March was a good month in that my training started to incorporate some speed work, and with a target pace of sub 7 minute miling, I'm very pleased to say that I've been running around 6.36 average pace in the rep sessions over the past few weeks. It hasn't been easy - it's been many years since I've ran as quick as that - but I am certainly starting to feel the benefits, and combined with more regular strength and mobility sessions, it really feels like I am back on track to being a (slightly) better runner than of late!
The past couple of weeks have been crazy but very enjoyable, and at present, I am feeling really happy with things in my life.
I've been applying for jobs for a few months now, but interviews have been short in coming, but I am very happy to say that this past week, I've been for two interviews. I feel like both went pretty well, and even if I don't get either of the jobs, at least it's been good experience and has got me back into interview mode ready for the next one if it comes to that. I am still waiting to hear whether I am the best candidate for the job, and not wanting to put all my eggs in one basket, I have been applying for other work and am still pursuing the idea of the dog walking/pet sitting service as a fall back if necessary.
My YouTube channel is also building quite nicely and I am now approaching 30 videos with a mix of running, dogs, hiking, and gear reviews. The views are increasing and my number of subscribers is still building gradually, so if you're reading this and haven't yet subscribed, check out my channel "Del's Jogs with Dogs" here, let me know your thoughts, and let me know if there is anything else you would like to see on there :) Regardless as to whether I find work or not, I still intend to keep this channel going as I am having so much fun doing the videos and trying out new things, and I'm hopeful that it will continue to grow over the coming weeks and months.
Last weekend, we had a little weekend break before the Easter rush, and went somewhere different for a little bit of outdoor fun. we had never been to Nordegg, so decided to visit this area of Alberta to get a feel for summer breaks, and we were the sole visitors at Chungo Creek Outfitters, where we rented a wood cabin for a few days. There was no electricity, no cell service nor wifi, and with a snowstorm moving in during our visit, it really was tons of fun. I did fit in some trail running and dog walks, and we also did a couple of other little videos whilst we were out there which will of course be uploaded to my channel over the coming days.
It was just what was needed to recharge the batteries and have a change of scenery, and on our return back home, I was ready to get running again.
Talking about my running, last week we heard from the organisers of Hill of a Race, and sadly the event has been cancelled due to the ongoing pandemic. It was kind of expected but still very disappointing, and it kind of knocked the wind out of my sails for a couple of days. I had psyched myself up and had done lots of hills and trail running this past few weeks to prepare for HOAR, and now it felt it had all been in vane.
Thankfully, I did have a backup plan of some sorts, and having checked with both the hubby and the coach, I made the decision to register for "Beat Sinister" - another virtual event - and to run 100km on Easter Sunday around the local lake. Combined with this, I will also be completing a virtual run around Easter Island which spans approximately 62 square miles, so it seemed apt to do that too with it being the Easter Break.
The idea of Beat Sinister is to beat the agents who have already completed a given distance. My agent time to beat is 8 hours 40 minutes, and whilst a few years ago this would have been possible, nowadays I am not as fast nor as fit and I will just be happy to get under 10 hours. The plan is to run 10 laps around the local lake this weekend, and a few friends will be joining me at various times to keep me company and to keep me going! This will also be ultra number 62 for me since I first took up ultra running back in 2007. I never realised how many ultras I have competed in over the years, and when somebody also asked how many miles that would be, it was an estimated 8,500 miles or close to 13,500km which I find somewhat mind boggling.
As a result of doing the 100k in a couple of days, it does mean that I have had an easier week of running this week as I start to taper. My mileage hasn't exactly been high, but I still needed that few days rest to get my body ready for the distance. I did do another 5k time trial on Tuesday and it was soooooo windy! March has certainly lived up to its reputation for having strong winds, and every speed session this past few weeks has felt like I've been in a boxing ring with how intense those winds have been. Tuesday's time trial was no exception, and I ended up with a bad stitch thanks to the effect it had on my breathing. I ended up having to stop a couple of times, but I was still very happy to run 21.56 - a couple of seconds quicker than last month, and I know for sure that when I am more mentally prepared, I can easily knock another 10 to 15 seconds off that based on how things have been feeling this past few weeks.
Of course, doing the 100k does mean that I will need a couple of recovery weeks, so I will need to work on that speed again once my body has recovered and I am ready for speed sessions. I've actually been enjoying them and am a little sad that this ultra will interfere with things, but I know it'll only be a couple of weeks and I can get back to it.
So that's was March in a nutshell, and as we enter April, who knows what will happen over the coming weeks. I may be offered a job, I may be running my own business, but one thing is for sure, I will be keeping myself and the pups busy, and trying to make sure we all stay positive, happy and healthy.
Until next time, happy running!
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