Final efforts

I didn't have much luck this week with the x-rated herring video but managed to find some very scenic harbours while the wind blew up a storm.

This lobster trap was just sitting in a clearing on top of a cliff by the seashore looking pretty. You'd think that some tourist would have nabbed it and drove back to Ontario with it strapped to his roof but maybe this spot was just too much out of the way. BTW the design is very out of date with the new ones made of plastic coated metal and nowhere near as rustic looking.

And I did run into my fisherman friend and this was as close as I got to my herring this week. It was the end of a long day for him and he wasn't going out again for another 24 hours due to the weather and so my project was delayed.

On the running front I was able to get 8 miles in on Tuesday while in Dartmouth-Halifax before driving the roads for the rest of the day (as above). It was a cool morning and all the walkers were wearing winter coats, some with hats and mitts and while I was comfortable in shorts and a long sleeve tech shirt. My pace was brisk to counteract the cool wind but not too crazy.

Weds was just an easy 5 miles (this is supposed to be taper time) as I just meandered around my home town after work on a perfect calm mild fall day. The easy pace came back at a surprising 8:00min clip and I cooled my legs in the very cool pond at the end.

Today's run was of more substance as I attempt to stick in a few quality run and to also try to complete some aspects of the Pfitz plan that I've sort of been following for the last 16 weeks or so. He has the unusual workout of 8 miles with 3x1 mile at 5k effort with 2 min jog recoveries in all his schedules just 10 days out from the race. OK, fine I did my usual 1 mile warmup, followed by stretching and then another 1/2 mile jog to get myself out to a fairly flat section of road before starting.

The 1st mile felt good in 6:33 while running hard but not all out and just feeling out the legs. I took my time between efforts and allowed myself to climb a small hill before locating another reasonably flat section for the next mile which went by just as easily in 6:36 including a slowing turn around in the middle because this was done as an out and back run. Another slow section to climb back out of the valley and the final mile in 6:40 with a long gradual hill in the 2nd 1/2. It was very satisfying to still be able to knock out some good miles while not going all out. The effort was there and it was more a matter of working on my form and not getting distracted at the end so as to not slow down. Finished off the run with a nice easy 2 mile jog and noticed that the legs were now starting to show the effects with some soreness but otherwise was fine.

Only 9 more days until the PEI marathon now. I can't wait to get the Three Blind Moose (we even have our own wine) back together again and hope that my spouse can put up with all of our bad jokes and other silliness. It promises to be a great weekend no matter what happens weather wise or even running wise. Maybe I'll even take an extra day off tommorow to rest. What do you say?

And the prize for picking my brother in the previous post goes to DawnB! She must have seen some family resemblance as he is obviously not a runner like me. Now I just have to figure out what she gets for a prize. How about a free bottle of homemade wine but the catch is we have to do a race together to get it. That could easily happen too! Have a nice holiday weekend!