tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-324595712009-07-02T13:34:07.435-07:00A sporadically updated view into my running worldBrad Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17267369770264365881bradcunningham@gmail.comBlogger294125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32459571.post-19562250122680415632009-06-29T22:17:00.001-07:002009-06-29T22:30:26.956-07:00

This is going to be short, but not because of anger or frustration, but just that time is seeping away from me...The half was what I was hoping for, for about 16k. Looking back at the Garmin, I was on pace up until that point. Even through 17k, I was still on 1:15 pace, but in the last 4k, man it got ugly. Heart rate dropped, no strength in the legs, eyes starting to cross. Not even the

Brad Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17267369770264365881bradcunningham@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32459571.post-53883270897863773132009-06-24T20:15:00.001-07:002009-06-24T21:15:03.834-07:00

Running...Things are going well, even thought last night's tempo with Simon was tough. But I can figure out the reason for that; staff luncheon. Yesterday was the final staff lunch for the school year at school and there was a great spread! Samosas, sushi sandwiches, pasta, AND deserts! I couldn't help but go up to the buffet three times! Thus, when I met Simon at 4:30 at Burnaby Lake to run

Brad Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17267369770264365881bradcunningham@gmail.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32459571.post-33164141101354760232009-06-16T18:56:00.000-07:002009-06-16T22:49:19.098-07:00

Since the race on Friday I have run up and down Mt. Seymour (Sunday long run) and cruised a 10k recovery run (Monday). Tonight I was meeting Simon at Burnaby Lake for a 10k tempo. I ran in the new Brooks Glycerin last night for the first time and loved them. I am not sure if it was the shoe that made me feel good or if I am just starting to feel more like a runner, but the easy run last night

Brad Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17267369770264365881bradcunningham@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32459571.post-85879410628328258082009-06-13T08:56:00.000-07:002009-06-13T17:35:07.681-07:00

EDIT June 13 - 5:34pm: Thanks to a comment, please substitute "the guy in the white shirt" with "Facundo", which is his actual name, not "white shirt." Thanks to Jeremy Hopwood for letting me know! Check the comments for the link to Facundo's blog. It sure was a fun race with him!For teachers, the month of June is tangible and tactile. There is a distinct feel of it that you can reach out and

Brad Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17267369770264365881bradcunningham@gmail.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32459571.post-35526069061752298292009-06-05T20:50:00.000-07:002009-06-05T21:10:41.919-07:00

Last night was a warm one. With Vancouver hitting record temperatures of 30+ degrees throughout the week, I was actually looking forward to being out and running sans shirt. There is something freeing about running a hard workout with teammates, baking in the evening heat, sweating out the work day.We jogged over to Beaver Lake and found out from John that tonight was going to be the infamous,

Brad Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17267369770264365881bradcunningham@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32459571.post-15964589613925712522009-06-03T21:57:00.000-07:002009-06-03T22:03:32.664-07:00

I have never participated in an Aquathlon, but today was my mini-version. After 2.5 days of icing and traumeel, my foot was feeling better so I tried out a short run. Sonja was at Brighton pool when I got home from teaching, so I ran down to meet her there. The pool is about 10 minutes away and it is amazing - the view of the North Shore is incredible. We swam (read: waded and splashed) for

Brad Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17267369770264365881bradcunningham@gmail.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32459571.post-21373917867920889052009-06-02T19:32:00.000-07:002009-06-02T20:06:05.568-07:00

This was the race that started it all. I had been running trails before this race, but once I had run this course, it was love.I love point-to-point races because you actually feel like you have gone somewhere. The big joke with non-runners is that we spend a lot of energy to go nowhere. The point-to-point is fun to run and gives a sense a satisfaction that looped or out-and-back routes

Brad Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17267369770264365881bradcunningham@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32459571.post-53356599431737948582009-05-30T07:11:00.000-07:002009-05-30T07:51:09.075-07:00

It has been a busy week, and after the race that was the Oak Bay Half, I wasn't super stoked to get back into training. But, one foot in front of the other, and out the door I went and got in some decent runs.Workout on Thursday was what is the called the double-single and it is much better than the double-double. The references are to the 1 mile 5/8 loop in Stanley Park. Double means we do it

Brad Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17267369770264365881bradcunningham@gmail.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32459571.post-7854617520758289782009-05-24T19:14:00.001-07:002009-05-24T19:19:52.196-07:00

Having found myself in Victoria this weekend, I decided to jump into the Oak Bay Half Marathon. With the Scotiabank Half Marathon only a month or so away, I knew I needed some longer race efforts to help prepare me for it. I have been running well of late, with last week's VFAC workout being another strong workout over shorter distances (2 x 1 mile 7/8 = 9:21, 9:30), but my longest tempo since

Brad Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17267369770264365881bradcunningham@gmail.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32459571.post-8377490187803568502009-05-19T21:25:00.000-07:002009-05-19T22:42:52.611-07:00

Simon before his speedy running days...(the one on the left - oh Google Images, you will never let any of us be politicians)With the threat of a thunderstorm looming, Simon and I left my place for our tempo run. It is a rare occasion that I get the chance to run my tempo with someone. The weather forecasters had said that the rain was coming, but the sun and wind were more prevalent than any

Brad Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17267369770264365881bradcunningham@gmail.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32459571.post-35397098770174691682009-05-18T17:08:00.000-07:002009-05-18T17:24:18.509-07:00

You can tell that I am getting back into running by the sheer number of updates that are coming out of this blog. It is a result of inertia. Inertia is an interesting concept. An object will maintain its state or motion, either not moving or moving, unless acted upon by an external force. To overcome the inertia of an object at rest more than the usual amount of energy is required to begin

Brad Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17267369770264365881bradcunningham@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32459571.post-33739090782808746172009-05-18T08:56:00.000-07:002009-05-26T16:01:44.184-07:00

Saturday was spent helping to move friends to their beautiful new home. As reward for a job well done, we were treated to an amazing dinner on the new BBQ, seated on an enormous raised deck, where we were able to watch the sun fade away and share in good food, good wine, and good company.It was after the steak and tuna were cleared and the wine glasses were near empty that I asked the two

Brad Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17267369770264365881bradcunningham@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32459571.post-20576024095217033752009-05-16T09:49:00.001-07:002009-05-16T09:49:42.991-07:00

Playing around with a website Sonja showed me called Animoto. Made this video as an experiment to see what it could do. Not bad...

Brad Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17267369770264365881bradcunningham@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32459571.post-84735018214676448682009-05-15T21:50:00.000-07:002009-05-15T21:55:06.759-07:00

Yesterday I felt like a runner. Today, I felt like a runner who felt like a runner yesterday.An easy 45 minutes jaunt along the daily Trans Canada Trail route, out around Kensington park and back in time to go for sushi and Star Trek. Everything was good, except the run. I think I need to pick up new shoes as these ones are running out of time. Another couple of long runs this long weekend

Brad Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17267369770264365881bradcunningham@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32459571.post-13914514176481598902009-05-14T23:08:00.000-07:002009-05-26T15:59:59.223-07:00

Having missed lunch today was a cause for a mini-celebration - namely, I don't have to make my sandwich for tomorrow as it is already made!I also filled a water bottle to take to drink in the car on the way to workout (after having eaten my Clif Bar) and I promptly left that on the kitchen table.The lesson here kids is to not eat much and not drink much if you want to have a strong workout.After

Brad Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17267369770264365881bradcunningham@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32459571.post-79084427949565144322009-05-12T22:48:00.000-07:002009-05-12T23:02:05.080-07:00

Fatigue, meet Brad.Brad, meet fatigue.I think you have both met before, but it might have been a while ago. You may not remember each other, but I am sure you have crossed paths. Maybe last March? Before that trip out east to Boston? Yeah, that one. Right....good, I am glad that you both have the chance reconnect.My first tempo in about 5 months occurred today, after a rest day after two

Brad Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17267369770264365881bradcunningham@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32459571.post-50229243909708285282009-05-11T22:43:00.001-07:002009-05-11T22:55:57.294-07:00

I didn't expect them to win the cup, but I didn't expect seven pucks to find their way behind Luongo either. Now my bi-nightly watching of Canucks hockey has come to a screeching, unceremonious halt. I will no longer wake up neighbours with loud yells when O'Brien scores nor when Kane gets a hat-trick (note: the yell sounds very different for those two events).Every other night I now have three

Brad Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17267369770264365881bradcunningham@gmail.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32459571.post-40059665050916857432009-04-05T16:35:00.000-07:002009-04-05T16:56:14.426-07:00

The car thermometer read 18 degrees at one point today while out shopping for copious amounts of wonderful, fresh food. The weekend has been everything that the week was not - open, sunny, welcoming, and warm. Today is a day where the decision to be on the left coast is justified - you just have to get through 6 months of rain to remember.Yesterday morning was track workout which went

Brad Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17267369770264365881bradcunningham@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32459571.post-73337231157816406392009-03-28T12:10:00.000-07:002009-03-28T12:26:50.559-07:00

I have been very delinquent in updating the blog, but as one of my favourite races is tomorrow, I thought it time do so (and I have to wait for my Garmin Forerunner 405 to recharge before I go for a run).Things have been good recently. This past week saw my first back to back days of running since the injury (Monday and Tuesday) and also my return to VFAC workouts. I was surprised with my

Brad Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17267369770264365881bradcunningham@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32459571.post-36639250216479358032009-02-23T19:13:00.000-08:002009-02-23T19:42:58.958-08:00

There were many people and it was very hot. I thought that the resolutioners were suppose to leave after reading week, which was last week. But no! They were out in full force tonight and taking up lots of space, which forced me to alter my plans. I had wanted to get in a workout and then go to the treadmill, but since there was one just opening up, I didn't want to lose my chance -

Brad Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17267369770264365881bradcunningham@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32459571.post-618087099143613912009-02-14T22:25:00.001-08:002009-02-15T11:07:55.514-08:00

Vancouver was showing off today. The sun was out and the air was brisk but welcoming. The snow on Grouse was decent, especially in light of the lack of precipitation recently. We have waited out the worst of the winter out here and spirits are beginning to slowly rise. The snow has left all but the higher elevations and the sun is shining both when I leave for work and when I leave for

Brad Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17267369770264365881bradcunningham@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32459571.post-53493596330338898872009-01-14T22:57:00.000-08:002009-01-14T23:06:18.852-08:00

The snow is taking its time in leaving, making sure that we are not to forget its impact anytime soon. In the meantime, I have been back in the gym, back to Turbulence Training, taking this opportunity to do a mini-strength focus while the footing on the trails is less than ideal. Once I was back running I no longer kept up with my strength training, my focus having shifted on getting back my

Brad Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17267369770264365881bradcunningham@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32459571.post-66648116470535812892009-01-10T10:42:00.000-08:002009-01-10T11:05:35.214-08:00

I know that I have shared with everyone the video that I have submitted for the Marathon of Hope. And I have shared the email that went out in December as a call for people to participate.Well, the deadline was on Thursday and there are a number of public videos now posted. The stories are amazing. Wow. What an incredible group of people willing to take this challenge on and they each have

Brad Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17267369770264365881bradcunningham@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32459571.post-3059207837976296212009-01-08T22:57:00.000-08:002009-01-08T23:55:19.132-08:00

Happy belated new year!  I hope everyone was sufficiently festive.I have been absent from the blogosphere (I have never ever used that term before) as I have become reacquainted with Ontario winter in Vancouver.  A missed flight resulting in a great night with Sonja's parents in Toronto, a few hours of shoveling the car out from under wet snow, the abruptness of the end of the semester of

Brad Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17267369770264365881bradcunningham@gmail.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32459571.post-67450748766395459112008-12-23T14:49:00.000-08:002008-12-23T15:02:12.732-08:00

We have some intermittent internet here so I will post when I can.  After crazy flights and running across Terminal 1 of Toronto to catch a flight that was leaving without us, we ended up in Barbados only two hours behind schedule, but a little more worn.  Barbados has been nothing short of spectacular so far - clear ocean water, white sand, sun with just enough cloud to give a short respite from

Brad Cunninghamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17267369770264365881bradcunningham@gmail.com2