Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
Sweet Redemption!
That's whats today was.
We did our second 30km(18.6miles) run yesterday. I did take all that I learnt from Midsummer and did so much better this time.
I kept my pace manageable the whole time.
I didn't start out to fast so therefore on the way back I still felt great.
I took my Shot Bloks at regular intervals.
Thankfully the weather was amazing for running this morning and I didn't feel the need to gulp large amounts of water/Gatorade.
There was no I feel sick.
We did our second 30km(18.6miles) run yesterday. I did take all that I learnt from Midsummer and did so much better this time.
I kept my pace manageable the whole time.
I didn't start out to fast so therefore on the way back I still felt great.
I took my Shot Bloks at regular intervals.
Thankfully the weather was amazing for running this morning and I didn't feel the need to gulp large amounts of water/Gatorade.
There was no I feel sick.
No I just want to sit down. Ok there was that, but it was just to give my legs a rest since I had been moving for 3+ hours.
Yesterdays run while tiring really helped restore my confidence that I can finish the Marathon and finish well. I'm not nervous about 32k next week anymore.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
50
50 days till I run my first marathon.
50 days till I propel myself the further I've ever been on foot.
I've been working towards this goal since mid June. Its hard to believe that its been such a long time frame that I've devoted to training. It doesn't even really feel like it at all though. I know I've been putting in the time and the distances but in all honesty it doesn't feel like its been months of this. Which I guess would be a good thing since that means I'm obliviously enjoying running.
In the clinic people are talking more and more about goals, what they're thinking of wearing on race day, what they plan on gorging on after race day. I'm really excited that my finish time at Midsummer aligning nicely with my approximate goal time for Scotia. It shows that my training is working and I'm pushing myself properly. I never thought that would be something that would excite me, but I've learnt that it doesn't have to take much to make me happy most days. I'm still working on race day clothes but believe me I'm dreaming about lots of ice cream and crappy TV or old movies to enjoy as I partake in the rest days after the marathon.
50 days till my first marathon
51 days till relaxation mode.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Three Things Thrusday
1.
Less than two weeks till the school year starts back up. Trouble will be in SK and Bug will be in the big change of Grade 1. They are both really excited for the year. Bug a bit more so since now he gets recess and can do the pizza days that he's heard about. I'll admit to being a touch sad that he'll be in school all day so I'll get less time with him but this way I'll get more one on one time with Trouble. We have to finish clothes shopping for the boys since their school moved to "dress code" this year. It just means everything has to be white or navy blue. No writing, pictures, logos, or holes/tears. Its something that's being put in place across the whole TCDSB so thankfully finding clothes has been really easy.
2.
After my 30k race I felt good. The next day I ate like crazy. I could not believe how hungry I was.
Though after sitting down and doing some figuring it out, I am MORE than happy with my results. I'm going to take the lessons I've learnt from that race and apply them to my marathon. My finishing time for Midsummer line up in the range of what I'm training for with Scotia. So I'm thrilled that it showed that my training is working and the effort I've been doing is good. There are a couple things I need to work on more, like more water and being better with my vitamins.
(I have some pics coming, I ordered two, a finish line one even!)
3.
I picked up The Athlete's Palate at the library last week. You know this one.
and I've really only tried 1 recipe out of it so far but I have a couple others bookmarked. It was a chicken carbonara and it was really good, and definitely healthier than the one I've usually made before. My Father in Law even looked through it and copied out a couple recipes. I really liked how they marked the different recipes whether they'd be best in training or recovery. My only issue from just looking through it is that some of the recipes are what I'd call fancy and take things that not everyone keeps in their home or lots of pots.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
3 Years of Bliss.....
Today marks our 3rd Anniversary. We got married after being together for 8.5 years.
Oh sure there have been upset moments and some fighting in there but that's what make the sweet and happy moments all the better. I couldn't ask for a better partner in life. My husband is a wonderful father to his children. He is always willing to go with most of my crazy ideas(running a Marathon for example). His laid back attitude is much needed to balance me out. I can honestly say that I can't imagine not sharing all of this with him. I'm looking forward to seeing our lives continue together on this wonderful path we've set out.
Oh sure there have been upset moments and some fighting in there but that's what make the sweet and happy moments all the better. I couldn't ask for a better partner in life. My husband is a wonderful father to his children. He is always willing to go with most of my crazy ideas(running a Marathon for example). His laid back attitude is much needed to balance me out. I can honestly say that I can't imagine not sharing all of this with him. I'm looking forward to seeing our lives continue together on this wonderful path we've set out.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
My legs kept no Pace with my Desire
You might want to sit for a while and grab a coffee for this one. I get its fitting that its so long since the race was so long. :)
************
A Midsummer Night’s Run
August 20, 2011
I met up with a friend at the Running Room and we took the street car over together to the start/finish area. After we checked out bags we met up with a bunch of people from our group. It was funny when we realized we “knew” pretty much all the pace fairies. I got some advice from those who’ve ran this before since it was going to my first 30k ever. Like not just my first 30k race but my first time hitting that distance. Most of us were planning on doing 10 and 1’s and I decided to settle in with Ann. She was the pacer for 3:15 run/walk. The plan was to stay near her for the most of it and definitely use her when it started to get hard.
Finally it was time to start and we all settled into where we wanted to be. I had a quick hello and good luck with Marlene when she passed us to get to a faster start. We started off a bit ahead of our pacer but we knew the path would get really narrow around 5k. In all honesty I don’t remember much for the first 10k. I remember seeing a friend that none of us were sure was going to make it out, getting weird looks from the drivers we passed down on Cherry St.
By 12k we entered the Spit (or better known as Tommy Thompson Park). Before we hit the next water station there was a bridge to cross. It was downhill towards it on gravel. A friend of mine who was running next to me stumbled or something on some loose gravel and it looked like she was going down head first but then she rolled to her side. She was banged up and bloody so another girl and I stayed with her and helped for about 5 minutes. When we started again we had lost our pace group and decided to run together and estimate our 10 and 1’s since neither of us at set our watches for those because planned on running with the pacer. We went around the lighthouse and hopefully got some pictures. I commented that we probably wouldn’t have gotten any from there if we were with the group. LOL.
I had to hit the port o potty for the first time during a race around the 21k water station. I was still feeling good at this point. By 23k I was feeling really hot and tired. I had realized that I was off my nutrition plan and that kind of threw me. The last bit of turnaround had changed since part of the route in Ashbridge’s Bay was fenced up so we had to run along the boardwalk for a touch. By this point it was dark. And by 26k I was feeling really done. I was taking lots of walk breaks from here one and I kept telling the girl I was with to go on ahead. She had us running a bit more than half a km and then we could walk some more. By the end we were going 3 and 1’s to just get to the finish because I was holding back tears and wanted to walk off around 28k. We got the finish and I really don’t want to see that picture because I was trying to not bawl my eye out so I’m sure it’s bad.
Ann (our pacer) was actually waiting for us at the finish line. She wanted to make sure that we and my friend that we helped made it in. Some of my other friends found me and I literally felt like crap. I wanted nothing more than to just sit on the ground and not move for a bit. No one would let me and honestly if this happens again I’ll tell them to piss off since once I did get to sit for awhile in the car ride home I was feeling better.
It was a rough night but I learnt some things about letting things roll and adapting when plans change. I learnt that if I need to stop for a minute or two and set up a new plan in my head it’s ok. I need to work a bit more on mental toughness since I will need that to get through adding another 12k to this new distance.
Garmin Time: 3:13:30
Official Time: 3:18:16
Chip Time: 3:17:28
Place: 605/834
Category (Women 20-29): 61/86
Gender Place: 272/432
Pictures to follow(well maybe not the finish line one)
************
A Midsummer Night’s Run
August 20, 2011
I met up with a friend at the Running Room and we took the street car over together to the start/finish area. After we checked out bags we met up with a bunch of people from our group. It was funny when we realized we “knew” pretty much all the pace fairies. I got some advice from those who’ve ran this before since it was going to my first 30k ever. Like not just my first 30k race but my first time hitting that distance. Most of us were planning on doing 10 and 1’s and I decided to settle in with Ann. She was the pacer for 3:15 run/walk. The plan was to stay near her for the most of it and definitely use her when it started to get hard.
Finally it was time to start and we all settled into where we wanted to be. I had a quick hello and good luck with Marlene when she passed us to get to a faster start. We started off a bit ahead of our pacer but we knew the path would get really narrow around 5k. In all honesty I don’t remember much for the first 10k. I remember seeing a friend that none of us were sure was going to make it out, getting weird looks from the drivers we passed down on Cherry St.
By 12k we entered the Spit (or better known as Tommy Thompson Park). Before we hit the next water station there was a bridge to cross. It was downhill towards it on gravel. A friend of mine who was running next to me stumbled or something on some loose gravel and it looked like she was going down head first but then she rolled to her side. She was banged up and bloody so another girl and I stayed with her and helped for about 5 minutes. When we started again we had lost our pace group and decided to run together and estimate our 10 and 1’s since neither of us at set our watches for those because planned on running with the pacer. We went around the lighthouse and hopefully got some pictures. I commented that we probably wouldn’t have gotten any from there if we were with the group. LOL.
I had to hit the port o potty for the first time during a race around the 21k water station. I was still feeling good at this point. By 23k I was feeling really hot and tired. I had realized that I was off my nutrition plan and that kind of threw me. The last bit of turnaround had changed since part of the route in Ashbridge’s Bay was fenced up so we had to run along the boardwalk for a touch. By this point it was dark. And by 26k I was feeling really done. I was taking lots of walk breaks from here one and I kept telling the girl I was with to go on ahead. She had us running a bit more than half a km and then we could walk some more. By the end we were going 3 and 1’s to just get to the finish because I was holding back tears and wanted to walk off around 28k. We got the finish and I really don’t want to see that picture because I was trying to not bawl my eye out so I’m sure it’s bad.
Ann (our pacer) was actually waiting for us at the finish line. She wanted to make sure that we and my friend that we helped made it in. Some of my other friends found me and I literally felt like crap. I wanted nothing more than to just sit on the ground and not move for a bit. No one would let me and honestly if this happens again I’ll tell them to piss off since once I did get to sit for awhile in the car ride home I was feeling better.
It was a rough night but I learnt some things about letting things roll and adapting when plans change. I learnt that if I need to stop for a minute or two and set up a new plan in my head it’s ok. I need to work a bit more on mental toughness since I will need that to get through adding another 12k to this new distance.
Garmin Time: 3:13:30
Official Time: 3:18:16
Chip Time: 3:17:28
Place: 605/834
Category (Women 20-29): 61/86
Gender Place: 272/432
Pictures to follow(well maybe not the finish line one)
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Three Things Thrusday!
1.
We did hills last night. 7 of them actually. We did the route that's called the 4 fingers. I think I mentioned it here last year. I'm not a huge fan of them. They're longer than the Fallingbrooke ones were doing but they are less steep. I kinda prefer the steeper ones. Its harder but you're pushing for less since they are a touch shorter. Plus I find I go up better when I can't quite see how much farther I have to go. Fallingbrooke you pulled your hat down and stared straight ahead and it was manageable. These ones you can't help but see a plateau since there is a road that crosses most of them around the halfway mark. It drives me crazy with that there.
2.
This weekend is the A Midsummer Night Run I'll be doing the 30k race with most of my clinic. It just happens to fall on the weekend that we hit 30 for the first time so we all figured we should sign up.
A long run with bling?
A Saturday night run and getting to sleep in Sunday?
YES PLEASE.
3.
60 days till Scotia!
The freaking out about it has apparently started and its still easy to calm myself back down. I imagine it'll get harder to do so as it gets closer. Its one of those things where my head knows really that I'll be fine but my emotions are all over the place.
We did hills last night. 7 of them actually. We did the route that's called the 4 fingers. I think I mentioned it here last year. I'm not a huge fan of them. They're longer than the Fallingbrooke ones were doing but they are less steep. I kinda prefer the steeper ones. Its harder but you're pushing for less since they are a touch shorter. Plus I find I go up better when I can't quite see how much farther I have to go. Fallingbrooke you pulled your hat down and stared straight ahead and it was manageable. These ones you can't help but see a plateau since there is a road that crosses most of them around the halfway mark. It drives me crazy with that there.
2.
This weekend is the A Midsummer Night Run I'll be doing the 30k race with most of my clinic. It just happens to fall on the weekend that we hit 30 for the first time so we all figured we should sign up.
A long run with bling?
A Saturday night run and getting to sleep in Sunday?
YES PLEASE.
3.
60 days till Scotia!
The freaking out about it has apparently started and its still easy to calm myself back down. I imagine it'll get harder to do so as it gets closer. Its one of those things where my head knows really that I'll be fine but my emotions are all over the place.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Pictures from Algonquin
Better later than never right?
From the starting point. The Portage Store
Our Canoe and two packs
One of two beaver dams we had to cross
Me with the food pack, Like my jugs?
Rocking the race shirt even on the canoe!
I love this picture.
Horrible terrible place to swim
Seriously! Who wants to spend 4 days with this as their view?
Rocking the lifejacket!
From the starting point. The Portage Store
Our Canoe and two packs
One of two beaver dams we had to cross
Me with the food pack, Like my jugs?
Rocking the race shirt even on the canoe!
I love this picture.
Horrible terrible place to swim
Seriously! Who wants to spend 4 days with this as their view?
Rocking the lifejacket!
Thursday, August 11, 2011
We're back!
Things have been busy but we got back Tuesday night.
It was a fabulous trip and I'll post pictures soon.
On our first day we saw a moose. Got 3 feet from a loon. And got lost a bit, which took us almost an hour extra in the canoe. There was even a chipmunk that reminded us of Trouble and kept trying to get into our food bin.
On day 3 we saw a snapping turtle and a seaplane go by our site.
We had 2 days with rain and one crazy cold windy night.
Overall we portaged about 5k I think and paddled around 20k.
Again it was fantastic and we're already making plans for next year.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Algonquin bound
Well the kids have been dropped off with the grandparents. We're on our way for 4 days of hiking and canoeing. I'll be back with pictures and some wetlogged stories I'm sure. See you Wednesday!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Three Things Thrusday
1.
The clinic did 5 hills yesterday. I had issue with the 2nd hill last week and and had to walk up part if it. I made it my goal that this week I would make it up it all the way. Actually I made it up it twice. I've learnt that even though its recommended that when running hills you're supposed to look up at the top of the hill. Yeah when I do that I can't make it all the way. If I look just ahead of me and kinda down, then I can do it. Something about not seeing how much more I have to go or seeing the steepness of the hill makes it more bearable.
2.
My shoes need replacing. I've been wearing Saucony ProGrid Jazz. I've been looking all over and it seems that its been discounted. Its not even on their website anymore. So next week I'll be getting new shoes. I lucked out picking out these ones since I got them from Foot Locker and picked them because they looked good. At the time I didn't know better but thankfully it worked out. So it going to be weird getting a different one. I'm thinking I should stay with Saucony, though its tempting to try something different.
3.
I'm very excited/nervous. This Saturday Handy Manny and I start our Portaging trip in Algonquin. We'll be doing 3 nights and 4 days. Its actually going to be our first time away from the kids since we got married. I'll have some pictures and a post up after we come back.
The boys are looking forward to spending the time at my parents.They've got a countdown going on and Bug has it written on every calendar "To Nana and Papas".
The clinic did 5 hills yesterday. I had issue with the 2nd hill last week and and had to walk up part if it. I made it my goal that this week I would make it up it all the way. Actually I made it up it twice. I've learnt that even though its recommended that when running hills you're supposed to look up at the top of the hill. Yeah when I do that I can't make it all the way. If I look just ahead of me and kinda down, then I can do it. Something about not seeing how much more I have to go or seeing the steepness of the hill makes it more bearable.
2.
My shoes need replacing. I've been wearing Saucony ProGrid Jazz. I've been looking all over and it seems that its been discounted. Its not even on their website anymore. So next week I'll be getting new shoes. I lucked out picking out these ones since I got them from Foot Locker and picked them because they looked good. At the time I didn't know better but thankfully it worked out. So it going to be weird getting a different one. I'm thinking I should stay with Saucony, though its tempting to try something different.
3.
I'm very excited/nervous. This Saturday Handy Manny and I start our Portaging trip in Algonquin. We'll be doing 3 nights and 4 days. Its actually going to be our first time away from the kids since we got married. I'll have some pictures and a post up after we come back.
The boys are looking forward to spending the time at my parents.They've got a countdown going on and Bug has it written on every calendar "To Nana and Papas".
Monday, August 1, 2011
Runniversary!
Today marks my 2nd anniversary of running.
Two years ago today I walked into the Running Room's Learn to Run clinic. There was a group of us that had no clue what we were getting into. Most of us had no idea about the Wednesday and Sunday runs. We barely understood the difference in shoes and the importance of wearing the right shoes. I remember the WTF was I thinking after doing the first couple sets of 2 minutes walking-1 minute walking. I couldn't even imagine getting to 10 minutes of running with 1 minute of walking we supposed to do at the end of the 10 week clinic.
Yesterday I was running.
I was running with the Marathon clinic.
We were running 24k. and we're about half way through our clinic on the way to my first marathon. I've learnt a lot from other runners, blogs, websites. I've grown from someone who would have called you crazy to do anything phyiscal to training hard for races. I've even kind of considered all this training and being on my feet for hours fun.
Today I'm proving to myself that I can do anything once I set my mind to it.
And so is Bug. Yesterday he said he wanted to go running with me. I asked him to wait till today so we went and did 2k around the neighbourhood. Before today he'd only ran up to 1k. There was a couple walk breaks in there but it was great sharing my love of running with one of my children.
Two years ago today I walked into the Running Room's Learn to Run clinic. There was a group of us that had no clue what we were getting into. Most of us had no idea about the Wednesday and Sunday runs. We barely understood the difference in shoes and the importance of wearing the right shoes. I remember the WTF was I thinking after doing the first couple sets of 2 minutes walking-1 minute walking. I couldn't even imagine getting to 10 minutes of running with 1 minute of walking we supposed to do at the end of the 10 week clinic.
Yesterday I was running.
I was running with the Marathon clinic.
We were running 24k. and we're about half way through our clinic on the way to my first marathon. I've learnt a lot from other runners, blogs, websites. I've grown from someone who would have called you crazy to do anything phyiscal to training hard for races. I've even kind of considered all this training and being on my feet for hours fun.
Today I'm proving to myself that I can do anything once I set my mind to it.
And so is Bug. Yesterday he said he wanted to go running with me. I asked him to wait till today so we went and did 2k around the neighbourhood. Before today he'd only ran up to 1k. There was a couple walk breaks in there but it was great sharing my love of running with one of my children.
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