Looking back on May

Totals:

Running: 380.28 km, 13 runs (29.25 km average)
Mountain Biking: 207.54 km, 8 trips (25.94 km average)

Races:

May 1, 2010: Elk/Beaver Lake 50 km (4:47:28)
May 2, 2010: Vancouver Marathon (4:27:26)

Longest run: 62 km from Penticton to Kelowna via the Kettle Valley Railway trail.
Longest mountain bike: 49.59 km bike up Lost Lake trail and then to the lake before Chute lake on the KVR.
Hardest run: Running to Penticton (well Naramata is where I got picked up). 52 km from Kelowna to Naramata after working a hard 8 hour shift at work and then having a massive storm hit me during the run for a solid hour of my time on my feet.
Second hardest run: Vancouver marathon. Running a marathon the day after running a 50 km race was very hard.
Most common run: I ran Knox mountain six times this month. Every time I went a little further and a little harder. I really like running up and down Knox Mountain. I am almost to the point where I can run non stop up the trails. I have been able to run up the road non stop for quite some time now, but I really can't stand running on the road, if at all possible I skip the road for the trail.

Elevation gain: If I run from my house up to the peak of Knox Mountain and back I get a total of 1400 feet elevation gain.
Gain of 1400 ft: six times.
Plus runs with gains of (in feet): 2598, 2982, 3091, 4478, 4823

I've experimented with a few different sports drinks, gels, and bars during my runs. And I also have gotten into the habit of making protein shakes for my post run eats. I've settled with a plan of running with Hammer's 'Perpetuem' (carbs and protein and electrolytes), Gatorade mix, Clif shot gels, and my 3 litre hydration pack, and taking cheap granola bars with me. And for after a run I make a shake consisting of (1 scoop soy protein which has about 26 g protein, 1 scoop of meal replacement which has 6 g protein 15 g carbs as well as other vitamins, a banana, 1/4 cup applesauce, 1 cup milk, and a tablespoon of peanut butter). It seems to work well. And of course pasta after a run, and the night before (well that means every night is pasta night but that means energy so yay for pasta).

I got around to buying a nice pair of spandex leggings from the running room. Which is really nice because when I wear them I no longer need to worry about using vaseline to prevent chafing down there. And I haven't gotten one wood tick while wearing them. The only piece of clothing that I can think of that I want is a comfortable hat, I wear my white skullcap that I got at a race last year, but It's cotton and a little too warm for the summer days although it does a nice job as sunscreen replacement.

My anterior tibularis muscle on my left leg is doing really well compared to how it felt in late February and early March. It hasn't hurt me during a run all month. It does occasionally give me weird shooting sensations if I've had a really hard day at work though. But never while running. It's strange.

This month I've had three encounters with bears (only one was within 30 metres), a dozen run ins with deer, seen wild rabbits, marmots, tonnes of squirrels, crows, blue jays, robins, a few hawks, and today I saw a couple cows on the trails that had escaped from a nearby farm (they were so scared when I came around the corner).

Next month I'm running the 50 mile Scorched Sole race in Kelowna. I plan on running everyday for the next two weeks (well if not a run at least a mountain bike) and ramping up the miles in those two weeks. Then a recovery week followed by a week of easy runs and rest to prep for the 50 miler.

Running is my Zen.

Nazzer