And Now I've got a Running Coach!

Joy here...when I started this blog, I posted my first entry about my new cycling coach, Coach Andrew, recently retired professional cyclist.  I wanted his help as I prepared for the Ontario Provincial Time Trial Championships (where I placed 6th in my division), but also his expertise, motivation, guidance, and training plan to get me through the winter to start the spring and summer racing season with levels of fitness and skill that I can only vaguely imagine at this point in frosty early November.

But cycling isn't my only love, and not even my first love.

Before cycling there was running (and my co-written blog with Nomi, my friend in Malaysia who is/was my running buddy, East and West Running).

And before cycling there was The Man, a guy I first met over 9 years ago, and went on a first date some 6 years ago, and to whom I've been married for over 4 years.

Coach Woods back in 2005!

And The Man was feeling jealous of the program and expertise that Coach Andrew has been able to give me so far, and he talked to a local Olympic-calibre runner* in our neighbourhood (who I've mentioned before on this blog) about hiring him on as a running coach.  Due to an injury to his foot, his running career came to a halt after a sports scholarship to the University of Michigan and an early career smashing records (you can see his blog here:  Rusty Woods), and now he took up cycling.  He raced in over 42 races this past summer and has just signed on with a local professional team for the upcoming season.  In the meantime, he's started coaching The Man to get back into some running shape.

And, well, I got jealous.  I started to think that I could balance my cycling goals with reclaiming some running fitness.  I mean, afterall, I've been doing the odd run here and there since the end of the summer, surely a little structure couldn't hurt.  Maybe Coach Woods was just the person to help me out.

So I floated the idea with Coach Andrew to see if he thought I could balance fitting in some running training with my cycling training.  Here's what he said:
"I think it's great that you're looking to get in the running workouts! It shows motivation. The running can compliment the cycling nicely over the winter: on the weekend if you combine a workout on the turbo and a run you've got a good day's workout, something to match the 3hours you would do in the summer outdoors."  With that support I turned around and called up Coach Woods to see if he would take me on as a new running client.  I now feel confident that I'm on the right track with Coach Andrew and Coach Woods, and I have high hopes for what working their programs will be able to do for my fitness (not to mention my midsection).

The frosted over grass and early morning
sunrise over the hill at the outdoor track.

Speaking about that right track...this morning was my first workout with Coach Woods out on the track.  Since I had my tough Big Ring workout last night, today's running workout was just supposed to focus on form, stability, and core, and not be too taxing on my system.  In the early hours of the dawn, The Man and I headed out to the local track to meet up with Coach Woods and some of his other clients (including a modern pentathlete who came in the top 20 at the London 2012 Olympics).  He explained the drills to me--walking lunges, one legged lunges, As, Bc, Cs, hops, and strides--and then put me through my paces, correcting me when I was a spaz and complimenting me when I did something right, and then he set me off for a 30 minute easy run before we debriefed.

Then I got in my nice, warm car and headed home to stretch, have a coffee and get ready for my afternoon's strength training session with The Trainer.

Geez, with Coach Andrew, Coach Woods, and The Trainer on board, I better end up being a super athlete...I'll have no excuses!

Go Team Joy!

Over and out,
Joy

*What I mean here is that he could have gone to the Olympics.  He's got five national titles, three national records, and a victory in the Pan Am Junior Championships.  Some of the guys he used to race against (and beat) just competed at the London 2012 Olympics; so if it weren't for his foot injury, there's no telling what he could have done as a runner.  But then again, if it weren't for his foot injury, he probably wouldn't be my new coach.