Training: Baby Steps

Given that this campaign is going to be a bit of an undertaking, I would be a fool to attempt it without some training behind me. Since breaking my ankle in October, I've had to slowly, and sometimes painfully, push myself to get back into shape, build my endurance up, and yell at my ankle to stop slowing me down.

While training alone and with friends was a fantastic step up, I've always found that the only true way to push one's self is to sign up for a race (mind you, this is likely just because I'm too competitive). As such, while my progress had been going well, I knew I had to take it to the next level.

On May 10, I raced in the Blenheim 7km fun run. Being only 7km, I biked the 15km (I was training for a triathlon afterall) up to Blenheim Palace and met up with Vicky and the St. Anne's Couch Potato Running Club. In addition to having the greatest name ever, this crew was also fantastic fun, and a little out of their mind (one of the members did the entire race in full Cricket uniform, including shin pads and carrying the bat).

I hadn't done a timed race since 2007 in Montreal, but felt in good shape and was eager to get racing. I finished 52nd out of around 500 runners with a time of 31m27s. I had never done this well in a race before, so either Canadians are faster runners than the English or more realistically, training was actually paying off.

I was brought back to reality the following week when I competed in the Oxford Town & Gown 10km run. While the previous week had been glorious and sunny, my good friend Michal and I were not so lucky this day. It poured rain nearly all morning, the peak of which was about 10 minutes after the start of the race.

The Town & Gown race has a history of goofing around and dressing up, so I donned my team Canada Hockey Jersey that morning and set off for the start line. What I didn't anticipate was that this jersey would accumulate another 5kg of water weight and make my life exceedingly difficult.

I also didn't anticipate that I would 'hit the wall' around 7km, after foolishly trying to keep pace with my previous week's performance. Still, I would struggle through the last few clicks and finish in 44m47s; around 400th out of nearly 3000. Mike and I were covered in mud and chilled to the bone, but it was nothing a quick bowl of chili couldn't fix (thanks for that, Mish).

Both races filled me with confidence about my ankle, and the future. Mind you, 10km was a leisurely stroll compared to what was churning around in the back of my head.