Running & Swimming Monthly & Net K totals

ahh, nothing like looking at stats to make me feel good about myself.. many of my friends over at the Running Room forum are trying to reach what's known as the 1000K challenge, that being, running 1000K in one year..

well, i'm gonna try for one better. i'm gonna shoot for 4000k run and 900k swim! here's where things stand so far...

Running Monthly and Net K Totals

January 126.30 -126.30
February 114.50 - 240.80
March 299.50 - 540.30
April 317.10 - 857.40
May 347.00 - 1204.00
June 352.60 - 1556.60
July 415.40 - 1972.00
August 572.80 - 2566.80
September 325.40 - 2892.20
October 300.90 - 3193.10

Swimming Monthly & Net K totals

Jan 67.350 - 67.35
Feb 101.500 - 168.85
Mar 92.450 - 261.30
Apr 103.900 - 365.20
May 47.000 - 412.20
Jun 47.450 - 459.65
July 42.925 - 502.575
Aug 43.725 - 546.30
Sep 36.350 - 582.65
Oct 54.150 - 651.65

October 31, 2008 - out with a whimper

well, there's no way i could ever live up to last year's Halloween. it was a very special milestone in the history of my life - the legendary Pink outfit that shocked the world, er, at least shocked everyone in the office.. this was their first real look at "Jennifer" .....i wore the same outfit today as a tribute to the day, and was met with general indifference, which is exactly what i wanted!

i went for a little run at lunch and then spent 5 hours sitting at home where i met a grand total of 4 kids who were brave enough to knock on my door, all together very early in the evening... can't believe i passed up my evening swim for that :(

i went out for a second run on the day, bringing the daily count to 6.1k and pushing me to 300.9k on the month, my 4th lowest total on the year..

generally, October sucked for me. i dread stepping on the scale tomorrow for what i think will be a 5 pound weight gain on the month..

it was a month that saw the most disappointing road race (Cape to Cabot) for the one that meant the 2nd most to me all year (Eastern Marathon was the only one i wanted more).

a month to deal with the frustration of being on hormone dosages that are too low to give me the desired feminization affects, yet high enough to hit me with side affects - cramping/dehydration issues, exhaustion, fatigue..

not all was lost.

- Oct 3-4 saw me run 60k within a 24 hour period, only the 5th time in my life doing that.

- Part of that was a 42.2k run on Oct 3 that represented my 33rd overall marathon on the year.

- that was also the day of a bonus "summer weather" day that lead me to run to the beach, a place i love so much.. for my last swim in the ocean on the year.

- the thanksgiving long weekend featured 44.7k run in 2 days, then a mega swim on the monday that was 10.1k non-stop in 224 minutes.

- and then i outdid that swim on Oct 26 by hitting both pool sessions for a total of 11k in 212 minutes.

i am determined to make November a good month. i want PB monthly distances both on the road and in the pool. and i want to drop those 5 pounds that i gained in Oct. i have to go out of 2008 at least 1 pound lighter than i entered.. that's where i'm at now... lol

Jennifer

October 30, 2008 - summer weather

history making weather day in st. john's, newfoundland.. 19 degrees (that's 68 USA degrees.. lol). another swim in the pond as well as a nice 5k of running. also did 2.5k swimming in the pool. felt pretty good throughout, although the energy stores lowered towards the end of the swim.

i am now up to 20.6k swimming this week. my PB is 32.15, so i have an outside shot at breaking that if i can get over for a couple of long swims.

Jennifer

October 28 & 29, 2008 - two good days!

geeze, now i am getting sluggish with these updates... lol

Oct 28 was excellent. i had a very strong 73 minute swim, covering 3.5k. also ran 6k.

Oct 29 was equally as good. a 38 minute swim covering 2.1k, including some sprints.. then 10k of gentle running.. very energetic throughout the activities..

yesterday also featured me giving an interview to a Kinesiology student who was working on a paper regarding transsexualism in athletics (gee, i still can't believe people see me as an "athlete") it was a good discussion. we spoke about the issues transsexuals face as to athletic organizers in terms of if/when/how transsexuals should be allowed to compete for their new sex. the big gap here is that there's no place for those "in transition" ...sure, it's great that i will be able to run marathons in 2011 as a female, but what about 2009? is it fair for me to be competing as a male?

we also talked about the concept of "duty to accomodate" and the needs for 3rd change room options.

amazing day here in newfoundland. 17 degrees at lunch hour, prompting me to run home and get my bikini out for a swim in the chilly pond!

Jennifer

October 27, 2008 - exhausted swim

well, i shoulda known it would be a sluggish swim just 24 hours after completing 11k of swimming. it was a long and emotional day for me, which usually means energy levels are low... but i was determined to follow up with another run and swim, so i jogged over to the pool and got in for a swim, and could barely move from the get go. it was by far the slowest swim i have ever had, and i finally gave up after just 1.5k, which took 42 minutes.

oh well, maybe tomorrow.. lol

Jennifer

October 26, 2008 - Pool-mania Marathon!

well, the day started out similar to yesterday - sleeping in late! once again, i managed to get myself over to the pond to visit my little friends, then head over to the pool. once again, the run over was very sluggish, but once i got into the pool, i actually started to feel normal energy levels.. i didn't really know how much of a swim i was going to have. i figured it would be the usual 2-3k and the exhaustion... but things went well and i decided to carry on, and on... and on...

i hit the 4k mark and felt great and decided to keep going.. incredibly, i hit 5k and was ahead of my usual schedule for that distance, and decided i might as well finish up the entire 2 hour session. i ended up at 6.25k in 119 minutes, my 6th best two hour swim ever and best since starting HRT.

but that wasn't enough, i ran home... then after a break to watch some NFL, i was back out there repeating the path.. a run to see the duckies, a run to the pool, and back in for more. i managed to sneak in 3 minutes early, so i had 93 minutes to work on a daily PB. the swim got off to a good start. i was noticably winded from the earlier swim, but carried on at a good pace. by 3k, i was ahead of pace but finally started to slow. but after getting to 3.75k and seeing that i had 20 minutes left, i picked it back up and managed to get that 11k on the day in there right in time before the buzzer. i was totally exhausted but i had completed 4.75k in 93 minutes.. after what i did earlier in the day.

overall, i hit 10k in 3.12, typing my first every attempt at this distance (i'm not convinced the distance at the other pool is the same as it always seems to take longer to swim laps over there).

then i hit a PB with my first ever 11k day swim.. time totalling 3hr 32 min.

but that's not all, my run back home actually went well. and after another refueling and football session, i decided it was time for a night run, and i went back over to the pond (no duckies this time), and back. totalling 15.2k of running.

i actually felt sad that i didn't spend much time outside today. we had a fairly nice day here.. got up to 12 degrees in the afternoon and stayed sunny all day. as much as i love my swimming in the pool, i really miss being able to swim at the ponds and beaches. oh well, this is still a rest and recovery period, if you can believe it. the calf muscles are still sore and seem to be often at risk of further cramping.. and the knees still aren't 100%. maybe by next weekend, i'll be ready for a fall run up to one of the beaches..

oh well, overall, a pretty good week for me. let's hope the one ahead is a good one too!

Jennifer

October 25, 2008 - lovely fall afternoon

well, i can't think of a better afternoon. i had a nice sleep in today and finally got myself out the door and ran over to the pond to visit with the duckies. it seems the duckies are the only thing that can cheer me up these days. you can always count on them to be cheerful and enthusiastic as long as you have bread crumbs! then i struggled to finish the run over to the pool, where i had a rather sluggish swim and an even more sluggish run home.

but after some lunch and an hour or two of rest, i went back out for another run, this time, all the way down to Quidi Vidi lake, where i got to see even more duckies, about 300 of them! and yes, i made sure all 300 of them got at least one piece of bread.. lol then i ran up Signal Hill, and did so quite well, i might add. better than last week as part of the Cape to Cabot race. then i took the time to enjoy the view from a top the hill, something i was too upset to do last week. such a spectacular view from up there. nothing else like it in the world.

then i made the slow run home, stopping at Kent's Pond to see those duckies again.. essentially finishing my lovely afternoon off where it started.. i found myself actually crying to see the sun setting and ending my wonderful afternoon..

anyway, it was home and inside for the night, where i enjoyed an evening of NCAA football on tv, a real girly thing to do.. lol

Jennifer

October 24, 2008 - Black Ice

ok, no ice out on the roads yet (although there was a hint of snow the other day here!)

i'm of course referring to Black Ice, the latest CD release by Rock legends AC/DC, their first album of new material since 2000. i had to take a trip over to the mall to get my glasses fixed, so i popped into the record store and grabbed the CD as well. hopefully listening to this new disk will fire me up and give me some much-needed energy.. lol

it was a very sluggish 8k run and 2k swim this afternoon. energy levels not very high today. i'm still just 5 days removed from a very difficult day, the Cape to Cabot race, where i did some damage to the calf muscles.

rather than go all out, i'm going to try to reduce the speed of my running, if that's at all possible given that i am already slower.. this was the 2nd day in 3 where i couldn't even complete 3k without stopping for a walk break.. and again, once i got into the pool, things didn't go well.. it was a slow and gentle 2k swim today with lots of breaks.. then it was more running over to the mall, then a run towards home, where i stopped at the pond and walked the rest of the way.

oh well, 8k run and 2k swim is a good little work out for a week day. i'm hoping to get a good sleep tonight and test things with a longer work out tomorrow. not sure if it will be run, swim, or both, but i will intend to do at least 2 hours worth of working out..

Jennifer

October 23, 2008 - better swim

much better day for me. energy levels back to normal (well the new normal, if such a thing really exists). had a nice 47 minute swim and felt strong all the way thru. would have swam longer if i wasn't late getting over to the pool after work.

will likely swim again tomorrow.

Jennifer

October 22, 2008 - light day

very little energy this afternoon. having skipped my swim the past 2 days, i was determined to get over to the pool today. the run over to the pool was very sluggish. i actually ran 2k then walked the 3rd k. the swim didn't go much better. exhaustion right from the get go. i forced my way thru 20 laps, taking breaks in between almost each one. only 1k swim in total. and a slow 3k walk home.

guess i am going to have to get used to these low energy days and take advantage of the good days when they happen..

Jennifer

October 21, 2008 - OFF Day

well, it's a cold rainy and windy day here. perfect weather to be inside resting.. lol the calf muscles are still sore and the knees are sore too, and i am still dealing with fatigue issues as i adjust to the new meds i am on. so it was no running, no swimming.. 4k of walking, which i do every day. hopefully i can get a good rest tonight.

Jennifer

October 20, 2008 - unplanned sprint!

i wasn't planning on running today, but i got a last-minute call from rogers and literally ran from the office to home and then back to the office to ensure that i was able to let the repair team get my cable back and running, yet not miss a beat with a couple of afternoon meetings.. it was so funny.. i essentially sprinted back to the office and showed up to my meeting with a big bottle of gatorade and a towel.. lol ....for the record, it was 3 of the fastest k i have ever ran on a day after a seriously painful cramp.. lol

i'm still struggling to come to terms with my disappointing result at the 20K race yesterday. i had high hopes of a sub 90 minute run and a top 10 placement, yet finished 116 minutes and 204th. i wanted this one really badly. even more than any marathon. this was Cape Spear and Signal Hill, two of my favourite spots on the world.. it was the only race where i actually did training runs on the actual race course. i am totally shellshocked. this is going to be very tough to accept and get over..

well, the calf muscles are still hurting today. serious cramps usually cause damage that takes up to a week to heal. i even came close to breaking out in cramps again today.. i'm thinking this may have been more of a muscle fatigue issue than a dehydration issue.. lots of unanswered questions that i will have to figure out what has been going on here..

Jennifer

October 19, 2008 - respectable swim

well, i thought i would salvage some self-respect and self-dignity with a swim, so i walked over to the pool and had a gentle 1.6k in the pool. not much energy left after 28k of running this morning, but having a swim in the pool and a visit to the pond to see the duckies really made up for a miserable morning..

Jennifer

October 19, 2008 - worst race of the year :(

well, my day started out with a 4k warm up downtown to catch the shuttle bus to the start of the 20k race, and i thought things were going to go well. my PB 20K is 85 minutes, but given the difficulty of the course and my limitations from the medications i had been on, i was aiming for a 100 minute run.

well, i got off to a good start keeping the pace that i had set out for the 1st k. the 2nd k was up a nasty hill that slowed me down more than most, but i made up for it by flying down a downhill stretch for the 3rd & 4th k. 5 and 6 were fairly steady and straight.. then the 7th k was another nice steep downhill but around the 8k mark, during another nasty uphill, massive leg cramps started to hit me in both legs. and that was pretty much it for me. i slowed down to a gentle jog.

i crossed the 10k mark at 55 minutes. and at this point, i considered dropping out in order to avoid further risks of cramping, but i decided to carry on at an even slower pace.. i figured that if this really is going to be my last road race for 2-3 years, i might as well finish it, even if i had the worst time of them all.

i kept a slow pace and occasionally tested the legs, but every time i tried to speed up, i could feel more cramps coming on. so i went back down to an even slower pace, and continued to slow down as i got deeper into the race. i did my best to try to keep a positive attitude, but everytime someone yelled out "nice job" or "you're looking good" , i'd just give then a nasty stare.. even yelling out a "no i'm not" back at them on occasion!

as i hit the 18k mark, it was time to finish the race with the climb up signal hill, essentially an uphill climb at a 45 degree angle for 2k! i could see about 50 runners ahead of me who had slowed to a walk and even at my slow jogging pace, i started to pass many of them.. about 3/4 of the way up the hill, cramps hit both of my calves again.. i almost lost my balance but managed to stay standing.. i ended up walking the remaining 200 m to the finish line.

ended up with a time of 1.56.08, placing me a distance 202nd out of 400 runners. first time all year that i didn't even place in the top half of a race, and the worst performance by me in any race since my IT Bands forced me to walk in the last 10k of the 2007 Toronto marathon. i appeared to be fairly well hydrated all weekend, so i can only assume the cramping was due to muscle fatigue and/or the fact that the higher dosage of spironolactone i have been taking was making me more dehydrated than i appeared. it's going to be a trip back to the doctors shortly to discuss plan B for all these meds i am on.

i guess overall, i shouldn't be surprised. there were times this week at work that i could barely muster enough energy to make it up and down the stairs..... it's also been a very difficult couple of weeks for me from an emotional standpoint.. so perhaps that played havoc on my energy levels.

well, i'm thinking this will be the last race i ever run in the male catagory. i am likely to have an orchidectomy surgery later this fall or early in the winter, so i will no longer have my biological maleness.. (yet i won't become a legal female until part 2 of the surgery, which i might not be able to afford for several years).

i've decided to write the Newfoundland & Labrador Athletic Association and the Boston Athletic Association and express my interest in participating in their 2009 running events, but only if they are willing to create a 3rd gender catagory.. it's going to be very interesting to see what these folks have to say about this..

anyway, what won't change will be my continued love of training runs.. i'll definitely be out there every day, even in thick snow during our lovely Newfoundland winters.. it's also going to be a winter where i pick my swimming up to the next level..

well, i'm going over to the pond to feed the duckies some bread crumbs.. maybe they can cheer me up after what generally felt like the worst morning of my life.

Jennifer

October 18, 2008 - back in the groove & strategizing about my futhre

well, it was a day of light running around the city this afternoon to get various things done.. a run over to the pond to visit with my little friends, the duckies.. and then a run over to the Running Room to pick up my race kit for tomorrow's 20K, where i was greeted and congradulated by the race organizers on my infamous 2 marathons in 2 days..

then it was a nice 40 minute swim, without my goggles, which somehow got left at home. so the chlorine really bothered my eyes.. it was still nice to get back in the pool after several days off.

then i ran to a walk in clinic to have my dog bite looked at.. good news is that the wound does not appear to be problematic. it is a little painful but it doesn't seem to hamper my running. (on that note, the bruise on the other leg seems to have healed so i should be fine to give it a good effort tomorrow).

then for added measure, i took a scenic route back home and ran by another pond, and saw more duckies, and swans! 11.5k of running in total, all on a new pair of shoes that i wanted to break in for tomorrow's big day.

....well, rather than completely throw out my racing career for the next 2-3 years, i have decided to try for a long shot. i will be contacting various race committees and athletic associations and asking them to consider allowing me to participate in their events in a 3rd sex catagory.

i'm still going to hold strong that i will not run as a "male" ever again after tomorrow, but if they are willing to put either the female or even an "intrasex," "in transition" or even "other" label on me, then i will happily compete in their events. Boston will be among the folks that i will be contacting. it will be very interesting to see what they all come back with.

Jennifer

October 17, 2008 - disasterous day

gee, so rogers cable cuts off my service when they were actually supposed to cut off my neighbour. before calling in to complain, i did a walk around the house to make sure none of the cables had been physically damaged, and i get attacked and bitten by the neighbours dog.

so now i have a nice little gash on my leg, and no cable tv until monday.

and if that wasn't bad enough, i had to call rogers twice to get customer service because the first clerk didn't want to serve me because she wasn't convinced my voice was feminine enough for me to indeed be a Jennifer. she didn't even bother to ask me the password on my account..

ahhh, the joys of being a transwoman.

anyway, back to business. this is supposed to be a running blog, isn't it? 3 gentle k this evening. the leg bruise problem from the past few days seems to have resolved itself and that problem seems to be 100% resolved. so i'm thinking Sunday's run will be a go ahead without any complications.

tomorrow is kit pick up day and will probably feature a light short run and a swim..

Jennifer

October 16, 2008 - running update

yes i did have a light run today. 3.2k after work to the pond and back. very slow and gentle. the bruised leg is still sore but felt quite a bit better than yesterday. i suspect i will be good to go on sunday.

didn't get a very good sleep last night. felt rather lethargic all day. did manage to get out shopping with a girl friend tonight and grabbed a few new fall outfits.. tons of fun.

coffee with a friend tomorrow night planned too. wow, Jenn is actually socializing.. lol but i have missed my swim 3 days in a row, however. oh well, i suppose the rest isn't a bad thing, then again, i have probably gained another pound or two this week.

oh well, after sunday's race, i am going to try to pick it back up a notch or two with the endurance workouts. i really enjoyed the 3 hr 44 min swim on monday. i want to do some more swims like that this fall.. as well as several more 42.2k training runs.. perhaps 4 days in a row at some point.

ok, i gotta laugh at this one. someone actually set up a Facebook "event" for changing clocks next weekend.. and 187000 people so far have declined the "invite" to such event.. i guess all these folks will be showing up early for work on monday.. lol

i'm thinking i should book an "event" every time i update this site. since i know all you thousands of people reading this will be anxious to decline.. lol

ok, this is just getting silly and has nothing to do with running. i better sign off for the night..

Jennifer

October 16, 2008 - No Boston - retirement, of sorts, instead

well, i have thought this over for quite a while now and i have officially made up my mind to not seek an entry into the 2009 Boston Marathon.

although i technically did not meet their qualification standards, it is quite common for runners who are close to write them and beg their way in.

what makes my situation unique is that i am medically half way between male and female right now. the testosterone blocking medication and estrogen hormones have substantially slowed me down. to ask me to hit male qualifying times is technically unfair.

my July 20/08 marathon run of 3.16.59 was ran while under the influence of the blockers. i can honestly say that this run would have been easily at least 60 seconds better had i not started the meds when i did.

then again, i knew the meds were coming and i had many chances before this to qualify and i couldn't get the job done. the cramping disaster in Mississauga, and the fatigue issue at the Eastern were two more close calls. some things are just not meant to be.

bottom line, this isn't about whether i DESERVE to be there. this should be about whether or not i WANT to be there.. and quite frankly, as much as i want to run every race, especially this one. i want to run them as a female.. and unfortunately, boston and all other marathons won't recognize me as a female until 2 YEARS AFTER i have had my surgery.. this totally seems unfair and unreasonable, but if that's the standard, then i have no other choice but to accept it.

plus, the way i see it, i have nothing further to accomplish in running as a male. i do not want to be recognized or remembered as a male. although running was never supposed to be about competition, i can't help it. i am a very competitive person. and if i can't compete at my best, then i won't compete. and if i can't compete as a female, then i won't compete. this is what i want.

with that i mind, i have decided not to run any more marathons until two years to the day after my testicles have been removed from my body. it's going to be awefully tough to be sitting at home on apr 20/09 watching Boston on tv (heck, i might not even watch) but deep down, i know it's what i want.

i want my first Boston to be because i qualified as a female and have been accepted and recognized as such. i never got to experience the thrill of crossing that finish and seeing a qualifying time, and this is something i really want. begging my way in and getting accepted via letter is not the climactic qualification experience i want.

and sneaking in the back door and running a slow 2009 Boston would not give me any satisfaction. my back to back marathons in sept was supposed to be a test to determine whether or not i could enjoy running just for the sake of running and to see how i felt about posting poor results as a male, and sure, there was an amazing sense of accomplishment to complete 2 marathons in 2 countries in 2 days, but not enough to keep me going back for more. seeing "Jennifer McCreath male" written beside my results are upsetting enough. to see slower times beside that only makes it worse.

so i am both sad and happy to announce that i have run my last marathon as a male. this will more than likely mean that i won't run another marathon until 2011. it's going to be tough over the next few years to not compete in marathons, but i know deep down that this is what i want.

this is not the beginning of the end, but the end of the beginning. i will now focus on training and getting myself into even better shape, so that my 2011 marathon season will go well enough to get my qualified as a female for the 2012 Boston marathon.

Jennifer

October 14 & 15, 2008 - injury recovery

well, i have a rather bizarre injury to report. as i attempted to get out of the pool on monday, i didn't use the pool ladder. instead, i lifted myself up onto the edge from the water and pushed myself right out of the pool, as i normally do. somehow, all of my body weight was pressing against my left leg, which was in an awkward position. as i was so tired, i couldn't lift my body right out of the water immediately, so my entire body weight was pressured on my leg for an extended amount of time. probably no more than 5 seconds, but enough to cause what appears to be internal bruising. i did not run monday or tuesday, and gave it a try today for 2k but stopped due to pain. i'm now thinking i won't do any running until sunday morning.

i had planned to swim after work today but felt too exhausted to do so. it's been a very emotionally stressful week. the last visit with the family doc did not go well. she is not willing to increase my hormone dosage levels due to what i feel was bad advice given to her by some doctors in BC. the BC folks use a protocol that differs from most others, and this is definitely a conern. i have spent most of the day contacting experts in Toronto in an attempt to get them to intervene and give my doctor advice that is consistent with best-practice. bottom line, i am not getting the hormones i need at this point and my transition is essentially on hold now. very frustrating given that i thought i had overcome all hormone concerns.

Jennifer

October 13, 2008 - Swim-a-thon

well, as promised, it was a trip over to the pool for the entire day session! 3 hours and 44 minutes of practically non stop swimming (except for a few bathroom breaks).

404 twenty-five metre laps, totalling 10.1k. i edged out my 10k PB by 1 minute, then added in a few more laps for good measure. technically, i covered the distance in a much slower swim time than my Sept 1 swim. then again, i took a 30 minute break during half time for that one, so technically, today's swim was faster overall.

there was absolutely no taper for this. in fact, i came into this fairly tired, having run 19k on sunday and 25.7k on saturday. not to mention swims of 4 and 2.5k respectively.

so i started out fairly slow and tried to keep a pace of 30 second laps. 31 minutes into the swim, i had to go for bathroom break #1. by 4k, i was already winded, but managed to keep up the pace. i had 2 litres of gatorade and 2 power gels with me at pool side to revitalize myself.

by 7k, i had my second wind and realized i was going to do it. i essentially cruised in right up to the end, sneaking in just a few minutes before the time limit. 11k was my ultimate goal, but i knew 10k was more realistic, so 10.1k was an extreme success.

i finished with energy to spare and without and sore muscles. even my arms felt good. i am convinced that i could have gone on for a while further.. oh well, i'm going to have to go over one of these days when they have a 5 hr 30 minute swim session. that will be a 15k attempt.

no run today.. i had a car rental so i did some errands after the swim, including some laundry, a coffee with a cute friend, and a trip to the ocean to see the waves, and the pond to see the duckies! typical cold newfoundland fall day, but a very productive and emotionally possitive day..

arms are incredibly not sore. i'm thinking there won't have to be any days off. with a 20k race this sunday, i will be doing more swimming and less running over the days leading up to it.

amazing to think i ran 44.7k this weekend and already here on monday night, the legs feel completely fine! there's a little nagging knee pain that has been bothering me since August, but nothing that should prevent me from running the best 20k of my life.

the only wild card will be more hormones. i revisit the doc tomorrow and will hope to go even higher in dosage.. although the estrogen has been sapping my strength and endurance, 20k is short enough that it shouldn't be much of an issue. i'm aiming to run a sub 90 minute race on what is the toughest 20k hilly course in canada. would really love to crack the top 3 but i think that may be a bit ambitious as there will be many elite stars in the field of 400.

Jennifer

October 11 & 12, 2008 - big swim and run combo

what a good saturday. started by sleeping in til 11 am. a much needed long sleep after a week of stayingh up late a few times. dragged myself over to the pool for a nice 2k swim, then spent the afternoon running - 25.7k in total. also took time to visit both left and kent pond and enjoy the fall colours. the duckies were still at the pond and were glad to see me as usual.

Saturday night featured some relaxing inside watching some US college football. that stuff is so exciting to watch and the fans really get into it with school spirit.

Sunday started off with another sleep in and an excellent 4k swim, which i completed in 74 minutes, about 10 minutes faster than usual for that distance. sandwiched around a couple of 3k runs.

now i am settling in to watch some NFL football, then likely head back out for more running.

Monday is going to feature a short run and a mega endurance swim. possibly the longest swim of my entire life. my goal is to swim the entire 3:45:00 swim session and cover 11k. should be fun!

Jennifer

October 10, 2008 - back in the pool

seems like i am never at the pool anymore, but i've now swam 3 times in 6 days, so i'm starting to get the numbers back. 55 minutes for 2.5k today. a pretty good pace. also ran 5k to and from the pool, so overall, a nice little work out. it wore me out though.. lol part of that could be from emotional stress from yet another upsetting situation at work. it's really amazing how emotional state of mind can affect one's level of energy and affectiveness while running or swimming.

well, no official races this weekend. no trips, no thanksgiving. nothing. just me and some long training runs and swims planned.. let's see if i can drop some of this weight i have gained over the past 6 weeks.. 10 pounds to be exact! not good!

Jennifer

October 9, 2008 - light run

nice little 3.6k run after work today. a work colleague from out of town wanted to join me for a run so we had a nice light jog down the street and around the pond. the knees are still a little sore. but this is to be expected. the past two weekends have featured an extremely high amount of k.

my weight continues to rise. this is definitely not good. up to the high 170s now. and yikes, i have only had 4 trips to the pool in the past 20 days. this is going to change this weekend though.. not sure about the running, but there's definitely going to be some long and hard swims.

i am also determined to finish putting that stationary bike together.. i'd like to drop 2- 3 pounds between now and oct 19.

Jennifer

October 7 & 8, 2008 - slacking off?? ..lol

gee, i haven't been posting on here much this week.

the 7th was another day off running but a good 47 minute swim where i covered 2.25k. swimming seems to wear me out much more than running these days. not sure if it's more of an overall body effort, or perhaps weaker muscles that aren't being kept active at a pace to compensate for muscle loss due to hormones.

a couple of short 2k runs today. 3 to be exact as i ran back and forth from a couple of appointments.. funny that these don't really feel like runs and it sort of feels like a day off. but 6k is considered a good work out for most.

short run and swims on slate for tomorrow. still in recovery mode. felt quite tired today and actually took an afternoon nap after work before heading out to my evening appt, which was an all candidates debate for the canadian federal election. fun to see the local candidates in action and get a taste for who they are and what they stand for.

Jennifer

Octoer 6, 2008 - day off

gee, no running, no swimming, and even no blog post! it really was a day off!

i did go for a nice long walk though and stalked up on groceries...

that weekend totally wore me out. the day of rest was much needed.

Jennifer

October 5, 2008 - so much for a light sunday!

yah, if you actually believed it would be light.. lol

the day started with me waking up barely on time to get my butt down town for the cibc run. i had a 4.5k "warm up" run to get there. i ran into 3 other runners who were out for a stroll. they all recognized me and said hello. it's amazing how word has spread around the city about my double marathon last week in Akron and Toronto. i also had someone at the hockey game last night comment on it.

anyway, the CIBC run for the cure started with some pregame festivities. a lady told her story about overcoming breast cancer, and then a group of stretchers warmed people up to AC/DC's 1990 smash hit, Thunderstruck! then our premier welcomed everyone and wished us all the best.

although it was not a "race", i treated it as such and lined up at the front of the pack, where i ran into 2 familiar faces from our running community. two of our best mid-distance runners in the province in fact, including the best female runner. the three of us flew down the road and chatted away, mostly about my marathons.. after 2.5k, a hill slowed me down and they went on ahead. (i was surprised i could even keep up with them for that long!) by 4k, two others had passed me, but i got a second wind and finished strong.. crossing unofficially at 19.55, the 2nd fasted 5k i have ever run in my life! not bad for an exhausted transwoman who ran 98k in the past 60 hours..

i am just now starting to realize just how fit i have become. all those long runs in august, and the double marathon last weekend, and the 98k this weekend, and i can still go out there with relatively fresh legs and run an elite 5k time.

after i crossed the finish line, i grabbed some water and watched as 3000 others sauntered in one by one. this was easily the most-attended sporting event in newfoundland this year, even more people than our infamous Tely 10 race.

after a cool down, i jogged home, and then after a little food and some football, ran over to the pool for a late afternoon swim. (it was 12 days since my last swim so i was really anxious to get over there). i also didn't want to spend the rest of the day in the house.. i've really come to enjoy the outdoors and the sunlight. i don't know what i am gonna do come winter here.

the swim did not go very well. 1.6k and i was on the verge of collapsing.. so i decided to pack it in. i grabbed a coffee and donuts to get some sugar in my system and had a nice slow walk home, where i watched some more football.

so, not a bad little weekend of running 19k on thursday, 44.1k friday, 30k saturday, and 22.5k sunday.. the week ahead will likely be much ligher on the running but heavier on the swiming.

there is a very small chance that i will travel somewhere to run another official marathon for thanksgiving, (depending on air fares) so i want to try to get my legs rested, just in case. if i don't go away this weekend, i might try for a Quadzilla similated training weekend - 4 marathon runs in 4 days, in which all runs are done under simulated marathon conditions - i.e. all run early in the morning and all done without any significant breaks during each run.

the week past was also a time for further reflection on my life. the trip away last weekend gave me a chance to regroup my thoughts and try to come to a decision on some issues that have been outstanding for a while.. trying to find happiness has been a challenge lately.. my life has been in chaos for a while with several uncertainties regarding my transition and my employment. my socail life has essentially been non existant too. so i am going to be trying some new things to see if i can get all of these matters resolved.. uncertaintly and turbulance seems to be the norm for me, and that is not good. running seems to be the one constant i can always fall back on to keep my sanity.. i hope the month ahead is a good one..

Jennifer

October 4, 2008 - running til exhaustion.. lol

well, that was a tough 44.1k yesterday. lots of hills. i had a good night's sleep and woke up and had a little breakfast and felt like going for a morning run to see how much i could add to my total within a 24 hour window. after 10k, i essentially ran out of steam and had to stop. there's only so much a body can do with 8 hours to recover. i ended up logging a total of 60k within the 24 hour period, so nowhere near my personal best of 85k, but it was a good overall run and i know i have dropped a few pounds through these efforts (the real reason for doing this).

after a nap, i went down to the running room and registered for the CIBC run for the cure 5k. then i ran down town and watched an AHL hockey game, an exhibitiong game between Hamilton and Manitoba. funny that they would come all the way to Nfld to play. then i ran home. so it was 30k on the day.

my legs are sore and my energy stores have been drained so it is going to be a light sunday. i'm still gonna run down to the lake and do the CIBC 5k and then run home, but that will totally be it. the afternoon will feature me watching NFL on tv and resting.. lol

Jennifer

October 3, 2008 - 24 hour run in progress!

the concept of the 24 hour run fascinates me. it's a race where nobody will officially DNF (did not finish) you can run as far or as short as you like. whoever runs the most in 24 hours wins!

at 12.43 pm today, i officially started the clock ticking on a trial. the goal is 100K. with a really nice weather report this afternoon, i decided to take the afternoon off work and take a run up to the pond and beach. 18 degrees is almost unheard of for Newfoundland in october. 3.7k up the hilly allandale road and into the park was a challenge. the pond was cool but warm enough for a short swim.

then it was a long run to Topsail Beach, my 12th visit there this summer! rather than carry a backpack, i just had my purse with me, and i made a few pit stops to refuel a few times. the beach was lovely and i got in for a very rare October swim in the ocean.

the sun was about to head down, so i started to make the long run back. i felt pretty good all the way through. i was quite fatigued by thje 42k mark so i decided to head home and call it a night at 44.1k. with a good night's rest, i am hopeful to get up tomorrow morning and log the remaining 55.9k before 12.43pm. it's gonna be tough though as the knees and calf muscles are quite sore. it will have to be a very slow and gentle pace. the 44.1k today took up over 5 hours of running..

overall, a great day!

Jenn

October 2, 2008 - so much for registration!

well, i went for my first decent run since my big double marathon weekend. 19k in total today, most of which came after work. i ran all over the city. met a friend for coffee, then over to the registration for sunday's 10k race (only to find the place closed up! what's up with that?). then over to the mall and then home. still haven't been over to the pool all week. might get over there tomorrow.

thinking about a 100K day this weekend, perhaps saturday. gotta start losing more weight and get into even better shape. as great as i have taken things, i'm not convinced that it has to end. i want to take another crack at a sub 3 hour marathon, even if i have to train my butt off all winter..

also thinking about a triple header in 2009. as most marathons are run sat and sun, it would require a marathon on a rare monday.. boston is run on monday, so that could be an option (it also may be my ticket to getting in without qualifying.) i am going to write them and explain my interest in running 3 marathons in 3 days in 3 states and would like their race to be the 3rd (i can run st louis on the sunday and either Charlottesville Virginia or Jackson Tennessee on the saturday). could be quite the trip if it does in deed happen.

October 1, 2008 - sluggish day

well, i'm up another 4 pounds this month, but still -3 overall on the year, so that's good news. these hormones are supposed to lead to "10-20 pounds of weight gain" so i am really going to have to watch out for that. the hunger and thirst continues to be a problem and the feelings of lethargy continue as well.

i had a sluggish 4k run this afternoon and gave up, even though i originally wanted to run more. i think i am still recovering from the lack of sleep from that near allnight flight. oh well, i have a 10k run planned tomorrow so i will plan to get to bed early tonight.

word is starting to spread around the city about my 2 marathons in 2 days, even though the local news paper elected not to cover the story. it's nice to be sitting at the pond feeding the ducks and getting congratulatory messages from strangers running by.

i discovered an interesting organization, the marathonmaniacs.com folks who are known to do insane and unique amouts of running. my 2 runs in 2 days in 2 countries alone was enough to reach their level 4 criteria. i will plan to join their organization in the near future in hopes of making some new friends and learning some new tips about endurance running.

Jennifer