Is fall the season for runners??

LSD
Drink: 600 ml water + 600 ml gatorade + 3 carb boom shots
Distance: 20.06 km (http://tinyurl.com/dcm3c)
Intensity: Light to medium
Time started: 8:50 am
Duration: 2 hr 15 min (135 min)
Weather: Cool (15 degrees [feels more like 11])

Today I saw more runners on the road than before. I have been running on this route for 4-5 times. I guess runners like to go out when it is cold :). I saw a group of beginners (from Running Room?). It was great to see people trying to get fit. There are less ppl on the road than in the summer. Even better for us runners :D

If there is one thing the government shouldn't have done, it is the removal of all public lockers. My plan was simple. Bring my protien shake with me, leave it in a locker at Union Station. When I am done running, I can chug it. This way I can get the post nutrition in faster than me getting back to Mississauga.

This morning was suppose to be fast and simple. Instead I spend an hour looking around Union Station for lockers. Two employees told me the government removed them two years ago. I was pondering to ditch it in a bush. Then with 9/11 and ppl getting paraniod of bombs, I don't want the bomb squad to come and take my bag away.

My last ditch effort was to go up to Eaton Centre. Nope they don't have lockers either. Argh. Good thing that my university (Ryerson) was close by. I know some of the lockers are unused. So I drop my bag there and took the subway up.

The goal today was to run the last 21 km of the marathon. This is to give me experience of the actual race course and also let me test how my body function after my bike incident. The run was chilly. I felt good for the first 10 km or so. Once I made the turn around at Casa Loma, things kinda turn downhill (yes the course as well :P). At Rosedale I was taking my shots in a gel flask, a lady passed by me and I dripped a bit of it over myself ha. The route down Rosedale was very nice. It was very peaceful. Forests on each side in the city. This is not what I would expected in Toronto.

I use the lady as a pace down the Rosedale stretch. At Bayview, however, there is no sidewalk. So from a jog it turned into an adventure hike as I try not to get run over by cars. When I got to River street I figure I might as well turn and run south to Lakeshore. This ain't the marathon route but it is close enough.

By the last 5-6 km though, I was really struggling. My feet are sore and achy. My HR though was lower than the first half of the run. I come to conclude that b/c of my lack of sleep (4 hr last night) and lack of running from the bike incident that made my feet not use ot running for so long. I generally run 10-1s. Today I rarely stopped. So I am sure that had to do with it.

I remember thinking about the encourgagment from other tri bloggers, sister and a few others I know. At that point, I just told myself..let's finish it, only a few km left. So I struggle up University.

It is funny how I feel once I stop at Queen's park. It is like day and night. I was so satisfy that I made the whole run. I stretching my arms wide like an airplane. People must have think I am crazy. I didn't care. 21 km. That's it.

Right now I am feeling not so good. Like a cold is coming down. It is 9 pm and I am heading to bed soon. Need to rest up. NO COLD before marathon.