tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45125806514797021182024-03-13T16:59:20.932-04:00Racing Like A PronounThe things I think about while I move one foot in front of the other...Alexahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06367754407562743388noreply@blogger.comBlogger134125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512580651479702118.post-33096523109667398352012-09-26T11:18:00.000-04:002012-09-26T11:18:33.784-04:00Army Run 5K Race Report: Slow and SteadyI ran the Army Run 5K on Sunday. It was my first race since Munchkin and I was excited and nervous about it. Overall, I'm happy with how it went, considering everything that happened over the past few months. I finished in 35:48, which is a personal worst for me, but a huge victory considering where I started 5 months ago.<div>
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I realized about a month before the race that I needed to lower my expectations. I did my own return to running program that I modeled on Couch to 5K, but was more conservative given the c-section and a switch to minimalist shoes. I had some pelvic soreness after I ran more than 15 minutes straight. Dr. Google told me this was due to some separation of the pubic symphis related to pregnancy. I figured as much, since my hips were HUGE up until recently. So I knew I needed to slow down and dial back the distance/time increases so I wouldn't end up injured. I decided to focus instead on enjoying myself at the race and celebrating my return to running.</div>
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The morning was warmer than previous years at about 8C, sunny, but with a brisk wind. The race was really crowded and I probably lined up a little too far back. I try not to weave as it's a waste of energy and dangerous in such a crowded race with less experienced racers. But, I was definitely in a too slow group at the beginning, as I was held up quite a bit in a couple narrower parts in the first K. I ran 10 and 1, then 9 and 1s since my math sucks and I forgot to go to 21 for my next break. Oops. It was early, I swear! I saw my brother and his munchkin near the 4K mark and that gave me the push to keep going to the finish line. I had a little juice left in me for a sprint to the finish and crossed the finish line strong. I felt a little sick after, so I know I left it all out there on the course. We celebrated with a post-race brunch, me with French toast. Yum!</div>
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Now the race bug has bitten me again and I've got to figure which race to run next!</div>
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Alexahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06367754407562743388noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512580651479702118.post-63291141395066932112012-09-01T09:40:00.001-04:002012-09-01T09:40:14.049-04:00Celebrating the victory over stupid choicesYep, that's right. I made some stupid choices when I was pregnant. Specifically when it came to food.<br />
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I gained far too much weight. I gained 70 pounds. Just typing it out makes me sick. In the beginning, I had some morning sickness and ate what didn't turn my stomach. By the end, I'd given up. I'd gained so much even when I ate healthy, that I was so discouraged. I lost my will to make smarter choices when it came to food. And I was such a slave to sugar... I craved it 24/7.<br />
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I also take some comfort in knowing that it all wasn't food, as I'm super sensitive to salt and prone to bloating. I gained 10 lbs in the first month, and I was eating okay and still exercising regularly. And the fact that I'd lost 30 lbs. within 2 weeks of delivering the munchkin was a pretty clear sign that my weight gain wasn't solely due to my eating habits. That's not to say that too many donuts in the third trimester didn't play a role...<br />
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This week I'm celebrating my first victory over the stupid food choices I made when I was pregnant. As yesterday, I've lost 50 pounds. I've got 20 more to go to get to my pre-pregnancy weight, then another 10-15 to get back to my goal weight. I'd be great to get close to the pre-pregnancy weight before winter comes, so that I can hopefully fit into my winter running gear without having to buy new stuff!Alexahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06367754407562743388noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512580651479702118.post-42268922475025874072012-07-28T12:57:00.001-04:002012-07-28T12:57:59.408-04:00A marathon, of sortsIt's been awhile. I know, I've slacked off. But really, I had good reason!<br />
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Much has changed in my life in the past year. We sold our condo and moved out to the 'burbs at the end of 2011. All this in anticipation of adding a +1 to our family! Husband and I welcomed our daughter into the world in April. So really, I did a marathon, but the marathon called pregnancy, not 42.2K!<br />
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I was able to run a bit in the first trimester, but then life took over. Selling our condo, moving, and work left me with little time to run. And that little person growing inside me took a toll. I really didn't enjoy being pregnant. It wasn't a bad pregnancy by any means, but I didn't/don't care for what it did to my body. <span style="background-color: white;">I didn't want to think about running during my pregnancy. I disappeared from this blog, online running groups, the miles games that I loved. </span><span style="background-color: white;">I was a bad pregnant woman and gained far too much weight. I didn't feel like myself during those 9 months, literally. Delivering my daughter was like coming out of a haze.</span><br />
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Now I'm ready to reclaim my life. But, it's not going to be easy since <span style="background-color: white;">I'm back at square one. Square one in running and in my weight loss journey again. It's as if the clock was turned back to 2008! Thankfully I've done both before, so I know I can do this. It's just going to be more difficult since I've got a munchkin to take care of and feed. Oh, and the recovery from pregnancy.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">So all this to say, hello again. :)</span><br />
<br />Alexahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06367754407562743388noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512580651479702118.post-65022391427144614972011-07-05T15:37:00.003-04:002011-07-05T15:42:04.477-04:00Socks Socks SocksI say that with the Monty Python saying of "SPAM SPAM SPAM" running through my head.<br /><br />I need new running socks for this ridiculously hot weather. I have all kinds of socks, none of which I really like. I have two pairs of the Sugoi R+R socks, but they give me blisters. I have some thicker Wigwams that are great in the winter, not so great in the summer. I have other pairs, too, but they aren't really worthy of a mention. My favourite pair so far has been a pair of yellow Thorlo Experias, but I'm always left wondering if there's a better pair out there...<br /><br />Do you have a favourite brand of running socks? Tell me about them. My only criteria is that they have to be ankle socks. Fire away!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512580651479702118.post-57308564554591638522011-06-22T16:15:00.003-04:002011-06-22T16:28:54.992-04:00Race this weekend!I'm so excited. It's Emilie's Run 5K this weekend! This is my favourite race of the year. It's a flat, out and back course, it has chip timing with per km splits, and a small, but very competitive, field. The atmosphere at this race is different.... maybe it's because it's women of all ages, maybe it's the inspiration of running alongside some of the region's top female runners. Either way, I highly recommend this race.<br /><br />It looks like it's going to rain this year and I'm actually happy about it. We've had nice weather the last two years, so it'll be a good change. And recently my allergies have made breathing during hard workouts very difficult. I have an inhaler and I take OTC antihistamines, but this year's been particularly bad. I know that I'm not 100% when I feel like this. I've been doing some speed intervals, too, and it looks like it's helping... now if only my lungs will cooperate.<br /><br />I've gotten clearance to run 3x a week, with no runs above 5K. I can add frequency, so that makes me happy, as I'd been planning to do that after the half anyway. So this week and next I'm at 3x a week, then I'm going to up it to 4x. Slow and steady!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512580651479702118.post-58624655095286991382011-06-15T10:14:00.003-04:002011-06-15T10:27:33.936-04:00Running in the newsInteresting article today in the National Post about running the marathon.<br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.nationalpost.com/life/running/will%20Going%20from%20couch%20marathon%20year/4946305/story.html">The will to run: Going from the couch to a marathon in a year</a>.<br /><br />The story kind of rambles, but is the message of going from completely sedentary to the marathon really a good one? What do you think?<br /><br />Heck, I've been running for 3 years (minus injury time, of course) and completing a marathon is still only a dream for me. The thought of going from couch potato all the way to 42.2K in 12 months is crazy to me. Just the half was a tough for me mentally. I remember being out on one of my 18K long runs in the rain and thinking to myself: If I were marathon training, I'd be running this twice. Yuck.<br /><br />I drew some inspiration from the article by this tidbit of info from one of the competitive coaches:<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Richard Lee is a distance coach in Vancouver who works with Dylan Wykes, a top athlete expected to give (Reid) Coolsaet a run for his money at October’s Scotiabank Marathon in Toronto. He thinks amateur runners don’t push themselves hard enough.<br /><br />“People who don’t do anything can do a marathon; it just comes down to will power,” says Lee, who coached his first runner in 1984, training his wife all the way to the Olympic Games. “You’re not born with talent, it’s a learned process. You just need to be prepared, follow a plan and develop a steel-trapped mind for achieving your goals.”</span><br /><br />This is certainly something I need to remember. I'm a Kenyan in my head, as most of us recreational runners are, but I know I am faster than my recent times have shown. I've got a decent PR in the 10K and 5K that I haven't improved on in over 18 months. While I've had setbacks, I know I can become even faster if I'm willing to put in the time and effort.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512580651479702118.post-45229956246913229522011-06-13T10:08:00.005-04:002011-06-13T10:33:30.076-04:00ChiRunning ClinicYesterday I attended a 4-hour ChiRunning Clinic with a local instructor, Eric Collard.<br /><br />I've been reading the ChiRunning book by Danny Dreyer, but I've had a tough time with the practical stuff in Chapter 4. I'm a visual learner, so the descriptions in the book really weren't doing it for me. Pelvic tilt whaaat? Maybe it didn't help that I was reading this before bed, but it was still tough to absorb. Then, during my assessment with my new physiotherapist, she said she really liked ChiRunning based on her own experience and qualifications in the field. So when I saw that Eric was holding a half-day clinic, I signed up.<br /><br />We spent a lot of time working on posture, engaging the core muscles and running/walking back and forth. Lots of learning how to really work on your lean and not using your legs to power through a run. It was a lot to take in in only 4 hours, but it was worth it.<br /><br />I realized that I'm fairly stiff through the hips and ankles. That probably explains why I always get holes in the vents of my shoes, right above the big toe!<br /><br />After the clinic, I went for a run and tried to use what I'd learned earlier in the afternoon. That run was a lot more fun, that's for sure. There's a lot to think about, but overall, I think it will help me. The method encourages me to engage my core and to listen to my body, instead of trying to power through a distance. Because I think that's what I've been doing and my back suffers the consequences.<br /><br />The clinic left me thinking about my goals for the rest of the year... but that's for another blog post.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512580651479702118.post-83816125347273789032011-06-06T13:30:00.003-04:002011-06-06T13:52:57.810-04:00PT UpdateI met with my new physiotherapist on Monday, Kathy. She's very experienced and thorough. I was really impressed with my assessment appointment. I was contorted into all kinds of great pretzel-like positions, twisted, turned, lifted and bent. We also had a nice chat about footstrike, shoes, ChiRunning and more.<br /><br />The interesting news is that my foot hasn't hurt at all since the half marathon. A little bit the day after, but really, it's nothing compared to two weeks ago. My lower back was quite sore, though, which should give you an idea of where I'm going with this....<br /><br />Her conclusion is that my upper back (thoracic spine) and gluteus medius are not doing their jobs. Honestly, my glute is non-existent and that's not good when it comes to running long distances. Their underperformance means that my lower back does all the work and bears all the weight. And when I ask too much of it by running long distances, it freaks out, compressing the nerves, making my feet hurt.<br /><br />So the new approach is to address this over the long term. We want to work on opening up my upper back and strengthening my glute. I think this is a good idea, given that the pain has subsided and my back is no longer in freakout mode.<br /><br />I ran a short run on Sunday morning on her advice, but I had quite a few cobwebs in my legs and it was ridiculously humid, so it was only 3K. But no pain or tightness in the foot. Tonight I'm going to play an ultimate frisbee game (my first since late 2009) with Husband's team and then PT in the morning. Hopefully she'll give me the all clear to resume running regularly again.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512580651479702118.post-9369169620234306832011-06-03T12:12:00.007-04:002011-06-03T12:20:01.028-04:00Pics from the HMI'm still trying to figure out where to go from here in terms of my running plan and goals. So, I figured while I do that, here's some pics from the race on Sunday! There weren't many good ones, but I managed to find a couple.<br /><br />At about 13-14K in. It'd been raining for about 20 minutes at this point. This has to be one of my best running pics ever. I'm tempted to order it!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5nv7MMk4tGsH044SGPpTlEiULew5C7688XfK96-V9KJGsYxD7tojVWdk6Tv8GREaGCVbyRYq-sTu7JQqLsQyxj6PenuB8dI-U9MoULUzivQhSaTv7H6zqqFjmDwi0mMl8cqlG0_tGEx7m/s1600/75614-851-013f.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5nv7MMk4tGsH044SGPpTlEiULew5C7688XfK96-V9KJGsYxD7tojVWdk6Tv8GREaGCVbyRYq-sTu7JQqLsQyxj6PenuB8dI-U9MoULUzivQhSaTv7H6zqqFjmDwi0mMl8cqlG0_tGEx7m/s320/75614-851-013f.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614027840616871938" border="0" /></a>The finish line! This was the first time I was truly excited, elated and proud to finish a race. I've never done the hands over the head celebration before either. Man, I was pumped up. I still smile just thinking about it.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRn-wE9W9j6Ad6Igs80Dh52bOZY2kte-5nDWYFlHnCTdL9LH7z4ImhxXwnuIRTVYgPi2Kj3GLu5AqZmaHKDwbB0tyrxOBPbh6QTu-m6P3LdUTG25trk9eulQhZlpZvf0fiminf2CuXMMf/s1600/75614-1394-021f.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRn-wE9W9j6Ad6Igs80Dh52bOZY2kte-5nDWYFlHnCTdL9LH7z4ImhxXwnuIRTVYgPi2Kj3GLu5AqZmaHKDwbB0tyrxOBPbh6QTu-m6P3LdUTG25trk9eulQhZlpZvf0fiminf2CuXMMf/s320/75614-1394-021f.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614028570130430226" border="0" /></a><br />And here I am after finishing, posing proudly with my medal. That space blanket was a saviour after running in the rain for over an hour.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7cSrrNhF1vMCWO_C_BV93xr0YNE6kQpmF-24gdflDbWIHkMDz02R02NjoeYe3ZYMlGZQ1qLaMUvkzqB06GS5FJKdI_k6kf4o2R9FYX5XONzhbRLpbFH7GYO7LlpZUPXf195MIiWshoqZJ/s1600/75614-032-013f.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7cSrrNhF1vMCWO_C_BV93xr0YNE6kQpmF-24gdflDbWIHkMDz02R02NjoeYe3ZYMlGZQ1qLaMUvkzqB06GS5FJKdI_k6kf4o2R9FYX5XONzhbRLpbFH7GYO7LlpZUPXf195MIiWshoqZJ/s320/75614-032-013f.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5614027550672130258" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512580651479702118.post-45360651036868976002011-06-03T09:18:00.002-04:002011-06-03T09:20:10.797-04:00CommentsI understand Blogger has some issues with the comment box these days. Apparently it's related to custom templates. I've done the workaround listed <a href="http://technical-tejash.blogspot.com/2009/03/not-able-to-post-comments-comments-not.html">here</a>, so I hope they work now. Let me know if it does!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512580651479702118.post-32317503323098965412011-05-29T16:46:00.004-04:002011-05-29T17:24:11.047-04:00Race Report: Ottawa Half Marathon<div>Short version: </div>I finished my first half marathon this morning! Woohoo! I ran it in 2:26:25 and am very proud of my time. I ran the whole thing, from start to finish. I'm tired, sore and ravenous. <div><br /></div><div>I achieved all the goals I set for this race. I'd adjusted them earlier this week after my test run was successful. The goals were:</div><div>Bronze: Run to the best of my ability (aka: if you have to DNF, it's not the end of the world).</div><div>Silver: Finish.</div><div>Gold: Finish in under 2:30.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Long version:</div><div>Woke up at 6:30 and dawdled around the apartment, applying heat to my foot and doing my back exercises. We live close to the start line, so I watched the marathoners go by from our balcony at 7 a.m. </div><div><br /></div><div>I headed out at 8 a.m. My gear was my Adidas running skirt, Sugoi Brand Champions singlet, armwarmers, hat, and fuelbelt with G2 and GU gels pinned to it. I managed to snag a free Powerbar and I was so happy about it, as I was still hungry despite eating my usual pre-run meal of cereal+milk, plus I had a Larabar on my way to the race. It might've been nerves, too, but I ate most of it as I watched the marathon elites run down a Colonel By at about 32K in 1:4o. Wow.</div><div><br /></div><div>The race weather was 17C, cloudy and very humid. It took about 7 minutes to cross the start line (there was supposed to be a wave start, but I guess they dropped the idea). Saw Hubby at Kent/Laurier where I handed off my warm warmers. My first K was really slow at 7:16 or something like that, but hey, I was running and I felt good.</div><div><br /></div><div>We ran under the new arch in Chinatown, then through Little Italy along Preston Street. By about 4K, I was feeling the humidity. It was gonna be a long race. I was getting ready to shelve my time goals and just enjoy the race. </div><div><br /></div><div>Next the route headed into a residential area. Lots of great community support along this stretch. I saw the best sign of the day here: YOU ARE NOT ALMOST THERE. That got a good laugh out of me. Around this time, it started to drizzle a bit, and it was refreshing after the humidity. Next I saw the best spectator of the day: crazy old woman near Wellington St. W loudly swearing at all the runners in French. </div><div><br /></div><div>My parents and brother were out cheering at Wellington/Kirkwood with signs. I waved to them and continued on my way. Soon the rain started to really come down. I finished 10K in 1:10 and we ran eastward along the Parkway. I ran next to an amazing walker from the Bytown Walkers (they're seriously competitive, btw) for a time. He had a fast pace and we were near each other the entire way. The road was quite cambered through this stretch and I was starting to feel it in my calves and ankles. </div><div><br /></div><div>We turned from the Parkway onto Booth by the National War Museum to head into Hull. Saw Hubby here, gave him the report that my foot felt tight, but good. Crossed the Chaudiere Bridge and then up the hill on Eddy. This hill was brutal, long and late in the race at 15K. Next we passed the Museum of Civilization where I saw Hubby again (he'd rented a bike to get around)... he tells me I surprised him here as he underestimated my speed. Ha! </div><div><br /></div><div>From here we ran up the Alexandra Bridge. I was most worried about this stretch as it's two fairly steep hills in a row, with the flat bridge in between. I kept telling myself "I eat hills for breakfast", my favourite mantra, and I think it helped. I got to the top of the hill and turned on Mackenzie without feeling totally exhausted. But by this point, I could feel my legs getting tired. Foot still felt tight, but not bad. Down Colonel By we ran (downhill, yes!) I took a gel more for the mental boost (yeah sugar!) than anything else. Lots of people were walking by this point and I had to weave quite a bit in order to keep my 6:50 pace. </div><div><br /></div><div>Crossed over onto Queen Elizabeth and only 1K to go. I was feeling pretty spent and this is where the mind games kicked in. I focused on the runners in front of me and picked them off, one by one. My legs wanted to give out, but there was no way I was walking now. Then I saw the walker man I'd met way back at 12K. Here was my target. I passed him about 100m before the finish and finished the last 200m or so at 5:55 pace, so I had enough of a kick left in me!</div><div><br /></div><div>Clock read 2:37 or something crazy like that, but my Garmin told me 2:26. Grabbed my space blanket, picked up my medal, and posed for a photo. I grabbed some food and met up with hubby. We walked the four blocks home in what had to be the SLOWEST walk ever. Huge props to my husband, who normally melts in the rain but spent the entire morning outside biking across downtown to cheer me on. He's a keeper.</div><div><br /></div><div>I almost cried after the finish. Running this meant so much to me after my issues with my back and foot. Two weeks ago I thought I was done for. I'm already thinking about my plans for running, but I know this week won't involve much running! </div><div><br /></div><div>Photos to come. A huge thank you to everyone for your support and kind words through the rollercoaster of these past few weeks. I know some of you thought I was crazy for running the race despite my back. I did it and lived to tell the tale! Though I may have some choice words for walking and stairs tomorrow...</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512580651479702118.post-47788417458665699332011-05-26T13:52:00.000-04:002011-05-26T13:50:51.279-04:00Verdict & PlanI visited another physiotherapist last night for a second opinion. I saw Jordan last year during my injury then and he was the one who suggested the treatment plan that allowed me to recover, so it made sense for me to reach out to him this time around.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The verdict</span>:<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I am more flexible now than I was last year.</span> Yay! Though this may be a product of going to physio three times in the last 10 days.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I didn't do anything "wrong" with my training plan.</span> Double Yay! This is not an overuse injury.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The problem</span>:<br />The pounding of running causes my nerves to splinter and become irritated. The muscles guard the nerves to protect them. Then my back seizes up and all the joints in my back harden and compress the discs further on the nerves. And it goes around and around in a cycle. The remaining good news is that this is treatable, not just in the short term, but I can "undo" it with hard work over the long term. What that involves, I have no idea.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The plan:<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-style: italic;">I'm going to run the half marathon on Sunday.</span> I ran a test run today of 5K and there was some discomfort, but no pain. I never stopped running and it didn't change my gait. It went in waves of no discomfort to more discomfort, and each subsequent wave was less uncomfortable than the previous one. The worst that could happen during the race is that I have to bail partway through, but then at least I tried.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I'm switching physiotherapists</span>. Unfortunately my current one isn't the right match for my situation. I have a consult next week with a new physio that has been recommended to me by a couple of different people.<br /><br />I want to thank everyone for their encouragement and support. This has been one helluva rollercoaster ride and it isn't over yet!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512580651479702118.post-73769860764983277222011-05-22T12:23:00.003-04:002011-05-22T12:40:06.407-04:00Punishing myselfAs I alluded to in my last post, I really overdid it on my long run on Sunday. The sciatic pain that sidelined me for 5 months in 2010 is back, but on the other foot. Great. <div><br /></div><div>I've done this twice before: I ran really hard runs right before the Ottawa 10K in 2009 and the Army Run 5K in 2009. In the first race, I aggravated a nerve on the outside of my knee, but still was able to run the race. In the second one, I got sick and didn't run, as it was 2 weeks before my wedding and I didn't want to end up even more sick.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've gone to physio twice since last week and I have two appointments this week. I'm diligently doing my exercises and applying heat to loosen up the muscles. The foot seems to feel better each day, so I'm trying to stay positive about the half marathon. I'm treating this as an extreme taper. In a test run on Thursday, it hurt to run. So I have to be honest with myself. Not running the half is a real possibility. If I can't run the race, it's not the end of the world. I'll be disappointed for sure, but there are other races to run.</div><div><br /></div><div>What I need to figure out is why this keeps happening. I thought I had been doing well: I was going to physio every 6 weeks to get my back/muscles addressed, I was stretching regularly and doing my preventative exercises. But I still ended up here. It's incredibly frustrating that it's the same injury as before, just on the other side.</div><div><br /></div><div>So this leads me to wonder: what am I doing wrong? I'm fairly sure the sciatic pain is related to cumulative muscle trauma - I'm damaging the muscles repeatedly before they have time to heal, and eventually the muscles and nerves end up in a cycle of swelling/overtightening/shortening. I need to figure out why the muscles are not healing. Is there a medical reason, like say, anemia or poor circulation? Is it my training, like I'm running all my runs too hard? After this is said and done, I'm going to find a running coach to go over my training log and help me design a training plan so I can avoid this in the future. </div><div><br /></div><div>And I'm going to join the Ottawa Running Club. I've been meaning to do so, as they have track sessions and group runs. Since I don't play Ultimate anymore, I want to make my running more social, as running alone is not conducive to meeting new people!</div><div><br /><div><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512580651479702118.post-85687058658156022902011-05-19T10:59:00.009-04:002011-05-19T11:18:41.377-04:00It's coming!The city's really starting to buzz with excitement for the upcoming event. There's lots of media coverage and action on Twitter these days. Check out the my #myORW and #runottawa hashtags on Twitter to see all the comments from excited runners.<br /><br />And the preparations are underway at Ottawa City Hall for Race Weekend. The banners were up when I ran by on Sunday...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVr7I9ngWvcsUbj9jJnzJQPwSuWuFa16w_feNs98O6aKq0hVgoZKA7mm3psXM4hDMoaWv8gtr9jIr-fg76KOAVpXcvjKIOMk1AvGahBZcu03J7GUeAMlzHBDGKy6TkGftS5gAYY3WkKa-8/s1600/110515103900.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVr7I9ngWvcsUbj9jJnzJQPwSuWuFa16w_feNs98O6aKq0hVgoZKA7mm3psXM4hDMoaWv8gtr9jIr-fg76KOAVpXcvjKIOMk1AvGahBZcu03J7GUeAMlzHBDGKy6TkGftS5gAYY3WkKa-8/s320/110515103900.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608442280686784242" border="0" /></a>And the start line positions are marked on the roadway asphalt. Seeing this made me giddy...<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHs6dE9ZRfEYZov8gQOVeja_I3VGwIg7nG_hV1reSf2DFObbHUSQkYDD9FWmz8uiKBPRq9djlauv6TYlpHsBbwQt0GD5tOxjSmAcZ0pJHNkv-HhD8HMTqjhsB20sA0XWnMgGWVAqvYYuiF/s1600/110515104000.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHs6dE9ZRfEYZov8gQOVeja_I3VGwIg7nG_hV1reSf2DFObbHUSQkYDD9FWmz8uiKBPRq9djlauv6TYlpHsBbwQt0GD5tOxjSmAcZ0pJHNkv-HhD8HMTqjhsB20sA0XWnMgGWVAqvYYuiF/s320/110515104000.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608443003939782690" border="0" /></a>Less than two weeks to go until I'm one runner in the 2nd wave of thousands of runners in the Half Marathon. This will be our view down Laurier Avenue...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgogp56YHzn7vV6pXnnBJu7Q0uCEhae18GVfE9slVnSKm7-WIs60ilSa2RjdnlPd9yRkOGEDLCdtkT5N8-XzgCFkWtef3w46vL_ZiZ5Z5bSgPm7yneU2SOWJuUu-BbLzsixoGoBV9kOxgKP/s1600/110515104500.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgogp56YHzn7vV6pXnnBJu7Q0uCEhae18GVfE9slVnSKm7-WIs60ilSa2RjdnlPd9yRkOGEDLCdtkT5N8-XzgCFkWtef3w46vL_ZiZ5Z5bSgPm7yneU2SOWJuUu-BbLzsixoGoBV9kOxgKP/s320/110515104500.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608445558312678034" border="0" /></a>I'm hoping the weather will improve, as we've had so much rain already this spring. I just want it to be nice... and I think all Ottawa runners are at the point where they'd like a nice, dry, somewhat warm run. But not too hot, either!<br /><br />I'm getting nervous and worried, as I've had a good bout of sciatic pain these past couple of days. I really overdid it on my long run on Sunday (oops) and was really upset when I woke up on Monday to my running nemesis: sciatic pain on the outside of the foot. I feel like I'm a walking injury. I need to learn how to train well and NOT overdo it. I've started a two week taper, so I've been busy stretching, applying heat and visiting my physiotherapist. I'm going to try a short run tonight to see how it goes.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512580651479702118.post-17469974740325125552011-05-15T19:19:00.004-04:002011-05-15T19:40:33.756-04:00Finally some good newsI finally had a pain-free run! Hooray!<div><br /></div><div>I suffered my calf strain two weeks ago on that ill-fated long run on my taper week. I can't deny that the run itself was a lot of fun and the hilly terrain was challenging. Too bad my legs didn't agree!</div><div><br /></div><div>Since then, I've done a lot to try to recover quickly:</div><div>- cut out shifted runs and increased rest days,</div><div>- cut mileage, </div><div>- cut quality runs (hills/tempo/intervals)</div><div>- employed a run-walk technique that involved running to increase blood flow, but not to the point of making it ache or hurt,</div><div>- gone to physio,</div><div>- applied heat,</div><div>- self massage and stretching.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was starting to get nervous about my goals for the half marathon. While I didn't lose any fitness, I certainly lost some progress on my training plan. I didn't hit my 20K run that I'd planned for myself, but I kept telling myself that if I can do 18, I can do 21.1. </div><div><br /></div><div>I headed out the door this morning not really knowing what I was going to run, though the schedule called for 20K. As I ran, I kept telling myself that I was loose, strong and that I felt good. When I passed the 5K mark, everything felt great and it didn't change the entire run! I'm so happy to report that I felt good the entire 18K. I ran 6.5K, walked 500m, Ran 6.5, walked 500m, Ran 4K at 10 sec. faster than HM pace. My calf felt fantastic and walk breaks were preventative more than anything else, as I didn't want to overdo it today only to suffer a setback so close to the finish.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now I feel a lot better heading into my taper. I know I can do this. It's hard to believe that Race Weekend's only two weeks away!</div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512580651479702118.post-6227130588636509152011-05-09T09:59:00.005-04:002011-05-09T10:12:57.742-04:00The long run that wasn'tSaturday's long run just wasn't meant to be.<br /><br />My calf was feeling better, so I went out hoping that I could make it the full 20K. I chose a fairly flat route, warmed up with a walk to the starting point and made sure to start out slow. At 5K in, it was starting to get sore. I decided at 8K to stop and stretch it a bit, then head home... cutting it to 16K. As I ran a bit more, I realized it wasn't feeling better and was only going to get worse. I called hubby to meet me 3K later.<br /><br />I decided that since I wasn't going to hit mileage goal for the run, then I might improve the quality of the run. I worked on my speed and tried my half marathon race pace (6:45/K) for about 3K and it felt good. At least that's promising!<br /><br />My 20K long run is important, but really, the half is my goal. Last thing I need right now is a more serious calf strain than the one I already have. My number one goal through this training cycle was/is to get to the start of the half uninjured.<br /><br />I stretched right away and have spent most of the weekend RICEing it. I've also pushed my runs back this week to give my body an extra day to recover. I'm going to try the 20K again on Sunday before I head into my taper. I'll feel better if I can get it under my belt, but I've already done 18K so I know I can do 21. I plan to use my taper to reduce volume over 2 weeks, but still do some quality tempo/interval workouts. This isn't what I wanted to face 3 prior to the race, but I'll deal.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512580651479702118.post-78623294728926025372011-05-06T11:22:00.004-04:002011-05-06T11:30:39.906-04:00Friday RunPorn<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.runnersworld.com/images/cda/wallpaper/rave/800x600/rw-rave-run-0310-800x600.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 800px; height: 600px;" src="http://www.runnersworld.com/images/cda/wallpaper/rave/800x600/rw-rave-run-0310-800x600.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Enjoy today's edition of RunPorn. Oh and if you're a Twitter user, do a search for #youknowyourearunnerwhen - it was a great chat that started on Wednesday with some good laughs to be had, such as: #youknowyourearunnerwhen you apply bodyglide instead of deodorant. Lots of jokes that only we runners would understand!<br /><br />As for the calf muscles - they're feeling better. While I had to cut my Tuesday run short due to tightness, physio really helped on Wednesday. I also canned my Thursday mid-long run so that I can hopefully get my full 20K long run in tomorrow. It's just a Grade 1 Calf Strain, but I'm doing lots of stretching to get it back into shape, pronto.<br /><br />Have great weekend runs, everyone!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.runnersworld.com/images/cda/wallpaper/rave/800x600/rw-rave-run-0310-800x600.jpg"><br /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512580651479702118.post-87702142840932149412011-05-02T11:34:00.003-04:002011-05-02T11:52:50.481-04:00Hills by AccidentYesterday was one of the warmest days so far at 20C, so I thought it would be a good day to work on getting acclimated to the warmer weather in preparation for my goal race. So I headed out on my long run in the sun and heat. Hard to believe 20C is considered hot, but hey, I live in Canada! Plus it was dry... I had to run in that weather given that we had record-setting rainfall in April.<br /><br />Two years ago I ran the 10K at Race Weekend. We had no warm weather leading up to the event, so the 20C+ plus weather on race day was a shock to the system! I wanted to take advantage of yesterday's weather to experiment with my hydration needs and clothing. I was also lucky that it was my cutback week, so it was a long run on the shorter side of things at 12K.<br /><br />I ran on the bike path along the Western Parkway to Island Park. This is the middle of the half marathon route, though it'll be run on the road and not on the path. When I reached Island Park, I was 5K in, so I figured it was an opportunity to finally try the path on the Quebec side of the Ottawa River. I ran across the Champlain Bridge... man, that sidewalk is narrow! But it wasn't crowded, so I was able to enjoy the views of the rushing water, the vistas of downtown Ottawa and the noise of the rapids with the birds flying overhead.<br /><br />I turned right onto the bike path on the Quebec side and ran right along the water. I followed the cyclists in their team gear, figuring they'd lead me back towards Hull. All was flat for another KM or so... but the last 3K? Rolling freaking hills. And steep ones to boot. I hadn't meant to do a hill workout, let alone such a challenging and aggressive one. It was pretty much up-down-up-down, complete with hairpin turns, until I hit Terrasses de la Chaudière. Oye. At least I know where to go if I want a killer hill workout now instead of doing hill repeats in front of the tourists at the locks by the Bytown Museum.<br /><br />As a result of the accidental hills workout, my left calf is NOT happy today. By the looks of things, it's just a calf strain. I'm icing/stretching as much as I can in an effort to get it back to normal ASAP. My mileage peaks these next two weeks at 37K, with long runs of 20K before I taper. I can cutback the mileage if I need to, but obviously I'd rather not do it unless I absolutely have to.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512580651479702118.post-81601503682178924052011-04-27T09:42:00.003-04:002011-04-27T11:15:26.641-04:00Overtrained or under ironI am exhausted.<br /><br />Aside from that, my legs feel dead about 3K into a run. My pace is reasonable, so I know it's not me starting out too fast or too fast a pace. On my 18K long run on Saturday, I was pulling from an empty tank by the last few KM, with the last KM being a very tough slog. Mind you, I shouldn't have left a hill for the end of my long run - that was a really stupid decision. But even then, I had to really push myself to finish that run and not pack it in at 15K. When I woke up on Sunday, I looked pale and sallow, with very dark circles under my eyes. I get wanting a nap after the run, but I feel way more tired than I think I should be. Certainly there's different food/nutrition/hydration tweaks I could make, but this feels different.<br /><br />My pace on shorter runs is suffering, too. But my heartrate is okay and my body temps are normal, if not a bit lower than normal. I ran 7K at a reasonable pace, and I'm so tired today that I need toothpicks to keep my eyelids open. I'm tired and winded walking up a flight of stairs.<br /><br />Am I overtrained? I doubt it. I'm doing reasonable mileage and mileage increases, with reasonable paces. I've got lots of rest days. My only specialty workout is hills, and even then I'm only able to do 4 or 5 repeats and I'm so beat afterwards that I want to stop running. In the Fall I was up to 8 or more repeats and felt strong. The thought of adding in speedworkouts makes me want to puke... I can motivate myself to run hills because I enjoy the challenge of the workout.<br /><br />I'm thinking that maybe I'm anemic. I got my last panel from October and the hemoglobin was on the lower end of the spectrum, but still in the acceptable range for an adult. I've significantly increased my mileage since then. I think I need a doctor's appointment, stat.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512580651479702118.post-63200696363595629302011-04-18T09:41:00.004-04:002011-04-18T10:03:34.296-04:00Breaking through the mileage barrierThese last two weeks of my training schedule marked a new milestone in my running career: long runs over 13K. It's an awesome feeling to push your body further and further each week.<br /><br />I've hit new highs for my long run, at 14K last Saturday and 16K yesterday. I had to resist the urge to eat everything in sight yesterday and needed an hour-long recharge nap in mid-afternoon. I really hope that the post-run tiredness goes away as I condition my body to run the longer distances. Oh, and I'm still ravenous today. My coworker's softboiled eggs are looking and smelling mighty tasty right now. This coming Saturday's long run is 18K.<br /><br />I'm also really looking forward to next week's cutback week. I don't think I'm overtrained at this point, but I'm definitely feeling the need for a bit of a break from the mileage increases.<br /><br />Update to the Fuelbelt bottle situation: I gave up and bought new ones. They are so much better than my old grimey ones. The dude at the RunningRoom said he replaces his every 6 months and joked that the old bottles could be used to throw at cars that cut you off. LOL.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512580651479702118.post-25578894806827239182011-04-08T11:21:00.001-04:002011-04-08T11:23:22.458-04:00Medal Hanger GiveawayHey everyone... TeaMarcia over at the Studly Runner is doing a giveaway on her blog. She's <a href="http://teamarcia-runningmouth.blogspot.com/2011/04/giveaway-for-your-bling.html?showComment=1302276068848#c5148744426182104754">giving away one of the awesome medal hangers from Allied Medal Displays</a>. Some of you from RWOL are probably already familiar with their site and product. But hey, FREE STUFF!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512580651479702118.post-45298083258850964942011-04-08T09:55:00.001-04:002011-04-08T09:55:00.271-04:00Friday RunPorn<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr8mReMuObun15PkS0BecG4QaSBL3jZMFQaPIkV40VhWBEH6jM7hXdWd8bMTc5KJANHuE1Ej2zI5pDxx7ZcSfGJcIczqM6pCV4vHJOXR1wPXK6mhhZlAJLRsbe8MDCcyPc-tKTRJPtgql9/s1600/pin03_lj5fx4nc.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 254px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr8mReMuObun15PkS0BecG4QaSBL3jZMFQaPIkV40VhWBEH6jM7hXdWd8bMTc5KJANHuE1Ej2zI5pDxx7ZcSfGJcIczqM6pCV4vHJOXR1wPXK6mhhZlAJLRsbe8MDCcyPc-tKTRJPtgql9/s400/pin03_lj5fx4nc.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592100154039278482" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Racers cross the Sahara desert in Morocco during the second stage of the 26th edition of the Marathon des Sables. Photo courtesy of Getty Images/AFP.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512580651479702118.post-71165408895346038952011-04-05T09:36:00.003-04:002011-04-05T09:39:29.031-04:00Fuelbelt bottlesI cleaned my Fuelbelt bottles last week. If you haven't done this, you might want to. I pulled them all apart and found all kinds of awesome black mould in the tops. Gross. Some I couldn't get totally clean. I soaked them in hot soapy water and they are still gross. Now the thought of drinking from them is making my stomach turn.<br /><br />I'm trying to decide if I want to keep on trying to clean them or if I should just toss them and buy a new set. I've had them for 2 years after all...<br /><br />If you have any cleaning suggestions, please feel free to post them.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512580651479702118.post-9003691456111929952011-03-25T11:22:00.003-04:002011-04-06T09:48:22.684-04:00A little Friday humourHere's a little laugh for your Friday.<br /><br />For those of you not familiar with Don't Even Reply, the guy either puts up fake Craigslist ads or replies to them with ridiculous emails and stories. It's a little warped, I know, (that's my sense of humour coming through, sorry) but only fellow runners will get the hilarity of this one, My New Jogging Partner: <a href="http://www.dontevenreply.com/view.php?post=100">http://www.dontevenreply.com/view.php?post=100</a><br /><br />Enjoy!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4512580651479702118.post-77132377308170260352011-03-16T20:04:00.002-04:002011-03-16T20:10:24.711-04:00Racing WeightToday I weighed in for the first time in two weeks. I was down to 155.X then, then inexplicably, I gained 1.6. Thankfully that was just a body mix-up! I lost 3 pounds today, down to 154.0. Hooray!<div><br /></div><div>I would really like to get back down to 145. That's 9 pounds away. I've spent a long time bouncing around the 151-155 range. I like being below 150... I feel good and comfortable in my own skin and clothes.</div><div><br /></div><div>I know I need to do this slowly and safely as I rachet up my mileage as part of my training. So it won't happen overnight. I just need a bit more willpower in the face of sweets, especially chocolate!</div><div><br /></div><div>Another awesome part of losing weight is that I'll be a bit faster on the race course! Funnily enough, the Complete Runner's Handbook says that I should actually be much, much lighter. Elites at my height of 5'5" are under 120. Ha! Never in a MILLION years. I can hardly keep the weight off at 135 when I was at that weight in 2000. And I couldn't tell you the last time I was under 135.</div><div><br /></div><div>145 is the place to be. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1