National Capital 10 km run summary

National Capital 10 km Run
Time: 56:02 minutes
Pace: 5.37 min/km
Place (age category): 4/10
Place (overall): 57/106

My goal for this first race of the season was to run a sub-one hour 10 km. My plan was to keep the 2.5 km splits at less than 15 minutes, not go out too hard, and really push the last 2.5 km.

The morning was perfect for running! Not too hot, no wind, sunny. I biked to Mooney's Bay since parking was apparently going to be an issue. Plus it was an excellent way to warm up the legs a bit. I got to the site, found my timing chip, got my shoes on and headed to the start line. The course was an out-and-back x 2 along the Rideau River near Carleton. And HILLY!! I was worried about my left leg - the attachment point behind my knee has been bothering me on hills in the last week and I wasn't sure pounding hard up and down hills was the best thing for it. Not to worry though - enough stretching in the last couple of days seems to have pacified it and it was fine.

The first 5 km was fast for me - 27 min! I was pretty happy at the turn-around point to have completed 5 km that fast. At that point, I reassesed my goal and decided to aim for around 56 minutes. I hit a bit of a speed bump around 7 km, and at the last major hill headed back through the park, but it was temporary and the thought of a PB kept the speed up. Also, I only walked about 1.5 minutes through the entire race - once to catch my breath and control my breathing a bit more, and the other two short walks to drink some water/eLoad as apparently I can't run and drink at the same time!

Crossing the finish line at 56:02 min was so great. I was pretty proud of myself. I realize that it's not the fastest run in the world, but for me, it was great. I am very happy with myself. YEAH!!! The half-marathon in September doesn't seem entirely insane any longer.

The rest of the morning was excellent as well. I managed to make it to the gym in time for stick class. Note to self: never do stick class without consuming coffee and after hammering on a 10 km race! It makes you brain dead! I was partnered up with Bob too, which makes me a bit more nervous and spastic, but coffee was desperately needed. I actually managed to hit myself in the middle of the forehead with a machete. Thankfully it was the blunt edge of the machete, but it still friggin' hurt!! Apparently funny as hell as well as it sent Bob into a laughing fit. Oh well. I have a headache now though, and a bit of a goose egg!

From planes to running

We found out this morning that a co-worker and friend of ours was involved in a small plane (Beaver) crash on Saturday near James Bay. He's lucky - he survived. The pilot and another passenger were killed. Four of them were headed out at the start of a 3 week fishing trip in Northern Quebec. It's a bit of a shock for us all, but we have to take the positive outlook - he survived. I can't even imagine how traumatic it will be for him - to survive a crash where a friend of his was killed. Just goes to show you that life is short - live it to its fullest every day that you are alive because you never know what might be around the corner.

Otherwise - half-marathon training: 7 km today, at race-pace. Felt good except the pain in the calf muscle-hamstring attachment point behind my left knee. I don't know what's going on there, but I suspect it's simply tight and needs to be worked out a bit. Time to book an appointment with my favorite torture professional!

New blog, new start, but some things never change

In light of the fact that starting September 1st I will be on my first sabbatical, I decided to start a new blog. Particularly because for 2.5 months this year, I will be in SE Asia! I will be spending 6 weeks at the National Science Museum in Bangkok (Rangsit), 1 week house building in Pursat province, Cambodia, and then an additional 3 weeks on holiday in Northern Thailand and Laos. I can't wait!!

Let the adventure begin!

I feel as if my sabbatical has already started. I spent the last week at Laurentian working with Andy, doing laser ablation ICP-MS on zircons from the Larvik Complex in Norway.


Being away from the office, installed in a quiet office at LU, left to my own devices with huge quantities of trace element data is actually quite relaxing and peaceful.

I also feel at home. It's going back to my roots. To the place where I initially got interested in mineralogy and started my career. Working with the person who was intrumental in helping me find my way along the winding path during my undergrad, grad school, thru the hell that was my post-doc, and now in my adult life. It's a different building, a different department (many of the profs and people who were there when I did my undergrad are no longer around), but some things never change. People grow, get older, get more experienced, but at their core, they never change. And for that, I am glad. It means I can go home again when I need to. Sudbury itself isn't home. Even being with relatives isn't truly home. But A and LU is home, for better or worse.

So a new blog for a new start. It's going to be a busy year. Right now, my focus is on getting ready for my sabbatical, training for a half-marathon, and making sure I'm in shape before I leave for Thailand so I can train at Baan Muay Thai without crashing half-way through the week!