in Toronto from my 2 week training camp in Florida with 4 of my teammates, Kate Harrison, Lindsay Carson, Peter Corrigan and Kate VB. Things went the way I was hoping for and feel like I’m on my way back to were I need to be to get some real work done in Ethiopia.

It was nice to just go by feel and not have much structure for a while. I just ran like I wanted, sometimes fast, sometimes slow, if it felt right I would jump into Peter’s workouts and just run hard without feeling like I had to hit a certain pace. I plan on doing this more often, it’s a great way to remind myself how much I enjoy this sport.

Here’s splits of the only session I really kept track of in Florida. I just sat on Peter and ran whatever he ran.

 2 K tempo (grass), 5 x 500m (track), 2 K tempo (grass), 4x 200m(track)

6.06, 1.24, 1.23, 1.21, 1.20, 1.19, 6.00, 32, 30, 29, 28

*****

I’ve been asked a few times why I go on training camps, and why I chose to go to Ethiopia.

Getting away from our Canadian winter is a big part of it. Every winter seems to be getting milder and milder, but can still be unpredictable.

Change of scenery, just like every regular job if you do the same thing every single day it can be hard to get motivated to get out the door. During these camps I get to run new routes, run with new people, and have new challenges.

Camps are the best way to focus 100% on training. There’s not excuses to not do the small things every day (stretching, strength work, icing, drills). No junk food, naps everyday, stress free environment and being surrounded by people with the same mentality that will make you feel like a bum if you get lazy.

Why Ethiopia?

I’ve been wanting to try altitude training for a long time, and most options in North America gets snow during winter…and I hate snow.

Kenya seems to be the most common answer to this, and it did cross my mind, but there’s something about the Ethiopian culture that attracts me to it. I also want to go somewhere different then most.

After talking to a few people that spent some time there, they only had good things to say about it.

Being surrounded by the worlds best runners. I don’t expect their training to be very different than what I do now, but training around the best is the easiest way to get motivated, pushing my limits and reaching a new level of fitness.

Travelling to Ethiopia is easier than Kenya. I fly directly to Addis Ababa, and will be only at a 10km drive from the Yaya Village.

The no bullshit approach. Most African runners don’t need excuse like we do to explain a bad workout or performance. They listen to their body, run very hard when they have to, very easy when they need to.

The Yaya Village is a great facility that will take care of all my needs so that again, I can completely focus on training.

Just like hockey is part of the Canadian culture, running is part of their culture and lifestyle. Being a running geek and in love with the sport, this is just a must do.

*****

A few random pics from the last few weeks.

Book shopping for Ethiopia

Came across this while hanging out downtown, not sure what it is but I like it

First night back in town with my lady

Peter and Lindsay loving life

Clermont track

Townhouse in Florida

Back at the clay road