For Months on End

Earlier this week I was talking to the Hubs about figuring out race plans and looking at my calendar. I'm already signed up for a Half in May. I'm hoping to do a full in the fall. So my calendar will basically have me starting half training as of the first week of Janurary and techically the week before my half is when I would be starting training for a full. I'm going to have to talk to someone about how to work all this out but its looking like I'm in training mode from Janurary till Mid October when the race I'm thinking of is.

WOW... Thats all I got when I think of it all. wow.

Sunday Long Run.

Wow its been a while since I've done one of those. Since I ususally try to get 4 runs in a week I can get them all in during the week and let the weekends be family time.
Well I've been browsing some training plans and realized that since I'm signed up for a spring half that means training will start again in Janruary. Like literally the first week of the New Year. Thats going to require regular Sunday runs again. So off I went yesterday.

It felt great. I managed to keep up a great pace and not get to tired throughout. My only mistake was that the route I was taking while fine for a regular weekday run wasn't the best for a Sunday run. Part of the route was on the Danforth in Greektown and

hmmmm a Sunday during the Hoildays......

Yeah totally forgot how crowded the sidewalks would be. Oh well I got through it all.

Oh and yeah did you know that the Black Eyed Pea's last album will last you (well me at least) about 8km.

Break Time

Today is the first offical day of Christmas break here at our house. Thankfully I won't have to worry to much about getting runs in. The only questionable days are this upcoming Monday or Tuesday. But its a case of making sure I head out after Hubby gets home from work. Wednesday till Sunday we'll be at my parents and I can head out for a bit there and leave the boys with my parents. Then Hubby is off for the second week of break so thats easy to still get the runs in at my regular time or maybe a bit earlier.

I only have 27.5 more km to go till I reach 900 for the year. Didn't really start the year with any kind of goal but while its not the 1000 mile challenge that some are doing I know for a fact I can do over 1000km next year with my goals in mind.

Speaking of..... What plan did anyone whos done a full marathon use for their first?

I figure if this is something I want to do I should look at plans and how to make it possible and see how it will affect the family schedule and you know get the Hubby's support.

Three Things Thrusday

1. Soooo last night was our boy's school's Christmas concert. They were so adorable and thankfully niether of them froze on stage. Bug's class did two poems and the second one was about Aunty Flo who sends pairs of underwears every year. They ended it by pulling underwear out of gift wrapped boxes. The audience loved it. Seeing all the little undies was funny. Trouble's class did a song and while he did do all the actions, he also threw in some of his bum shake moves into it. Thankfully its all on video to embares them in a couple years.

2. Broke out the running tights for yesterday's run. Very happy I did so, because even though my legs were a bit red when I got home they didn't feel cold while out and well that's what counts right. I also got myself a thick fleece headband thing since I can't do winter hats when running. I think I might be winter ready almost.

3. No run today. Trouble was up constantly last night. I can't even remember if I started my coffee yet. It's so hard when they're up and crying but can't or won't tell you whats wrong. So you can do nothing but hold a crying kid. For one it pulls on your heartstrings and two its annoying because you're tired and just want to sleep. I think there was 5 times he woke up. Of course the last time was at 5:30 am and he wanted to watch cartoons since he got enough sleep somehow within the night.

Tannenbaum 10K

Thats me in the pink BTW, on the way to the finish.

Well for some reason I was nervous in the morning from the time I got up till we lined up at the starting line. Now I can see that it was because I wasn't excited or sure about what I got myself into.

I got up at 7 and got some coffee and breakfast in me to wake up. By 8 I was dressed, had at least 3 bathroom breaks and was ready to head out the door. I took the bus down so no one would have to get up in the rainy weather. I got down to the Running Room store hosting and dropped my bag off and waited inside with the other runners.

I got into a conversation with a women wearing the Vibram shoes. Then another lady joined in and that really calmed the nerves down. Apparently the first lady's husband was running barefoot in the race and normally does. His secret? Keeping crazy glue on hand should he get a cut or something. hmmm. Finally it was start time so we headed outside to the starting line.

The race capped out at 250 people I think.
THIS is the link to the route. There were huge puddles right at the start so there was lots of bumping into people. But we got past that and got on the trail. KM 1 and 2 felt great. I was thinking it wouldn't be too bad. Aside from some of the runners who weren't looking out for others before moving around the path. Or the couple times when we encountered big puddles and some wouldn't move over so the person next to them got a soaker.

Starting really feeling the winds in km 3-4 but from 4-8 when we were going in the opposite direction the winds were crazy! I'd see the people in front of me and behind me and we'd all be walking since we were running about that fast anyways. As soon as the wind would shift even a tiny bit on angle we'd all get back going but of course be stopped again and walking into the wind.

Turning the corner around 8km was HEAVEN!! There was a dad with his little girl manning the turnaround and she was so cute giving high fives to everyone as they went by. Feeling the wind push you towards the finish was amazing. I was able to catch my breathe and let my legs go. I definitely let the winds carry me to get me going.

Of course there was a bit of headwind heading back but knowing there was less than 1km to go just got me through it and powering as much as I could so it could be over. Yeah the big puddles were still there but I just went right through them. I already had soakers so really it didn't matter at that point.

Finish time of 1:03:xx

I didn't stick around since I knew I wasn't about to get any awards. I was getting cold and since I forgot to bring a change of clothes, grabbing a coffee and heading home were my only thoughts.

Once I got home I lost my medal to the kids. They thought it was awesome and it became an award for their stuffies for a while. Hubby sent me right up to the bathtub so I could warm up since he could see how frozen I had gotten.

All in all, would I do it again? If I had someone to run with, sure. The unpredictable weather definitely means needing the extra support.

Quickie Version

I did the race in 1:03:xx.
There was no "race" considering we were next to the lake and the winds were crazy!
4k of it was running into headwind. We were running as fast as we walk :P But the HEAVEN of it after the last turnaround and it pushed you!!! AHHHH!!!

Full report tomorrow. The cold and wind was exhausting. I'm more tired than when I did the half. Go figure.

I should be good now.

Well considering I have a 10k race on Sunday, I figured I should give 10k a go today for my run. I've done 8k and lots and lots of 6.5k runs. But for some reason I've stopped doing 10k or more. So today I did it. I ususally do it in about an hour and I did today. I didn't feel the greatest for parts of it but I know thats partially because I didn't eat much before heading out. I wasn't staying hydrated very much.

I really wasn't taking care of myself. This time of year things tend to get hectic and some things tend to drop a bit. Sadly for me it was important things. But I know I could do the 10k and not die. (I knew I wouldn't, but I thought it would be harder to do)

I've already spent the rest of the day drinking my water, eating the good healthy stuff. Taking care of me.

Now that said. Sunday's race is sooo not something I'm even remotely thinking of PRing in. First off that there's be like no real training. Second "The Weather Gods" are calling for a 90% chance of snow/rain. It's supposed to be in the + side so that'll be nice but we're running next to the lake so the winds might be rough.

We'll see I'm running for fun and well for the medal you get afterwards.

HBBC
runs - 6+8.3+10 =24.3
F&V - 4 (see it was a crappy week)
Low impact - 1
Total - 29.3

Baby its cold outside

Its cold out.

Like really cold. (ok fine its not to bad without the wind)

Ok some of you have it way colder out but whatever I'm complaining anyways.

The worst part is there is a wind tunnel on the street where the boy's bus stop is so yesterday I was supposed to run but the winds (thanks to the tunnel thing) were practically pushing Trouble over (hes tiny at only 30lbs)and in my running gear I couldn't imagine running in that. So I went back home and did a DVD instead. Of course I remembered about the wind tunnel when I had to go out to get more wrapping paper and it wasn't too bad anywhere else. D'oh!

So today I was ignoring the damned wind tunnel and getting out and getting my 8k in. The wind were better today but man I felt so sluggish and blah out there today. I had no trouble keeping it up and moving but my legs felt stiff the whole time. Thank goodness for mental muscle. And surprisingly most sidewalks were cleared down to the pavement so I didn't have to worry about slipping anywhere.

But once I was home, man it took forever to warm up. I drained all and I seriously mean all the hot water in the tank on trying to warm up. I drained my coffee in record time getting the warmth of it in me. Thankfully it was floor washing day so that warmed me up and got rid of the chill.

Trouble had a speech therapy assessment this afternoon so after that the Christmas tree is going up finally! We wait to decorate the inside of the house till after his birthday so it doesn't get taken over by the holidays. But by Dec 8th? All bets are off baby and up the stuff goes.

Trouble is 4!

Happy Birthday to my favouritest Trouble maker!

Busy week

So much so that I would think of things that I would want to blog about but then of course I'd forget them. Blah!

So big mismash of things today.

***
Hubby was invested as a Beaver Troop Leader earlier this week. It was cute. Theres a book that the leaders read to the Beavers and thats where they get the leader's nicknames. They even let the kids pick. So Hubs is now Scouter Ringtail, or just Ringtail. I love that he got one of the more fun names. I think he does too.

***
Bug made me crack up laughing yesterday with a conversation we had on the way to the bus stop. Something like this.

Bug "I wonder what car we'll get"
Me "We have a car honey and we're not getting a new one yet."
Bug "No for when me and M get grown up" (That's his little girlfriend)
Me "Oh I dunno they'll probley have lots of new kinds of cars then" (remember they're 5)
Bug "Yeah, Maybe a van to hold all our babies would be good."
Me (trying not to laugh too much)"Yeah a van sounds good."

Of course I shared it with M's mom and she thought it was awesome too. My kid is quite the planner.

***
I don't think I have many or any local mom's looking for preschools in my area reading this blog but I have to speack of the awesome
Dentonia Park Nursery School. Both of my boys went there and loved the amazing teachers. Its a cooperative school so families are really invovled and its a great way to get your little ones ready for big kid school. Honestly I miss it.

Last night was the auction that raises tons of money for the school (its a non-profit school) and past parents are invited to attend and check things out and have a great time talking and big on items.

I walked away with a 1 hour massage and 2 chiropractice appts. A 3 month pass to Goodlife. and a cute backpack about half full of candy(ring pops and such)Anyone need some stocking stuffers?

Happy December!

Well the countdown to Christmas is basically on! Its not quite offical in our house till the 8th. The 7th is Trouble's birthday so I like to wait till afterwards to fully decorate so his day isn't taken over by the hoildays.

We started baking cookies yesterday. We did some sugar cookies and some molasses gingerbread cookies(Hubby did those ones). Today we'll decorate the sugar ones and start to fully love December.

The weather here is crappy. Like really crappy. Those who have snow? I'll trade ya for our rain. This morning it started out at around 6C(42F)and was only going to get colder. The light rain we were having was supposed to turn to rain/snow this afternoon(which it did). So decisions, decisions.... Do I run in the rain in the daylight or wait for the snow and dark?

I ran in the rain. I love running on the first of the month. Its like recharging and setting the standard. I went out and got 6.5k(4 miles) in. The rec trail I usually run on has a creek next to it. Man it was really barreling by this morning. Saw none of the regulars and I don't blame them at all. I saw a couple people walking their dogs and I got a couple "shes crazy smiles" or just a stare from one lady. Also I did see one other runner and from her reaction I bet we were both thinking "YEAH! I'm not the only crazy one out here in this!!" Thankfully tomorrow the rain should be done and I can get out there again with less lake puddle jumping.