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Man that was tough. I wanted to finish under 3 hours and was right on pace until about 34 kilometres. I went out a little too hard at first - I did the first 10k just under 40 minutes. I went through the half-way point in 1.25.42 - a little hard but still very comfortable. My calves started to cramp up severely about 34k and I was losing the energy to keep up the pace. My desired 4.15 per kilometre pace slowed down to almost 5 for the last two kilometres. I just missed out on the goal - 3.01.46 which was good for 7th place. I was in 3rd for much of the race until getting passed at about 30k and then a couple of more times after that.

I am very sore. I’m staying at my parent’s house and the guest bedroom is in the basement. Going down the stairs is a chore. I can walk without a limp - just not very fast. I signed up for a 5k in Truro at the weekend - hopefully I can run by then.

If you asked me during the last 1ok of the race whether I would run another marathon, I would have said no. But there will be a next time - I want to break 3 hours. Someone who can run a 10k in 36.32 (me back in August) should be able to run a marathon in 2.50 to 2.55. I will do more longer runs and not get injured which limits me to four months of preparation. I will also take in more fluids during the course of the race. Finishing a 10k race used to be hard - not as hard as this mind you - but now I have no problem with them. Hopefully the marathon will go that way too.

Results for PEI Marathon

The Prince Island Marathon is four weeks from today and I’m all signed up and ready to go. I ran 34km today in about 2.50. One more really long run next weekend and I’ll start to slowly cut down the kilometres so that I am fresh on race day.

I ran the Cobequid Trail 10k this morning in Truro. I ran it mainly as a tune-up run to see where I am training wise. Because of my injury this spring, I missed most of the races so there is no way I can qualify for any of the year end results. The PEI Marathon is my sole running goal for the season. I ran 24k Saturday morning in preparation for the marathon and was a little soar as I went to bed last night, so I was pleasantly suprised when I crossed the finish line in 36.32. That is my fifth fastest 10k and fastest in over 10 years. It is also very close to my best ever 36.06 at the 1996 Bridgewater 10k. Today’s time was good enough for third, my best ever overall placing. I have come first, second, and third many times in the junior category before I turned 20 but this is first ever open podium finish. I won a pair of New Balance socks.

On Monday, I did my first race of the year - the Dartmouth Natal Day 6 Miler. That is just a shade under 10km for those of you who can’t convert metric to imperial. I did it in 37.03 which was good for 15th place. Not bad for having only been back at proper training for a little over a month after spending much of the spring on the sidelines with a dodgy knee. I beat last years time by 36 seconds.

Dartmouth Natal Day 6 Miler Race Results

For the past month and a half, I have been dealing with Iliotibial Band Syndrome. I tried to get back into full training too fast after my three week Ecuador break. I followed all the short-term tips such as stretching and time off but it’s still there. I can walk around fine, but I can’t run for more than five kilometres before the pain returns. In an effort to get rid of the injury, I am not running for the whole month of May. As a result, no Blue Nose International Marathon. By the middle of April, I knew that there was no way I could get up to distance in time for the race, unless that initial two weeks off helped - which it didn’t. In a couple of weeks, I’m going to dust off the mountain bike and go get muddy. The new marathon goal is The Prince Edward Island Marathon on 14th October.

I am back at running after coming back from Ecuador and taking three full weeks off.  I somehow ended up with a cold in a place where the average daily temperature is above 30.  I have been back for a week and still have traces of this two week cold - almost three now.

Two more months until the Blue Nose International Marathon.  I had planned my training so that I was ready to go before I left for Ecuador.  I was up to 33 kilometres at the end of February.  Now I have to get back up there again and a little bit more.  Hopefully I will be ready to go by 2oth May.