Racing Like A Pronoun

Socks Socks Socks

2011-07-05T15:37:00.003-04:00

I say that with the Monty Python saying of "SPAM SPAM SPAM" running through my head.

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...

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!

Race this weekend!

2011-06-22T16:15:00.003-04:00

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.

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.

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!

Running in the news

2011-06-15T10:14:00.003-04:00

Interesting article today in the National Post about running the marathon.

The will to run: Going from the couch to a marathon in a year.

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?

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.

I drew some inspiration from the article by this tidbit of info from one of the competitive coaches:
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.

“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.”

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.

ChiRunning Clinic

2011-06-13T10:08:00.005-04:00

Yesterday I attended a 4-hour ChiRunning Clinic with a local instructor, Eric Collard.

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.

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.

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!

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.

The clinic left me thinking about my goals for the rest of the year... but that's for another blog post.

PT Update

2011-06-06T13:30:00.003-04:00

I 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.

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....

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.

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.

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.

Pics from the HM

2011-06-03T12:12:00.007-04:00

I'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.

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!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.

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.

Comments

2011-06-03T09:18:00.002-04:00

I understand Blogger has some issues with the comment box these days. Apparently it's related to custom templates. I've done the workaround listed here, so I hope they work now. Let me know if it does!

Race Report: Ottawa Half Marathon

2011-05-29T16:46:00.004-04:00

Short version:

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.

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:

Bronze: Run to the best of my ability (aka: if you have to DNF, it's not the end of the world).

Silver: Finish.

Gold: Finish in under 2:30.

Long version:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

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!

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...

Verdict & Plan

2011-05-26T13:52:00.000-04:00

I 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.

The verdict:
I am more flexible now than I was last year. Yay! Though this may be a product of going to physio three times in the last 10 days.

I didn't do anything "wrong" with my training plan. Double Yay! This is not an overuse injury.

The problem:
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.

The plan:
I'm going to run the half marathon on Sunday. 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.

I'm switching physiotherapists. 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.

I want to thank everyone for their encouragement and support. This has been one helluva rollercoaster ride and it isn't over yet!

Punishing myself

2011-05-22T12:23:00.003-04:00

As 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

It's coming!

2011-05-19T10:59:00.009-04:00

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.

And the preparations are underway at Ottawa City Hall for Race Weekend. The banners were up when I ran by on Sunday...
And the start line positions are marked on the roadway asphalt. Seeing this made me giddy...
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...

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!

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.

Finally some good news

2011-05-15T19:19:00.004-04:00

I finally had a pain-free run! Hooray!

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!

Since then, I've done a lot to try to recover quickly:

- cut out shifted runs and increased rest days,

- cut mileage,

- cut quality runs (hills/tempo/intervals)

- employed a run-walk technique that involved running to increase blood flow, but not to the point of making it ache or hurt,

- gone to physio,

- applied heat,

- self massage and stretching.

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.

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.

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!

The long run that wasn't

2011-05-09T09:59:00.005-04:00

Saturday's long run just wasn't meant to be.

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.

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!

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.

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.

Friday RunPorn

2011-05-06T11:22:00.004-04:00

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!

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.

Have great weekend runs, everyone!

Hills by Accident

2011-05-02T11:34:00.003-04:00

Yesterday 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Overtrained or under iron

2011-04-27T09:42:00.003-04:00

I am exhausted.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Breaking through the mileage barrier

2011-04-18T09:41:00.004-04:00

These 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.

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.

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.

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.

Medal Hanger Giveaway

2011-04-08T11:21:00.001-04:00

Hey everyone... TeaMarcia over at the Studly Runner is doing a giveaway on her blog. She's giving away one of the awesome medal hangers from Allied Medal Displays. Some of you from RWOL are probably already familiar with their site and product. But hey, FREE STUFF!

Friday RunPorn

2011-04-08T09:55:00.001-04:00

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.

Fuelbelt bottles

2011-04-05T09:36:00.003-04:00

I 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.

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...

If you have any cleaning suggestions, please feel free to post them.

A little Friday humour

2011-03-25T11:22:00.003-04:00

Here's a little laugh for your Friday.

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: http://www.dontevenreply.com/view.php?post=100

Enjoy!

Racing Weight

2011-03-16T20:04:00.002-04:00

Today 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!

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.

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!

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.

145 is the place to be.

New Ottawa Race Weekend Routes

2011-03-14T09:17:00.005-04:00

I found out yesterday that Ottawa Race Weekend has changed the routes for the 10K/Half/Marathon this year. And I'm not talking a wee little detour. You can find the maps for all the distances here: http://www.ncm.ca/index.php/en/course-maps

I couldn't find the old half-marathon map, so here is the old marathon course. The Half had a bit more pointless running to rack up KMs across the river in Hull, excluded the jaunt over to Rockliffe Park to the East and turned around at Bronson as opposed to Heron in the South.

The new course:

I have to say that I like it. I'm thankful that we get to run down the Somerset street hill. I also think it's a bit flatter than the old one, though running across the Alexandra Bridge and the Hill on Murray to Mackenzie late in the race is going to be a tough slog. I also like because I regularly run different portions of the course, so it'll be nice to be running a familiar race. I think my husband will like it because he'll be able to cheer me on early in the race and then head back to bed until he needs to be at the finish line!

Purdy

2011-03-03T20:54:00.004-05:00

Look at these pretty little things I picked up tonight: Aww yeah.

I stopped in at Sports4 on my way home to try on different minimalist shoes. I tried a pair of Adidas, but they were just okay. I wanted to love them, I really did. Then I tried a pair of Vibram shoes. Oh they felt so good. They actually reminded me of the dance shoes I used to wear when I did highland dancing... they hugged my feet just so. But sadly, they pinched my heel pretty badly, so they were a no go before I even walked in them.

Then I tried the Saucony Grid Type A4. These puppies are like heaven on my feet. I wish I'd known they came in neon green, too. I love neon green! Yes, I know I'm such a girl. But I've often been jealous of how awesome men's shoes are with their orange, yellow and red. Then we women get stuck with pink, purple and aqua. I have nothing against those colours, but the women's shoes just aren't quite as flashy.

I'm looking forward to re-learning to run in them. My legs are sore from working on the new stride. Bit by bit, I'll get there. Just knowing these are in my house makes me want to lace up and rush out the door to run around the block. I haven't been this excited about new gear in quite awhile.

Re-learning how to run

2011-03-01T14:00:00.004-05:00

I attended an interesting clinic on Sunday at my local running store, Sports4 on Bank Street. A handful of runners attended the clinic on the merits of minimalist running shoes and mid-foot running styles. It was led by Bruno Lafontaine, of KinO2 consulting. He's an experienced runner/triathlete with lots of qualifications, so he knows his stuff.

If you have the opportunity to attend the session, do it! There's a lot of great info on the merits of minimalist running shoes. If you've read Born to Run, then a lot of the talk will sound familiar. You know, the evolutionary evidence that we evolved into distance runners. And the fact that some of the world's most successful running communities started from humble, shoeless (or practically shoeless) beginnings. There was also a lot of interesting information on the act of running and how heel-to-toe footstrikes are counter to the forces created by your body when you run. Another interesting discussion focused on how the cushioning and motion control features of modern running shoes could be contributing to injuries by impeding the brain's communication with the nervous system and muscle groups.

The clinic doesn't try to make you throw away your shoes and frolic in the snow barefoot. But it does have a lot of logical arguments to support transitioning to minimalist running shoes, trainers or racing flats. It's certainly not something you can do overnight. Bruno recommended gradually increasing your training in the shoes over time... 5 minutes one week, 10 the next and so on.

We also spent some time working on developing a midfoot strike. Oye. This was tough to do in my Adidas 1160s, as they're designed to faciliate a heel-to-toe footstrike. I'm sure our group looked ridiculous in front of the Supreme Court on Sunday morning galloping around in hugely exaggerated running motions. But the drills were very helpful in reminding us how running should feel and how to land on the midfoot, how many footstrikes we should have per minute etc.

When I got home, I spent a bit of time running barefoot in our hallway. And boy, I can tell you that I feel it today. There are definitely some underutilized muscles in those legs of mine. It really made me think about what I'd learned in the 2 hour clinic on Sunday morning and left me wondering if now is the time to make these changes.

Winterman 5K

2011-02-25T13:59:00.003-05:00

This year the Winterman lived up to his name: -24C with the windchill (-11F for my US readers). Brr!

I was actually kind of nervous before the race, which is really weird for me. This wasn't a goal race by any means. I hadn't done much running in the previous month thanks to a vacation to Cuba, a nasty cold and brutal cold snaps with temps in the range of -30C. I just wanted to enjoy the Winterman race and a run on a flat and paved road surface!

My goals going into the race were:
Gold: Beat my personal record of 28:09
Silver: Beat my course record of 31:26
Bronze: Beat my 2010 5K times (aka, come in under 35 minutes).

The race was held at the Canadian War Museum. There isn't much parking there, so I opted for a jog/walk to the race site. It's just far enough for it be far away (it's 30 minute walk) and close enough to make me feel guilty for driving. I ended up jogging more than walking because of the chilly temps. I treated it as a warm up!

The race started at 8:30 with a huge military gun being fired to jolt us awake. The course was pretty crowded as there were 1300 runners heading out onto the course. I just tried to pick a line and go with it. There were a few weavers and some walkers who started far too close to the front of the pack, but overall, it was a great field of polite runners.

The course is an out-and-back and has two smallish hills - rolling would be a good description for it. The wind was pretty strong and we weren't really running into it, but it was enough to keep you chilled most of the time. Parts of the course was icy due to a thaw earlier in the week, but overall it was clear and smooth sailing.

I ran the last kilometre strong, passing quite a few people on my way to the finish line. I finished in 33:13, beating my bronze goal. I probably could've pushed it to beat my course record, as I had a lot in the tank at the end and I wasn't sore at all in the days following the race. I didn't want to overdo it at this race, given that I have another race in April and my goal race is the halfmarathon in May.

Here's a pic... it makes me realize that my RunningRoom jacket is at least a full size too big for me, but I can't justify buying another unless I get it at a wicked sale price. But I look awesome in my Sugoi Firewall tights and for once, both feet are off the ground!

How to Get Back into Running

2011-01-05T13:51:00.004-05:00

I've had a lot of questions lately from somewhat casual runners on how to get back into running, or how to set a reasonable running goal and what is a reasonable running goal. I thought that my views on these might back interesting blog posts.

Q: I used to like running. I used to run a lot. Then I stopped. How do I get back into it?

A: First off, you need ask yourself some questions. How long has it been since you ran on a regular basis? A week? Months? Years? How far and how often were you running when you ran regularly? A lot of how fast you can return to running depends on what you've been doing during your layoff.

The answers to these questions will help you figure out how to start again. If it's been 6+ months since you ran regularly for any kind of distance (I'm thinking more than 15K/week here) then I'd suggest pulling out the old Couch to 5K program.

Couch to 5K works wonders. It features reasonable mileage increases and is challenging enough for those coming back to running to enjoy it. You might be able to jump in at say, week 4 and then go from there. But the key is to take it slow. I'd recommend repeating the challenging workouts or even whole weeks, because it's better to play it safe than to overdo it. And if you've been a runner in the past, odds are you'll start out like a bat outta hell at first because of your enthusiasm and the chemical rush of running again.

I'd also recommend signing up for a 5K race 8-10 weeks out. It's great motivation to stick with a training program and enough to push you out the door on the days when the weather isn't perfect.

If it's been less than 6 months, then you can ease into a run/walk routine at a slow pace. The key is to get used to the stress of running without overdoing it. When I came back to running, I ran a 7 min/km pace (11:30ish/mi) and gradually increased my run walk intervals from 5:1 to 7:1 to 8:1 to 10:1 to 15:1 and so on. If I felt "off" or tired, I walked or repeated a run/walk interval before moving onto the next one. I never went over 32 minutes. The goal is to gradually increase your endurance while building a routine again. Don't worry about speed, it'll come.

No matter where you're starting from, there's nothing to be ashamed of when you're starting a training plan. Fellow runners on the streets, paths and trails won't judge you. Everyone needs to start somewhere, and you should be proud of the fact that you've taken that first step.

2011 Goals

2010-12-31T10:08:00.004-05:00

The last day of 2010. This is the day where we runners tally up the 2010 mileage, our achievements and the race reports. Then we turn our thoughts to the upcoming year: a blank slate!

I have to say I've learned a lot in 2010. Some of the lessons:

I'm not flexible.
If I want to run long distances, I have to stretch, do yoga and visit my physiotherapist every 6 weeks.
Listening to my body prevents injury.
Running without music is, suprisingly, more fun that running with Lady Gaga blasting in my ears.

My 2010 mileage was 491.62km (I'm still mastering the GarminConnect reports feature). Not too shabby given all I went through!

So, now here come the 2011 goals:
1. Run the Ottawa Half Marathon.
2. Expand to running 4 days a week.
3. Set a new course PR at Emilie's Run 5K in June (current one is 30:08).

I'm registered for races up until the end of July. After that, who knows. I might be travelling with my husband in the Fall, or I could do the Army Run HM... I would love to do a marathon next year but I want to finish the half first before I commit to 42.2!

The Annual "Looking Back" Post

2010-12-29T19:09:00.004-05:00

I apologize profusely for not posting the last couple of months. Work went absolutely bonkers in early September and didn't stop until right before Christmas. The new year promises to be just as bananas... Hooray! I think.

I've managed to continue running and have only needed to drop the occasional run here and there. I've built my base back up to where it was this time last year: 26K/week. I'm running 7/7/12 and I hope to migrate that to four runs a week in the new year. I just need to remember to watch my pace on the long run. I kind of get carried away, especially when I'm cold. I need to warm up somehow!

Last year I did the whole year in review post. It's been a handy one to look back on, especially when it comes to that motivation and optimism that I had a year ago. It's too bad that it all went down the tubes only hours after I wrote the post.

As for my 2010 goals, here's how I did:

1. Finish the Ottawa Half Marathon

Didn't even start the 2010 Ottawa HM. But I won't let it win...

2. Drink more water

Doing much better on this one. It's a little less measurable than the other goals listed here, but I can definitely feel the difference in my body when I'm hydrated, whether it's first thing in the morning or during a run.

3. Improve my 5K and 10K times.

Improve? Ha, I was lucky to run 5Ks and 10Ks. No new personal bests were set this year, but I came pretty darn close on the 10K. Hopefully next year I can improve.

4. Run 1300 km.

The loss of five months of running and my base totally set me off course in my pursuit of this goal. I'll end up with just over 500KM run as I have one more run to go tomorrow.

Soon I'll have to turn my attention towards my 2011 goals. I have a few in mind...

What's next?

2010-10-04T14:31:00.003-04:00

After this weekend, I'll be done with this training cycle. I've been training for the Fall Colours 10K for the past eight weeks, a Somersault Race that I entered after I had to withdraw from the Winterman 10K back in February.

But now I find myself starting to think about what comes after the race. What do I do with myself until my next serious training cycle starts in March? I know for sure that I'll try for the Half Marathon again. Do I keep running the mileage I'm running now? Do I start with base building - slowly increasing my mileage without running tempos and intervals? I know for sure that I'd like to continue to do hill work on a semi-regular basis, because I can really feel the improvement on the hills after making it a cornerstone of my training over the last 8 weeks. Not to mention that I really love the burn it gives me and the total high/exhaustion I feel after. Yeah, I'm weird.

Anyone have any suggestions? Or where to look for ideas?

I could run the Cookie Run 5K at the beginning of November. It's a fun little race, but I know I'm nowhere close to a PR in the 5K. So if I do run it, it'll just be for fun. I've already decided that I won't be running the Running Room's Resolution Run on December 31st. Part of the reason is that I don't need another jacket (that's the race schwag) and the event always seems to cause husband and I problems when it comes to holiday plans. Last year the road was really snow-covered and it was so tough to run on (greasy) that I'm sure it caused the muscle weakness that contributed to my injury last winter.

Army Run... ish

2010-09-28T08:53:00.007-04:00

On September 19th, my Mom, older brother and I walked the Army Run. Mom doesn't run and I've been really trying to limit my races to avoid injury, so walking sounded like fun.

Sunday morning dawned sunny, yet crisp. There was little wind, but it was pretty chilly in the shade. My family met us at our place, only blocks from the start line. The three of us walked over and lined up with the walkers. My Mom had never participated in an event of this size, so it was really neat watching her take in the whole experience. She was so excited about the free t-shirt, the timing chip and the pace bunnies, of all things.

The soldiers fired the gun—which was as loud as a cannon—to start the race. We all jumped out of our skin and started moving forward. It took us about 10 minutes to get to the start line and then we were off!

The route was a little different this year, owing to the fact that the Terry Fox Run was the same day and used part of the previous year's route. The walk took us through downtown Ottawa, past some major landmarks like the Parliament Buildings, the Rideau Canal and some beautiful scenery.

All along the route there were military bands, like this one: the Blackwatch pipe band and the RMC Cadets band. There was also another band at the start, but I wasn't able to see which one it was.

The walk itself took us about 55 minutes. It was a great morning for a walk and it warmed up nicely. We chatted all along the way. And I think my Mom may have been bitten by the running or walking bug... she was asking me all about the Couch to 5K program. I really enjoyed just spending the time with my Mom and my brother. And we were certainly thinking about our little brother, Matt, who's got less than three months left in Kabul. We're all really excited for him to come home!

Next thing we knew, we were done, had our dog tag medals and a snack. Here's some of the post-race fuel they were giving out! Pretty neat stuff eh? Though it's mostly sugar and carbs... not much in the way of nutrition. I haven't tried it yet and I'm saving it for after a grueling run when I'm craving a treat.

And finally, here's the post "race" photo of us in Confederation Park. After this we walked down to a restaurant where my husband and Dad were holding a table for us. I treated myself to some very tasty french toast for brunch.

I'd definitely do the Army Run again... it's got a great atmosphere, it's not as insanely crowded as our Race Weekend events in May, and it's super well-organized. I love the route, too. I highly recommend it!

Feeling like a runner again

2010-09-25T21:07:00.002-04:00

Today I ran my longest run of the year: 12K.

It was glorious.

I felt like a runner again as I ran along our picturesque Rideau Canal at 7 a.m. - the only other people I saw were other runners. I exchange hellos and good mornings with almost everyone I passed. It really was wonderful.

I also saw the editor of iRun Magazine, Mark Sutcliffe, as he ran his our personal marathon to celebrate turning 42.2 years old. He was running a 5:00/km pace as he ran the 12K out and back. He and his posse passed me several times... I wish I could've run with them, but that's a little fast for me! haha.

I've been feeling much stronger, fitter and faster as of late. I also popped into see my trusty physiotherapist this week to make sure all was okay with my back... and it was. We spent some time working on it and my flexibility, but it was really encouraging to know that I can continue to up my mileage as long as I keep an eye on my flexibility.

My army run post is coming soon, I promise. I was hoping to steal a few minutes at work to post it, but that didn't happen this week.

More sights and sounds

2010-09-15T12:44:00.007-04:00

I ran my 5K recovery run last night. I decided to run near the Museum of Civilization, a beautiful national museum on the Ottawa river. There's a great path leading to it... it hugs the water's edge and goes through a beautiful forest. There's also a ridiculous hill at the beginning of said path...

Anyhow, I saw all kinds of chipmunks and squirrels. Staff at the Museum have installed some sort of falconry sounds that are insanely loud at timed intervals, presumably to keep the seagulls and Canada geese away.

After passing by the main plaza of the Museum, I caught a glimpse of this guy:

A belted kingfisher! That's not my photo and he flew away before I could pull out my phone to snap a pic. But he's by far my rarest sight on a run so far... he landed on a railing by the water's edge, not 50 feet from where I was standing. So cool.

Ottawa Army Run 5K

2010-09-09T10:55:00.002-04:00

The Army Run is coming up in 10 days. I hadn't planned to run this race, since I have my 10K in a month and I wanted to focus on it instead. I figured that racing a 5K might be tough to fit into my training, given that I usually go all out and don't properly rest after.

Then my Mom emailed me yesterday, wanting to do the Army Run for my little brother. He's stationed in Kabul, Afghanistan, until December. The thing is: my Mom isn't a runner. At all.

So I suggested to her that we walk it together. This way I can still fit in my 10K training run on the Saturday and use the 5K walk as a recovery workout the following day. I'm really looking forward to it, since I wasn't able to run this race last year. Their race t-shirt is awesome (a long-sleeve technical tee) and the race medal is a dog tag! Awesome!

The proceeds from the race go to support the Canadian Forces Personnel Support programs (CFPSA), including Soldier On and the Military Families Fund.

I'll be sure to post some pre- and post-race pictures!

My Weightloss Journey So Far

2010-09-08T13:52:00.002-04:00

About a month ago I mentioned that my husband and I were rejoining Weight Watchers. I'm proud to report that I've lost 8.8 lbs. since July 28th. It's been a nice, steady loss of about 1.5 lbs. a week. I'm starting to see a difference in my curves and how I feel. I hope to see a payoff in my running, as well. I'd ideally like to get down another 11 lbs., to my goal weight of 145.

I've also tried to incorporate more fruits and veggies this time around. Husband and I are eating at home more and planning more healthy meals. I adapted a Jamie Oliver recipe this week - a black bean and beef stirfry... it was fantastic and I'll likely add it to our list of favourite recipes.

Another key goal of mine in all of this is post-run recovery. I'm trying to improve my post-run fueling since, well, it used to be non-existent. I really believe that a lack of post-run nutrients contributed to my injury earlier this year. I never used to consciously plan to replenish my energy stores after tough runs. Without those nutrients, muscles can't repair themselves!

Now I do the post-run smoothie routine, complete with a vegan protein supplement, yogurt, frozen fruit and kale. They're super yummy and taste great after a hills, tempo or interval workout. I eat about two a week and I've noticed a difference in how quickly I bounce back from the exertion of a tough workout.

Digital Distractions

2010-08-26T10:57:00.006-04:00

Back in June I posted about how I'd started running without my iPod. Just to recap, I used to be a devoted iPod listener when running. The only time I ran without it was at races because of the sheer number of people. Otherwise, it was an essential part of my running gear. I felt like the bionic woman as I strapped on my iPod, Garmin, RoadID bracelet, phone... the list just kept on getting longer!

But not anymore.

Interestingly enough, there's an article in today's Globe and Mail about the dangers of being too plugged in. The study's authors say that using digital devices to distract or entertain yourself during every waking moment may lead to brain fatigue and impair the brain's ability to process and store memories. I particularly liked this quote:

But all things being equal, Prof. Ratey said, he would prefer to see people do their workouts away from their devices: “There is more bang for your buck doing it outside, for your mood and working memory.”

I agree with this 100%. Most people think they'll hate exercising if they don't have something to help pass the time. I used to be the same way. Just try going iPod/Blackberry/mp3-free for a week while exercising and see how you feel after. Who knows, you might not go back!

The surprise run

2010-08-25T12:46:00.006-04:00

On Tuesday morning I woke up early. An hour and a half early. Ugh. I didn't mean to, but I did. Needless to say, my sleep pattern is all screwed up right now. Anyhow, I figured that since I was already up that I might as well go for a run. It was actually nice out, as opposed to the three previous days of monsoon-like rain. I quietly gathered my gear without disturbing the sleeping husband, got dressed, and headed out the door.

I'd actually scrapped my run the night before as my husband had just returned from a 5-day bachelor party in Las Vegas. I wanted to spend the time with him. I missed him while he was gone! I had planned to run on Monday morning, but couldn't convince myself to go out in the pouring rain.

The run I had scrapped was a 5K recovery run. I have a habit of running these too hard, of going overboard and generally not listening to my cranky muscles and tendons. So I figured Tuesday morning was a good time to run that recovery run and actually mean it.

That run was a great run. I was in the zone, happy as a clam, had zero pain or crankiness, and actually followed my prescribed 7 min/km pace. I still get the warm fuzzies thinking about that run!

There were several small victories on this run: I didn't stop to walk at all (I never used to, but since coming back from injury, I've needed to) and the hills seemed easy (always my weak point). I felt so good at the end! It was really gratifying to realize that the training, hard work and hours that I'm putting into my running is actually starting to pay off.

It's added motivation to continue to follow my training plan and not to get sucked into doing too much too soon.

Aww

2010-08-23T13:51:00.002-04:00

Look at this cute little guy! He was just hanging out in the middle of the path on Saturday morning. I tried to herd him back onto the grass but he didn't want to go.

I hope he didn't get smooshed by the bikes. He was TINY!

Getting into a routine

2010-08-18T09:25:00.002-04:00

I've started following my 10K training plan. I adapted a Hal Higdon Plan for intermediates and cut it down a bit. Originally the plan called for 5 days of running, 1 day of cross-training and 1 day of rest. Well, I know I'm nowhere near ready to run that often.

I met the criteria for the plan, which included having been a runner for a year or two and completed a number of races, including a 10K. That sure sounds like me!

Last week I ran a total of 14K, which included a wonderful 6K run on Sunday afternoon. We had torrential rain and thunderstorms all day long. We finally had a break during the late afternoon, so I quickly threw on my gear and headed out. The paths were empty, there was little wind and it was just beautiful. The rain and storms held off long enough for me to get my run in while staying dry!

The coolest part of the run was all the neat smells along the way... weird, I know. Near our house, it smelled like wet concrete, while along the route there were all kinds of wet vegetation smells. It was really neat.

My Butt Hurts!

2010-08-12T10:22:00.002-04:00

I had my last physio session last night. She worked my butt and hips pretty good... so good that they're still sore today.

The great news—sore butt aside—is that I am now going to physio on an as-needed basis. This means that I can go see her whenever I want for the little aches and pains that build up in my back. I also have to start doing massages every 4-6 weeks.

It's so time to celebrate! It seemed like just yesterday that I was holed up on the couch in pain with no relief in sight.

Is it fall yet?

2010-08-05T10:41:00.004-04:00

Seriously. This heat and humidity can take a hike. We've had crazy humidity again this week, culminating in some serious thunderstorms on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. As you guessed, my Tuesday run got canned.

I really can't afford to cancel too many runs, as I really need to work on getting my fitness level back up in order to start training for that 10K in early October. Right now 5Ks are still challenging. Uhoh. But at the same time, I'm actually looking forward to running some longer distances again!

And so, I barely woke up to my alarm this morning and rolled out of bed to run before the day's heat set in. I ran at 6:30 a.m. in 20C... 28C with the humidity. Blech. Thankfully there's some relief in sight for the weekend. Hooray!

Either way, the weather here - hot or cold - is better than it was down in the 'States two weeks ago. I was visiting friends in Northern Maryland and it was ridiculously hot. I was up at 6 am to run one morning and it felt like I was running in hot soup. I had to take walk breaks in order to actually get my breath back. When I got back to the cabin, my gear was sopping wet. The weather was so disgusting that I couldn't bring myself to run again two days later. It's too bad I can't find the historical weather for that run... I'd love to put it in with the run info. I bet it'd be a record for me.

This time I mean it

2010-08-04T10:20:00.003-04:00

Husband and I rejoined WeightWatchers last week. I know I've talked about it before, but this time I'm serious.

I've put on about 20 pounds in the last year and he's put on even more. His downfall is the bad eating habits his colleagues encourage, while my problem is snacking. I haven't gained it all in one shot, but 5 pounds here and there... Christmas, Hawaii, Easter, my trip to Baltimore two weeks ago...

I lost 3 pounds last week. Hooray! I want to get back down to my goal weight of 145 lbs. so that running will be easier. I've got a 10K to train for which should help, and I'd really like to aim for a new personal best. I also want to be able to fit into my running clothes and everyday clothes. There's a bunch of stuff I can't fit into right now, especially my runningskirts.com camo skirts which I'm DYING to wear out on a run.

National Capital 5K Race Report

2010-08-03T09:42:00.002-04:00

On Saturday I ran the National Capital 5K. I ran this race last year and really enjoyed it, so I decided to run it again this year. Seems like a pretty good reason, don't you think?

This race was one of many events organized on Saturday by Somersault - a local running/triathlon event organizer. There were about 100 people or so in the 5K, but over 1,200 participating in the day's events, which ranged from the 5K to an Olympic distance Triathlon.

Saturday morning's weather was perfect! No wind, clear and about 10C when I left the house. My friend Jen and I headed down to the race together. We parked at Brookfield High School, about a 10 minute walk to the race start. We picked up our kits and I rushed back to the car to drop off our stuff, as there was no on-site bag check. I really have to make that suggestion next year, as there's no on-site parking and I ended up doing the trek to/from the car twice. Hey, at least it was a good warm-up!

The race started promptly at 8:30. A lot of runners started out too fast and this course will make you pay. Knowing that, I started further back in the pack and tried to hold my pace and avoided weaving if possible. It's pretty much all downhill on the way out and all uphill on the way back. I saw one woman pushing her kid in a running stroller... a very ambitious undertaking on that course! This year's route was adjusted slightly due to construction at the turnaround point. Organizers added in a little jut out halfway along the course. I wasn't a fan, but there wasn't much they could do.

The course itself is quite narrow, as it follows a bike path along the scenic Rideau River. A good portion of the run is through a forest. I really like the route as it's entertaining to run and I don't get bored easily.

Overall, I had a good run. I felt strong on the hills, which is what I'd trained for. I didn't improve my best time on the course, but conquering the hills was a really rewarding experience. I managed to pass quite a few people in the 2nd half of the race, including the woman with the kid in the stroller, who faded quite a bit in the second half.

I finished in 33:35, 9/12 in my AG. The 10K winner finished just ahead of me. Man he was fast.

My next race is the Fall Colours 10K. I might sign up for the Army Run 5K, but I haven't decided yet.

What a week

2010-07-16T08:49:00.003-04:00

Oh there was certainly something I wanted to write about. But I totally forgot!

This week has been absolutely insane. Our local music festival, Bluesfest, is on. I volunteer there for 6 shifts of 4 hours each. Then hubby meets me and we watch a few shows. We've seen some great ones so far, especially Basia Bulat and Arcade Fire. Passion Pit was awesome, too.

On top of that, work has been nuts, too. I've been working lots of overtime. Thankfully I'm on vacation next week... but the first four days involve a trip to the Baltimore area to visit friends. I need to pack! But I'm definitely looking forward to a change of scenery and a change in running routes.

Tomorrow I plan to get up early to run my hill training. Last week's hilly run didn't go so well, as it was way too hot and I was tired and slightly hungover from the night before. Not a good recipe for a good training run! I missed my Thursday run this week thanks to the craziness at work. I can definitely say I'm looking forward to getting back to a normal schedule again.

The Heat Beat Me

2010-07-08T09:24:00.008-04:00

I couldn't do it this morning. Nope, no early morning run.

I spent 4 hours outside, on my feet, in the 40C+ weather as a volunteer at Bluesfest (our local monster music festival) last night. I was just exhausted last night and probably sweated off my body weight in those four hours. I just couldn't bring myself to get up at 6 to run this morning. The thought of running in the soupy air made me want to hermit myself in the air conditioned goodness of our apartment.

I checked the forecast last night before making my decision. The weatherman promised "cooler" weather on Friday: 28C and showers. Postponing my run to Friday morning was a no-brainer. It's hard to believe that's "cooler" than what we're going through now!

Beating the heat

2010-07-06T10:53:00.002-04:00

It's so hot.

There I said it.

Most of you probably already know that we're in the middle of a heat wave. Yesterday, the temperaturehit 34C (45C with the humidex) and it's supposed to be like this for the rest of the week! I'm glad summer's finally here after our rainy June, but it's almost like someone flipped a switch.

The biggest challenge for me now is how to run in this heat. We haven't had a summer with this kind of extreme heat in about 5 years, so this is very much uncharted territory for me. In the past, I just moved my run to the next day... but that's not an option when we're talking 4-5 days straight of this weather. Other times I've run in the late evening, like around 8-9 p.m. - but again, it's still hot then!

Today I thought I'd get up early and run before things really started to bake. I headed out the door shortly after 6:30 a.m. It was already 32C with the humidex! Crazy! Thankfully I'm still running 30-35 minutes, so it wasn't too unbearable. And there was a good breeze and the sun wasn't totally up yet. I think I may have to head out even earlier on Thursday morning!

How do you beat the heat? Short of cancelling my run altogether, I can't really think of any other ways to avoid running in the sauna.

Humbling Hills

2010-06-29T12:53:00.002-04:00

All is well in running land. I got up early on Sunday to head out for my first workout involving hills. I ran for 15 minutes, walked for 1. Then ran up the steep hill and walked down it twice. The I ran for another 10 minutes and ran up an even steeper hill at the end of my run. I nearly keeled over when I reached the top!

I have to say that I felt pretty out of shape by the end of that workout. I plan to do this each weekend to improve my running on hills, as my regular route is pretty much flat as a pancake and my next two races involve more than a nice gradual incline over 2 or 3 metres!

The rest of the time I'm just taking it easy. Today I'm planning to run 30 minutes and I'm hoping to do it without needing walk breaks.

Take a Raincheck

2010-06-25T11:46:00.002-04:00

So much for yoga class. So much for my run.

As most of you in the Ottawa-area know, we had a pretty big earthquake on Wednesday afternoon. And yes, it affected my run. How you ask?

Well, we were evacuated from our building. Which meant walking down 22 flights of stairs. Then I, along with all thousands of public servants in the nearby buildings, were told to go home. I couldn't get a bus, so I walked.

I'm still sore. I knew I would be... this is third time I've done those stairs this year and I've been sore every time. So I abandoned my run yesterday and walked around downtown doing errands instead.

And after all the excitement on Wednesday, I didn't feel like going anywhere. Not to mention that the media was reporting that the power was out in the area where the yoga studio is located.

I'm so ready for the weekend!

Yoga for Runners

2010-06-23T09:47:00.002-04:00

My physiotherapist suggested I start crosstraining, specifically with some sort of activity that promotes flexibility. She pretty much said that I need to do this if I want to ever run any races longer than 10K. Certainly I need to maintain my flexibility if I want to avoid injuries over the long-term.

So, today I'm going to try Yoga for Runners. It's offered at a local yoga studio at a really convenient time. I've done bikram yoga before, but I had a lot of difficult with the heat. I often felt sick and faint, often for days after. Hopefully I'll have better results with this new class!

I'll be sure to report back on the class.

Race Report: Emilie's Run 5K

2010-06-21T09:18:00.003-04:00

Saturday morning dawned warm and overcast. By race time it was 24C, but it felt like 27C with the humidity. There were some clouds, but the sun came out just in time for the race start. There was a bit of a breeze, which turned out to be a headwind on the way back.

The course itself is flat, with only small undulations along the route. It's an out and back on newly paved asphalt. The event had about 600 participants in the women's only 5K. My friend Jen and I started out near the back of the pack... I knew after last year that the racers would be really fast and I didn't want to get caught up in the madness that is mid-pack at Emilie's run!

I'm happy to report that my gun time was 35:02, which is what I was shooting for. I finished 34/41 in my age group. My garmin tells me that I ran 34:43, as it took some time to get across the start line. My splits, according to sportstats, were 7:16, 7:10, 7:07 and 7:06 and 6:25.

I'm very proud of the fact that: a) I ran the whole thing, from start to finish. b) I didn't blow up. And, c) I ran negative splits.

Like I said the other day, I knew a personal best was out of reach. And even if I'd been 100% healthy, a personal best would've been tough given the heat and humidity. I had lots left in the tank at the end. I'm not sore today, two days after the race, and I wasn't sore yesterday either. But I sure was tired on Saturday night!

I'm looking forward to my next race, the National Capital 5K, on July 31st. In the meantime, I'm going to work on improving my endurance and most especially hills, as the next course is all downhill on the way out and almost entirely uphill on the way back. Ouch!

Race ready

2010-06-17T09:59:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow I'm running Emilie's Run 5K. I'm so excited! I love this race... it's a flat course, it's all women and it's a really fast field of racers. It's so inspiring to see all the women running together: mothers and daughters, friends, family. It's a totally different atmosphere than other races.

I'm going into this race with one goal only: to finish. I don't care if I have to walk. I don't care if it takes me 40 minutes. I'm just excited to be part of a race and to be running again.

I'm looking forward to seeing who wins the race. One of my running heroes, Tara Quinn-Smith, won't be running it this year. She won the race last year and set a new course record. But sadly, she's been battling some nagging injuries and will be sitting it out this year.

In physiotherapy news, I went two weeks between appointments and all is well. She feels that the remaining issues just might be me. Like my tight glutes. Certain niggly things in my back. But the bulging disc and pain in the lower back is gone. I have some tightness/soreness below my knees, but that's more a result of the return to running and reintroducing the running-related stresses to my body.

This time we're going a month between appointments to see how I do. If all goes well, I expect she'll discharge me. I do have to start a flexibility-related cross-training activity if I plan to run anything more than 10Ks in the future.

Leaving the iPod at Home

2010-06-15T15:09:00.002-04:00

I used to be religious when it came to running with my iPod. I swore by it. I rarely ran without it. I loved compiling my playlists and finding new music to run to.

But I've broken my habit.

Since returning to running 3 weeks ago, I haven't run with my iPod once. And to tell you the truth, I don't really miss it. I initially left it at home so that I would listen to my body instead of the tunes. This was especially important in those first few runs, as I needed to pay special attention to any complaints my body was making as I forced it through its rebirth into running.

Running without the iPod is liberating. I don't feel like the bionic woman with a fuelbelt, garmin and iPod strapped to various parts of my body. I feel much more in tune with my muscles and what it's telling me throughout the run. I pay attention to my breathing and get fewer side stitches. I'm also much more aware of my surroundings, whether it's the bikes whizzing by me on the bike path or the crowd of screaming seagulls in the middle of the river.

Best of all, I'm much more absorbed in the act of running itself and enjoying it, instead of zoning out and trying to suffer through it.

I'm hoping that this change will mean that I'll be quicker to notice any nagging injuries early on, instead of when they're so bad that I'm sidelined for months on end.

Settling into a routine

2010-06-04T08:05:00.002-04:00

I'm slowly getting back into my running routine again. It's funny how life adapts itself to more or less free time.

Life is busy right now and it's actually getting difficult for me to fit in my short little runs. Husband and I started taking our wine courses again, which we'd put off for a number of reasons. They're not cheap when there's two of you taking them and they're a big time commitment. This class is done after this weekend, thankfully just in time for us to start a new project.

Car shopping. Joy. Our car got a death sentence on Thursday, so I ended up nixing my run yesterday to look at cars. But in one evening we only managed to look at two cars. Ugh. No matter what, we need a new car ASAP. Husband works in the other end of town and the bus isn't a viable transportation method for him over the long term.

I got good news at Physio on Wednesday: I'm down to one appointment every other week. She's hoping to discharge me in July, if all goes well. Now just to fit in those runs!

All together now

2010-05-31T16:02:00.003-04:00

Aww...

I saw this cute family of Canada geese while out running late Saturday afternoon. There were 20 chicks and it looked like two families, given that some were a bit bigger than others. Normally I'm not a fan of Canada geese as I've been chased by them a couple of times. But these little guys are just so darn cute and fuzzy!

Back Back Back!

2010-05-28T13:26:00.004-04:00

I was finally able to start my return to running plan yesterday. I was supposed to start last week, but I managed to get a horrible cold. Said cold turned into a sinus and throat infection. I still have a cough, but the congestion I have now is likely seasonal allergies.

I started last night with 5 minutes walking, 5 minutes running, for a total of 30 minutes. I run again on Saturday, with 3 minutes walking, 7 minutes running, for a total of 30 minutes. And it slowly increases from there. I hope to run Emilie's Run 5K on June 19th. I have no plans for a personal best or any kind of record... just to run!

In order to motivate myself some more, I bought some new running clothes. Yesterday, I picked up a RunningSkirts.com camo skirt and a couple of new tanks at the Ottawa Race Weekend running expo. I love Runningskirts.com's skirts - they have tons of pockets, a great fit and really creative patterns. One of my new tanks is a Sugoi tank in white and the other is Asics and it's BRIGHT PINK. Both are perfect for summer... and they were 50% off!

It feels so good to run again.

More of the same

2010-05-07T13:33:00.003-04:00

I am continuing with my physiotherapy. Still no running, but we're hoping to go down to one appointment a week by the end of May. I don't know if I will be painfree after running... but hopefully I'll be able to test my legs soon.

I got my x-ray results via my physiotherapist, which showed nothing overly irregular. Which is good, because it means it's not my bones causing the pain. I'm not sure if she'll push for an MRI or not. I also managed to transfer my 10K entry at the Ottawa Race Weekend, so I saved a bit of money there.

I'm trying to keep busy but am really lacking in the motivation department these days. My little brother shipped out to Afghanistan last week. I still feel really raw about it... I tend to tear up during the singing of the national anthem during hockey games, of all things. One of my best friends has gone MIA and I don't know why. I miss her and am afraid I did something wrong, but I have no idea what could be wrong. There's also been drama with my family, as my parents and brother have had a falling out, which leave me in the middle to try to play peacemaker. And overall, work sucks as my manager left the team and hasn't been replaced, which has meant added stress for each of us on the team and more work.

I see my doctor again next week so hopefully we'll have a better plan of attack then. I really don't feel like myself these days, so I'm definitely planning to bring that up with him too.

Race transfers

2010-04-21T13:09:00.002-04:00

Ottawa Race Weekend has a policy of no race entry transfers. Meaning if you register early, you run the risk (har har) of having to eat your entry if you can't run.

Yesterday, Race Weekend announced that they would allow race entry transfers for a two-week period! Hooray! I don't think this was highly advertised, so I figured I should post it here.

I'll get most of my money back. It's too bad I already downgraded from the half marathon to the 10K. Both distances are sold out, but the half entries are in much higher demand. Still, it feels good to know that I'll be able to recoup some of the money.

Torture

2010-04-20T10:33:00.003-04:00

Nope, not a post about physio today. It's going well, though. The new focus on flexibility, involving ART, back manipulations, and tractioning of my hips and back, seems to be working. We're seeing drastic improvements in my flexibility during sessions... now we just need to get it to stick from session to session.

The torture I speak of is the torture of walking home from work on a 20C degree day. On those days, I'm passed by runner after runner. I start to feel a mix of emotions:
- Self-pity: "Wah, why can't I run???? It's a perfect day for a run. I want a back transplant!"
- Jealousy: "Not fair. I want to run. I'm in better shape than her!"
- Anger: "Stupid *^%$%* back"
- Envy: "Oh, she's obviously prepping for the marathon."
- Upbeat: "She's struggling, maybe I should say something to encourage her! Wait, she won't know I'm a runner."

I know this is a bump in the road, but going through the gamut of emotions like that really doesn't motivate me to walk home from work. If only I could just close my eyes and walk that way...

Racing like a test subject

2010-04-12T12:25:00.004-04:00

I have to admit that I don't feel much like a runner these days.

Last week I had medical appointments every day. I saw the second physiotherapist, who believes that my treatment plan needs to focus more on flexibility issues than on building core strength. He felt that a 10K was a reasonable goal for later in the year.

Part of me agrees with his idea to focus on flexibility, but a big part of me doesn't. I agree with it because I am clearly inflexible. I've never been able to touch my toes. Ever! Most people are amazed by how inflexible I am. But it's never been a problem until now. Which is why I don't necessarily agree. I spent 8 years dancing several times a week. It was a high impact sport that had a similar force exerted on my body as running (if not more). In the last few years, I danced for a minimum of an hour 3x a week, if not more. The worst injury I had was shin splints. I was the same weight I am now, so that's not a factor. I would say I am in the same physical shape now as I was then.

I think ultimately it's something wrong with my back. I saw the doctor on Friday and had x-rays done. I will likely need an MRI. My primary PT believes there's scar tissue in my back from my previous back injuries in 1999 and 2008, and that this scar tissue is putting pressure on my nerves.

I've considered just giving up running altogether. But I love running. I really do. I've invested 2 months of time and money into PT... I'm not ready to give up this fight just yet.

News to come

2010-04-08T12:51:00.003-04:00

This week has been the insane week. Tons of work to get done and just not enough hours in the day to do it. Long weekends usually create all kinds of headaches at work, as the nature of my field is that the craziness of 5 days gets compressed into 4 days instead!

My personal life schedule has been crammed full of appointments. Tuesday: sports massage. Wednesday: Physio. Thursday: Physio. Friday: follow-up with doctor, physio.

Why so much physio, you ask?

Well, my awesome PT decided it was time to send me for a second opinion. So today I get to go see him. His resume is outstanding and I was impressed by just looking at his website. Hopefully he'll have some ideas. I'm not looking forward to going through a full assessment and history again... but if it'll help, I'll do it.

Tomorrow I go back to the doctor to see what he thinks. I will likely get x-rays of my back and possibly a referral for an MRI as well. I wanted to get the ball rolling on them as the wait times for MRIs can be long, and I didn't want to spend another 2 months in physio only to be sent back for an MRI. That would mean 2 months wasted that I could've spent on a waiting list.

Riding the Pine...

2010-03-29T12:09:00.005-04:00

I submitted my request to be put on IR to our Miles Game team captain on Runners World Online. I've run 4K in three months. I didn't think it was fair to keep posting zeros when the team could use a player in my spot to actually post miles. There has been a shortage of players for the Miles Game recently, but I hope the team can get a new player in my place.

I think I'll be going back to the doctor as soon as I can get an appointment. I've read up on my pain and what my symptoms are and I get so totally overwhelmed. Should I see a chiropractor? I'm not a fan of them, but if it'll help, maybe I should see one. Should I see a different sports medicine doctor? Do I need cortisone shots? Do I need surgery? What about a physiatrist? So far I've just booked to massage therapy appointments for my back, at my physiotherapist's request. In other news, the exercises are coming along. The pain isn't really improving or going away. The dry needling appointments are pure torture... I try my best to do as much as I can.

In the meantime, I've started cooking. I made quiche on Saturday from a recipe from Eat, Shrink and Be Merry. It was a pretty good recipe, using brown rice as the crust, and with a head of broccoli, roasted red peppers and swiss cheese. Yum!

On Sunday I roasted a chicken, following another ESBM recipe, the Roastess with the Mostess. I have a hard time doing roast chicken properly. It never cooks through, despite following the directions and using a meat thermometer. I think our chicken was still frozen on the inside, despite the fact it sat in the fridge for two days. The marinade was really tasty - lots of lemon and thyme flavour that carried through the meat.

I decided to stop wasting chicken carcasses, so I promptly cut off the leftover meat and tossed the chicken into water, along with some herbs, onions and carrots. I left the stock to simmer for 4 hours. I'm hoping to transform it into chicken soup tonight!

Same old, same old.

2010-03-23T10:14:00.006-04:00

Not much is new with me. I'm not running yet. I'm still going to physio, though not much has changed. The pain is no longer in my foot, but in my back, pelvis and hips. She added in ultrasound to dull the back pain, which I absolutely love. Last week she buttered me up with the ultrasound and then did some dry needling... that was a bit of a shock to say the least!

I've been good about doing my McKenzie method exercises, which she calls cobras. It's a set of 10 yoga-like stretches for my lower back that I do lying on the floor. I even brought my yoga mat to work so I can do them in my office. But, I need to get better at doing the other exercises.

So I'm bribing myself: if I do the exercises every day for a week, I can buy myself the stainless steel waterbottle I want at Lululemon!

During my layoff from running I'm working on getting our house in order. I've started shredding old documents and organizing my filing. It's almost a spring cleaning mission! We bought a new cabinet for over the toilet, which has added some much needed storage to our bathroom. I'm looking forward to painting the bathroom in the near future, too! I really hate the colour in there... it kind of looks like pablum. I'm also trying to finish off some projects that I started and never completed... like lining all the shelves in our cupboards.

At this point I'm trying not to think about running.

Panic

2010-03-15T10:12:00.006-04:00

I had a mini-meltdown last week. There, I said it.

I'd researched my injury (injuries?) and was starting to panic. What if I have something more serious wrong with my back? I saw all kinds of terms such as slipped discs, herniated discs, nerve entrapment. Lots of medical terms that would cause a state of panic in the most seasoned runner.

After almost 3 months on the IR, I'm starting to feel frustrated with my lack of progress. I feel hopeless, like I'll never run again. Sadly my husband doesn't understand how I feel. I can put it into words and he tries to understand, but he doesn't. It doesn't help that the pain keeps coming back. I do the exercises almost religiously. I go through the torture of ART and dry needling twice a week but the pain isn't going away.

Running is my stress management technique. It keeps me sane. It's part of who I am and how I define myself. So, naturally I feel lost without it. Now I'm doubting all my race plans and I feel like a failure as a runner. I know I shouldn't, but I do. It wasn't so bad when the weather was awful, but now that it's sunny and warm, I feel like I've been left out of the running party.

It also doesn't help that some people feel the need to offer their opinion on my injury. When they ask how I'm doing and I tell them, they want details. Then when I give details, I invariably get "How can you back cause your foot to hurt?" - what they don't know is that I've previously injured my back twice, once when I was 18, the other when I was 26. Overall, what I'm going through is just not something that's easy to explain, nor to understand. Which leads to more soapboxing by friends and family.

But I trust my physiotherapist's diagnosis more than I trust random people with no medical qualifications. My parents keep telling me I need to find a new physiotherapist for a second opinion. The thing is, I trust her completely. I know she's a diamond in the rough. She's well-educated, up-to-date on all the latest treatments and techniques. She's not milking me, as so many often do.

I need to remember that trust. I kind of lost it at physio on Thursday. She saw me at my darkest time, when I was doubting everything: myself, her, my future as a runner. My PT tells me that the fact that the pain has moved from my foot into my back is a good thing. I can't say that I agree... but I'll take her word for it.

Weightloss: One Month Down!

2010-03-11T13:05:00.000-05:00

I vowed to lose weight after I returned from Hawaii. I've been fairly good at counting my points on WeightWatchers and am seeing results. So far I've dropped almost 7 pounds! I need to be better on the weekends, that's for sure. But I also won't see big weightloss numbers as I already went through the weightloss exercise once. I actually want to see smaller numbers so that I'm not losing muscle tone.

I've been making most of the meals - we've only ordered in twice since I started. And even then, I've made healthier choices. Like, St-Hubert Quarter Chicken Dinner with white meat instead of a meatlovers pizza. We had pizza last two weekends ago at a friend's place and I wasn't enjoying it. So I didn't eat the second piece. Talk about victory! And I've been good about bringing my lunch to work instead, so I don't succumb to temptation in the food court.

I do need to make more meal plans though. I've done a good job of picking out a couple of recipes each week, but I need to plan more. I tend to get in a rut where I make the same recipes, over and over again. DH tends to get sick of certain meals this way. Gee, I wonder why!

We loaded up on chicken breasts and ground turkey at Costco last night, so more healthy meals are on the way. Fajitas are on deck tonight.

Hello Spring! RunPorn

2010-03-05T11:52:00.004-05:00

We've been basking in some serious springtime weather this week. Temperatures are well above freezing and the sun is shining! It's wonderful. Here are a couple runporn pics to celebrate the awesome weather. I can't wait to throw open the windows this weekend.

Core Strength & Running

2010-03-04T09:52:00.006-05:00

This blog post from Joe Friel provides convincing evidence on why it's important to have a strong core. The photos he posted of two people running on a treadmill shows the direct effects of a strong core vs. a weak core. Definitely worth a read.

Strengthening your core is something that all semi-serious runners know they have to do, but end up avoiding it for one reason or another. My experience is a pretty good example of why having a strong core is so important. If I'd taken the time to strengthen the muscles through my torso, I likely wouldn't be faced with the problems in my foot. All the wrong muscles were doing the work and the good muscles were paralyzed. Heck, even my diaphragm is doing the work of supporting my back instead of you know, breathing and stuff.

In other news, I went for my run last night. I set my Garmin pace alarm so I wouldn't go under 7 min/k. Boy, it was tough to run slow. I couldn't finish the 5K and had to walk once, but had no pain while running.

But, my foot is really hurting today. I'm pretty discouraged by the level of pain I have in my foot. I've unleashed the ice pack and am quietly working away on my exercises here at my desk.

Really now

2010-03-03T14:41:00.004-05:00

Who schedules meetings at 4 o'clock? That's downright mean. I suppose it could be worse, as it could be a 4 o'clock meeting on a Friday. But really now, don't they know that I have things to do and places to be?

I would really like my first run back to be in the awesome sunshine and warm weather we're having right now.

Yes, that's right, I'm going for a run tonight. I'm so excited! I get to do 5K at a 7 minute/km pace. My physiotherapist wants to see how my body handles it. It's been almost exactly 2 months since my last run and it's been far too long.

I'll be sure to report back. :)

The best laid plans...

2010-03-01T10:17:00.000-05:00

Life and work have been hectic lately, so I haven't had much time to think about posting here. I hope everyone's well!

Physio is chugging along. The last few sessions have been pretty intense. I'll admit that I dropped a few f-bombs during needling. See, my physiotherapist doesn't just stick needles in and leave you on the bed to pass out... she actively moves them in and out of muscles. It hurts, but it works. It's a good thing I like her, or else I don't think I'd ever want to see her again! haha.

I have two more weeks of multiple sessions per week, then I move to one session a week and I get to start running again! Yippee! Just in time for awesome spring-time running.

The thought of running again led me to seriously look at my racing plans for 2010. I sat down and looked at my schedule and timing for the half marathon on May 30. I realized that it's going to be tough to fit in a 10-week training plan starting from scratch. I haven't run in 2 months.

My husband and I were talking it over last night and I think that dropping out of the HM to run the 10K is a much more sane idea. I really don't want to try to train for the HM only to end up injured, again. The safer approach is to work my back up to the 10K for Ottawa Race Weekend, and then focus on a fall Half Marathon. The extra few months will give me enough time to safely rebuild my base mileage, to continue to build my core, and to properly train for the half marathon distance of 13.1 miles.

I'm lucky in that Ottawa has tons of races of all distances year round, so there's lots to choose from later in the racing season. My favourite race of the racing season, Emilie's Run 5K, is in mid-June and I don't want to miss it. It's a flat course with a fast field, so the race is a good bet for a new personal record in the 5K.

This whole adventure has been a tough pill to swallow, but I know that I'm going to be a stronger and faster runner by the end.

RunPorn Friday

2010-02-26T12:05:00.006-05:00

Here's your Friday dose of running-inspired photos. As you can see, I'm in a beachy kind of place today. It's been a long, rough week at work and I'm craving the weekend. Only 5 hours to go!

A great athlete and inspiration

2010-02-24T12:44:00.002-05:00

In the lead-up to the Olympics, I posted about one of my favourite Olympians and athletes, Clara Hughes.

This post just popped up on my Facebook, thanks to the Olympics organizers. It puts the idea of achievement, success and medals into perspective. Sometimes winning isn't an athlete's most valued memory or achievement. It's worth a read.

http://sportatitsbest.com/2010/02/03/clara-hughes-part-2/

RunPorn

2010-02-12T12:19:00.006-05:00

A couple of photos for today. The first is a recent cover of Canadian Running Magazine with yet another one of my heroes: Tara Quinn-Smith. Tara is a member of the Brooks Canada Marathon Project. She is also the holder of the Canadian women's record in the Half Marathon. I've seen her in person at a couple local races and she is very small, but one powerful runner!

The second is a hilarious ad from New Balance from 2008. I should really print one out!

2010 Olympics Kickoff!

2010-02-12T09:30:00.004-05:00

The Olympics start today! I love the Olympics. I'll admit that I'm a little bit Olympics-ed out with that last year of build up (CTV commercials, anyone?). But now that they're here, I'm pretty excited to watch the sports. Hubby and I are staying in tonight to watch the Opening Ceremonies. Is anyone else planning to watch? I hope we'll be able to watch the moguls on Saturday night... Jen Heil did so well in the last Olympics. And it's pretty neat to watch.

One of my favourite athletes is 5-time medal winner Clara Hughes. She seems genuinely positive and happy. Her success in cycling and speedskating is really impressive - not one sport, but two! I think it's awesome that she was selected as our flag bearer for the opening ceremonies tonight. She's just one of the many athletes that inspire me. Do you have a favourite athlete? Is there anyone you're rooting for in particular at these Olympics?

I also want to welcome all the new followers! It's pretty exciting to log-in to see more people checking out my blog. Thanks for stopping by!

Could she be right?

2010-02-10T10:50:00.004-05:00

I met my physiotherapist last night. She rocks!

She did a full assessment. She believes that I don't have a stress fracture! Hooray! She thinks my core muscles (glutes, piriformis, back etc.) are weak and not firing properly. I actually felt this in my abdomen. Thus it's putting pressure on my sciatic nerve and increasing the load for all the muscles below them (ankles, feet, knees). Running in the snow makes it worse, because my ankles and feet have to work extra hard to keep me balanced.

She thinks that this is why my foot hurts and it's why I keep getting recurring issues such as achilles tendonitis or plantar fasciitis. And, I believe her. I've known for awhile that I needed to work on my core, but I had no idea it was this bad. I pretty much sucked at all the stuff she did in the assessment, with my left side being worse than the right. Last night was like an epiphany!

The cure? Acupuncture and lots of strengthening exercises.

The best news of all? I should be able to start running in 2-3 weeks. She said I should be back to my old mileage quickly and that I should be able to run the half marathon in May.

Yippee!

Recovery time, excellent

2010-02-09T11:15:00.003-05:00

I had my second round of x-rays yesterday. I snuck a peek at them and didn't see anything on them that cried out 'You have a stress fracture!'. I go for another follow-up with the sports medicine doctor on the 18th, so hopefully I'll have a diagnosis then. I've realized what's killing me is the uncertainty... that I can't move forward until I know what's going on and what to expect.

I've also learned that I'm fortunate in that it could be worse. I could have a stress fracture in way worse places, such as my tibia, hip or pelvic bone. Ouch!

I also know what I did wrong to do this to myself. I realized that I've worn my green superfeet insoles since I started running seriously 2 years ago. I was in physio at the time for a back/calf injury and she suggested that I lose weight and try superfeet insoles. That's what I did! So it really was stupid of me to run three times in a row without them, especially a 13K run. Those runs put a lot of stress and contortion on my lower leg muscles, resulting in injury.

I start physio tonight, which I'm looking forward to. I want to use this time to work on my muscle strength and imbalances. And of course, to lose those 10 lbs. that I put on over the past few months.

Starting Over

2010-02-08T09:54:00.004-05:00

Now that the Superbowl's over, I'm ready to start over food-wise. The Superbowl party was pretty brutal... heck, even I brought Buffalo Chicken Dip (it features 3c. of cheese and a bottle of Frank's Red Hot) which was sinfully good.

But now that Hubby's been ordered by the doctor to lose weight, I can't half-ass our meal plans anymore. Who am I kidding? We have no meal plans whatsoever. I just make whatever I feel like, revert to leftovers, or we order in.

Now that I'm not running I need to eat better, too. I also could use to lose a little bit of weight myself, because I've gained weight since Christmas and our awesome trip to Maui. So this week I resolve to start over on WeightWatchers. I resolve to track my calories. I resolve to make a weekly meal plan for us.

Weighing less will also help with my running. I'll have reduced impact on my joints and less of me to move from point A to point B! I just need to be sure that I don't lose muscle mass instead of fat.

I'll report back with the plan once it's made. Today's plan is pretty good: I've got a Chewy Allbran Bar, celery, banana and a PC Blue Menu dinner.

Friday Dose of RunPorn

2010-02-05T10:10:00.004-05:00

Today's RunPorn post features a couple of my favourite things. I really like the Saucony "We Know" ad campaign... they always make me smile when I come across them in a magazine. And Paula Radcliffe is one of my running heroes, so I thought a picture of her winning the NYC marathon would be pretty inspirational.

Finally, I found an old Runnersworld Rave Run photo of Ottawa! Every month Runnersworld great photo of a runner running in a beautifuls setting. I've always thought that Ottawa has tons of great places for those kinds of photos. This one was published in 2000. Thanks to Runnersweb for hosting it.

Bummed

2010-02-04T15:20:00.004-05:00

I decided to continue the trend of posts starting with B. It made me smile, at least.

I'm bummed. I saw the doctor today. He and the other doctor-in-training were amazing. My foot is still really sore to touch, as I found out as they manipulated it and examined it. That was fun. I'm going for more x-rays, but they're fairly sure it's a stress fracture. I can't run for at least 2 more weeks until they re-evaluate me. Average recovery time is 6-8 weeks.

I also get to start physiotherapy, as my left foot/ankle is weak. I'm not really surprised to hear that, as my left side's been the problem half my entire life. I also wasn't surprised to hear the rest of the diagnosis, as it was pretty much what I'd expected.

I'm bummed because:
1. I was going to run the Winterman 10K on February 21st. I do get to transfer my entry to another race with Somersault... the problem is that I registered for all the races I wanted to run this year already.
2. My women's ultimate season is a wash. I paid $150 to play in the league and they don't do refunds, even for medical reasons.
3. When I get cleared to run again, I have to use a run/walk method to start, then rebuild my base by starting at 30 minutes + 10% a week.

But, the biggest reason why I'm bummed is that because of #3, running the half is in jeopardy. Hopefully the physio helps and I make a full and speedy recovery.

I'm thinking that it might be time to find a running coach... because doing this on my own doesn't seem to be working out too well.

Born to Run

2010-02-03T09:16:00.003-05:00

I'm back from Hawaii! It was a wonderful vacation, full of sun, sand, and surf. Actually, I didn't go surfing, but spent plenty of time snorkeling. My foot feels much better and I am starting to test its limits by wearing heels for a bit during the day and walking for 30 minutes. I'm proud to say both were pain-free!

I must admit that the first two weeks of no running were pretty easy to swallow. The pain and extra-strength tylenols drove home the message that I was in no way, shape, or form, was I ready to run again. Now that the pain's gone, I want to run again. I head to the sports medicine clinic tomorrow for a follow-up. Hopefully I'll get some good news.

I spent a good deal of my vacation time reading. One of the books I'm currently polishing off is Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher MacDougall.

The main argument in the book is that modern running inventions and gadgets may have improved running times, but that running shoes cause more injuries than they prevent. Running shoes disconnect our brains from our bodies and that by interrupting this vital communication, runners get injured because they are unaware of their body's limits. Now he's not saying that everyone should throw their shoes out the window and prance down the street in bare feet (though that'd be pretty hilarious). But he does say that trying to follow the Tarahumara (the Hidden Tribe reference in the title) way of running and living can pay off if you can do it. He also debunks the claim that humans weren't mean to run long distances.

It's been a very interesting and informative read. The book does a great job of giving the reader an overview of the history behind ultrarunning (50K+ races) and how the sport has evolved over the past 20 years. The author chronicles his own adventures and his evolution from injured runner to ultrarunner. His journey is convincing evidence that the Tarahumaran lessons can pay dividends if you apply them correctly to your running and way of life.

Busy Bee

2010-01-12T22:12:00.002-05:00

This week's been a little crazy on all fronts as we get ready to go away. Hubby and I are both very busy at work, especially as we try to wrap things up before we go away. I really don't enjoy the process of letting people know I'm leaving, prepping documents for my replacement, writing news releases for while I'm away... is it Friday yet?

So far the layoff from running has been palatable. It's easier for me to handle sitting on my butt since my foot starts to hurt if I walk too much. Before this happened I'd considered taking a week off completely in Hawaii. So it's a little bit easier to handle. Plus, I'm distracted because there's last-minute planning of activities on our trip. Like a luau, for instance. Or whale watching expeditions. Or renting snorkeling gear. I've been trying to knock off a few errands every day, high up on that list was treating myself to a new pair of Lululemon pants and some books for the flight.

There's still more to do, but Sunday's flight can't come soon enough!

RunPorn

2010-01-09T23:24:00.007-05:00

I saw a blog earlier today that had a really neat concept. It was similar to food porn... where you have photos of food and dishes that make you salivate and crave the food. The blog I saw was the same thing, but with running. Yes, running!

This person had posted great running photos and ads on her blog. You know, the ones that make us crazies want to go out for a run. Or the ads we identify with. The ones that bring a smile to our faces or give us the urge to tie up the laces.

I came across these photos from Reuters in a gallery from the cold weather in Europe. The first is from Berlin and features a runner along the River Spree, while the second is of Brighton Beach, England. Too bad they're not high resolution, as they'd make great desktop wallpapers.

Look Ma! No Cast!

2010-01-08T10:17:00.003-05:00

All three doctors I saw think it's a stress fracture. But nothing showed on the x-ray, thankfully, which means it's not a very significant fracture. No cast or air boot for now! Cast-free Hawaii!

One of the problems with stress fractures is that they don't often appear on x-rays until 2-3 weeks later. So I get another series of x-rays when we get back. I'm going to try to get in with a sports medicine clinic, as they're often better to deal with on these types of injuries.

I need your help though... I need ideas for other types of exercise I can do. I know I can go to the pool and walk around there, or go to city pool and try deep water running. Does anyone have any other ideas?

Off to the ER

2010-01-07T17:41:00.003-05:00

My ankle is swollen and my foot is bruised. It's still sore and achy, but not nearly as bad as it was. The pain's gotten better as I've stayed off it as much as possible since Monday. But it still hurts, so I knew I needed to see a doctor.

Since my family doctor cancelled on me, again (note to self: time to get a new doctor) I decided to go to the Appletree Clinic.

I headed over after their site said 15 minute wait. I saw a doctor 1.5 hours later and man, he was loopy. Couldn't read the notes from the girl who assessed me. I had to tell him three times which foot hurt and where. He asked me out of the blue if I had kids and listened to my breathing... what that has to do with a foot injury is beyond me. The best part? He spent half the time singing!

He, along with the girl, both agree it's likely a stress fracture. Surprise! But, he wants to send me for an x-ray to confirm and then will refer me on Tuesday to the hospital to get a cast. I asked him if an air cast would be possible instead and explained that I was heading to Hawaii in a week. He looked at me like I was speaking German and told me that I'd get a lightweight walking cast. I gave up my hope of asking him any normal questions such as the possibility of pool running and how long until I can start running again. He said nothing about staying off it. He only mentioned crutches when he saw how difficult it is for me to walk, and even then only said I should get a cane. I was so angry and upset when I left.

I tried to get in at the sports medicine clinics, but they're all booked until next week. Then my husband and I started thinking about it... if I'm going to end up at the hospital anyway, why deal with the moron doctor at Appletree? I know it's a stress fracture. I've known since Monday. It's just a matter of getting the x-ray to see how bad it is.

Wish me luck!

Ten Things That Make Me Happy

2010-01-06T15:47:00.006-05:00

My friend Sadie (see the link in the sidebar) challenged us, her blogger friends, to post a list of the ten things that make us happy. I have to admit that I'm not exactly in a chipper mood this week, but I hope that drawing up this list will help to pull me out of my funk.

1. My husband and his neverending support, love and affection.

2. Our pets, especially our 2-year-old Tonkinese cat who loves to cuddle under the covers and has conversations with me while I'm taking a shower in the morning.

3. Time spent with friends.

4. Champagne/Sparkling Wine. It soothes my soul, but not in the I'm-Drinking-Alone kind of way.

5. Vacations!

6. Seeing neat wildlife on a run, like interesting birds or squirrels chasing each other. It usually brings a smile to my face.

7. The feeling of accomplishment and a job well done, whether that's running or at work.

8. Striking items off the "to-do" list.

9. Finding mail in the mailbox. And no, I don't mean bills! Tonight my free Sugoi custom armwarmers arrived!

10. Seeing that I've got new followers on my blog. Welcome! :)

Boo.

2010-01-04T16:01:00.004-05:00

My left foot is sore. Really sore. It's always the d&^% left side. It's the outside of my left foot and it hurts more to wear shoes. The good news is: it's not plantar fasciitis. The bad news is: it's a totally different and new kind of pain.

I didn't realize how bad it was until I had to be on my feet today. I've been a good little runner and started icing it after the pain appeared on Saturday, iced it more yesterday and today. And I started taking ibuprofen.

I've been surfing running sites and injury diagnosis websites. I have no idea what's wrong and I've seen some possibilities and some of them are scary: Sinus Tarsi Syndrome, Tendinitis, Muscle strains, stress fractures. I stopped reading.

Thankfully I have a doctor's appointment on Thursday. In the meantime, I've booked a massage for Wednesday to see if it'll help, as I suspect my calf muscles are a big part of the problem. They always are.

Needless to say I'm not running tonight. Probably not tomorrow, either. Boo.

A Quest for the Perfect Half Marathon Training Plan

2010-01-03T14:00:00.006-05:00

I was in the Running Room the other night buying a new shirt when I happened to glance at their calendar for their clinics. The Half Marathon clinic, with the Ottawa Race Weekend HM as the goal race, starts February 2nd. I'd banked on having until early March to work on my mileage and frequency. February 2nd would really throw a kink in my plans. Heck, it's the day after I get back from Hawaii. So naturally, I started freaking out. I hadn't planned on a 16+ week training plan.

I'd looked at a few HM training plans a few months back but hadn't found any that I liked. Some were too easy, others used minutes instead of miles or kilometres. Most cap the long run at 10 miles and I'm not comfortable racing a distance I've never completed in training.

On the other hand, a lot of plans were too intense with 4 straight days of running a week. I knew I'd end up injured instead of actually racing. Other plans used the walk/run method, which has been hugely successful for some people, but it's not my cup of tea.

I know I could've just altered the plans, jumped in at a convenient place in the plan... but there would've been a lot of adjustments. So, I continued searching for this elusive plan and today I finally found a plan I like! It's Ryan Hall's Half-Marathon Training Plan from RunnersWorld. The short plan weekly mileage is right where I'm going to be when I'm ready to start training. There are 3 rest days a week and no more than two runs in a row. It takes me above the half marathon distance in training, which will relieve a lot of the race day pressure.

It's perfect. Now I can rest easy, as it's a 10-week plan. No February 2nd start. I get a couple more weeks to maintain my mileage before I jump into this plan.

Oh and as for the shirt, I got it on clearance for $30 instead of $90. Score!

Looking back and looking forward

2010-01-01T15:08:00.005-05:00

It's January 1st. Hubby and I are cuddled up on the couch, with the cat under the blanket, watching the Winter Classic on TV. I've been wanting to write this post for awhile now, so today seemed like a good day to do it.

2009 was a pretty good year for me. The highs include:

my first race at the inaugural Winterman event in February, where I ran the 5K in -7C and snow.
running the Ottawa MDS Nordion 10K in May. The crowds and race experience were incredible!
Setting repeated PRs in the 5K throughout the year, finishing with 28:09 at the Cookie Run in November.
Running over 750 KM in 2009, more than double my 2008 total.
Getting married!

I capped off 2009 with the Running Room's Resolution Run last night. The temperature was -11C, but it had snowed most of the day, so the footing was pretty treacherous. There was no PR for me, but I had a lot of fun. Saw a guy wearing gold tights, while others wore Christmas lights or New Year's Eve party hats. I can't wait to try out the fancy new jacket I got for entering.

Now for looking forward. Well, 2010 promises to be equally great! Some of my goals for this year are:

Finish the Ottawa Half Marathon (time goal to come later).
Drink more water.
Improve my 5K and 10K times.
Run 1300 km.

Cheers! And Happy New Year!

Kudos to my unsung hero

2009-12-30T10:30:00.002-05:00

I owe my husband an endless supply of kudos. He really is awesome. He makes meals sometimes when I'm out on a run, or he'll do some chores around the house.

See, he doesn't run and has no interest in running. But he's learning all the running lingo, plans and details just as if he were a runner. When I changed my schedule this week, he asked me if I was running 8K on Tuesday. He realized that I was going to combine Monday and Tuesday's planned runs into a total of 8K on Tuesday. I thought it was amazing that he knew that... when he doesn't run and has no real need to know the intricacies of a runner's schedule and tendencies.

He's also very good at kicking my sad little butt out the door when it's really cold out. Yesterday I kept putting off the 8K run in the hopes that the wind would die down. By 6 p.m. it was still -28C with the wind. He kept hounding me to go running... so I did! And it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. (The coldest weather I've run in is -25C).

And, best of all? He picked up my race kit for the Resolution Run on New Year's Eve.

I love my husband. He's great.

Prize idiot - Long run edition

2009-12-27T12:09:00.005-05:00

I was so excited to get out for my run today. Yesterday we had tons of freezing rain, so no running for me. I was dying to try out my new Garmin.

I'd prepped my old shoes the other day for winter running - I'd added the customary 9 screws in each shoe. I'm a big fan of screw shoes: they're cheap ($1 for a box of screws at the dollar store) and easy to do. And if they break, the screws are cheap to replace. I picked up 3/4 inch screws since I figured that might be a better length than the 1/2 inch ones I used last winter. My fellow blogger described the wonders of the screw shoe in a recent post.

Today's run was promising: cloudy and just below freezing for the first time in weeks. Thank God for warmer weather. I wore my screw shoes and the walk to my start of my run reaffirmed the fact I needed them. The sidewalks were still really icy and somewhat treacherous.

Then I reached the path. It was clear! A few puddles here and there, but just wet. What??? By 2 km into the run, I knew the screw shoes were a bad idea. I hadn't hit any long icy or snowy stretches. Ugh. Soon I'd realized the 3/4 inch screws were a bad idea, too. I could feel them poking through my Superfeet insoles. Soon the pointy ends were hitting the ball of my foot. The uphill or downhill stretches were even more painful, but the worst pain was reserved for when I landed on large rocks or pieces of salt. OUCH!

By 8 km I had visions of bloodied socks running through my head. I stopped at this point to see if I could remove them by hand, but they'd migrated right into the shoe and the screw head was flush with the sole. I was out of ideas and decided to run home and deal with the pain. Too bad I don't run with a screwdriver in my pocket... though that could make for some interesting comments from passing runners.

And to make the run even more of a calamity, I'd stopped my Garmin at about 3 km to switch it from imperial to metric. I forgot to start it again and only realized this after I'd been running for 15 minutes more. Thankfully I'd also brought my Nike+ and it captured the time missing from the Garmin.

Today's run just wasn't meant to be. But, the good news is that: a) it's funny; and b) there were no bloodied socks, just a couple of blisters. Oh the wonders of trial and error. I was so happy to get home!

A very runny Christmas

2009-12-25T19:38:00.004-05:00

It was a good Christmas for me. My family and friends were very good to me, especially on the running front.

Hubby got me something I've wanted for a very long time: a Garmin 305, including heart rate monitor. Woohoo! I'm so excited to have more accurate data on my runs, especially distance. It'll be interesting to compare the data to what my dear Nike+ has delivered over the past 2 years. Though I'll likely keep on using the Nike+, too, given that I'm addicted to the challenges and website.

My parents were awesome and got me a new pair of running shoes... my trusty Asics 1140s. The new pair will be my shoes for clear conditions, while I'll be installing screws into my old pair for icy/snowy conditions. I love the colour, too!

My brother gave me a gift certificate to a sports store, while I did get a bit of money to spend on gear.

I was very blessed this year with non-running gifts, such as perfume and a new jewelery box. Life is good. Now it's time to work off the turkey dinner!

The "other" milestone

2009-12-21T12:34:00.002-05:00

I've been eagerly anticipating this milestone for awhile.

I've been watching the number of miles run on my Nike+ profile slowly creep towards 1000. It's been moving faster since I started running more often and longer distances.

On Thursday I hit 1000 kilometres on the Nike+ site. I'm a bit of a nerd that way, but it was pretty satisfying to see the number change over and the colour scheme change on the website. Now it's a spiffy blue colour. It'll likely stay that way for awhile as the next level on the site is at 2500km. It took me 2 years to hit 1000 and I expect it'll likely take me another year to run 1500km.

I know that I'm above and beyond 1000 (I have 27kms in lost runs thanks to some bugs in the software) but I'm a sucker for the instant gratification, even if it's a colour change on a website. It's the little things that count...

Free Schwag

2009-12-19T00:41:00.005-05:00

Woohoo! I won free custom armwarmers from Sugoi this afternoon! I answered a question on Incredible Jane's twitter feed and won a free pair. This is a perfect ending to this week... more on that later.

Now you all know I love armwarmers. I really do. And now I get a custom pair. I'll be sure to post a pic when I get them.

Unfortunately it's a little too cold here right now to wear them with just a singlet or tank, like Kara Goucher. But these will totally come in handy come Spring!

Why?

2009-12-16T14:56:00.003-05:00

Someone asked me the other day why I cut back a run to 3K. I realized that I was so focused on the numbers that I forgot to explain exactly what I did and why.

I used to run 8K on Tuesdays and in order to add an extra day of running, I split the distance into two runs. Because I'm now running 2 days back-to-back, one day should be shorter than the other. This is especially important because I need to slowly expose my muscles to the concept of running 2 days in a row, without a rest period in between.

While I deal with that, I won't be increasing my mileage or doing any speedwork. This is a really conservative approach, intended to avoid injury. I'll maintain the 4x a week and a long run of 13K.

Why? The rule of thumb for runners is that too much too soon (TMTS) will result in an injury. Almost every kind of injury is caused by this in some way shape or form... whether it's too fast, too far, too long. In the end, it's all too much, too soon.

The 3K run on Monday felt good. But, short. I was just getting into a groove and then it was over! Tuesday's 5K was good. It felt like more of a workout than a run around the block. My legs were a little cranky halfway through, and the mainly up-hill route didn't help either.

Now I feel like I should be running again tonight. I must be patient!

A week of milestones

2009-12-14T09:50:00.005-05:00

This week I'll hit quite a few milestones. I'm pretty excited about them because it really drives home the fact that careful, measured training can pay off.

Tonight I'll mark the first milestone: the beginning of the second phase of my pre-half marathon training. This week I begin running four times a week. It doesn't sound like a big deal, I know. But, it's such a huge step for me. I tried to do this back in September, but it was just too much too soon. Now I'm ready to make the jump. For the next four weeks I will maintain my mileage at 28K a week. I'll run 3K on Mondays, 5K on Tuesdays, 7K on Thursdays and 13K on Saturdays. I just need to remember to slow down. I've been running my long runs too fast, even though my perceived effort is consistent. I always end up feeling like I could've gone faster.. but that's a post for another day.

I'm really looking forward to tonight's run. It's supposed to be warm (I love how warm is a relative term in the winter months!) at -3C, with some snow. I love running in downtown Ottawa at this time of year. The Christmas lights are lit and it feels so cheery and festive. I always come back from my runs in a good mood.

Races Races Races

2009-12-12T12:58:00.002-05:00

I took advantage of race entry discounts and registered for a number of Somersault races in 2010. I really enjoyed their races this year, so I figured I'd run the same events next year!

Registering early for races can be a bit of a gamble, but it's totally worth it. With Somersault, I saved $25 off the race-day entry price. And by registering early for the other races, I saved 20% off the entry fee and I got a free change of entry. That means that if plans change and I can't run the race, I can switch to a different race without paying extra. Talk about handy!

So, next year's race calendar looks like this:
02/19 - Winterman 10K
05/30 - Ottawa HM
06/19 - Emilie's Run 5K
07/31 - National Captial 5K.

I'm hoping that all the work I'm putting into my HM will pay off on my 5K time in June. Then I get another month to work on my speed again.

I am a wimp

2009-12-10T10:01:00.002-05:00

We were hit with a snowstorm yesterday. The winds howled and we got about 20cm of snow. I love running in the snow. But, this time? Not so much.

What did I do? I stayed in. I bailed on my piddly little 5K run. My legs have been very cranky lately and I've been sleeping poorly. I knew based on my last run that to run again in two days was pushing it. I have no motivation right now, whether it's running or everything else. The headaches, poor sleep, lack of motivation and not enjoying running are all signs of over-training. It's key that, as a runner, you listen to your body.

So, I took a break. And now I'm looking at the freshly plowed sidewalks with envy. Saturday's 10K long run can't come soon enough!

2010 is coming up fast

2009-12-03T11:28:00.002-05:00

I can't believe it's December already. This year has gone by so fast! It doesn't really feel like December, thanks to our unseasonably warm weather and lack of snow.

Naturally at this time of year we runners start to look back on the year and we also start setting goals for the coming year. I'll save those exercises for later posts. But I do have some good news.

As I've mentioned before, I'm a Sugoi Brand Champion. It's a program that the company developed to support elite and not-so elite athletes alike. We have a blog where we can post our race reports and share our stories. I even met two other champions at a race earlier this year, as our exclusive brand champion logo-ed gear was a dead giveaway!

Speaking of gear, one of the perks of the program is the discount on gear! I love that part because gear is so expensive, especially the nice stuff.

A few weeks ago I received an email from Sugoi stating that all curent Brand Champions were automatically renewed for the coming year! Woohoo!

November was a good month

2009-11-30T13:25:00.002-05:00

A very good month for me on the running front. I had the new personal best in the 5K at the Cookie Run. I've also been following a training plan that I built for myself.

The goals of the training are to increase my mileage to 20-25 miles per week (that's 32-40km a week for the metric folks) and to run four times a week. Now I can't do this all at once, so Novemeber was just mileage building. This past week I ran 27km, which is a new weekly mileage record. And for the month of November, I ran just over 101km. That number is huge for me! It beats my old mileage high by 20km.

December should deliver a new mileage record, too... providing all goes as planned. I increase by 2km again this week (8/8/13) then a break next week (5/5/10). After that I'm moving to the 4 runs a week phase for 4 weeks, with no mileage increases planned. I might be able to add mileage at the end if I'm feeling okay, but for now the plan is to tackle one phase of training at a time.

I also plan to run the Running Room's Resolution Run on December 31st. Hopefully it'll be warmer than the -25C we had last year!

Superior Scribbler Awards!

2009-11-29T14:43:00.002-05:00

IT'S TIME FOR THE SUPERIOR SCRIBBLER AWARDS!!!

These are the rules:
- Each Superior Scribbler must in turn pass the award on to five most deserving bloggers.
-Each Superior Scribbler must link to the author and the name of the blog from whom s/he has received the award.
-Each Superior Scribbler must display on his/her blog, and like to the Scholastic Scribe, which explains the award.
-Each blogger who wins the Superior Scribbler award must visit this post and add his/her name to the Mr. linky list. That way, they'll be able to keep up to date on everyone who receives this prestigious honour.
- Each Superior Scribbler must post these rules on his/her blog.

I received this award from my friend Sadie, who has a wonderful and inspirational blog about all the random thoughts she has about life, love, exercise and weightloss.

Some of the blogs I read regularly and consider to be interesting, valuable and inspiring are the following:
Second Ferment - All about the wine scene in Ottawa and the writer's wine adventures. She's on a bit of a forced hiatus right now (babies do that) but I love her witty writing style.
West Side Action - The author writes about all kinds of random things he notices in the downtown core of Ottawa, in addition to major issues facing the city, especially those affecting Centretown and the West side of the city inside the Greenbelt.
Tired Mama Running - a teammate of mine on our Miles Game writes this blog. She's preparing to run the Boston Marathon in 2010. She just qualified again on a challenging marathon she didn't even train seriously for. Wow.
Lori's Footprints - Lori's another teammate of mine and I love reading her race reports and how she faces the challenges of running.
Cathartic Creativity - Dawn is a friend of mine through a private messageboard. She began painting as an outlet to handle stress and her work is just amazing. She's also a very talented photographer.

Happy reading!

Bring on winter!

2009-11-25T14:23:00.003-05:00

I'm looking forward to getting out running tonight. I didn't want to yesterday, that's for sure. I got the flu shot on Monday night and both my husband and I felt awful yesterday. Not to mention that I ended up working 8-6, even though all I wanted to do was cozy up on the couch with a blanket.

I knew my body was telling me it needed a rest, so I dutifully bumped my runs by a day. This week I'm running 8/8/11 and have a couple more 3 run weeks until I plateau at 28K/week for most of December and divide up the mileage into 4 runs per week... just as the weather starts to get cold and snowy.

But I have to admit, I'm a masochist. I love winter running, especially in snowstorms. Snowstorms are actually one my favourites, because I get to see who all in this city just as crazy as me! There's some strange extra endorphin rush that I get when I run in crazy weather.

Another great part about the weather turning cold is the fact that it's easier to dress for my runs. Lately it's been between 7 and 10 degrees during my runs. Normally that's an ideal temperature! But then there's been a lot of wind and either rain or sun. It's tough to figure out what to wear, which usually means I end up freezing when running into the wind or toasty when the wind's at my back.

Bring on winter!

The inspiration for my blog name

2009-11-19T10:16:00.003-05:00

The song that inspired the name of the blog is called 'Racing Like A Pro' by the National. I always mishear the lyrics (as do most people)... but given that this blog is about me, involves writing and, not to mention that, I spend most of my day writing. The National is an amazing band that I wish more people would appreciate.

Speaking of writing, today I get to work from home in order to be able to write without the constant interruptions at the office. But, this also means I get to run at midday, in the beautiful, sunny, warm weather!

Listen to it in iTunes!

You're pink you're young you're middle-class
they say it doesn't matter
fifteen blue shirts and womanly hands
you're shooting up the ladder

Your mind is racing like a pro, now
oh my god it doesn't mean a lot to you
one time you were a glowing young ruffian
oh my god it was a million years ago

Sometimes you get up and bake a cake or something
sometimes you stay in bed
sometimes you go la di da di da di da da
til your eyes roll back into your head

Your mind is racing like a pro, now
oh my god it doesn't mean a lot to you
one time you were a glowing young ruffian
oh my god it was a million years ago

you're dumbstruck baby
you're dumbstruck baby now you know
you're dumbstruck baby
you're dumbstruck baby now you know

Your mind is racing like a pro, now
oh my god it doesn't mean a lot to you
one time you were a glowing young ruffian
oh my god it was a million years ago

you're dumbstruck baby
you're dumbstruck baby now you know
you're dumbstruck baby
you're dumbstruck baby now you know
you're dumbstruck baby