Upgraded

Despite my attraction to data, I resisted getting a GPS watch for quite a long time.

Mostly because I hadn't been training anywhere interesting enough to need one. 
I fixed that.

It wasn't until April of 2016 - seven and a half years after I began to run, mostly just using the gmap pedometer website and a Timex (in)famous racing branded watch - that I picked up my trusty, faithful Garmin fenix 2.

Which got me going in all sorts of exciting new directions!

I trained for and ran my first more-than-50k ultra with it, and have had all sorts of off-road and backcountry adventures with it. The watch wasn't without its minor inconveniences: any activity longer than 3hrs - like most of my races - would not sync via bluetooth, so I'd have to hook it up via cable to a computer (or later via an adapter to my phone, using it as a removable storage device then uploading the file manually) in order to get the data from it. It would sometimes take quite a while to get a satellite lock, but that's in the nature of a GPS watch. It was nothing I couldn't deal with, especially since it gave me pretty solid data even when I went rambling off on tiny, unknown side trails..

When you see the sun highlighting a side trail, you go that way, whether you know where it goes or not.
It's a rule.

..or out across a lake.

I don't really paddle for training effect, but it's nice to know how far I went.

Well, I was getting decent data. That sort of changed recently.

I was ok with the quirks that started a few months ago. All of a sudden, the elevation and calories burned went what I can only describe as completely heckin' bonkers.

Um, no.

It was a bit annoying, but I mostly only wanted accurate GPS and time tracking data. Not to mention, for counting daily steps, tracking heart rate and sleep, and for a lot of my lunch runs, I was using a Garmin Vivosport. I relied on the long battery life of the fenix 2 to get me through long training days and races, though...but even that was becoming problematic.

When I ran the Sulphur Springs 100k in 2017, I had a little less than 10% of what had been a 98% full battery at the start remaining - so in GPS mode its useful life was about 16.5hrs, give or take. When I ran the Sunburn Solstice Full last year, I put it on charge by 10.5hrs in because I'd seen the battery nearly deplete itself when I ran the Tally in the Valley 12-hour night race in 2018. 

Powerbank in my pocket with my wrist tethered by the charging cable at Sunburn Solstice

The degradation of GPS time per charge was not totally unexpected - rechargeable lithium cells have a finite lifespan - but I was a little surprised to have lost a quarter of its capacity within two years. Part of the problem was I had no indication - other than the "low battery" warning that would vibrate my wrist when it was down to 10% - of remaining life while recording an activity. Still, I could have lived with all this, but suddenly a couple of weeks ago the GPS itself flaked out on me.

The red track is what the watch recorded - I drew in my actual starting pin, and my path of travel in blue.
I did not, in fact, run over the Grand River at 1:16/km pace.

I put it down to a single incident - the watch had told me it lost signal while I was under some tree cover, so fair enough - until the same thing happened again a week later - I'd been using the Vivosport for my lunch runs all week, so this was actually only the 3rd or 4th activity I recorded with the fenix after that first bit of incongruity.

I made sure I had satellite lock before I started, and the watch never told me it lost signal this time. However..

I started and finished at the same place, approximately where the red pin is.

This was getting frustrating. As much as I'd resisted looking at anything new - particularly as I'd only paid two hundred bucks for the fenix 2, which I knew was a once-in-a-lifetime score - I started poking around the internet to see what kind of deals might be out there. I will totally admit to being a bit enamoured with the newest version of my formerly trusty companion; there were all kinds of new features, far surpassing the combined capabilities of my Vivosport and fenix 2.

My timing was, once again, apparently impeccable. Instead of the usual $50-$100 off sale that Garmin offers during their Father's Day sale (which coincides with the arrival of summer weather in the northern hemisphere, and more people getting outdoors for training and adventures), they were offering a full $200 (almost 25%) off MSRP on the fenix 6. 

Make no mistake - it was still pricey, but between Tanker and my mum (both of whom spoil the crap out of me on a regular basis) telling me "you have a birthday coming soon" , plus the fact MEC was offering the same discount (which meant a Canadian company could get a bit of benefit from the sale)...well, a parcel arrived at my office for me yesterday. 

If you think I was waiting until the middle of next month to open it, you're nuts!

I did get the base model - I don't need wifi, maps, or music capabilities from a watch, and while the Pro Solar edition (which can recharge its battery via solar panels in the face) is quite attractive, it's also more than $1,500CAD after tax. Having only put one tiny nick in the face of my fenix 2 despite some rather hard usage (and some rather deep gouges in the bezel) while climbing via ferrata & backcountry camping, I was sure the gorilla glass of the base model fenix 6 would be just fine without the extra expense of a sapphire crystal.

Charging it up

Diving in to the setup, it became rapidly apparent just how much GPS/smartwatch technology has come along in the past 4 years. The full colour screen - which is almost twice the size of the fenix 2, despite the case of the watch being nearly the same dimensions - was just the start. There were a whole host of new features for me to play with!

YOU GUYS IT HAS SUP METRICS

Some things I hadn't even really expected had been improved by leaps and bounds.

I greatly appreciate that the "pause" screen now scrolls through the distance and time, so I no longer have to scream in anguish when I end up saving my workout at X.99km.

The display itself is so much fancier - a huge change from the almost exclusively alphanumeric output from its predecessor.

Little map with data when you're saved a workout - this was today's lunch walk.

Estimated recovery time - 5 hours for a half-hour walk?

Ok, I definitely was not expecting this kind of depth of analysis from a watch.

I got to take it out for a little trot around the neighbourhood last night after work, and I will say I'm not totally happy with everything about it. I dislike that I can't disable the vibration at each kilometer split without entirely turning off either auto lap or the vibrate function (which I want to leave on so it whirrs on my wrist when I'm supposed to get up off my butt and go for a stroll during the day) - in a long race, that's going to get old real quick, especially since kilometer markers on courses rarely match up with watches. At least I stopped it from going BLEEP at each kilometer; I've always been irritated hearing that from other people's wrists during race, so definitely didn't want it following me around permanently!

I've also figured out some other customization - gotta make it mine!

While it may be a little less reliable than I'd desire, the fenix 2 is still a pretty decent watch...so it's gone to Tanker, so he can have a means to record his paddling in his new kayak, plus any hiking and cycling we do. 

Pictured here trying it out while chasing me on my run last night, and trying to add to the elevation gain.

So hopefully I'm in for many happy years with my new toy - I can't wait to get it out for a nice romp through the woods this weekend!

'Cause this road running stuff just isn't doing it for me.

It feels like the end of an era, and I'm not totally happy that I now have a device (the Vivosport) sitting unused, since the fenix 6 has taken over all of its functions as well as the fenix 2's...but I'm pretty stoked about the new data I'll have to play with, even if I'm far too slow and indifferent a runner to make any reasonable use of it!

High performance runners don't necessarily get to stop and take photos of lovely sunsets, though, so on balance I'm ok with my mediocrity.

Hopefully eventually I'll actually be able to rebuild my strength and endurance enough to put the battery life and tracking through its paces, but in the meantime I am grateful that I have people who love me and spoil me with new toys to play with. 

Some day I may even be worthy of it!
Nahh, not likely.

Finding balance

I've been slightly less hapless at running this past week, which is a rather encouraging sign.

I mean, it couldn't have gotten much worse.

I have also spent some time focusing my energy on non-running stuff. I'm still hitting the trails, and I do still have some goals for this month and year that I'm working to accomplish, but the lack of pressure to put in big mileage has allowed me some time to work toward some other achievements.

Fortunately it doesn't take big mileage to get to some of my favourite trail spots

With last weekend being a bit cooler, I didn't get out paddling...but I actually got on a bicycle for only the 2nd time this year!

Tanker wore his super appropriate Endurance Conspiracy "Hyperspace" shirt as we went noodling around the neighbourhood, bouncing through the park on our mountain bikes.

 

It was goofy good fun, and I still got out for a lovely trail romp that evening as well. I mean, I know I used to spend my weekends getting in a swim, bike, AND run each day, but that was awhile ago now. Honestly I've been a little leery of getting on a bike; I wasn't sure how my back would react, but it turns out it was ok. So, now that I know, maybe I can stop neglecting my bicycles a bit!

If I get super brave, I might even try riding some trail again!

What I've actually been putting real work into, though, is almost totally unrelated to endurance sport, though it may help with some aspects...and maybe my poor, damaged back.

I've always been on the clumsy side, and despite growing up taking various kinds of dance & gymnastics, I've had to fight quite hard to improve my sense of balance from "atrocious" to merely "pretty awful" over the last couple of years. I spend a lot of time standing on one foot, or on a wobble board, or on an inflatable disc in an effort to become slightly less awkward... but now I'm trying things from a different angle.

It might look pretty basic, but this is one heck of a challenge for me!

For no reason other than having seen an Instagram post about arm balances and headstands, I decided to give it a whack on Monday after we got home from work. When the world's been turned upside down, what better time to learn to stand on your head? I didn't have a lot of success, but I could feel that I was getting a sense of how it worked. I stopped myself before I got frustrated, though not before I tumbled a bit awkwardly out of a tripod headstand. I feared for my back, but it seemed to be ok. I'd fortunately avoided striking any furniture on my way down. I have a sort of dedicated workout space in my livingroom - where I was making my attempts - but between the weight bench and the recliner, there's not quite as much space as I'd really like in case of a fall.

I tried again after work on Tuesday, and there was definite improvement already: I could get myself into crow pose (above), though I couldn't hold it. I was also right on the cusp of being able to get my legs fully extended upward in a headstand. Once again, I kept it down to 10mins or so of trying...especially after I nearly faceplanted out of crow, rolling over on my left wrist rather painfully. It wasn't until that happened, though, that I gained an appreciation for just how far that wrist has come since I broke it in 2012; it was close to a year before I could do a push-up with my left hand flat on the floor (I'd use rotating grips instead), and here that same limb was supporting 50% of my not-inconsiderable bodyweight! 

Wednesday evening, I finally felt like I really got it - three tripod headstands, all with full leg extension! 

No, I don't really recommend doing all this in a dress, but it's certainly not impossible. 

By Thursday, I was able to unfold myself upward to full extension (I don't kick my legs up, I press my knees up from the back of my elbows in a tuck, then extend fully), hold a few seconds, move my legs around a bit (one leg forward, legs out to the sides), and begin to fold back down again without toppling over. Four times! I couldn't quite manage to bring my knees back down to my elbows, though..

..until tonight!

Yes, I may have utterly failed to stick the landing, but for 5 days from my first attempt I'll take it!

I'm hoping that the additional core strength this is developing - make no mistake, even after years of dedicated work on my core strength I definitely feel this in my back extensors and intercostals, not to mention my shoulders - will help stabilize my back, and help me dance over the trails.

Not that I don't already, in my own clumsy, dorky way.

It's also just a fun challenge in its own right - a new stupid human trick, and one that I can't wait to try on my paddleboard sometime. I fully expect to get wet, but with the heat that's come back to town and summer ready to begin tomorrow, I'm sure I won't mind making a splash!

So I ask you - how are you challenging yourself now that traditional races are mostly cancelled? Are you mastering a new skill, practicing a new hobby, or learning a new craft? If not, maybe it's time to try something..

You might find yourself a little more balanced for it!

What matters

I've continued to struggle with running..

Though not with finding beautiful places to do so.

While I'm getting my consistency back, I can't honestly remember the last time I had a run where I felt decently strong.

I'm sure it has a lot to do with all those pink (non-running) days.

I can barely string together more than a kilometer of steady running before I need to walk a bit, or stop altogether to catch my breath. It's frustrating and disheartening - I feel so very far away from the person who ran 100km just over a year ago. 

It feels like I'm in a very dark place right now.

I can't shake the feeling there may be something wrong, more than just lost fitness. Yes, the weather has been hot - we had heat warnings for a good chunk of this week - but I've run in high heat before. Yes, I'm on the sleep deprived side, but that's nothing new. I've always been able to push through in the past, but right now it just feels hopeless.

Stopping to admire the view has its benefits, but I'd rather have a choice in the matter.

I'm desperately hoping it's just some lingering fatigue from the Tail Chaser, or from upping my mileage and frequency a fair bit in the last couple of weeks. When combined with the heat, carrying a few extra pounds, and some hormonal stuff (I tend to get super exhausted every 4 weeks - give or take - right before my cycle arrives), it might just explain why it feels like I've had a cinderblock tied to my more-ample-than-usual butt.

Which hasn't stopped me from getting out to enjoy the trails - I just do so a lot more slowly.

But none of that really matters. I'm only able to concern myself with it all because of my position of privilege.

Things that are far more important:

Black lives

Missing and murdered indigenous women

Love is love

The gender identity that you feel fits you best is valid

If you have a problem with any of that, please feel free to get lost.

While I try to be an ally as best I can, I know that my privilege as a white, heterosexual, cis-gendered woman and the society in which I live have insulated me from racial prejudice and its effects on black, indigenous, and other people of colour. I know that people are still persecuted for whom they love, and for how they identify their true selves. 

That's a tougher fight than just some lost run mojo, and it's heartbreaking that we're still so far from a resolution that will allow everyone to live their lives in peace.

I don't know how to solve these problems, but I know I want to be a part of the solution. So, as a start, I'm gonna shout it a little louder here - just so noone can have the excuse they didn't hear me:

BLACK LIVES MATTER

THERE IS A PLAGUE OF MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN AND GIRLS

LOVE IS LOVE

GENDER IS NOT A BINARY OR BIOLOGICAL DETERMINATION

..and those are more important than any whining I have to offer about my little struggles with running.

So I'll shut the heck up and get on with it, while trying to educate myself about how to be part of the solution.

Who (self) cares?

I had a really lax May when it comes to running.

And really, really missed the trails.

Including the 25k I ran for the virtual Rugged Raccoon at the beginning of the month and the ~32km I ran for the Tail Chaser Challenge 12-hour on the 23rd, I only put in a total of 88km. 55 measly miles. I haven't run that little since August of 2018, when I was trying to recover after running for 12 idiotic hours on a seriously messed up ankle.

It'd be nice to say that's all water under the bridge now..

I did take a couple of weeks off completely (though I did a lot of walking and hiking - a total of almost 80km for the month) while I tried to come to grips with a spinal injury, but the lovely weather - which took its sweet time arriving, let me tell you - lured me back out.

I absolutely refuse to miss phlox season!

I haven't been super consistent about it - I ran Wednesday and Thursday of last week after a few days off to try to rid myself of the soreness from Tail Chaser, but despite intentions to hit the trails on Saturday I ended up spending all afternoon and evening with Tanker cleaning out our garage.

It took 6 hours. There was a mummified mouse corpse. Many decisions were made. It was long past time.

This is the AFTER photo

Vast improvement

There is no "before" photo that does it justice, but this is the pile of junk we couldn't re-purpose, recycle, or re-home.

With that nasty task out of the way, I was free to head down to a favourite and recently re-opened spot for some beautiful, sunny trail therapy on the last day of the month.

The bridge is a dead giveaway for where we went..

The last time I ran here was on snowshoes!

While I was out prancing around in the woods, Tanker was on the lake enjoying his new toy, picked up earlier that afternoon:

They say money can't buy happiness, but it can buy my sweetheart an angling kayak, and that seems pretty close.

After I ran for about an hour, I grabbed my paddleboard off the car and headed down to meet him at the dock. He let me take a whirl in his new yak, then I hopped on my board so we could go for a lovely cruise around the lake through the gorgeous evening sun.

We've both waited such a long time to paddle together

At only 13c/55f it wasn't the warmest day, but it certainly was beautiful

So basically the perfect Sunday, right?

Not exactly.

See, my right ankle is still angry. My back still gets grumpy. My muscles and joints get sore from my exertions and my sedentary job. Yet, I do very little to help myself feel any better.

Mentally therapeutic? Aboslutely. Physically? Not so much..

I've realised that since the beginning of the pandemic - when it became apparent that most of this race season was going to be a wash - I've stopped taking proper care of myself.

I haven't foam rolled. I stopped taking some helpful supplements. I've been eating too much and putting on weight, which makes the bit of running I have done harder on my body.

I haven't respected the work I have put in, simply because it is less than I have done in the past. I mean, some of my runs recently have been less than my usual minimum of 5k, so who cares about them? Who needs to worry about recovery when you're only running 20km per week?

However, if there's one thing that the Going the (Social) Distance Challenge group on facebook taught me, it's that there are huge numbers of runners out there for whom my 88km of running in May would be a huge accomplishment. at an average of almost 3km per day for the full month (despite my 2 weeks off), it's more than a lot of people will run in their lifetime.

It hasn't all been easy mileage, either.

I've been paying the price for my neglect - while I've managed to string together runs on each of the past 5 days, it's felt very difficult. The heat is partly to blame, as well as the de-training effect from the time I took off, but I have to face the fact that I haven't been making things any easier for myself.

Carting around a belly in the hot sun while stiff and sore isn't much fun.

So, I'm going to try to do better. I'm going to make an effort to respect the running I do, even if I feel it's horribly slow and I need to stop to catch my breath here and there. I don't have to be the same runner I was last year at this time: I just need to resolve to do my best, and to take care of the body that lets me get out there to enjoy the sunshine and flowers.

It doesn't have to be epic - every little lunch run counts.

I challenge all of you to do something nice for your body this weekend, whether it's taking an unplanned rest day when you're fatigued, foam rolling a problem spot, improving your nutrition by focusing on increasing your intake of fruit and vegetables, or just getting to bed a half hour earlier to allow yourself some extra repair & regeneration time.