Running 20K!!

I dedicated this run to my Grandfather who is losing his fight with cancer. My strength, determination, and humanity is a fraction of his.


Here it is. All this training. All this work to finally reach my peak. 20K. This is the longest I will have before the big day. Call it the bachelor party of running. I was nervous the day before, the morning of. Once the shoes hit the pavement it all ended. This was happening. I could do it.
Here's the map that I put up beside the entrance. Notifying everyone. Lot's of people sent text and phone calls.

The start picture. I had all my friend prepared to meet me at different times with different running necessities
I did the first lap by myself. i had nervous energy and just had to go out and do it. On the second 5K lap. Aja joined me and my friend Laura bumped into us. Here she us running through the trees. My favourite part of this loop. (I save it for the end...like dessert)
Megan came out for 10-15K Good action shot. In the background is this cute cafe with 2.50 Dessert du jour.
After 15K I was kinda haggered. I was worried it would be the hardest part. The whole time I knew I could do it. Aja came back to run the last 5K. I always make her do ridiculous things. Oh boy do we laugh. Not so much running but any other time. Dang!!
Today i was the pied piper of running. Little Maya here was just heading out on her small run and I made her join Aja and I on the final lap. She made it to 4K and had her limit. I had to get the I did it photo!!!!
Aja's i did it photo. she ran 10K her longest distance ever!!!
The money I'm finished shot. 20K take that. Half Marathon is going to be conquered.
Afterward we spent the day laying around enjoy Quebec. Eating cheese and baguettes.

only 104 to my goal of 4900. Please donate:http://www.active.com/donate/tntcal/mathewjohn

Thanks to everyone for getting me this far,

Mathew John

Countdown...

On Sunday I have made plans to run my longest distance yet. Not sure the exact distance but it will be around 20. Possible but hard.

It has rained the last 2 days. Luckily I got out and ran hils yesterday morning before the grey took over. only 4 hills and I was ready to vomit. So hard. I guess I hadn't done that training since the stairs in Montreal.

Maybe a short run in the rain. All I want to do is nap!

Less than a month till my first half Marathon!!!

Mathew John

Without Computer.

Hello!!!!

It hard to be without a computer.
I sneak my blogging time when I should be practicing my french.

No Pictures for this blog.

The weeks are passing by. Since my long run just gone on a bike ride and a handle full of shorter runs around campus.

Finally my shoes broke the boundary of the universite Laval and made their way to the neighborhood. Down to the St. Laurent. Along the brick houses. I ran for 5 minutes up hill and the my right foot landed flat and it was over. I walk 4 minutes up the rest of the hill. I did take photos and will post them later. A very good route to add on even with the hill. It was only about 8 or 9K.

This week is a little bit more relaxed. Catching up on all the things I love that have been forgotten. Writing postcards, speaking french. The usual.

Hope all is well.

Right now!!!

I just got in from my late night run and watched TV on a friends computer. Opted out on eating cookie dough to just eat an orange. Doing great. Last Friday I ran my longest difference yet 18K.

These are the pictures from my journey around Montreal.

The angel is one of the most beautiful statues I have ever seen. She is my first hope for making it up the mountain.

I might be wrong but this is beaver lake on the mountain. Not quite Lake Louise. it's only 500M around. Add distance anywhere I can.

Another view of the city. When I got to the top I knew this was possible. I turned around at the cross came to the chalet. Filled my water bought some blue powerade took a deep breath. It took me just over an hour to run to the mountain and up it.

This is a map of the paths. Plans to utilise nose hill park on my return.

This is where I finished in La Parc de Fountaine. Another peaceful zone in the city. In the summer it is full of picnicker with their wine just enjoying life. Last summer it was my morning run to the park and around the fountain and home. All in all it took me 2 hours and 20 minutes. The longest time I have ever ran. YAHOO!!!!

This is my little 5K trail around the campus of Laval. Love running in the trees.

off to sleep,

It is 10:35 here and I have to be up for hills bright and early.

(If only I had my partners.)

Mathew

Not the City.

Bonjour,

I have been doing alot of running and very little blogging.

Just figuring out how to use the computers. I will post pictures on a later time.

I arrived in Quebec city on Saturday night. Up early on Sunday and took off from my residence. The rain became a down pour. After 10 minutes i turned around soaked.
Monday, first day of school and I was up and out before 7 for my run. Running the perimeter of Laval. Through the trees and by the church. A lovely run.
Today up again and off to the track for sprints. Countdown. 5 minutes run-walk 1- run 4-walk 1-run 3-walk 1-run 2-walk 1-run 1.

If any of you know great track training it would be a great help.
also soon I will have to run to vieux Quebec. Soon.

Working hard,

Mathew John

French Hills

Here's the worst stairs ever!!! Even when you think it is the top, nope there another 2 flights.
My Montreal hill buddies. Ali, Beautiful blond and perfect. Legs that just go on forever. Unfair to my little muscular legs. Sophie is the whole reason why I started running. She just goes and I'm always 2 steps behind her.
Come on Ali, them skinny legs make stairs hard.
Me. after going up them 3 times. Not once did I run the whole way but hey it's all about improvement.
On the walk back to Sophie's, this Magnolia tree hiding in an alley way. Perfection.

YES!!!!

Mathew John

Great Things.

This is a long time coming blog. Finishing up a school year is strenuous April. This is my other half Tracy. We have run together all season. Amazing runner. She is running her first half Marathon in Vancouver this Sunday. Sending her the great vibes. It will be hard to train without her.
This is from last Saturday. An EASY 10K. Actually not a single step of it was easy. I complained the whole way. If this goal wasn't as important as it is I would have turned around. (Then went for a big breakfast) I had to go to an exam at 3:30 after my run. I had a headache the whole day. Most likely from getting a whole hours of sunshine. As it turns out it got my brain working right. On the Exam I got an A-, this is an A- in programming. (Yes!)

Everything was over and then the craziness of leaving set in. Of course I had to throw a party the night before. Off on the plane. Didn't know what to do. Arrived and talked about dreams and great thing in bed with Sophie.

There it is my run. Notice the cross.

I got up headed out for a much due run. I trained on the mountain last summer. It was a big deal when I ran up it the first time. Training for months makes that first run easy.
After about 40 minutes from the apartment I ROCKY'd it. Arms up and all. Not hard when at the end is this view.
Went to another lookout across the mountain.
Hello Cross. Your not so small. All in all I was running for 80 minutes. Not sure the distance but lets say 12.
I came home and had to make myself something healthy. Spinach, tofu and Almonds.

Now I'm just sitting and catching up on everything in my inbox and blogging away.
Happy to have time to train, enjoy life.
Only 1100 left to fundraise!!!

Mathew John