To mark the completion of easing myself back into running with the Couch to 5K program, I signed up for an event! I have had the Constantine Yorkville Run event in mind for almost a year. I first learned about it last year, on my way to the Y on a Sunday in September. I had to wait to cross the street while 1000 runners made their way across the intersection at Bay and Bloor.
Instead of waiting to cross Bay Street, I kept walking south on the same side of the street, in the same direction of the race route on Bay St. I knew the starting line crowd would dissipate before I needed to get to the other side. By the time I had walked with them for 10 minutes I had race fever myself. I literally got a rush just venturing out into the road as I made my way across, being careful not to interfere with the back-of-the-pack participants still coming (in a thinner stream, as I had predicted). I decided to set it as my year-out training goal.
This happened despite my saying several times along the way in recent years that I am done with events. I mean, it’s not as if I’ve ever been an especially competitive participant. But I have used events to good purpose as training goals before. And this one has certainly done its job. Race day is on September 30, and with just over three weeks to go, I’m feeling good and motivated. It is a charity race with fundraising minimum. My charity of choice for the event is SeaPaws Rescue, an organization based in Ontario that rescues animals locally and overseas. If you’d like to support SeaPaws Rescue through my fundraising page, I would very much appreciate your donation.
I only started training in earnest back in April, when I embarked on the Couch to 5K plan with “beginner’s mind.” It hasn’t gone fully as planned, but I got far enough into the program (to the end of week 7) to feel sufficiently back in the game by about a month ago.
I transitioned from that to the Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training (FIRST) training plan, as outlined in the book, Runner’s World Run Less, Run Faster. The program is designed to help people run faster with lower than the usual recommended mileage. It has two main components: three purposeful, quality runs a week and two cross-training sessions. Purposeful runs, as the name implies, have a specific training purpose. The three runs are: speed work; tempo runs; and long runs.
Each has a distinct purpose. The speed work sessions are intervals aim at VO2max development with intense intervals that push the pace hard, followed by periods of recovery in between. The tempo runs maintain a sustained effortful pace over a specified distance, most closely mimicking the effort required on race day. The long runs are meant to promote endurance.
The cross-training can be any aerobic activity. I have selected swimming for my cross-training sessions. I hope I can maintain this commitment. I have been having some difficulties with ear aches. This has been an issue for me throughout my adult life. I have managed it in the past with ear plugs. But I am back to experimenting with ear plugs to find a kind that creates a sufficient seal. So far, I have not had any luck. Last week’s swim resulted in a week-long ear ache. So we’ll see. But that’s the plan. The purpose of the cross-training activity is to maintain aerobic capacity while giving the running muscles a rest. Swimming is perfect.
I’m enjoying the idea of the FIRST plan, though I’m sure my intensity and distances are not what the founders had in mind. Regardless, I have built up to 6K for my long runs, so I know I can comfortably complete the 5K on race day. I’m enjoying the speed work a lot — I love interval running and the soft perimeter of Queen’s Park is perfect for the short bursts required. I’m using the NIKE Run Club app’s guided speed runs for coaching through those. As far as tempo runs go, I am maintaining my target pace and slowly extending the time I can maintain at tempo. Yesterday I did two 7-minute intervals at tempo, with a 2-minute rest and recovery walk in between. Next week I’m extending those to eight minutes. And the week after I’m keeping to eight minutes but reducing the recovery time to one minute instead of two. My goal after that will be to maintain 10 minutes at tempo twice, with one minute between.
I think/hope the adrenaline of race day will enable me to cover 5K in three 10-1 intervals. That is my goal — to finish the 5K in under 35 minutes. After that, I will work on a new goal for a spring event. But I don’t want to get ahead of myself.
Image description: Overhead shot of white running shoes on a dark hardwood floor. Shoes show a bit of wear and tear, laces untied. Photo by Tracy Isaacs
Back in early April I posted about easing back into running with the Couch to 5K program. It’s a nine-week program and I had high hopes of being able to complete it as written, within the nine weeks. In my original post I said I’d report back at the end of April with an update, and I thought I’d be done by the end of May.
Well, life has a way of not cooperating with the best laid plans, doesn’t it?
Things started to go sideways when late April got ridiculously busy with the end of classes. Then I had an intensive photography workshop in Indiana where it rained pretty much all the time. I took my gear but I had neither time nor energy nor weather to get out for my runs.
And then I four days after I got back I lost my mother. And that was it. For the next several weeks life was a surreal blur of grief, spending time with others in grief, and making plans to celebrate the life of a wonderful and much-loved woman who we were expecting to be with us for some years to come. It was very sad. And there was no room for a training program.
I have regained my footing enough to get back on track and have almost completed Week 7 of the program. The big jump from reasonable walk and run intervals happens in week 5, where the third run suddenly has a 20-minute continuous run flanked on each end by 5 minutes of walking to warm up and cool down.
Week 6, which is behind me now, goes back to more run-walk intervals but ends with a 25-minute run (as always, 5 minutes of warm-up and cool-down). And Week 7 is just three 25-minute runs, repeating the third day of Week 6. I don’t anticipate any new hurdles (let me touch some wood!) to get in my way. If I’m right, that means I’ll bring the program to a close in the first week of August.
So how’s it going? On balance I’d say it has gone and is generally going well. I did not use the C25K app. Instead I set up the intervals on my Intervals Pro app, and when we got to the longer continuous runs of 20 and then 25 minutes I used the Nike Run Club apps guided runs with Coach Bennett. He’s cheesy but oh so encouraging and makes me feel like I can do it. And so I did that for the first 25 minute run. The other day I did one on my own, using my own inner voice to self-coach in Coach Bennett style. That was my best run to date and I felt a real sense of accomplishment.
I felt nervous about the 20-minute run in week 5 and the 25-minute runs at the end of week 6 and throughout week 7. I have not done a lot of continuous running training in my life, opting mostly for the 10-1 run-walk intervals that the Running Room promotes in its run club, which is where I got my start.
There is an ongoing debate about whether to do continuous running or run-walk intervals. Some people say that over distances the pace balances out and you get a little break to look forward to every 10 minutes. That makes it psychologically easier for some people. I have tried both ways but I admit that I feel like more of a badass when I do continuous. I also find it in some ways easier to maintain a slightly slower consistent pace for longer than to start running again after a one-minute walk break. The countdown at the end of the break sometimes feels as if it’s signalling a fresh new punishment. It’s all attitude and different things work for different people, but at the moment, not taking walk-breaks makes running a more positive experience overall for me. I also had my best 10K time ever (way back when) after the only time I consistently trained for continuous running rather than 10-1 intervals.
I am feeling enough back on track that I even have plans for when I’m done this program and can do 30 minutes of continuous running. I don’t think I will hit a 30-minute 5K, but even in my 50s I couldn’t do that. I’m going to do the Run Less, Run Faster cross-training plan that follows the FIRST method where you do to do three “quality”run and two cross-training workouts (I’m going to swim) each week. I’m also adding some resistance training and a couple of yoga sessions each week. The runs in that program are purposeful: one tempo, one speed intervals session, and one long run.
I’m working on the 5K distance and signing up to do a local 5K in September. I’ll post more about that in a bit. Meanwhile, wish me luck as I embark on the final couple of weeks of C25K. I can see the value in this program and I recommend it for anyone just starting out or wanting to get back into running.
Image description: looking down bare legs towards feet wearing running shoes and socks, standing on a textured concrete sidewalk. Photo by Tracy
I’ve always been drawn to the idea of cultivating beginners’ mind about things that we think we know. It’s a way of going back to that excited learning mindset where we are open-minded, enthusiastic, and teachable.
And so it was with that attitude that I’ve been approaching my spring effort to get back to a regular running routine with the Couch to 5K program. As I wrote at the beginning of the month, it’s a nine week program designed for people new to running.
I’m not new to running, having taken it up as part of Sam and my “Fittest by 50” challenge way back in 2012. But I hit a wall after my last major event, the Around the Bay 30K back in 2019. I injured my Achilles and since then I have never quite hit my stride again. I’ve tried different things, most notably the Nike Learn to Run program a couple of years back. But I couldn’t quite let go of how things “used to be” and the idea that they “should” quickly be that way again.
Not this time. This time I am forcing myself to follow the program as written, not adding more running intervals or skipping weeks that feel too easy. I fell a little bit behind, with some of the weeks being spread out beyond 7 days. So I’m only starting week 4 instead of being at the end of it. Still, I have stuck to the assignment as written. And it’s been easy to get myself out the door because the workouts are so reasonable. (Apparently that changes a bit in week 5)
My beginners’ mind approach has been really good for me because it means I haven’t been too concerned with pace or how far I get or anything that I used to track. I’m not saying I’ll never go back to caring about those things, but it’s liberating to be out there without any concern for speed or distance.
I’m also not comparing myself to anyone else when I’m out there. We all have different goals and right now mine is simply to get back to a three times a week running routine, following the Couch to 5K schedule. That’s it.
Though it’s still early days, I feel confident about recommending this approach to anyone who is new to running or trying to work their way back. It’s a great way to be present for the arrival of spring, which is coming in short bursts this year, with some cold reminders that, at least in my part of the world, we’re not really in the clear until late May. Whatever, a regular running commitment has put me in touch with the vagaries of Canadian spring weather in a direct and enjoyable way.
If you’ve had experience with C25K I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
My favorite training coach of all-time is Steve Weller. We met in 2007 (I checked through emails to confirm) when he did some coaching for my cycling team, North East Bicycling Club. I was (and remained) a beginner back-of-the-pack racer, but I loved the feelings of speed and effort amidst the sounds of my breath and the spinning of the wheels on pavement. Steve and I worked together for several years during and after my days of racing.
I’ve had a lot of coaches and training and instruction in a lot of sports, but Steve stands out as the best. Why? He combines keen analytical intelligence with deep empathy, humor and a sense of perspective about training and competition. And he genuinely loves both the sports of cycling (road, cross, MTB) and the people who participate in them.
In case you’re wondering, I’m writing this because I’m still on his email list and he sent something today that I just loved and had to share with all of you.
Steve wrote in this post about a how he came across the phrase “a more dangerous animal”. And then he said this:
As you push through hard workouts and suffer to hang with the fast group, remember – you are doing this work to become a more dangerous animal.
I cannot tell you how much this tickles and pleases and motivates me. Some thoughts:
Do I want to become a more dangerous animal? Can I?
What keener capacities, what kinds of prowess do I want to cultivate?
In my new proposed powerful state, to whom/what do I want to present a danger?
The social status quo?
Our current national power structure?
The patriarchy?
Oppressive institutions?
Maybe my own complacency and timidity about change?
And, of course, there’s deciding which animal to embody/channel/aim for. Here are some suggestions, but please feel free to add your own ideas in the comments.
I know it’s midweek, but give yourself a moment to think about this. Rowr! Grrrr! Hissssss! Buzzzzz!
A gallery of dangerous animals: meerkat (apparently they get very put out if you approach them), jellyfish, bee, tiger, crocodile and shark.
Since I spent most of the time between October 2024 and June 2025 either injured or recovering from an injury, it was not a great year for me at TKD.
I didn’t really have my usual capacity (and didn’t know why) and it was hard for me to invest the level of mental and physical effort required to properly practice.
Without the ability to practice/participate fully, I couldn’t properly enjoy TKD and I couldn’t get as much out of it as I normally would.
There’s nothing that can be done about last year, of course, but I’m determined to have more fun, do more work, and just get more out of my classes) this year.
While it would have been ideal if I had been practicing steadily all summer, that wasn’t possible for me, so I’m working with the time I have.
Aside from the fact that I was still easing back into my normal activities over the summer, I have to allow for my ADHD brain’s variable sense of time, in particular for something that is primarily related to myself. The start of TKD was in the ‘not now’ up until this week until the time frame suddenly shifted to ‘now.’ Once that shift happened, I had much more clarity around how to set myself up for a fun year at TKD.
Soooooo, once that clarity arrived I made a plan for the next 2.5 weeks and then I put that plan into a zine.
I like the zine format because it’s small and contained and it makes the project feel more doable.*
It’s not a super-structured plan (my brain noped out of that immediately!), I just wrote down all the things I could do to start prepping for class and then organized them onto the various pages with a way to track them (or a space to write notes about them) and it feels useful.
I intend to do some things daily (mobility exercises and yoga), some things almost daily (some focused cardio), and others 3-4 times between now and the first day of class (each of my patterns.)
As I mentioned above, the time frame between now and the beginning of classes is short enough that my ADHD brain will accept that time is real and that it is ok to prep for something happening that soon.
My plan is specific enough to ensure that I don’t have to spend too much time deciding what to do in the moment and, yet, flexible enough to let me choose what feels like the most fun on any given day.
I may not fill in all the little circles, stars, and hearts but I am going to work towards it and then be VERY kind to myself if I ‘just’ get 10 or 12 hearts coloured in. After all, 10 or 12 hearts is waaaaaaaaay better than what I would do otherwise.
Frankly, I’m looking forward to challenging myself over the next couple of weeks.
Realistically, ANYTHING I do to prepare will help me head into that first class feeling more like my old self.
And I really like that idea.
KiYA!
Image description: a photo of the cover of my practice zine. It says ‘TKD Prep Work’ on the top half with spirals behind the TKD, arrows pointing to the word Prep, and dots surrounding the word Work. On the bottom half it says August 21 to September 9. The text at the bottom is surrounded by a black frame.Image description: The photo is in portrait view but the text, etc. is in landscape. A photo of an inner page of my practice zine with the word Mobility at the top with trackers (circles to colour in) for hips, wrists, ankles, shoulders/neck. Image Description: a photo of a inner page of my practice zine with the word Cardio at the top, the outlines of 15 stars to colour in (as a tracker), and thin black lines in the background. At the bottom of the page there is a blank space with the words “Make a list:” at the top of it.Image description: a photo of the middle pages of my practice zine. This page has two trackers for two sets of the first group of patterns on the left side, and the name of the individual black belt patterns I know (or am working on) with circles beneath each one to track my practice for each one. The words ‘Black Belt Patterns’ are in the centre of the page. There are a few stars, some small dots, and a couple of spirals decorating the page. Image description: a photo of an inner page of my practice zine. The word Yoga is at the top and there are a bunch of hearts to colour in to track my yoga sessions.Image description: The page is divided into three sections. The top section is headed by the word Kicks then there is an empty space, the middle section is headed by the word Footwork with a space beneath it, the bottom section is headed by the words Punches and Strikes with a space beneath it.
*My ADHD brain perked up when I typed that. “Consider doing zines for other projects, Christine.” “Let’s make a note and revisit that later, Brain.”
A weary Alison crosses the finish line of the 2024 NYC Marathon
You can run, but you can’t hide—at least, not forever. Those demons that are chasing you? They will catch you eventually. One morning, injured or simply exhausted, you will wake up to find them sitting on your chest. Or, in the middle of a race, you may feel them jumping on your back, happy to catch a ride.
I’m talking, of course, about the demons of anxiety and depression or whatever other monsters might lurk in the deep recesses of your mind. Last week, Alex Hutchinson wrote a column in the Globe and Mail in which he reviewed findings about the links between exercise and mental wellness (12/2/24). It’s not news to those of us who feel lousy when we miss a run that a regular boost of dopamine is a good idea. But what happens when we look at the issue through the other end of the telescope? That is, what happens when we play the tape–that sport is therapy–to the end?
Jill Colangelo answers this question in a recent episode of Running Explained (Season 2, Episode 40). In her discussion of overtraining syndrome, she looks at the relationship that endurance athletes develop with their training programs and how increases in training volume correlate with higher, rather than lower, rates of mental illness. Is it cause or effect? Someone who is looking to cope with troubling thoughts may seek the solace of the runner’s high, or she may start to experience dread or anxiety about performance. Warning signs will begin to manifest in the body, and without an acceptance that sport is hurting, rather than helping, and that a recovery program, including therapy, may be in order, the athlete can find herself confronted with a full-blown breakdown. In this scenario, cortisol, not dopamine, is the drug coursing through the body.
Colangelo advocates for a deepened respect for the body and the signals it sends. Recently, I learned this lesson the hard way when I found myself in trouble 17 km into a marathon—not even half way! In the weeks leading up to the race, there were red flags. I had a summer injury that meant my build began a month late. I didn’t have enough long runs under my belt and not nearly enough hills for the gruelling course. More significantly, I had been dealing with stress all fall and it had given my body a beating. Sleepless nights made for lousy morning runs. My physio suggested that a weekend of back spasms was stress induced. The week of the marathon, I had stabbing chest pain. It wasn’t on my left side, so I assumed I wasn’t having a heart attack. But I was having a something. (It felt like a cracked rib. Later, when I told this to my doctor, he said, “Please, don’t run a marathon with chest pain without medical clearance!” I record his remark here as a PSA.)
November 3rd dawned bright, sunny, and cool. It was a perfect day for a marathon. The pain in my chest was there, but isolated to one spot. And so, I set out to race that course. What was I thinking? I was thinking, “The marathon is my happy place!” I was thinking, “My spring training will compensate for my crappy build!” I was thinking, “That half marathon six weeks ago felt great!” The marathon answered, “I take no prisoners.”
And so, I suffered. All the voices in my head formed a chorus of negative self-talk to make the final hour of that marathon perhaps the most hellish sixty minutes I’ve experienced as a runner. Somehow, I got myself to the finish line. When I finally found my people, I burst into tears of rage, pain, and disappointment.
And now? Now, I’ve had a chance to get over myself and remember that plenty of folks find themselves having a crap marathon for any number of reasons. I have also learned that when the body tells me it’s struggling, as I train, I had better listen closely and adjust my expectations.
Most immediately, it’s time to turn and face those demons.
Alison Conway lives and works in Kelowna, British Columbia, on the traditional and unceded territory of the Syilx Okanagan people.
Image description: Tracy smiling, wearing sunglasses, cap covered with patterned buff for ear warmth, running jacket and top, with pathway, frost-covered grass, autumn trees, and a bench in the background.
Pre-pandemic I got an Achilles injury that I didn’t give sufficient time to heal. As a result, it took me out of consistent running for about four years and some months. So from Spring 2019 to about a month ago, my running routine ranged from zero times a week to short periods of 2-3 times a week. Even when I ran more than my regular Sundays with the group (which I can no longer keep up with pace-wise), my schedule was haphazard and sporadic, unfocused and without a sense of purpose. Indeed, running became a source of stress rather than joy, a “have-to” rather than a “want-to.” That all culminated in a not-fun 8K trail race a few weekends ago.
The aftermath of the 8K presented itself to me as a decision-point in my running career: quit or change my approach. Though I felt discouraged enough to quit, I also had to be honest with myself that I had not prepared as well as I could have. I went in knowing I could cover 8K somehow or other, but I certainly had no reason to assume I’d have a strong performance that day. For five years I have been running without goals and not even a rough sense of routine. I have picked myself up and brushed myself off many times in my life after many different set-backs. And that is what I decided to do this time. I opted for a fresh start.
I had some criteria in mind for the fresh start. First of all, I was quite clear about my initial goal: to establish a running routine where I would get out the door three to four times a week. I wanted an app that had some training plans or coached runs, but it had to be free. Not initially free with in-app purchases, but truly free. Finally, it had to be realistic and motivating at the same time. After some searching around, I landed on the Nike Run Club. Apparently, it’s been going for years, but it was new to me.
The Nike Run Club (NRC) is an app that tracks your runs, which you can do your own way or by using the guided runs in their library. I installed the app the morning after the 8K trail race, determined to start afresh, as a beginner. The app has the perfect starter set of runs with their head coach, Coach Bennett. There are no hidden costs. You can do the starter program (or not) and then move on to other coached runs or training plans designed for 5K, 10K, half marathon, or marathon distances. All told, they have 289 guided runs in the collection. You can repeat any of them whenever you want. You can bookmark the ones you like so they’re easy to find again. They vary in type — including easy runs, speed runs and fartlek, long runs (over 30 minutes), short runs (under 30 minutes), runs based on distance, and “mindful runs” that partner with Headspace.
It is, as my decision to use it required, entirely free. Unlike other apps that I’ve used, which require a subscription, or bring you in for a free trial and then require a subscription, the entire NRC library is available from the beginning for free and remains so. I like that. There are also no ads or pop-ups. Yes, the Nike branding is all over it. But so far I haven’t felt as if there is any hard-sell going on. Now maybe that just means that their marketing team is super smart in reeling people in. But I’m finding it way less in-your-face than ads and pop-ups that I’ve seen on other platforms.
I also like that it interfaces with Spotify, where I have my running playlists (there is also an option for Apple Music). When the coaching is going on, the music fades into the background. When the coaching takes a break, the music comes back up to volume. They have suggested playlists or you can use whatever you are listening to on your Spotify.
The very day after the trail race, I got started with the First Run in the Get Started Collection of 9 runs: First Run, Next Run, First Speed Run, First Long Run, Next Speed Run, Third Run, First Fartlek Run, Next Long Run, Easy Run with Jes. Other than “Easy Run with Jes,” all of these are coached by Coach Bennett, the Nike Run Club Global Head Coach. He’s a light-hearted guy who is extremely motivating and I think he’s just great. I have done every one of those runs in the starter group, plus a few more. He has successfully inspired me in just one short month (the trail race was back on September 28) to get out there regularly, 3-4 times a week.
The First Run and the Next Run are 20 minutes and 22 minutes, respectively, and the whole point of them is to go easy. Really easy. Easier than you think you should go. He coaches for continuous running, and I didn’t think I could do it. But the day after my slog of an 8K trail race, I ran 20 minutes continuously. Yes, the pace was slow and the effort was easy. But that is how it was meant to be. The run was coached as a recovery run, with the goal of an enjoyable run at an easy pace. I did it and amazed myself enough to feel, for the first time in years, like I couldn’t wait to get back out there for my next run.
The same thing happened after the 22 minute run. Continuous running at an easy and enjoyable pace, with Coach Bennett along the way explaining that it’s okay to run easy, and also that we won’t always be running easy. I like the NRC approach, which is that running should be fun, not dreaded. I can also relate to what he says about the reason many runners don’t enjoy running is that they go out too fast and then can’t keep up with the pace they’ve set. That feels like a set-back. Instead, these runs are coached to go out slow.
The speed runs also include easy warm-ups followed by intervals at different effort levels, with a recovery pace in between. For example, the First Speed Run has a short warm-up at about a 3/10 effort, followed by 8×1 minute intervals at your “5K effort,” which is about a 7-8/10. I’m sure I’m still struggling to find my 5K effort and pace, but it was fun to push the pace, knowing it was only for a minute at a time and that a minute of easy running (not walking) would follow.
The long runs also start off easy and stay at a pretty relaxed effort, but they do pick up a bit. What I like is the whole idea of easing into a rhythm and stride, rather than flying out of the gate when my body isn’t warmed up yet. On Sunday I did 50 minutes of continuous running without taking a walk break, covering about 6.5K. It’s not my fastest ever, but it felt great. Most of all, I feel excited to get back out there next time for some speed work.
The message that is repeated a lot through these coached runs is that each run has a purpose. Easy runs are for running easy for recovery and enjoyment. Long runs are for building endurance (among other things). Speed work is for, obviously, building speed and becoming familiar with your different “gears.” And tempo runs are for sustaining a faster pace, not race pace but faster than a long run, over a set distance. I like that approach a lot because, as I said, my running was feeling aimless and without purpose before. I would just go out there and aim to cover the ground without any intentionality about pace or the point of it all. I have really appreciated the message that if you are running — especially in a long run or an easy run — at a pace where you can’t sustain it without stopping or feeling like you need to take a walk break, then you’re pushing too hard.
I learned in the Running Room system of 10-1 intervals (10 minutes of running followed by 1 minute of walking). I used to really look forward for the walk breaks. But I am much more enjoying running in a way that I don’t feel the need for a walk break. I can find my rhythm and not interrupt it. And over the course of the month my pace for the same effort is picking up.
So far the hardest coached run that I’ve done is the one called “Funky Fartlek,” where you aren’t told before a speed interval how long it will last. That one involved some intervals at efforts of 7, 8, and 9 out of ten. And I couldn’t sustain all the intervals without slowing down. I needed a couple of walk breaks that time. But that’s okay. I did it and it felt challenging. I’m starting to get a feel for my different gears. And mostly I am learning that except for my 9-effort, I can recover with a slower run interval instead of a walk interval.
The NRC approach won’t work for everyone but it is definitely working for me. Not everyone is going to want to do coached running. And if you do, not everyone will like Coach Bennett’s style (light and a bit cheesy, but overall likeable and motivating). There are of course other coaches, and I am sure I will encounter them eventually. I enjoyed the easy run with Jes. Finally, not everyone is going to like being encouraged to go easy on easy runs. I remember back when I was training for triathlon, I read a book called Run Less, Run Faster, by Bill Pierce, Scott Muir, and Ray Moss, and they said two things that really hit home.
The first thing they said that I had not heard before was that most runners do their distance runs at too hard an effort and too fast a pace. Until I read that I thought that it made sense to go out for Sunday long runs at the fastest pace I could sustain for the distance or time (assuming 10-1 intervals). If I was going to hold back at all, it was because unless I held back I wouldn’t make it to the end. I stuck with that mindset because that was what everyone else seemed to be doing. And especially when I was running with people, I had to do that to keep up.
The second thing they said was that every run should have a specific training purpose. According to their program, speed intervals (on a track), tempo runs, and long runs were the magic three. Their program, for anyone interested, is those three runs plus two cross-training cardio sessions a week.
At the time, when I first picked up the book, it didn’t motivate me. Looking back, I think it’s because, though the ideas of running with purpose and holding back effort on the long run were new and different, the book was really focused on performance. And of course it was — it was aimed at an audience of people who wanted to improve their times. Nothing fun about it.
What motivates me about the NRC is that it is aimed at an audience of people who want to enjoy running. They really encourage finding the fun in it. Maybe for the first time or maybe again. I’m happy to have discovered it because I have not enjoyed running at any point in my life as much as I have in the past month. I needed a fresh approach and that’s part of why I’m enjoying myself.
An out-of-town friend who also wanted to ease back into running jumped into the NRC with me a month ago and we motivate each other by checking in after each run. That too has helped me keep going. I’m enjoying the mutual encouragement and sense of accomplishment. It’s fun to share the joy.
That’s my story of a fresh start with a new approach. I went it as a beginner, taking up the “get started” program as if I was learning everything for the first time. I’m not sure if it will get me to a pace that I will once again be able to keep up with my running group. I guess we’ll see. Right now, I’m having fun, feeling excited about my running, and seeing some progress.
If you have a fresh start story I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
Image description: three-photo collage with the heading “Howing Ghost Trail Run, Aylmer ON, September 28, 2024,” from left to right: left is a group shot of five smiling runners pre-race (Julie, Ed, Pat, Anita, Tracy), with trees in the background; middle is a selfie of a smiling older woman (Tracy) in a pink tank, black ballcap, and trail in the background; right is a post race selfie of four smiling runners (Tracy, Ed, and Pat in back, Julie in front) all wearing t-shirts that say Howling Ghost Trail Race on them.
My favourite month is September, and it’s not just because it’s my birthday month. I love it for the perfect weather and the changing palette of nature. Cool mornings, less intense sun even in the middle of the day, hints of red and orange starting to show among the greenery. What better time of year for trail running than the early fall!
So that’s how I let peer pressure push me into an 8K trail race after I said I was done with official running events. I call it a race, but with my current 8K time being slower than my 10K used to be, it’s just an outing, on a trail, with 140 other people, followed by lunch. Here’s how it went.
First of all, though the title of my post refers to “joy,” there was little of that for me during the run. I mean, it’s always enjoyable to be with my running crew, and five of us made it out that day. It’s fun to get out of town, even if it’s just a little bit out of town. The Howling Ghost Trail Race was in Aylmer, at the Springwater Conservation Area.
We’ve been having brilliant weather lately, but of course leading up to race day the forecast probability of precipitation increased from 40% to 60% and finally settled at 80% for the time that we were scheduled to run. I fully expected to be running at least part of the trail in the pouring rain, which would have also meant navigating mud. To my great surprise, the rain held off. The prospect of it hung heavily in the air throughout, making it a muggy outing through the woods. Thank you Julie for remembering bug spray.
I had no race strategy other than, ridiculously, I had planned to do 10-1 run-walk intervals. I say “ridiculously” because I have been working my way up to 10-1 run-walk intervals gradually for the past months and I have not trained consistently enough for any length of time to actually get there. Throwing, “don’t change anything on game day” out the window, I set myself up to fail. Other than an unrealistic race strategy, which I gave up on before the first 10 minutes was up, I have one rule and one rule only that I apply when training, out for a leisure run, or doing an event: run, don’t walk, up the hills. At every hill I reminded myself of that, a rule that I cling to when everything else feels like it’s falling apart. I stuck to it almost entirely, except for one part towards the end where there was a hill, a slight levelling, and the MORE HILL. At the MORE HILL, I said “nope.”
The poorly chosen unreasonable 10-1 strategy was a mistake because it created a mental battle. It is a very bad idea to have a goal that is not realistic because, for me, it puts me in a “falling short” mindset instead of a “killing it!” mindset. If I had stuck with 6-1 intervals I would likely have had a better race. What made it so miserable? I simply could not keep my heart rate in a reasonable range. I was in the red zone every time I checked my heart rate. That meant that I had to pull back to a walk in order to try to recover. And since it was an event, I didn’t give myself enough time to properly recover. The result: an uncomfortable 8K where I felt out of my element, old (I had just turned 60 a few days before), and out of shape.
I came in 61/68 running the 8K, with a time of 1:08:59. I have run much faster 10Ks. Overall, the race was hard and I felt discouraged by it. Still and all, I covered the ground, so that’s something. On a positive note, the event had a great vibe and the folks at Persistence Racing plotted out a well-marked course on a relatively easy wooded trail, nicely groomed, with few hills. I would love to go back some time this fall when the leaves are changing.
Last week Sam referenced a 2020 post she wrote about aging and keeping up your speed. Even though I commented on Sam’s older post that my objective these days is just to get out there, I would be lying if I said my time didn’t sting a bit. I’ve never been fast, but I’ve also never been slower than I am now. Resounding in my head are the words from Sam’s 2020 post: “Older athletes get slower and less strong, not because they’re older, but rather because they train less than younger athletes.”
I am definitely training less than I did when I was 50. That’s why I couldn’t keep my heart rate under control. It has nothing to do with my age and everything to do with how I prepared (or did not adequately prepare) for the 8K trail event.
As a result of all of this, I have embarked on a plan to actually recapture some joy in my fall running, whether on trails or not. That plan includes some coached runs using the (free) Nike Run Club app. So far, the two runs I’ve done from the app (“First Run” and “Next Run”) have helped me connect with how good it feels to run with ease. I like the approach of setting out to run with a purpose, even if that purpose is a slow recovery run where you are not pushing too hard.
I’ll report back about the NRC experience in a month or so. Meanwhile, if you get a chance to enjoy some autumn weather out on the trails, go for it!
We shared the Outside article above on our blog’s Facebook page and very quickly some readers followed up with questions.
The article’s sub-header reads, “A new study suggests men and women should address age-related declines in aerobic capacity quite differently” but the question we got was “Can someone tell me how they should address these declines? I seem to just be missing that in the article.”
Fair point. The article describes differences between men and women but didn’t offer any gender specific training advice.
So I took to Twitter to follow up with the article’s author Alex Hitchinson.
Sorry for slow reply – just getting back online after travel. Short answer: I don't know (and I don't think anyone else does at this point, though some may claim otherwise!). E.g. it might be that women would benefit from isolated single-limb endurance work rather than full-body.
So, bad headline but I enjoyed engaging with Alex Hutchinson on the general point. I also liked his conclusion, base exercise choices on individual responses.
But then I started to wonder about measuring my response to exercise. Maybe it’s time for some VO2 max testing. It’s been a while.
Image description: Ten-pound hexagonal dumbbell in the foreground on a wood laminate floor, with a blurry background that includes a pair of running shoes on the left and two kettlebells to their right. Photo by Tracy Isaacs
We are almost into 2024 and maybe, just maybe, you are looking around for something you can really jump into to kickstart your year. I was already feeling that way back at the beginning of December, when I decided I couldn’t wait until January. I started easing myself back into some resistance training with short sessions by Irish YouTube trainer, Caroline Girvan. The workouts themselves are easy to find on YouTube.
Before I knew it, I stumbled into her EPIC series, which started with the first ten-week EPIC program about three years ago, when all of our training went virtual because of the pandemic. As I write this, I’m into week three of the program and loving it. It’s five workouts a week: three are about 45 minutes, Fridays are an hour-long full body workout, and Sundays are a 30-minute-ish HIIT session. Rest days on Thursday and Saturday. All you need are dumbbells, a mat, and your body, with some sessions, like HIIT, requiring just bodyweight and a mat. It’s ideal for home workouts, although already I can see that I’ll be wanting some heavier dumbbells along the way.
That’s okay. For now, I’m making do with a set of 4LB and a set of 10LB dumbbells, a 15LB kettlebell and a 20LB kettlebell. I wouldn’t mind some 8 or 12 pound DBs, and definitely a set of 15 pounders. I have a full range of more than I will ever need downstairs in my condo’s fitness centre. But for now I’m loving that I can just do these workouts in my own space at my own pace with no one else around.
The program is not for the feint of heart. If I hadn’t had so much pandemic training from Alex, who taught us how to modify where needed, I would probably have decided I wasn’t up for the challenge and opted for something less intense.
Image description: Sheet of paper with EPIC 1 SCHEDULE written at the top and Monday to Sunday calendar grid of squares, indicating workouts/rest days. Twelve squares have stickers with checkmarks on them.
I printed off the schedule and posted it on my wall to motivate me and keep me on track. Each time I complete a workout, I put a sticker with a checkmark on that day in the calendar. I have come to know something about myself: I am highly motivated by streaks. Once I can get a streak going, I don’t want it to end. So far I have done each workout on its scheduled day. This morning was Day Twelve: a full 45 minutes of shoulder work.
Caroline’s style is a “follow the leader” kind of style. She gives some remarks at the beginning of the workout explaining what’s to come in terms of the timing of work intervals and rest intervals. For example, today’s was 30 seconds on followed by 30 seconds of rest, but often it’s 40 seconds of work and 20 seconds of rest, and on HIIT days rest can be as little as ten seconds. She also gives some tips and suggestions at the beginning. And for context, she tells us what weights she’s using for the workout that day.
But once the opening remarks are done, she doesn’t talk again. Instead, she clearly demos the moves and you just follow along with her. There is a count-down timer on the active intervals and the rest intervals, and the screen tells you clearly what is coming up, including an inset video that shows her doing the next set. You get three beeps before the end of a set and then a longer beep to indicate it’s over. I find it really easy to follow along and I love that she doesn’t talk throughout. This is really a matter of personal preference. I know others who prefer the style of trainer that talks you through and motivates you that way. For now, I’m enjoying this approach.
Anyone familiar with resistance training will find a range of familiar moves, sometimes with variations. You’ll find all manner of squats and lunges, push-ups and burpees, planks, presses, dips, curls, skull-crushers, raises, flyes, deadlifts, and sometimes very complex (to me) moves like makers or burpees into an overhead press. The Sunday HIIT sessions are pretty intense. I’ve only done two Sundays so far and last time I had to opt for the low-impact alternative. It was clear from the outset that I would be completely defeated by 30 minutes of burpee variations. But I love that she offers a low-impact option, and it was intense enough for me.
The workouts vary in approach. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday they are usually a focus on upper or lower body, but sometimes really zero in — like today’s shoulder workout and yesterday’s quad-focused squat-fest. Some days they are “no-repeat,” where every single set is different. Some days, like today and yesterday, the sets are repeated in the traditional way you would expect. They are always (or at least so far) by time, not by reps.
Ab work is included some, but not all, days. It is really hard.
Caroline herself has a chisled physique and an enormous amount of energy. She throws herself into the workouts and never asks anyone to do anything she’s not doing herself. That said, she is human and sometimes has to take breaks too. I find that reassuring.
If I had one complaint it’s the music. I understand that for copyright reasons it’s just not possible for her to use all the latest and greatest workout hits and switch up her playlists. The music for workouts is basically the same playlist every day, and it’s not particularly catchy though it’s got a decent beat. It’s either the limited playlist that she has purchased a license to use or it’s available open source. Either way, it gets rather repetitive and if I didn’t need the beep countdown to tell me when a set was over, I might do as Anita suggested and mute her tracks to play my own. Yesterday I experimented with putting the volume on her music very low once the workout started and listening to an audiobook. That worked pretty well.
As is always the case when I see quality content for free on YouTube, I am really impressed that this is a free offering. I’m sure she has enough followers now that, like Adriene of Yoga with Adriene, she has developed a solid income stream through YouTube ads and some premium content that she offers through her app.
Looking ahead, I still have quite a few weeks left of EPIC 1. I have enjoyed every workout so far and I already feel as if I am getting stronger. Caroline Girvan’s EPIC program has definitely lifted me out of my rut. With four more EPIC programs available to try after this ten weeks is up, I feel good about deciding now to make her EPIC series my focus for resistance training in 2024.
Do you have any YouTube trainers to recommend? What are your plans for 2024?
