The next step.

This was my Friday "oh crap I have to run a half marathon on Sunday and haven't run since Monday" run. Down to baker park and under the sarcee bridge to Bowness.
This was a silly photo to take after running 15K. For Erin and I to lift our feet and hold them while I clicked away was almost a marathon itself.
Around 19K we passed the 2:10 pace bunny and ended up finishing 2 hours and 4 minutes 32 seconds. That means I have gone from running a 7 minutes Km to just under a 6. YAHOO!!!!

Hello cute couple from my running team. Still running. Kyle was my mentor for my first journey into distances. Plans to become a mentor and inspire.
Wow Mathew John without a shirt. This being my third half marathon you think I would have the knowledge of the importance of body glide and band aids. At 12K I realized the run would be needing them. Screw it. What a great finishing photo. LOOK at my medal!
The next day convinced to go on a 3 hour hike which became a 5.5 hour hike. This was my first mountain climb and really proved how under prepared/inexperienced I was.

Paid 300 dollars for the university triathlon club.
Hopefully all the cross training will make me a better runner.

cheers,

Mathew

UPDATES: Running and a Tri-it.

I tried a week ago to update this blog but blogger was not on my side. Yesterday I completed my first 'Tri it' Triathlon. First all the people who got me there.

Alex was willing to get in the pool with me. I needed the most work in that spot. Pooligans for life!
John is also training for Triathlon stuff. He's in the university club which I am thinking about joining. He has plan to do a half-iron man. The day this photo was taken we biked 16K then ran 6K. AMAZING work.
A week ago John and I went and ran the Glenmore reservoir. It took alot to get back into long distances. This was only 15K John hadn't run that far ever and with a tight muscle in his leg had to turn around at 6K. The reason I like running it is because after 7.5K you can't turn around.
Hello Beauty.
My Triathlon team. We all completed our first event ever. Megan kicked my butt in our heat. She is one of those swimmers that doesn't splash. Kevin registered just on time and was placed in another heat. It was great to finish and watch him. The time aren't posted yet but I ended up biking the wrong way for kilometer before turning around. It is 6 days till Edmonton Half marathon. One final longer distance. Off Erin and I went (with the best dog Felix) around the reservoir again.
In true fashion we went off the pavement and ended up with a block in a trail. "Do we go over the beaver dam?" Yeah we did. That was the best part. The run ended up being a little more trail then a light jog. It killed but should be good practice for the unknown Edmonton route.

That's the update,

Mathew

Personal best.

In the constant state of training. I saw and signed up for a saturday morning open minds ten-er. Why not invite your good friend Erin who lately you have managed to sleep through or previous plans.

If you going to do the cock talk why not do it while running for Schizophrenia.

Best race of my life. The results are up: 56 minutes and 27 seconds. Erin was 8 seconds behind me. I gave it one of my killer sprints. Afterward we went to the cutest 'new to me' breakfast place. Cannot wait to take all my friends there.

Finding a good unknown breakfast place is like finding the amazing man in your social circle who hasn't been with any of your friends.

My triathlon training week:

Saturday- 10K power run.

Sunday- Drunk neighborhood bike ride.

Monday- 350m swim with Kevin.
Tuesday- 40 minutes sprint bike ride

Today- 40 minute run and a pool date later.

Even though today seems crazy it is needed after the amount I drank last night. Shyla called and got me out of bed at 11 and then I changed our run location to start with a 1K run uphill. There's nothing like getting over

This was our point of turn around. This weird lake on nose hill from a distance looks beautiful but up close major let down. Oh well, A great run with a good running friend.

2.5 weeks till the triathlon,

Mathew John

Triathlete.

Not sure how this happened but I really like training for a triathlon. I know it isn't a lot of distance to cover and if I had to I could finish it. Maybe running isn't giving me the same high as it used to. I am so worried about working in a bar. There is just so much drinking smoking and eating. NEW RULES: no deep fried food and no ice tea.
This is from a bike ride in Nose Hill Park on Monday. God rays brought tears to my eyes. Also listening to fleet foxes sure created the right mood.


I met with a friend on Wednesday to get into the pool. I'm up to 150M without stopping. Still can't get the swimmers breath. Every stroke is like learning to drive: check your back mirror, foot on the gas, 2 hands on the wheel. When I get going I end up shoulder checking and moving the whole car into the other lane. SWIMMING...... Get easier.

Here is my today view. The soundtrack was the Sam Sparro album. It really got me pushing. For the first time ever I stood up on my bike while riding up hill. I only have to figure out how not to swerve around.

I love getting of the bike throwing it in my car then taking off on my running shoes. Small runs might be the new half marathon.

10K on Saturday morning before work.

Could I be the new triathlete?

Mathew

More than I can chew.

Just signed up for my first tri-it triatholon. It is the smallest version of the big event.


300M Swim
5K Bike
2.5 Run


Another goal to keep this fitness up and also for my cross training.
Just got back from my first swim. EEEEEEEEEIIIK. I consider myself a fit person, but wow not in a pool. This was my lap distance break down: 50-25-50-50-25-50-50. In total 300M. All I need to accomplish on Aug. 10th.My mother used to be a swimmer. She has taken on being my swim coach. A little Mother Son time in the pool. (great for conversation)


It hard to take 10 days off of running. I miss it. Still need to decide whether or not to sign up and run Edmonton half marathon. Also, for some weird reason I stopped eating my bran breakfast. Now that I am working in a kitchen, must focus on getting the greens back in play.


training hard,
Mathew John

Second Half Marathon.

It was kinda crazy to run it again with only 15 days in the spread. I only went for a small 50 minute run inbetween and a couple hour bike rides. The race went better than Alaska. I knew the course. The bad part was how alone I felt in my city. I woke up got ready headed down and didn't speak to anyone. Just Ran.

At 1KM I spoted Norma and her husband Riel. Norma walked the full in Alaska. It was so great to have a cheering team. They were on their bikes and we crossed paths 4 times. Each time bring me close to tears. Goose bumps running through my body. Hairs on end. Not so alone!

This is what 21.1 KM looks like. That last K is the hardest imaginable. My calf seized on me again. This time I dug deep and ran with it. I was aware of it during the race and started stretching early. It only bothered me in the last 2 kilometers.
All done. My friend Erin came by to watch. She was really great. After a race your mind keeps going and your body is exhausted. It's kinda hazy like this photo. Great to know their was someone else watching me.

Now I take 2 weeks off from running. Still physical: My first tri it in a month. Gotta hit the pool.

Mathew John

Give me a Yahoo!!!

After 5 months of preparing, here it is my first half marathon. After that amount of time it wasn't a question of completing but a question of doing my best. Mission accomplished.

Morning of the race. Going through the first ribbon crossing the door of my hotel room. I did manage to get 6 hours of sleep. It was hard since the sun never set while I was there.
The half marathon team before the start of the race. Left to right: Chris, Kevin, Len, Karen, Moi, Shyla. In total there was 12 of us from Calgary. We raised 70,000. 980 team in training purple shirts in the crowd of 4000 runners. All together team in training raised 4.4 million for Leukemia and Lymphoma research for this race.
Then the rain came. This is Shyla, she and I ran a good part of the race together. We laughed and I kept calling her "darling" and "girl." She put up with my chatter and banter. Physical activity just brings out the crazy in me.
The first hour rained and rained. This garbage bag was my protection from the start till mile 2. Normally I don't run in the rain. When I ripped that garbage bag off it was like peeling the plastic off a hotdog.
Mid way picture moment. The first 10 miles went off without a hitch. "Did we just run 9 miles?" The Canada flag on my singlet got cheers. The whole run making a point to cheer all the purple shirts passing. This race wasn't about myself so much as it was for everyone. Collective goal!

Through the trees. We ran through earthquake park. What a name!!! The race then took us along the coast. The sun didn't come out for the first 2 hours.
Action shot. (Mile 8) It isn't visible in this photo but on the back of the jersey it said "GIVE ME A YAHOO" Every mile marker we YAHOO'd. Every time I started to feel tired, I yahoo'd. Every time I would get ahead of Shyla she would let me know where she was. It was funny because people only gave a yahoo when they were passing me while I took a moment to walk or stretch.
What surprised me during the run was how many people had frowns on their faces. I smiled my way...Come on it's a half marathon not major dental work. Give it a smile!!!

At mile 11 my left calf seized up on me. Stopping every 5 minutes to stretch. Not wanting to walk the finally yards. My muscle didn't want me to move any further. The last 100 meters were on a high school track. Each step was harder than the next. My smile forced me to the end. Giving all that I had. Hardest run of my life.

My grandfather who passed at the end of May was the first person to donate and support me. I called my grandmother with a mile left. She thought I was crazy to be running and talking. It is important to let those around you know how much they mean to you. Jack Cook, my grandfather was the most respectable upstanding citizen I know. He is missed everyday. 2 Hours and 26 Minutes and 37 Seconds.

Every step worth it.

The best run of my life so far.

In total I fundraised 6187 dollars.

Thanks for reading and donating.

Grateful,

Mathew John Chyzyk