Keeping Fit at Home

This is one area that I'm thriving.

With all this extra time I've had the time to try so many new exercises and have remained very active.  More active then I've ever been.  I've never been so happy to have my Peloton bike and the app that comes with it.  It totally changed the way I've exercised over the past 2+ months.

Pre-Pandemic, my goal was to go exercise 3 days a week.  That included mostly cardio, a mix of running and the stair mill (which is the stair climbing machine and not the little stepper) and one strength class a week. It was enough to get by, it was routine, and looking back, it was quite boring. I can't go back to that again.

Now, I have an exercise schedule, typical A type personality over here, that gives me a lot of variety and keeps me motivated.  I don't have to think about what I will do that day because it is written right in front of me

Monday - Spin

Tuesday - Boot Camp

Wednesday - Walk

Thursday - Run

Friday - Walk

Saturday - Run or Spin

Sunday - Yoga

There is even yoga on my schedule, YOGA!  The Peloton app offers yoga and since we already have the app it is like yoga for free.  Kind of.  I've never like it but I've always thought it would be good for my body, especially as I get older and tighter.  One thing I love about all Peloton classes is that you do classes as short as 10 min.  So I started with 10 min beginner classes.  I realized what I didn't like about yoga is that I never knew what was coming next, I didn't know the poses so I was constantly straining my neck looking around to see what pose we were doing. After 15 beginner classes I've finally moved to the intermediate classes where the pace is a little faster and way less boring.  I've graduated to 20 min classes but I can't bring myself to do 30.  I now like yoga, but it is not love. Yet.

The other class I'm loving on the Peloton app is the Boot Camp classes. It is a mix of running and strength.  You hop on and off the treadmills in intervals that last no longer than 15 minutes.  I tried the 30 minute class first and it was too short.  Yes, I said it, too short! The 45 minutes class is the perfect length for a great workout that I don't dread.  I'm almost ready to move to 60 minutes even.  Currently is my fave workout of the week.  This week James even joined me except he biked while I ran.  What I love about it is that historically when I hop on the treadmill I set it at the same speed and run an easy run while I watch TV.  The class does intervals and hills and help me totally engage and push myself out of my comfort zone.  I actually look forward to this class every week.

I'm starting to sound like an infomercial.

Moving on to running.

  

We were scheduled to run the Seawheeze half marathon in August, but since it was cancelled, I'm deeming this my recovery year.  I'm going to push myself to run a fast 10k and maybe even do a few 15k runs.  I love running around the resevoir, it gives me that feeling of satisfaction of finishing something that is hard for me. I'd love to have that feeling at least once this summer. Biking around it just isn't the same.

Now let me give a shout out to my apple watch.  I am currently on a 40 day move streak. What does that mean you ask?  It means that I have burned at least 500 'activity' calories each of those 40 days.  It has been really motivating that I want to keep the streak going.  In all honesty, having a dog has helped.  We have lots of extra walks that we would otherwise not go on.  They may be short and slow but they all add up.  The apple watch also offers monthly challenges, the April one was moving 248 km during the month and the May one is burning 22,400 active calories in the month.  It is nice to have something to work towards. I hit the April goal and I am well on my way to crushing May as well. Is is going to be a sad sad day when the streak comes to an end.

I could seriously talk exercise all day. I've really been enjoying my new routine and don't think I'm actually going to be going back to the gym when it opens. I enjoy my home workouts and I actually wonder how many people will feel the same as me.  How will gyms change?  Will they continue to offer online classes?  Will the gyms be busy?  I guess only time will tell.

In the meantime you will see me on the Peloton app while obsessing about my apple watch!

Seawheeze 2019

I am still coming off a high of spending last weekend with these ladies and completing my 3rd half marathon.

This was my second Seawheeze half marathon which is sponsored by Lululemon.  While their running of the event was the worst I've ever seen and I told them so over the course of several emails leading up to the run, the event itself is the best I've been to.  Yes we train and run like any other run, but the swag and the non running events are top notch.  Not to mention the location... I am starting to love Vancouver.  I love the quick getaway to a city on the ocean where you can walk almost everywhere you need to be. Great food, great spas, great company equals a recipe for success.

My running history is less than ideal.  I have chronic IT band issues and had to walk close to 5 km in my last half.  It was so disappointing and I held back tears as I hobbled over the finish line to find my friends.  It is so disappointing when your body lets you down after months of training, working through an injury, stretching, rolling, and strengthening.  I was hoping to not have to relive that this year.

Early in my training, my IT band started to cause knee pain for the second year in a row, putting a halt to my training.  I didn't give up.  I went to pysio and chiro countless times all while pushing myself to continue to train.  I got custom orthotics for my shoes and started to run with them 1 month ago.  My longest training run was only 14km instead of the 19km I was aiming for.  I went into the race with my fingers crossed that I could push through he last 7km with no pain.

And I did.

At about 17km I found myself getting so emotional at the thought of running across that finish line.  Not only did I run but I sprinted the last km  I ran with everything I had left in me (which wasn't a lot!) through the cheerers and the encouraging signs.  My favorite of which read 'You Paid To Do This'.  Another favorite read 'All You Get for Finishing is a Free Banana'.

The runner's high I had running across the finish line was indescribable.  That is why I run.  Setting a goal and seeing it out.  Not being discouraged by the obstacles that may stand in your way.  Getting up at 7am and running as it started to rain because you needed to get that last run in.  That is what it is about.  Supporting your friends as they reach for their own goals and elebrating the victories together.

Sign me up for next year!

Seawheeze Training - Take 2

In the summer of 2017 I ran my first 1/2 marathon in Vancouver put on by Lululemon and I didn't know at the time that it would be the one to beat.  It isn't just a race, it in an entire weekend of fun.  Yoga, shopping, free stuff, and of 21.1km of entertainment while you ran along the ocean.  It is a tough one to beat.  Last year they moved the race to September and we opted not to participate, when they switched it back to August we decided to put our name in and try again.  This race sells out every year and you are not guaranteed to get in, but thanks to a great team captain (yours truly!) we got in!  Honestly, it was all luck and I am so excited for a fantastic weekend away with my gal pals in August.

First, we have to train.

The official training program is 12 weeks and started 2 weekends ago.  During a snow storm. IN MAY.  I decided it was only a 6k run and instead of the treadmill i would run it outside anyway.  I was so cold when I got back I couldn't wait to hop in a hot shower.  When I got out my muscle were all loose and injured my neck, or so I thought.

I couldn't look either direction for 3 days and today, almost 2 weeks later it still isn't 100%  It is worse in the morning and gets better as the day goes on.

How does this relate to my training you may ask?

I went to chiro twice that first week and he said it was my sling, something that apparently connects the right shoulder to my left hip, which was also bothering me but only at night.

While my neck and shoulder seems to have improved my hip is not doing well.  It got worse as the week went on.  I finally got into physio and he said my left hip was all jammed up. He yanked my leg to try and get it to pop and dry needled the crap out of it.  The day after my hip and hip flexors were good but I still have a pain in my groin.

Did I mention this is on my 'good' leg?

If you recall, last year I got injured early in the season by increasing my distance too quickly.  I didn't get to finish my 1/2 running, I had to walk a good portion of the last 5k.  It was disappointing. 

This was my redemption year.

Except, I injured myself on my very first training run.  I am still optimistic that it will get better and I will continue on with my training as planned, but there is a part of me that thought the same thing last year and I didn't fully recover for months.

My head says that maybe it is time to back off the longer distances, but my heart says to keep trying if it is something I love.

For now, my heart is winning.  This is only my third summer of marathon running and I want to continue for as long as my body allows.  

No one said getting old was fun....

Run Christy Run!

I've run 2 half marathons in 2 years.

The first was at the Lululemon Seawheeze race in 2017 and I finished the whole thing and was so proud of myself.  It was such a memorable weekend with friends supporting friends and goal crushing.  It's pretty easy to get a personal best time when it is your first!

In 2018, we switched up the location and ran the Banff Marathon.  I was injured and I had a tough training journey and in the end walked across the finish line.

in 2019, we are headed back to Vancouver for our second Seawheeze, and my THIRD half marathon!  

We were lucky to win the group lottery on the first round yesterday.  I didn't realize how much I wanted to do until the email dropped in my inbox at exactly 11am.

You see, I turn 40 this year.  Everyone is making such a big deal of it and honestly, it's just another day for me.  So many are planning special outings and trips and I feel like I stuck trying to figure out how I want to celebrate this milestone birthday.

When this email arrived it was like, yes, this is what I want to do.  I want to spend my 40th birthday (give or take a month) doing the one thing I do just for me.  I want to crush my previous record of 2:15 and feel strong doing it.  I want to remain uninjured and remember to listen to my body.  I want to give myself the gift of time as I train for 3 months leading up to the run.  

I may be turning 40, but my body refuses to believe it.  I refuse to believe it. 

But, for now, I'm just going to enjoy being 39.

Crushing Goals

This weekend was my redemption weekend.

It has been a tough running season for me.  I ran my first 15k organized run in the spring and injured myself.  When my knee started to hurt, instead of walking the rest, I continued to push it.  I pushed it to the finish line with a mix of walking and running.  Despite that, it was my fastest 15k, but on the downside, my knee was angry with me and my long distance running came to halt.  It was very very angry.

My A type personality wouldn't let me quit and I continued to train for the half marathon that I finished only 4 minutes slower than my first one last summer, ,uninjured.  I walked across the finish line almost in tears.  I  put so much work into my training, stretching and strengthening ans still  my body was letting me down.

I picked out another 15k in September and in my head I was training for it.  I refused to register for it until I knew i could run across the finish line, I wanted to finish off my run season on a high.  So when the last week of August I crushed a 14k I went home, registered for the run and emailed my running buddies to see if anyone wanted to join.

I am not going to lie.... this run was HARD.  I woke up the day before with a sinus cold.  I wasn't breathing properly which meant I also wasn't sleeping properly.  I was sick, tired, and ready to run regardless.   

My goal was to finish in under 90 minutes.  I wanted to beat my previous record set in April when I was injured.  It should be possible, right?  In the end, we crossed the line in 89:58.  For reals.  I beat my goal by 2 seconds.  You know what? I am okay with that.  I worked my butt off during that run.  I cut out my walks and really cranked it up to meet my goal.

I am proud of myself.

I love to run and I am not going to let some little IT band injury stop me from doing what I love.  What this injury has taught me is that I have to listen to my body.  When it tells me to stop, I stop.  While not always easy, it will be my goal from now on.  I'd rather be able to run short distances than not at all.  I don't think I am full marathon material but running one half a year is a good goal for now. 

2018 Banff Half Marathon

Before

After a lot of struggle that included me starting my training from scratch after an injury, I completed the full 21.1 km race this weekend!  There is a but.  I wasn't able to run the whole thing.

I crushed the first 15km.  I ran at a good pace.  I stuck to my plan of 10s and 1s right from the start.  I maintained a good pace.  At about 7km I started to feel something in my knee.  I hoped it was nothing and kept going, after all, I am hyper sensitive to any sensation down the my right leg these days.  I ran essentially pain free until right after the 15k mark which was about 90 minutes into the race.

My physio therapist (who I adore and credit with my ability to run at all!) told me that I may have to extend my 1 minute of walking at some point during the race to give my leg extra recovery time.  I kept that in mind hoping not to have to use that tip.   From 15-17 km I did a mix of walking and running.  I would run until it started to hurt then switch to walking.  I did this for 15ish minute before I decided to stop.

My ultimate goal was to not further injure my leg so I could continue to run this summer. 

I knew that I could continue to run the rest of the race but that I would also have to start from scratch all over again so with a heavy runner's heart I decided to walk the last 4 km.

Now when I say walk, it was more of a power walk.  I was walking as fast as I could and must have looked ridiculous.  I was walking faster than some were running!  I just really wanted to get the best time possible under the circumstances.

My time for my second half marathon was 2:18 which included a stop for a train.  That was only 3 minutes slower than my first half marathon where I finished with a time of 2:15.  Let's think about this, I walked for 4 km and only finished 3 minutes slower. 

Shouldn't I be happy?

I should be thrilled. I worked hard, I made a smart decision for my body, my time was decent given my walking.  Yet, I felt and still do feel deflated.

I may have shed some tears while I power walked.

I hated that my body wouldn't let me do something I wanted to do so badly.  I hated that people were passing me and I hated that I couldn't beat my previous time.   Good thing I had my sunglasses on so my eyes could get teary in privacy. Ha!

The great thing about coming in last of your group is that you have lots of pictures of your finish.  I even have a video.  As I approached my friends and they congratulated me, I was holding back tears.  My friend that took this photo had no idea that she captured me fighting tears.  Classic lip bite.

Now let's talk about these ladies.

After!

I am so lucky to have found a group of ladies that share the same passion for running as me.  These are fellow school moms that I've met over the years and have become a big part of my life, not only as runners, but as friends. I've come to look forward to our running weekends where we put ourselves first (even if its father's day!) and do something that we are passionate about, followed up by a whole lot of indulgence, starting with this:

We are already talking about which run we will do next year.  Yes, it was hard.  Yes, I am sore.  Yes, Yes, YES I want to do it all over again next year!  I love that it gives me the motivation to run not only that day but the months leading up to it.

I learned several valuable lessons this year.

1.  Doing a race while training isn't a great idea unless it fits exactly into your training plan.  Don't run 5 extra km so you can race.  Especially in my case where I am prone to injury.

2.  Start my strengthening exercises before you get injured.  I plan to continue with my exercises a few times a week year round but will start doing them daily again 1 month before training officially starts. I want my glutes in tip top shape for running season.

3.  Stretch, stretch, stretch.  I started doing 5+ minutes of stretching after my runs and as I get older this will become more and more important to injury prevention.

Hopefully with a few small changes to my training regime I'll crush my PR next year.  I'm coming after you 2:15!

Race Ready?

Last night I finished my last training run before attempting my second half marathon on Sunday.

I did so with mixed emotions.  I am not ready for this race. If you remember, I did a 15k race in April and injured myself.  Some may have thrown in the towel and accepted that running another longer race less than 2 months later wouldn't be feasible.  Not me, me and my A type personality had a plan and I was going to follow it through, even if it meant making modifications.

Over the course of the last 8 weeks I have been to countless appointments for the damage that I did by running 5k on an injured leg.  I've seen my physio therapist who set me up with exercises to strengthen my glutes and a training program that substituted the eliptical so I could get some endurance training in.  I've seen my Chiropractor to fix my body up after some muscle groups had to compensate for the ones that were injured.  And finally, I tried acupuncture for the first time on a sports related injury.  I'm still on the fence about whether acupuncture helped but it sure felt good to lie in a dark room over my lunch break and rest.  It was good for my mind if nothing else.

Running is a mental game.

I am prepared to stop at any indication of pain during the race.  I love to run and I don't want to injure myself again and not be able to run the rest of the summer.  I plan to start the run as usually running 10 and walking 1, but at the first hint of pain I am pulling the plug.  That is what I am telling myself even though that is not what I did last time.  I need to prepare myself mentally that finishing fast is not a priority, but finishing uninjured is.

It's not worth it.

My longest run to date was 10km on Monday.  My knee didn't hurt but it doesn't feel quite right.  Maybe weak is the right word.  It feels like new muscles are working, or hopefully, it is old muscles working differently.  I have to run double my longest distance to complete the race.  While I am hopeful that it is possible, the realist in me is preparing myself for defeat.

No matter how many times I tell myself it is okay to walk the second half if I need to, I know it will be a tough decision.  I have to do what is best for me, even if I feel dissapointed.  I've done everything I've been told, but is that enough?  Only time will tell.

This weekend you will find me on my roller and working those glute muscles while my body prepares itself for a 21 km run first thing Sunday morning.

Finish or not, I know there will be wine at the end and that is what I am running towards.

A Runner's Nightmare

Iliotibial Band Syndrome is the diagnosis that has put a halt to my training.

It comes as no surprise.  It has been about 5 years since I last suffered from this same injury and there were other times before that.  I've lost count.

It is essentially a tight muscle that runs down the side of your quad.  The pain is felt in the knee but the problem is often the result of a weak glute. Which is the case for me.   It is one of the most common running injuries and can take you out of the running game for weeks or (gasp) months.  

I am hoping for weeks.

After the 15k race I did just over 2 weeks ago I was hopeful that with a little rolling and doing lots of stretching and glute exercise that I may be able to hop back in with a quick 5k the next weekend.  

I was wrong.

My knee pain started almost immediately. F@%*.  Double f@&%.  I stopped immediately and chose instead to walk.  

So far I've been to physio, chiro twice, a massage, and I am booked into acupuncture for the very first time this afternoon.  I'm doing everything I can to get back in the running game and I at least want to attempt the 1/2 marathon in 6 weeks.  

The good news is my physiotherapist hasn't written me off yet.

I have 4 exercises and rolling to do each and every day.  I haven't missed a day yet.  I am so motivated I asked him if there were others I should be doing and he said no one ever does more than 4 which is why he never gives more so just do them more if I want more.  That is exactly what I have been doing.  

You will often find me on my roller with a book and maybe even a glass of wine while I beat the heck out of my IT band.

My training plan has obviously changed substantially.... I now have to do my long runs on the elliptical.  Meaning this past weekend I planned to run 16km which would take me 1.5 hours.  Instead of running outside, I drove myself over to the gym and forced myself onto that stupid machine and rode it for 70 minutes.

My type A personality won't let me give up.  I planned to run that race and I'm going to give it my all to be there at the starting line.

My original goal was to beat my last year time of 2:15.  My new goal is to do my best without causing further injury.  If that means running 10k and then walking the rest or running less and just turning around.  Time is no longer a goal because I can't beat my old time with this gimp knee.  My goal is to make responsible decisions regarding when to stop so that I don't have to hang up my runners for the rest of the season.  That thought of that makes me want to cry.

Running is my medicine. It is how I deal with my anxiety.  How I deal with a bad day.  It is my me time, something that I do just for me.  I allow myself that time to de-stress and to think.  

I miss it already.

I find myself cursing at the runners I pass in my car.  Especially the old ones.  Why can that guy run at 60 and I'm not even 40 and I can't run.  It sounds irrational when I write it but it is how I feel.  It isn't fair that I can't so something I love.

That's it for the pity party.  I am going to be running soon.  This is temporary.  I will do my exercises, ride that elliptical and I will be back on the pavement soon.  Will I be the fastest? No.   But I will be happy.

All this means is that I'll have to do another 1/2.  I was thinking this one would be my last but you better believe I am going to beat the 2:15 time before I put my long distance running to rest.

Bring it on.

Eyeball the Wall 2018

I don't know what to say about the 15km Eyeball the Wall race that I ran on Sunday. How can a race be the best and worst race at the same time? Because that is how I would describe it for me.

I prefer to end on a positive note so lets start with the troubles I had.

Timing.  This 15k was a little early in my half marathon training program that I plan to run mid June.  However, I registered for it anyway since it was less than $30 and if you are going to do a long run anyway, it is always more fun to do with others.  Always.  So I thought what the heck.  Not only was it early in my training, but it was also only 3 weeks after vacation which pushed a few longer runs closer together.

Injury.  After such a good running season the last 2 summers I had actually forgotten that I was injury prone.  My knee didn't bother me even once the whole running season.  I didn't even have to take a break from running after the 1/2 marathon.  I started to think I was indestructible.

I was wrong.

At almost exactly the 10km mark of the race I felt a twinge in my hip.  Oh no.  It wasn't big but it was there.  A few minutes later there was the familiar feeling in my knee that I had on the treadmill a few weeks ago.  It started small but before I knew it  it hurt every time I bent my knee.  The last 4km of the run was more like a shuffle.  I was trying to keep my leg as straight as I could to prevent any unnecessary bending.  If I was running on my own I would have stopped and just walked back but my time was so good for the first 10k that I chose to push on.

Now on to the positive....

First Race.  It felt so good to participate in my first race of the season.  I don't dread running in an organized event like I do when I am training.  You get the adrenalin pumping and the run is just so much easier.  Not to mention this run had a turnaround point because all the ice on one side of the reservoir so there was lots to watch.  Not to mention that I saw Becky on the race.  Since I was doing the race solo, I was so happy to see a familiar face!

The weather.  As I've complained about many times..... this has been the longest winter ever.  This past weekend was our first full weekend with no snow and spring like temperatures.  It was the perfect morning to be outside!  I even needed my sunglasses for the run which I am so glad that I went back to the car for!

Start time.  Compared to many races, this race started on the late side at 9:30.  I didn't have to set my alarm, I ate breakfast, drank some water and was on my way.  No stressing.  I liked that.

Great Medals.  This is by far my fave medal I've ever received.  Love it.

But not nearly as much as i love the one that Grady made for me while i was running.  When he wants to be, he can be the sweetest boy.

Personal Best.  Now for the best part!  Despite the discomfort I felt in the last 5 km of the race I still got a personal best.  I had such a good start to the race. I was feeling good, the music was loud, the sun was shining and I was just having a good run.  It was my second fastest 10km and my fastest 15km, bearing in mind I think I've only run 15km about 5 times!  But it was still the fastest none the less!  I was so proud of myself and disappointed that I over did it at the same time.

How do I move forward with my injury?  Good question.  I have been rolling my IT band as much as possible and using a lacrosse ball on my glutes and hip flexors.  I've taken the week off running and have only done a spin class (pain free!) and a strength training session.   No running what so ever.  Sunday, a full week after the race, I'll strap on my runners and hit the pavement for a short and slow run to test out the 'ol bod.  Fingers crossed that all my stretching has paid off.

Happy Friday!

five on friday

{one}  April is my busy month at work so I have been working lots of my Monday's off.  In lieu of that I'm taking today off work and the kids happen to have the day off.  I'll be taking the kids to the pool at their request along with a few errands they don't know about yet.

{two} Ellen is coming to town this weekend and I got 2 tickets for my Mom and I since she also happened to be in town this weekend to.  Now that the kids are older it is nice for her and I to get out of the house together just her and I.

{three} I am running my first organized race this weekend.  It is 15km and has forced me to get out running more than I'd like this spring when the weather has been less than ideal.  The one Sunday was so cold and icy that I was forced to run 12km on my treadmill in preparation for the run.  I was even out doing 10k the day after we got back from Mexico.  It was freezing so my phone died and my wireless headphones stopped working.  It may have been my worst love ever.  I guess I am not crazy to pack back up headphones on long runs!  In a funny way I'm really looking forward to it.  I know I can do 15k and the weather is supposed to be great.  It will be a great way to kick off a Sunday.

{four}  I've had IT band issues in my right leg for ages.  Likely from overuse and no stretching.  There was a time that ran every single day and didn't stretch once.  I had a great running season last year.  I did my stretching and saw my physio therapist and chiropractor regularly, however this year my knee has already started to bother me.  I saw him this week and it turns out that it is tied into the issues that I've been having with my Jaw.

I haven't really talked about it here but if you saw me in real life you would know that for 2 weekends I wore physio stickers on my face to loosen the muscles in my jaw that had been clicking and locking.  Then when I went skiing in March I fell and I couldn't open my mouth wide enough to eat for almost a week.  Back to physio and chiro and my jaw isn't cracking or locking anymore but it is sore when I chew.  Turns out that I need to continue to treat this or I am going to continue to have knee issues.  It is crazy how the body is so intertwined.

{five} I'm really enjoying not having any activities this month.  April is always a great month because hockey is done and soccer hasn't started.  We are supposed to start next week but with the amount of snow still on the ground I'm thinking we will have another week off soccer.  I love how every night we have no plans.  We are back to doing spin and I've had lots of time to catch up on house stuff and read my book.  Then, soccer will start and we will be more busy than in the winter with soccer 4 evenings a week between the 2 kids.   But our weekends will essentially be free.  Its a trade off and I'll take it!

Happy Friday and have a fab weekend!

Time to get Running!

Last summer I ran my first half marathon and I am so happy I did.  Two short years ago I ran my first 10km so I doubled my longest run ever in the course of a year.  When I set out on this journey I thought I'd only do it once and cross it off my bucket list....

That isn't exactly what happened.

I hated training.  Up until training for the half marathon I was a solid 30 minute runner, nothing more and nothing less.  I ran my 30 minutes and called it a day.  In order to get through the half marathon uninjured, which was my goal, I needed to take my training plan seriously, which meant running long runs.... many many long runs.

I hated planning my life around these runs that could take up towards 3 hours by the time I picked up a friend, drove to our running location, ran for up to 2 hours, stretched and came home.   There were some weeks that I was taking days off work to run because we were away for the weekend and I just couldn't squeeze it in.  That's what I hated most about training for a run in mid August, all the long runs were in the summer and summers weekends are terribly busy!

There were many times during that 12 weeks that I thought I was never doing this again.

I was wrong.

When I actually ran the race, I loved it.  Adrenalin kept me going and I slid in a few seconds under my goal time.  I found myself wanting to do it again.  I chose to do this again with the same group of woman that supported me through my first run.

Our race is mid June compared to mid August which means that it is time to start training again.  I am not looking forward to it.  Last year I was super pumped to get started but this year I know from experience that I have a long 12 weeks ahead of me in preparation.

What's different this time is that I know I can do it.  I've done it before and I'll do it again.  Hopefully I'll even do it faster.  But if not, that is okay to.  I will enjoy the process because I choose to do this for me.  I will make the time weekly to do my long runs because I am worth it.  I love that my kids see me commit to training for and running these races and maybe, just maybe, they'll want to run with me one day.

I'm planning to run 10 minutes and walk 1 minute through my training and also for the race.  This is a bit more aggressive than my 9 and 1s of last year.  At Seawheeze, my official time was 2 hours and 14 minutes.  This year I am going to officially set my goal for 2 hours and 10 minutes.  I hope that documenting it will make it official.

Maybe someday it will be a marathon.  Just kidding, I am never, ever, EVER going to run a marathon.  Ever.

Let the training begin! 

A Weekend with my Mom

A few years back my mom and I started a tradition of doing a run together.  It started out with her being my motivation to do an organized run and now it is me that motivates her to continue running.  She has always been my fitness motivation from the time she dragged my brother and I to the aerobics classes to she taught.  She continues to amaze me by joining her local crossfit cult gym where she lifts more than I could ever dream to.

This year we decided to do the Melissa's Road Race in Banff. While it was our first time, it is rumored to be the last one ever so I'm glad we squeezed this run in.  Last year we opted to bring the whole family with us for our one night getaway but this year we decided to keep it just her and I.

We had many laughs.  Starting with my mom wearing her shirt backwards most of the morning from the time she tried on a few things at Lulu.  I didn't even notice until we sat down for lunch and the waitress commented that we had ran in the race.  I took one look at her and noticed immediately that her shirt was backwards.

We didn't only laugh at her, I had a few moments myself.  I may have forgotten which locker was mine and/or my locker code.  I had to get the front desk to open 3 lockers before I found mine.  Not to mention that I forgot my phone in the pocket of the robe that I put in the bin in the change room.  No need to worry, the phone was quickly retrieved after the bin was emptied but before it was sent down for washing.  #closecall

Often when my mom and I spend time together we not only laugh at each other but we also get annoyed.  She was annoyed when I wouldn't go to the hot tub after dinner because I was tired and I was annoyed when she wouldn't go in the morning when I wanted to.  She put up with me checking my phone constantly waiting for the kids teams on Sunday and I put up with her using her flashlight to read the menu at the restaurant.

I am so thankful for this time with my mom.  I don't have my own daughter so these are the only mother daughter trips I will ever have.  I love that we have fitness in common.  She taught me how important exercise is in my life by leading by example.  Good thing she taught me that because she certainly didn't teach me to shop.  I am teaching her a thing or two.

I hope I am just as fit and active as she is when I over 60.  And as long as she is willing to run with me I will keep this tradition of our annual trip going strong.

Things I learned: Seawheeze 2017

What a weekend!  This 1/2 marathon weekend was one that I looked forward to and dreaded all at the same time.  I was excited to get away with some new friends and check running a 1/2 marathon off my bucket list.  I am happy to report hat i finished uninjured, in my goal time, and learned a few things along the way.

Corkscrews are not allowed in your carry on luggage.  I carry a corkscrew in my travel toiletry bag.  I bought it on one of our girl trips to Edmonton when we had a bottle of wine and we couldn't open it since the front desk didn't have one.  Ever since then I've carried a travel corkscrew around with me when I travel.  This was my first carry on only experience and apparently they aren't allowed.  I no longer have an emergency corkscrew... Sigh....

Patience.  The crowds were huge everywhere we went. From getting our loot bag, to doing yoga, to riding the bus, to going to the bathroom.  There was a lot of waiting.  I was reminded how little I like crowds.   Patience isn't my strength and I had to relax and just accept that waiting was a part of the event.

The pace bunnies are only relevant if you start the race with them  For those of you that don't know, the pace bunnies are people that run with a sign holding a goal run time.  So if you want to finish in 2:15 minutes (like I did) you would try to keep up with the person holding that sign.  Unfortunately for us, it was so crowded when we arrived that we couldn't make our way to the right area and instead started with the 2:45 runners.  With 8,000 runners, that was a lot of people to weave through to get to where you needed to be.   Since we started later than the the 2:15 bunny we couldn't catch up to him and we kept running with the later times which made me feel like I was far from my goal.  I learned to not pay attention to them and to rely on my Garmin watch instead!

Great signs and shirts are a welcome distraction.  While running I found myself reading all the shirts running in the opposite directions and also some of the signs held by the spectators  There were some good ones!

I hate running (shirt)
Run like Trump is behind you and Trudeau is at the finish line.
Pizza > Running (shirt)
Ryan Reynolds is at the finish line! (he was in Vancouver so it was possible! but not true in the end)
She signed me up (on a shirt)

Go Harder, Go Harder #thatswhatshesaid
This parade sucks.  Where is the Candy. (sign held by kids)

Hold your Bladder.  While training I went to the bathroom every single run over an hour.  It only adds less than a minute when there is no line so I never thought twice about it.  Well some of the outhouses on the race had line ups of over 15 people.  Yikes.  So I immediately decided there would be no pee breaks on this race. No time for that!

Window Shopping.  To pass the time I also found myself looking at all the different outfits people were wearing.  Since it was a lulu run there was the biggest assortment of lulu wear I have ever seen!  As part of the run there is a special shop full of limited edition items.  The colors of the store this year seemed to be lime green, coral, and Christy blue.  We all bought matching lime green tanks to wear and noticed all sorts of gear from the sale that was sold out before we even got arrived!

Have a goal.  My goal was to finish the 1/2 in 2:15 and I just slid under at 2:14:25.  I had literally 45 seconds to spare.  I sprinted the last 3 km.  I knew for the last half that meeting my goal was going to be tight given our slow start but when I saw how close it was going to be in the last 3km I decided to run my heart out and give it my best shot. Without a goal I would have just continued to run at the same pace and not speed up like I did.

Pace yourself.  Looking back I realize that I could have run faster in the first 10k than I did.  I blame part of that on the quantity of people that were all clustered together making it impossible to pass anyone.  Instead of weaving in and out and being aggressive I chose to just slow my pace until it thinned out.  How was I to know it wasn't going to thin out until more than half way??  If I were to do it again, I would arrive extra early and start with the correct pacer so I would have fewer people to pass.

Protect your phone.  After the race when I went to answer a few texts that I received during the race, my phone was acting funny.  I reset it twice and I couldn't use the space bar, the backspace or any of the icons on the bottom of the phone.  It appears that my phone absorbed sweat from my running band and made the bottom inch of my phone go wonky.  I sent some pretty long emails with no spaces for that first hour.  Happy to report it is working perfectly again!

Racing was easier than training.  I don't know if it was the adrenalin or the sea level running but it felt so much easier running the race then I ever felt about training.  With training the runs could feel like punishment rather than fun.  With this race, there was so much to watch, and the scenery along the sea wall was amazing.

Be proud of yourself.  People congratulate you for finishing a 1/2 marathon because it is an accomplish.  Accept it with gratitude and be good to yourself.  We treated ourselves to a day of yes.  Yes to bacon, yes to vodka, yes to chicken tenders, yes to burgers, yes to dessert.  Yes, yes, YES.

As you may have gathered, I had a great weekend.  When I set out on the weekend I did it thinking it would be my first and last race, now I am not so sure.  I loved the actual race.  I felt strong, I felt motivated, I felt confident.  The feeling I had after crossing the finish line is one that is hard to explain.  That is, the feeling after I felt like throwing up after sprinting for 3km!  I loved a weekend dedicated to fitness and spending time with other runners.  We stretched together, yoga'ed together, and finished together.  While I wouldn't say that I am ready to sign up for another one tomorrow, I could easily be convinced to train again next year. Trust me, I'm as surprised as you!

five on friday - weekend goals

After 14 weeks of training for my first ever 1/2 marathon, the weekend has arrived. I am waking up in Vancouver today and mentally preparing myself to run 21.4 km tomorrow morning.  Yikes.  If I've learned anything through my training, it is that the process is just as much mental as it is physical.  Before I left, I wanted to remind myself of my goals for the weekend.

{one} To finish uninjured.  I've struggled with IT band issues for most of my running years, which is well over a decade.  I've had to restart running on 2 separate occasions and I don't want that to happen again.  I saw my physio this week and he said that he has never seen my hip and glute so strong.  I told him it was because I was actually doing my exercises every day like he suggested, while I brush my teeth.

{two} Maintain my 9:1 intervals.  I've trained over the course of the 14 weeks doing a run walk mix of 9 minutes running and 1 minute walking.  Even though I will have adrenalin pumping through my body, I want to make myself stick to these intervals which will in turn help me to remain uninjured.  I've even found that the walking doesn't affect my pace all that much since it allows my body to recuperate.  I also love my garmin running watch to help me monitor my pace.  Sometimes it feels like I'm running slow and my pace is actually really good or vice versa.  It helps me stay consistent and not outrun myself in the first half.  I'd like to keep my pace below 7:00/km.

{three} Finish in under 2 hours 15 minutes.  I am currently running at a pace of about 6:40/km (including my 1's of walking) which means that I should be able to finish in my target time.  Especially since I'll be running 'race pace' and hope to shave a solid 5 minutes off my time.  If I meet the target, great, if not, that's okay too as long as I finish.

{four}Not forget anything.  The other gals that I am travelling with opted to do carry on only.  This was a first for me and meant an extra small suitcase.  I must have double, no, triple checked my suitcase to make sure I had my essential running gear.  Like running shoes.  And for the record, runners take up a lot of room in your already small suitcase!

{five} Have fun.  This is my first, and maybe last, half marathon.  I want to celebrate my accomplishment.  I have to remind myself while it doesn't feel like a big deal, not every one can or chooses to run long distances.  I should celebrate in the fact that I am healthy and capable of running this race and to enjoy the time away with my friends.

My thoughts on... training for a 1/2 marathon

 

I am officially 9 weeks into my training program program and it has been much MUCH harder than I expected.  Not only is the running itself hard, but so is finding the time to actually do the run. I am finding myself taking days off work to run which seems absolutely crazy to me.  Let me back up a bit....

Until the training started, I rarely ever ran more than 5 or 6 kilometers which took me about 35 minutes.  There was a time in my life (more than a decade ago!) that I ran every day.  Every. Single. Day. My body did not like it.  I developed Patellofemoral Syndrome which is essentially knee pain from overuse.  I had to stop running altogether and then slowly increase the intervals between walking and running. It took months to recover and I never wanted to get it again.

I love running.

I know, it sounds odd.  But running is like cheap therapy for me.  It clears my mind.  I listen to music, I enjoy nature, I am just me.  A sweaty version of me.  I didn't ever want to not be able to run, so I started to cut back.  I kept my runs to 20 minutes and I never ran more than 9 consecutive minutes before taking  break.

Even with these precautions, I now have IT band issues.  The right side of my body fights long distance running.  I get a pulling on the side of my knee.  Not a pain per se as I can run through it but I am aware that something isn't right. If I run through it long enough, my knee breaks down and I have to take a running break.

Training for this race properly is so important to me.   My ultimate goal in running the race is to finish uninjured.  Yes, it would be nice to finish in less than 2h 15min but if I finish it without walking more than my 1 minute intervals I am going to be very proud of myself.

I am at the point in my training where the runs are getting long, like really long.  I ran 11km by myself in about 70 minutes and I was bored.  Since then, I've always ran with a buddy. I started to wonder how I was ever going to run double that on my own.

Luckily, I have 3 other friends are training for a 1/2 at the same time so there is usually someone to run with.

But... there is always a but...  I AM THE SLOWEST RUNNER.

So, I have to manage running at my own pace so I don't get injured and wanting to train at 9 minute run and 1 minute walk intervals.  Up to 10km I will run straight just to have some company, but as I got into the longer runs I had to make my knee a priority and stick to the 9:1 intervals.

Thankfully, 1 of the gals would rather run intervals than on her own so we have done 2 long runs together using my system.  Not to mention the other 2 gals like to run before 7am on the weekend and we are more like 9am runners.  I just can't bring myself to set my alarm on the weekend to run for over 1.5 hours.  Boo!

A few weeks ago we ran a 14km run and my knee felt great.  I felt successful and hopeful that I could do this.  My body was cooperating and I only had to run 7 more km to get to the 21.1km race distance.

Then I ran 16km the following weekend.  The last 2 km were hard.  Harder than I ever imagined.  It was like my body started to give up. I slowed down, my legs were tired, and when at 15.9 km I had a sharp pain go up the back of my knee I panicked.  I immediately stopped running and started to walk.  I felt so discouraged.  What if I couldn't finish those last 5km.  I just want to finish.  It was the first time in the training process that I started to question whether I could do this.   5km doesn't sound like much but at the time it felt unattainable.

After this run I took a break week and participated in the Stampede Road race.  I stuck to my intervals and didn't push myself too hard. I finished 5 minutes slower than my time last year but still in under an hour which I am considering a win.

This past weekend, I was terrified to attempt the next long run knowing how horribly I felt when I ran 16 km.   As I approached the 16km mark I was nervous.  I could feel the pulling in my knee but it wasn't a pain thankfully.  We ran a total of 17.4 km with only minor aches pain.  Nothing a little rolling can't fix.  And maybe a little physio!  It turned out the next day I wasn't sore at all.

If you asked me right now if I want to do another I would say no.

I am finding it time consuming, especially during the summer.  From now until September long I am away every single weekend.  I have been taking days off work to run.  It isn't a simple little 30 minute jaunt.  It takes about 3 hours round trip once I pick up a friend, drive to our running location, run, get home, stretch and shower.  I'm finding it really hard to keep up.  For me, it has taken the fun out of running.  I enjoy running and want to keep it up for many years.  My fear is that if I continue to push my body beyond what it is comfortable with that it may cut my running career short.

I am going to do this 1/2 marathon and I am going to run my butt off.  Then I am going to go back to shorter runs.  Ones that I can do anytime, anywhere and enjoy fully.