I've been training since about a week after the Vancouver Sun Run (10 km). I found a training schedule posted online by Forerunners. But rather than religiously follow it to the letter (5 days out of 7 containing training sessions), I improvised somewhat and counted bicycle commutes as training seesions, as well as full days I spent walking job sites on assignments. I started jogging home from the office too, and those were definitely good workouts because it's a long gentle incline for at least half the 10 km distance. And I was carrying a backpack as well, lightly packed. I tried to accomplish 1 long run per week (usually with our ever-enthusiastic Spaniel) which ramped up consecutively from 11 km to 18 throughout May and June. And several weekend mornings my wife and I jogged from Olympic Village to Granville Island, again with our trusty canine companion.
In other words, I thought I was quite well prepared. Last Sunday all seemed to be going well. I had carefully laid out all my gear the night before so I wouldn't be in a mad scramble in the morning. I knew exactly what time the Fraser bus would arrive, and which connection would drop me off at UBC. I got to Thunderbird Arena in plenty of time to drop my backpack off at the gear-check.
Strangely enough (I blame the adrenaline), I didn't even think about my planned 10 and 1 strategy (jog 10 minutes, walk 1, repeat) until probably the 3rd kilometer. Someone told me the water stations would probably be about 10 minutes apart, so I wasn't too perturbed when I realized I'd left my stop watch at home. Long story short, I didn't adhere as closely as I should have to my 10 and 1 plan. And the other minor mis-step is that I didn't include any downhills in my training regimen as steep as the decline from UBC to Spanish Banks. My knees let me know pretty quickly on that hill that they were not amused.
The really annoying aspect of the event, in terms of personal performance, is that at no point in the whole 21 km did I feel winded. My knees were the limiting factor. Again.
This also happened about 3 years ago when I attempted to train for a half. At the time I blamed it on my knees, but I've since overcome at least one obstacle in that regard through physio therapy. My knees felt good all through this season's training. So after gritting my teeth and persevering to the finish line, and during the second 10 K of this run mentally punting back and forth the idea of whether or not this particular life experience was simply to be checked off my bucket list never to be entertained again, I allowed myself that I'd really only made 2 mistakes: not incorporating downhills into my training, and forgetting my stopwatch at home.
Oh, by the way, I finished in 2:17:01. My estimation of somewhere in the range of 2:15 to 2:30 was pretty accurate. And although I initially thought the idea of awarding every participant a medal was silly, after 2 days of aching muscles post-event, I can honestly say I think I earned it.
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