The 10K

Naturally, I meant to update my blog several times before running my big 10K race – and, naturally, I never got much of a chance to do it.

December has been a very hectic month, with both a magazine and a 12-page newsletter due, not to mention Christmas and a 10K race booked on December 15th. Not much “me” time left for writing!

Up until December 9th, I trained diligently for the 10K race. I skipped only two 5K runs in my entire training schedule (from October 10th until December 9th), determined that I was going to do a good job. On our long runs, I was averaging about 1hour and 11 minutes for a 10K, at an easy pace. My goal? Run the 10K race in 1:05. (Unfortunately, it wasn’t a “real” race with lots of participants, but because there are no 10K races in Burlington in December, our clinic instructor organized a real, timed race from the Running room for the 15th.)

December 9th began well. Since it was Sunday, I headed to the Running Room for the Sunday morning run. We were supposed to run 13K – the longest run of our entire clinic. In less than a week, the race would be over.

I had a great run that morning. Took it at a nice, easy pace, and did the 13K easily. Not too tired, lots of stamina – I was ready for this race.

Then came Monday. It started fine, and we had a good day. But Chris had been sick with a bit of a flu since Friday, although he seemed to be on the mend. Monday night, we found out no one was okay. Andrew was sick three times, Chris was sick twice, and to top it all off, I got hit hard by the stomach flu myself.

I spent all of Tuesday in bed, praying for a speedy death. For someone who is rarely sick, this illness quite literally knocked me on my ass. I couldn’t get out of bed, couldn’t move, couldn’t eat and couldn’t drink. (Keep in mind that work is also insanely busy at this point, and I can ill afford to take a day off.)

By Wednesday I was mobile (and working), but still not good. I couldn’t eat, and couldn’t walk up the stairs without getting winded and feeling nauseous. I guess I wasn’t exactly going to be going for a run.

By the time Friday rolled around, I was feeling better – but I hadn’t run all week. The training schedule went out the window. Could I run the race on Saturday morning? How would I do? Would I even be able to break the 1:05 time barrier?

Saturday morning dawned, snowy and cold. The sidewalks (and we had to run on sidewalks) were incredibly icy. Only one other person showed up for the race, a woman from my clinic who I knew was a very fast runner. Our clinic assistant offered to run with us as a pace bunny. The die was cast…

It was icy in patches, particularly on the sidewalk. And we ran as fast as we could. We looped around the streets of Burlington, avoiding ice, snow, cars and snow plows. I felt fantastic. If there was no ice, I could have flown. I hadn’t worked out since Sunday, and it was great to get back out there again.

As we headed toward the finish line, I caught sight of the race clock. One hour – and one minute. I crossed the 10K mark at 1:01:15. My clinic instructor cheered me over the line. I was in first place! (Of course, there were only three of us… I simply sprinted at the end because I still had gas in the tank.)

I had done it. Both the clinic instructor and our “pace bunny” were sure that, had the weather been good, we would have come in under an hour. Not bad for my first 10K race!

So what’s next on the training agenda? The next few weeks will be maintenance. I will add some spinning and boost my weight training, and try to get out for some more runs. (Assuming, of course, they ever clear the sidewalks after yesterday’s two feet of snow.) Then, in January, I’m re-enrolling in the 10K clinic, with a more advanced training schedule. I’ve already told my instructor I’d like to run the next 10K in 55 minutes!

Happy trails…

Training day

All summer, I happily worked on building muscle mass and weight training at a fantastic class at my gym. Literally called “Muscle,” it was a 45-minute, instructor-led strength training workout using free weights. I felt myself getting noticeably stronger, and started to realize what an important part strength training plays in overall fitness.

But since September, when my life got turned upside down, I have had very little time for strength training. I could no longer attend muscle class at the gym (something I’ve mentioned in earlier blog posts), and then I went and quit that gym and joined the Y. I’ve been running five days a week with the 10K clinic. Combine that with 60-hour work weeks, the crazy volunteer work as president of the preschool, and there’s not a lot of time left.

The other problem is that I have no idea what I’m doing when it comes to weights. I loved the muscle class for that very reason. I could let the instructor think of the plan, and then just go to the class and be told what to do. No thinking on my part – a nice change! But since my schedule is such that I’ve been unable to go to a class, strength training has fallen by the wayside.

When I joined the Y, I was given the opportunity to get one free personal training session. And, time being what it is, I only got around to doing that today. Mike did his session the second we joined. (Okay, two days later, but you catch the drift). They gave him a really basic plan, including some cardio on the treadmill, and a weight-training circuit on the machines.

I really wasn’t interested in that. For one thing, I certainly don’t need to improve my cardio training. Since November 1st, I’ve already run 115 kilometers. Getting into “shape” really isn’t my problem.

I also don’t love doing weight machines. I know they tend to isolate the muscles, and I prefer using free weights and combining exercises so the body works in sync. That’s what muscle class used to do, and that’s what I want to do.

But once I realized I couldn’t make it to any strength training classes at the Y, I knew I had to do something. After all, wouldn’t doing a machine circuit be better than no strength training at all? I rationalized that it would, and ended up signing up for a session with a personal trainer.

My session was originally supposed to be last Monday, but since Andrew spent Sunday night throwing up, he wasn’t going to school – and I certainly couldn’t take him to the Y in that shape. I had to postpone the training session until today.

Mike is on holiday today, so once we dropped Andrew off at school, we took Chris and headed for the gym. I waited for the trainer while Mike got started on his own workout. The trainer sat down with me at first to discuss what I hoped to get out of meeting with her.

It was great. She is also a runner, and really knew exactly where we should be focusing. She agreed with me that a simple machine circuit wouldn’t be right for someone of my fitness level, particularly since my cardio strength is so strong. She gave me a great routine of planks, push-ups, lunges, squats, free weights, barbells and just a few machines. If I can get a full-body workout in once or twice a week, I should see improvement.

It will also help prevent injuries. By strengthening the muscles in my legs, it will help prevent knee injuries. And core strength training will not only make me run faster, it might help me lose the little pouch I carry in front after having the boys. (When your kids were born at 9lbs. 4 oz. and 8 lbs. 13 oz., your stomach gets a little stretched out!)

What I’m hoping is that by this summer, I’ll see a difference in both muscle tone and strength. It should improve my running times, making me faster and stronger. That may be a tall order, but it’s certainly worth a shot.

In the meantime, I’ll keep up with my 10K training schedule. Only a few more weeks to go until the race. Yesterday, I ran 11K with my group, and made it through the run. We’ll get up to 13K before this clinic is over.

Happy trails…

The hills have legs

I have a new enemy, and its name is “the hill at La Salle” park. Okay, I don’t know if that’s its official name or anything. But I’ve chosen to nickname it “Hell.”

Yes, I’ve entered a new stage of training commonly known as hill training, or hill repeats. It’s been part of the schedule for our 10K running clinic for two weeks now. I, unfortunately, had to miss the first week, so I e-mailed the instructor for directions to do it on my own.

He gave me some guidance, telling me to go down to La Salle Park (a park in Aldershot – a lovely area of Burlington right on the Hamilton border), and run for about 18 minutes at an easy pace to warm up. Then, pick one of the big hills down there (the area going down to the lake is quite hilly), and run up it three times, at about 85 per cent of my maximum heart rate. Then, cool down by running another 18 minutes.

Off I went to the park, which is actually a good 20-25 minute drive from my house. I dutifully followed the instructions, choosing what I THOUGHT was a good hill. It was probably about 100 meters or so, and very steep. I ran my 18 minutes, did my three hill repeats, and did the cool down. I happily reported back to the instructor that I had finished!

So this week, it was time for hills again – only this time, we were to do four repeats. I was very, very close to skipping the class. I hadn’t been feeling the greatest, I’d just had my flu shot that day and I found myself making excuses.

I decided to go anyway – if for no other reason than I really didn’t feel like going all the way down to the park by myself for more hill training. I met the rest of the class in the parking lot, and the instructor gave us our little weekly talk. (This time, it was on goal setting.)

Then he said, “Okay, for those of you who missed last week, here’s where we’re running.” He proceeded to map out the route.

Uh oh. It turns out, I did that hill training completely wrong. The “hill” I chose? NOTHING compared to Mt. Everest on the other side of the park. It was at least 400 meters long – almost ½ a kilometer!

I was terrified. I did the warm up run with the people in the clinic I enjoy running with (we call ourselves the “slow” group!) Then, it was unavoidable. It was time for the hill.

I knew we were supposed to push ourselves, and, quite frankly, on our “easy” group runs, I don’t push myself that hard. Our instructor tells us that for the easy distance runs, we should be able to hold a conversation while running. I take that advice to heart. Last Sunday, we did our first 10K group run, and it was fantastic. I chatted with another girl in my group the whole way, and we took the 10K nice and easy.

But hill training is different. It’s meant to strengthen your legs, and boost your cardio performance. And since I haven’t been spinning much lately, I haven’t been pushing my heart rate up there like I should.

So I started my hill at a speed to get my heart rate up. (It turns out, I’m a bit faster than I think, as I quickly pulled away from the slow group.) It killed. My legs were burning, my breathing was heavy and it took every ounce of effort to get up that hill. The instructor was halfway up the hill, and he ran up to the top with me, shouting advice.

“Head up! Shorten your stride!” he bellowed. (Easy for him to say… he’s something like 5’5”. At 5’11”, with long legs, your stride’s always going to be pretty long.) “That’s it… you can do it… go right to the stop sign!”

Really? Right to the stop sign? But that’s so far away! Finally, I made it to the sign. I felt like puking. I’ve never been much for sprinting or speed work (I know I’m more of an endurance runner than a speed runner), and I felt awful.

“Good job!” the instructor chortled. “Now get back down that hill – three more to go!”

I made it through all four repeats. The good news is, they didn’t get any harder after that first one. The bad news? They didn’t get easier either. But I finished it, and set out on my cool down run. I actually took that run a lot faster than my warm up run – mostly because I really, really wanted to finish my run!

Finish it I did – and I will go back for another round next week. We’re moving up to five repeats next week, so let’s hope I can make it through that.

I’m really enjoying this clinic. I’m learning a lot about running, and getting some great exercise. For one thing, I’ve learned how one can live off Halloween candy for two weeks and still LOSE a pound. Just run 30-35 kilometers a week! (And I’m not kidding… so far, I’ve run 27K this week, and I still have a 6K run left today.)

What is ahead for training? The distances are steadily increasing. We do another 10K practice run tomorrow, and one of our weekly runs moves up to 8K. In the next few weeks, will increase our hill repeats, introduce speed repeats (somehow, I don’t like the sound of that…) and increase our longest distance to 13K. (Yes, I know this is a 10K clinic, but apparently that’s how they do this.)

We also haven’t chosen a goal race yet. There is no 10K race in Burlington in December, so we have to make some decisions. Our instructor thinks they might just do one for our class at the Running Room, but time us and make it official and everything. I hope they decide soon – I’d like to plan the month of December!

Happy trails…

Running on empty

It’s good to know that although in my last post, I lamented over not blogging enough, I proceeded to go a full month without blogging again! I’m starting to sound like a broken record, whining “I’m busy!”

So let’s focus on what’s been going on. I started the Running Room 10K clinic on October 10th, which is 20 days ago. The hectic training schedule has us running five times per week – ouch! At first, the distances were pretty small. A 5K, a couple of 6Ks, and mostly 3Ks. Pretty manageable, right?

But now we’re starting to get into the real work. On Sunday, I went for my first 8K run – my longest run yet. I’m happy to say it was relatively easy. I’ve been going to the Running Room for their group runs, and it’s really helping. Not only am I meeting new people, I’m also getting a good idea of pace and timing. I’m running with a group that runs a little bit slower than my normal pace (I’m usually a little too out of breath, which I think means I run too fast when I’m alone). But now we’re running a long run on Sundays, and at least two 6K runs each week – plus another two to three 3K runs.

Next week, we’re also starting on hill training, which I hear is killer. You have to run up a hill at around 85 percent of your maximum speed – several times in a row. I’m not quite sure I’m ready for that, but I guess I will be whether I want to or not! It’s apparently a great way to improve your time.

So how is everything else going? One big change since last month is that I’ve quit my gym and the whole family has joined the YMCA. It’s been pretty good so far. My schedule has made it tough to get to the gym, but on Saturday mornings, we’ve been going. The kids are in a program, Mike works out, and I do a spinning class and then a 3K run on the treadmill. At 11, I pick up Chris and take him to swimming, and Andrew’s in the pool then as well. I’m anxious to try more of the classes at the Y, which I’m hoping to do starting in November.

I’ve also been struggling a bit with my first injury! That little pulled muscle in my leg kept getting worse. Finally, my chiropractor discovered it was actually a pulled muscle in my glute that was causing the pain. I’ve been stretching it out and going to athletic massage therapy to fix it. It’s still ever-so-slightly sore, but much better.

I also discovered that my running shoes – now nine months old – had given out. The Running Room recommends changing your shoes every three to six months, and now that I’m running distances, it’s even more important. I went to the Running Room last night to get evaluated and fitted for new shoes – and, oddly enough, ended up getting exactly the same pair I got last time! I did a 6K in the new shoes this morning, and I sure could tell the difference. I guess the shoe thing isn’t just a marketing gimmick after all.

So I’m pledging right now to try and update my blog more frequently – once a week, if possible. There’s so much for me to discover, and write about, and read about, when it comes to running. I know I’m busy with work, but I’m planning to make a few simple changes next month (like letting go of a small – but time consuming – client) to free up a bit more time and eliminate some stress. Let’s hope it works!

Happy trails…

Worst blogger ever

I’m officially the worst blogger ever. Wasn’t the whole point to the running/blogging journey to chronicle my efforts in attempt to one day publish the whole story? If I keep this up, there won’t be any story to publish!

I blame work. My friend Michelle and I have talked about this at length. When you’re a professional writer (particularly in the trade magazine business, where we both work), by the end of a long day, you’re far too burnt out to write anymore. I’ve spent the last few weeks writing copy for my first issue of a 12-page newsletter (on the ever-exciting topic of warehousing), and starting the copy for my first issue of a manufacturing magazine. By the end of the day, the last thing I want to do is write!

And yet, paradoxically, it’s the very thing that makes me not want to write that will one day (hopefully) get my book published. By having real writing credentials (however lame they may be), I’m ever-so-slightly more likely to get a publisher or agent to talk to me.

Ooops… this blog entry is on hold while I go deal with a screaming toddler.

Now I’m back. Chris decided to get himself tangled up in his toy car in the basement. And, like his dad, when Chris gets hurt, he gets very, very mad. Both kids are quiet now, as is their dad, who’s working on his computer right now.

But back to the purpose of the blog… how’s the running going? September has been a very strange, in-between sort of month. I’m not training for anything specific, as my 10K clinic doesn’t start until October. Our schedules have been completely up in the air, as Andrew adjusts to JK, Chris adjusts to pre-school, and I adjust to having them in daycare. It’s all starting to work itself out, but it’s also highlighted where I need to make changes.

Let’s start with the running. Technically, I guess the running is going far better than anything else. With the kids in daycare and the crazy drop-off times, most weeks it seems like all I can do is run! I’ve been running anywhere from 4 to 5 times a week, about 5K per run.

I do need to get back on a specific training schedule to increase the length of my runs, but I figure that will come with the clinic. For the next week and a half before the clinic starts, I’ll just keep steady. You’re supposed to start the 10K training with a good base of 5K training, and I really think I’m there.

But there are two other areas of fitness that need some changing. The first is the gym. It looks like it’s time to switch gyms. While I really like running, I also love spinning, and doing muscle classes, and just generally cross-training. And my gym is fantastic, and I had a blast all summer getting to know some women who went there. Andrew got to know their kids in the gym’s daycare, and we all had fun. (We even went to a birthday part for one of the kids!)

The problem is our new schedule. Andrew is in school Monday, Wednesday, and every other Friday. Chris is in school Tuesday and Thursday. And with drop off-times of either 9:10 or 9:00, I simply can’t make it across town to a 9:15 or even 9:30 class. The gym is just too far away. I find I’m roaring into the classes incredibly late, and it’s disruptive to the class, it’s hard on me, and I’m stressed whenever I get to the gym. Sooner or later, I’m going to end up with a speeding ticket or getting into an accident on my way to the gym. And I don’t want that to happen.

That means we’re on the hunt for a new gym after all. Now that the kids have settled down, I think we might be going to look at the YMCA after all. My friends who go there say it’s fantastic, and the kids can do their swimming lessons there. Mike can also get into shape there, which is helpful! We may go have a look today.

Finally, there’s one other tiny issue that’s cropping up these days. I may have my very first injury! (And no, I’m not as happy about that as I sound) I recently started seeing a new chiropractor. For 7 years, I had seen the same chiropractor and the same massage therapist. Together, they helped with my neck and shoulder pain (basically caused by poor posture – when you’re 5’11” at 13, you’re bound to have posture issues!) and were great.

Last spring, my chiropractor had a baby and basically closed her practice. My massage therapist moved away to Waterloo. I decided to see if I really did need their help, or was I just being crazy.

I really needed the help. By this fall, I was a mess. So I found a new chiropractor, at a clinic that also offers massage therapy. The new chiropractor is very thorough, and has been working to adjust my hips – something the old chiropractor never did. But in putting my hips “right,” my body can’t seem to adjust and I’ve pulled my inner thigh muscle. It’s an area that’s never bothered me before, but boy is it bothering me now.

It’s actually not stopping the exercise though. It hurts when I move the muscle, particularly after sitting for a while. But it doesn’t hurt as much when I run, and I can’t even feel it at all when spinning. So the chiropractor’s advice is to keep doing what I’m doing, and she is trying to work it out. (Unbeknownst to her, I’m also taking anti-inflammatories, and I think that’s what’s really doing the trick.) But it is an area to watch in the future.

So what’s on the schedule for the next few weeks? I’m leaving tomorrow morning to go to Houston for work, where I will evidently be insanely busy for a few days. It’s a boring trade show, and it appears a thousand PR people want nothing more than to be my best friend so I’ll write something about their sensor (or other “fantastic” product.) The hotel where I’m staying is supposed to have a gym, so hopefully I will get to do a run or two on the treadmill while I’m away. It’s certainly better than nothing!

When I get back, it will be Thanksgiving weekend (and our wedding anniversary, and Chris’ birthday….) and I will soon start the 10K clinic. So I’ll just keep holding it steady until the 10K training begins.

Happy trails…

The 31K and other assorted tales

Where do I begin this update? First of all, I realize I haven’t written about my training since I ran my 5K at the end of August – and it’s already almost mid-September. I knew September, with all its changes, was going to be hectic. What I didn’t realize was just how hectic it would be.

Even exercise has taken a bit of a backseat these past few weeks as our family struggles to adjust to a whole new world. Andrew, who’s 4 ½, is starting Junior Kindergarten. Chris, who is almost 2, is starting pre-school. They have started three days a week at a new daycare. I’m lucky that the daycare is run by two fantastic moms from our pre-school, so at least the boys have friends and know their caregivers. But it’s been hard on two boys who have been home with mom practically forever. (Including a trip to the doctor on Andrew’s first day for what appeared to be a panic attack.) And even harder on their mom, who’s used to caring for them herself.

What else about mom? Well, mom finds she may have bitten off more than she can chew at the moment. Going back to editing a bi-monthly magazine. A newsletter contract for a new industry she’s never written about. Taking over as president of the pre-school. Finishing up a few other writing assignments. Wrangling with clients over late payments. Trying to get the house organized. Trying to stay sane.

But this blog is supposed to be about running, not me whining about being busy! Let’s face it: everyone is busy these days. I don’t know too many people who aren’t juggling a thousand things. The real question is, how’s the running going?

The honest answer is, it’s going, but not as much as before. Since I’m not specifically training, I haven’t been getting out as much as I’d like (or to the gym as much as I’d like). Right now I’m looking on any training as a victory. I managed to get out for a short 3K jaunt this morning after dropping the kids off in various places, and I might actually get to the gym in time for spinning tomorrow! I think in a few weeks, I’ll have it all figured out.

I also decided to stick with my existing gym for a little while longer. While we debated joining the Y as a family, I feel like it’s just too many changes and too much to pile on to an already overloaded schedule. We may decide to join in January, or even later, but for now, why mess with something that’s working?

The good news is that I signed up for the 10K clinic at the Running Room! It starts on October 10th (my little niece’s first birthday!), and goes until December. This way, I can figure out what works with the new schedule, and get my trip to Houston (for work – my first time traveling on business in five years!) out of the way before that starts. It’s also after Thanksgiving weekend, which will be busy at it happens to include my sixth wedding anniversary and Chris’ second birthday. I’m really looking forward to the clinic, and I know it’s just my next step of running a marathon.

Which brings me to one more thing… the 31K Walk for Grace. Last Sunday, I embarked on a 31K walk through Bronte Creek to raise money for pediatric brain tumour research at Sick Kids. The event was in honour of Grace Stanley, a little girl who passed away last year from this dreadful disease. (I know I’ve written about this before, but it bears repeating.) The 31 kilometers represented each month of Grace’s all-too brief life on earth.

My heart aches constantly for Grace’s mother and father, having to live the rest of their lives without their little girl. I don’t know how they feel – I can’t even begin to fathom the depths of their grief. I’m wracked with a sympathy for them that I can’t possibly express. All I can do is try to help them honour their daughter and raise funds for this cause – and hope that no other family has to go through what they have gone through.

So I walked. With two other people I had just met that morning, I walked for a total of six hours in the pouring rain. And those of us who participated in the event (which also had a 5K and 1K walk) raised more than $20,000 for Grace’s fund! It was physically demanding, but, as one of my walking partners put it, walking 31 kilometers is nothing compared to the 31 months that Grace lived. (She fought the cancer for almost half of her life, being diagnosed with a brain tumour at 15 months.)

When I got home (after a hot bath), I stumbled down the stairs to the couch. I then hugged my babies so tight, and told them a little about what I had done at the walk. I told them I walked not only for Grace and all the other kids at the hospital, but I walked for them too. I walked to ensure the phenomenal doctors at Sick Kids have the funds they need to continue their life-saving research.

And for now, that’s about it. I’m still piled with work, and I’m in the process of trying to re-organize my office and deal with the mounds of paper that’s collected over the summer. I’m surrounded by piles as I write this, so I guess it’s time to get back to work. Tomorrow, I’m off to the gym for a spinning class, and then will run on both Friday and Saturday. What will next week’s training bring? Well, that’s another story…

Happy trails…

The 5K

27:35!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, I felt that deserved some exclamation points. This morning, I ran the 5K race I’ve been training for – and lamenting over – all summer. My friend Val told me not to worry about my time. She said the adrenaline of the race and running with all those people would make me run faster. Was she ever right! As I approached the finish line, I almost couldn’t believe my eyes – I was still in the 27 minute range!

I crossed the finish line at 27:35, beating my previous best time by almost two minutes!! I know I was only competing with myself, but boy, did I ever whoop my own ass!

The race was down on the waterfront trail in Burlington, which is a beautiful run. The weather was hot and humid, with a steady rain for most of the run. Actually, I think the rain really helped, because it kept me pretty cool.

Mike and the boys ventured down with me to cheer me on. He took them to the playground at Spencer Smith Park while I ran. They waved to me as I trotted by, and when I was running back, about to cross the finish line, they cheered me on. It was enough of a push to keep going – I didn’t want them to see me slow down!

I was, however, struggling, particularly toward the end of the run. I couldn’t figure out why it was so hard, since I’d been running 5K for a few weeks now. Once I saw my time, though, I figured it out! I was averaging about 32:30-ish on my 5Ks this summer – which means today, I was running faster than I’ve ever run in my life. Maybe I’m not as sluggish as I think. And maybe I can do this marathon thing after all.

I know there’s still a long road ahead of me. On Monday, it’s time for me to reevaluate my training and start moving toward the next goal. I still need to conquer nutrition, I need to settle on a new training schedule and I need to figure out what I’m going to do about the gym/YMCA conundrum.

But for today, I’m just going to bask in the glory of my “victory.” I had a goal (to run my best-ever 5K), and I achieved it. I’m going to have a nice supper, a glass of wine, and take this time to relax. There’s plenty of time to get back to training on Monday.

Happy trails…

Panic on the streets of Burlington…

As race day approaches, I find myself panicking more and more. Try as I might, I can’t seem to improve my time on the 5K. I can’t even break 32 minutes, although I came in just over the 32 minute mark last night.

Part of the problem is I just feel like I can’t run that fast. When I push myself really hard, I run out of breath and am forced to slow down. Then I slow down too much, which affects my time. I know I need to do some more research on this, but with being away in Montreal last week, it’s been difficult. My best bet would be to go to one of the group runs at the Running Room, but since Mike has hockey tonight (when there’s a run), it’s not an option. And the next group run isn’t until Sunday – a day too late. The race is on Saturday morning.

So what do I do? First, I am going to give myself a bit of a break. I’m only competing with myself, after all, so who cares if I can’t beat me? I know that’s not really a “winning” attitude, but I only care about my time because I want to beat my own personal best time. It’s not like I even care if I come in last! (If I ran that 5K in 28 minutes, I’d be so happy, I wouldn’t care if I was 10 minutes behind everyone else!) I already know there are millions (billions?) of people in this world who can run faster than I can. (There are also billions who are smarter, better looking, make more money and have better behaved kids! If I cared about all those things, I’d never leave the house in the morning.)

I guess what I’m figuring out is that if I don’t beat my best time, it doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things. I know I’ll have sucky times on the 10K, the half marathon and the marathon too. The point is that I’m going to finish this race and continue working my way up to running a marathon.

Well, there’s probably a lot more for me to talk about today, but I’m overloaded with work and shouldn’t procrastinate any more. (I know… wasn’t I supposed to cut back on work this summer? Just wait until September!) I only wanted to fit in one more update before the race on Saturday.

Happy trails…

One day at a time

How do you improve your time for running a 5K? Well, you just…

Actually, I apparently have no idea how you improve your time! I’m incredibly frustrated with my running these days. I’ve practically abandoned both my training schedule of 10-and 1s (not to mention practically giving up spinning) in favour of running 5Ks straight through.

My best time on a 5K was 29:39, and that was my first (and so far, last) race in March. These days, I’m lucky if I run the 5K in 32:39. Most of the time, I’m falling somewhere in the late 32, or 33 minute mark. No matter how hard I seem to run, I can’t seem to break that time. (I’m hardly even hearing from my good buddy Lance Armstrong on my iPod anymore!)

I don’t know if it’s the heat these days, or if my energy levels are a bit lower, but I seem to be struggling a bit with these runs. I’m still huffing and puffing, particularly at the beginning of the run. I’d say I’m running at least three times a week (5K each time), and according to my Running Room training log, I’ve already run more than 32 K in the past two weeks. I’m still keeping up with the muscle workouts and doing the odd spin class – I really should be in better shape, right?

The ends of my runs tend to be much easier than the beginnings. When I hit the 3 or 4K mark, I could probably keep going for longer than 5K (albeit at my now-normal snail’s pace.) But the first few! I must look a fright running around my neighbourhood. I wonder if it means my endurance is better than my power/strength.

My 5K race is now a week and a half away. I’ve started to resign myself to the fact that I won’t be beating my best time for this race. I’m still running it, so that alone is a small accomplishment. And I’m going to sign up soon for the 10K clinic, which starts at the beginning of October.

This week I will have to work very hard to keep up with my training. We’re on our way to Montreal to visit family, and I know it will be tough, but I’m planning to run both Thursday and Friday morning. I won’t want to… I’ll want to sit around drinking coffee and chatting. But what’s a half an hour out of my day? With the race so close, it’s not the time to start slacking off, is it?

Once the trip is over next week, there are only a few weeks left in the summer and then things start to get really busy. I think when I get back, I’ll focus on training for both my upcoming race and the 31K Walk for Grace at the beginning of September. Once those two are done, I can re-evaluate my training and focus on the next goal. It’s just like running – one step at a time!

Happy trails…

F@%k you, Lance Armstrong

For my birthday last year, my very thoughtful husband gave me a very cool gift: a Nike+ iPod adaptor and a gift certificate for Nike+ running shoes. It’s basically a special adaptor that fits into your iPod Nano and your running shoe, and it tracks your training. It allows you to set different run lengths (you can choose distance, time or number of calories you want to burn) and it saves the data from every run for you to upload online.

It’s a fantastic little tool that has helped me immensely. When I go for a run, I set it to either the time or distance I want. A woman’s voice comes on from time to time to tell you how you’re doing so you don’t have to constantly keep your eyes on your iPod. For instance, when I’m doing a 29 minute run, this chick comes on and says things like “You’ve completed five minutes,” or “two minutes remaining.” At the end of the run, she comes on and says, “Congratulations. You’ve completed your goal of…”

So what’s Lance Armstrong got to do with it? Well, to backtrack a little, last Wednesday, I decided to do a “practice” 5K run. I would set the iPod to the 5K distance and run the whole thing without stopping to see if I’ve improved my time at all on the 5K. (My record is 29:39).

Off I went on the run. At the end of the 5K, the usual gal came on and said, “Congratulations. You’ve made it to your goal of running five kilometers. To end the workout…” I quickly checked my time, and it was wretched! It was 32:40!!!! I was incredibly disappointed with myself.

But I barely had time to register my disappointment when another voice came on. “This is Lance Armstrong,” the voice said. “Congratulations. You’ve just run a personal best mile at [and now I can’t remember the time, but it was somewhere in the 10 minute range].” (I didn’t use my iPod for my best run, which is why the time isn’t in there.)

Yeah, f@%k you, Lance Armstrong. I thought. Sure, you can run a marathon in 2 hours, but do you have to completely mock me?! I seem to recall hearing something a few years ago about Lance Armstrong working with Nike while he was training for the New York City marathon, but it sure took me by surprise!

But there’s a lesson to be learned in Lance’s words. I think it’s that I’m just not trying hard enough. I seem to assume that just getting out for a run – no matter how slowly I run – will magically improve my time. It won’t.

So now I’m kicking up my training a notch. I have less than a month until my race, so I plan to do at least one 5K “practice” run a week. This week, I’ll do that run on Thursday. I’m also going to push myself a bit harder while running. One thing I’m doing is playing with my speed. At certain intervals (probably between lampposts), I’m going to run as fast as I can. I did that at last night’s run, and it already improved my time. I ran about 4 ½ kilometers in 29 minutes, and that’s including doing 10-and-1s. If nothing else, I need to be more aware of how quickly (or, rather, how slowly) I’m running.

Training this week is again a bit strange with our busy schedule, but I ran last night, and I’ll be running outside both Wednesday and Thursday this week. Today was the usual Tuesday muscle class, and I’ll go to spinning on Friday.

Yesterday, I got my first copy of the Running Room magazine, and I have to say, I found it inspiring. I read tales of marathon runners who started running in their late 60s! If they can do it, I can certainly manage to run a marathon before I’m 35.

Happy trails…

A perfect week

Of course, before I get into the training update, I should clarify the title of this entry. By perfect week, I mean my training! (If it were a truly perfect week, the boys would have slept in, the massive concrete hole in our yard would magically be a pool and I would have received all six of the outstanding cheques I’m waiting for clients to send me!)

No, when I say I had a perfect week, it means I actually did every workout on my list for the week. Monday, I went to the gym for the “sweat and sculpt” class, a combination of aerobics and weights. Tuesday morning, I went to the muscle/weight training class, and Tuesday night, I actually went for a run outside. On Wednesday, I went to spinning, and on Thursday, I ran on the treadmill at the gym. (To make up for not running outside, I varied both the speed and the incline on the treadmill to make it harder. I also ran for 35 minutes, instead of 26.) Friday was spinning again, and Saturday was a final 26 minute run outside. It was an ambitious training schedule and by Saturday night, I was pooped!

This week is equally busy. Andrew has swimming lessons every morning again this week, so we’ve been heading to the gym and then going right to swimming. This morning was the “sweat and sculpt” class again, and tomorrow is muscle. On Wednesday, I’m going to do a practice 5K run outside, to see how long it takes me. I’m trying to beat my previous record (29:39), and it’s only a month until the big race. I’m going to see if I’ve managed to improve my time at all. Thursday is spinning, and Friday and Saturday will be 28 minute runs.

Speaking of racing… that’s one of two big goals I’ve been working for this summer. On August 25th, I’m competing in a 5K charity run in downtown Burlington. I find I need these goals to keep going. This race is to benefit the children of the Merendon Mountains. Now, I had never heard of this charity before, but it’s a project in Guatemala geared towards building self-sustaining communities through the construction of houses, a community centre/health clinic, community store, as well as the delivery of life skills, health and education. (Okay, I admit, I copied that from the website!) Part of the race entry fee goes to the charity.

I’m not raising any extra money for the race, however, because I plan on doing a lot of these races throughout the year and I don’t think it’s fair to hit up all my family and friends for money every time they turn around. But running is essentially a very selfish pastime and charity runs are a great way to give a little something back. I’ve decided that once a year, I’ll be sure to do one race where I can fundraise and contribute money to charity.

This year, that event is taking place on September 9th, and it’s the second event for which I’m training. In this case, I’m taking part in the 31 km Walk for Grace to benefit the Hospital for Sick Children. The walk is in honour of Grace Stanley, a little girl who went to Andrew’s preschool. Grace battled a very rare form of brain cancer, and, sadly, this walk is marking the first anniversary of Grace’s passing. Grace’s parents have devoted themselves tirelessly to raising money to benefit pediatric brain tumour research at Sick Kids, and this walk is one of the ways they are making it happen.

Through Grace and her courageous family, I’ve learned is that brain cancer is the number one leading cause of solid cancer death in children under 20. They are absolutely unpredictable (Grace had no family history of cancer), strike without warning and are devastating for the children and their families. The survival rate is shockingly low. (But really, isn’t anything other than a 100% survival rate too low?)

So I’m going to be pushing myself to my limit to do the 31K walk – one kilometer for every month of Grace’s life. I’ll be devoting my fundraising efforts to try and raise money for this walk. I’m sure I’ll be hitting up most friends and family members soon. For anyone else who wants to learn more about the walk, visit www.gracestanley.org.

And now, it’s back to the grind for another week. Work is fairly quiet (it will hopefully remain that way until September), so the boys and I will get some good “play” time in this week. Mike and I are also painting our concrete hole during the evenings this week (this is the final stage in the pool repairs that have been ongoing since we took possession of the house in May), and the goal is to have the pool up and running by the August long weekend. Can’t wait!

Happy trails…

Time is (not) on my side

As I sat down to write this entry, I started wondering if I am only doing it because it’s been more than two weeks since I last wrote anything. I guess that may be true, but how can I expect to write about my training if I don’t write about my training? I guess sometimes it’s hard to find things to talk about.

Basically, training has been progressing but perhaps not as much as I would like. I know my training schedule is a bit ambitious. I’m trying to run three times a week, spin twice a week and do strength training twice a week. That’s seven days right there, and who actually has time to train seven days a week? (Okay, I’m sure some people out there can, but they are few and far between.) The kids are home all summer – no preschool, no daycare, no summer camps – and keeping them amused is a full time job! I am still working, although I have cut back on taking a lot of assignments this summer to spend time with the kids.

What’s basically happened is that I’m really only getting out to run twice a week, instead of three times. I am doing more strength training than before, so hopefully that will make a difference. This week, I’m moving my runs up to 26 minutes. It’s a 10-and-1 schedule: walk for one minute, run for 10, walk for one, run for 10 and walk for one. But this week, going up to 26 minutes, I add another two minutes of running and one minute of walking to the end of the run. I don’t anticipate it will make much of a difference, since my cardio is fairly strong after a year of spinning classes.

One thing that does concern me, though, is the difference between working out indoors and outside. I find running outside so much harder than working out indoors (whether spinning, in an aerobics class or on the treadmill). In fact, I often feel immediately out of breath on my runs and it makes me feel like I’m totally out of shape. It gets better as I keep running and by the end of my short runs, I feel like I could keep going. But the beginning! I always feel like I’ve never done any physical activity before in my life.

It could be that I’m starting off too strong and it takes me a while to find my pace. I’m really not sure, so at some point it would be good to run with a partner to test that. I think I can go to one of the Running Room’s weekly runs on Wednesday nights or Sunday mornings, but I’m not sure if I’m allowed. What I should really do is just call and find out if my online clinic allows me to join these runs. (Let’s add another thing to the list!)

The other thing that’s really stressing me out is time. Where will I find the time to do all this? I know that, starting in September, I just won’t have time to do this ambitious plan of three runs, two spinning classes and two muscle classes a week. In fact, I’m not even sure if I can stay at my gym, because I won’t be able to go to most of the classes. The kids are going to be in school on different days and their schedules mean I won’t be able to make it all the way across town to the gym in time for the classes. I want to start 10K training in the fall, so I know my runs are going to be a lot longer, taking up more time. Plus, my big work contract starts in September, adding another element.

I know it may be a bit early to start worrying about this, but I’m such a planner it’s hard not to start thinking about it. Do I join a different gym? We’ve been thinking about joining the Y as a family, but it’s awfully pricey and would the Y’s schedule be any different? Plus, I love some of the instructors at my gym and the kids love the daycare there. Chris has been going to that daycare since he was four months old. We’re just so comfortable there!

I think a big part of the problem is that I have to scale back my expectations. I can’t do it all, no matter what I think. It may be that as my runs get longer, I have to cut back in other areas. Go to only one spinning class a week. Buy some free weights and learn some exercises I can do at home for strength training. I can even look in to hiring a trainer (which I probably can’t afford!) to keep up with strength training. (I’d love to hire Sue, the instructor at my gym, but she’s so good I know I can’t afford her rates!)

I guess there are always options no matter which way I decide to go. I need to be open to all the different options and not so tied to my current ‘routine’ that I can’t make some changes. I’m not a person who does well with change, but I’m sure I can be more adaptable.

And there’s lots of time to think about it all. I purposely cut back on work this summer in the hope I could get my life, my schedule, our house and the kids organized before our lives change so drastically in September. Andrew starts kindergarten, Chris starts pre-school and I take on my biggest job yet. Yes, September is full of changes, so what’s one more?

But for now, it’s only July, and I can keep on my usual track. For the next two weeks, Andrew has swimming lessons at 11 a.m., so we’ve been going to the gym at 9 a.m., then heading out to swimming right after that. I also want to get the kids’ clothes organized this week, do a big cleaning of the house, fit in a playdate, do some work for the preschool, make a couple of trips to the park and get started on an article I’m writing for a corporate client. It sounds like a lot when I write it all out, but for me, it’s actually a quiet week!

As for workouts, the plan this week was the “sweat and sculpt” class this morning (for strength and cardio), the muscle class tomorrow morning, run 26 minutes tomorrow night, spinning on Wednesday, running on the treadmill on Thursday (no sitter, and Mike has hockey at 7, so I don’t have time to run outside), spinning Friday and running outside on Saturday.

Now I’m off to continue with this week’s chores. We were hoping to go for a long bike ride/walk when Chris gets up from his nap, but the rain doesn’t seem to be letting up. (Okay, it’s not just a walk… I have to get flyers printed for the preschool, so we’re going over to the UPS store to get that done. But if we walk, Andrew can ride his bike and will think it is great fun – although if it’s still raining, we’re out of luck!)

Happy trails…

Hot or not?

After a week of 35 degree temperatures, I decided to research how to run in the heat. So, naturally, what happens? It cools right down! (Today, it’s a balmy 21-ish degrees. I don’t even have the air conditioning on.) But I did my research and, since it is sure to get hot again, I’m figuring out how to run in the extreme heat.

Of course, hydration is of primary importance. I’m thinking of trading in my old water-holder and bottle for on of the hydration packs at the Running Room. It’s basically a bunch of small bottles distributed all around your waist. I find my water bottle is a bit heavy, and slows me down.

It’s also good to run in either the early morning or early evening, according to my online Running Room instructor. Avoiding the heat of the day is best, although that isn’t hard for me to avoid, as I’m never really free or available to run around lunchtime/naptime!

Finally, clothes are critical. These runners (at least those at the Running Room) have a saying that “cotton is rotten,” and advise to wear moisture-wicking technical fabrics to keep sweat away from the body. Of course, they could just be saying that so you buy more clothes at the Running Room! (It does make a difference, so I don’t think it’s all marketing ploy, although there is that element to it.)

So how did training go this week? My regular schedule was a little messed up thanks to some unavoidable work stuff. I had planned to go to the gym on Monday to do a special cardio/muscle class, because pre-school is finished and it’s the first time I’ve been able to make it to that class. It’s run by my favourite instructor, who is not only in incredible shape, but is also extremely knowledgeable about strength training and building long, lean muscle. She also teaches my Tuesday morning muscle class and has mentioned that the two classes are supposed to compliment each other.

But when I arrived on Monday, it turns out she wasn’t the instructor! And not that I didn’t like the alternate instructor, but I wasn’t sure the two workouts (Monday and Tuesday) would compliment each other. So I skipped the class in favour of a spinning class, and had a good workout there.

Tuesday it was muscle class, so I decided that I’d skip the gym on Wednesday and go for a run in the evening. That ended up not happening, thanks to very hot weather (I know, no excuse!), an impending thunderstorm and just plain tiredness. Yesterday was another spinning class, and today, I did a run on the treadmill at the gym because I don’t have time to go for a run tonight. Mike has to go out, so I’m stuck at home.

The treadmill isn’t quite good enough, but I varied my speed to try and push myself a little. I did this week’s 7-and-1s, and actually ran for a total of 35 minutes. I ran at speeds from 5.5 miles per hour to a max of 7.5 mph. I’d increase and decrease to try and push myself a little. It’s not as good as running outside, but for me, it’s a good compromise when I can’t get outside. (That happens a lot… if I don’t have a sitter, or Mike is out in the evening, it can be tough to run outdoor.) It’s also good if the weather is extremely hot, extremely cold, snowing, raining or just generally something you shouldn’t be out in.

Now that I’ve completed my research on running in the heat, it’s on to the nutrition aspect. And once again, I’ve fallen off the wagon! Yesterday was Mike’s birthday, and I made a special dinner of steak (with melted Roquefort cheese, like we had in Paris on our honeymoon), baked potato, Caesar salad, garlic bread (with cheese and sundried tomatoes) and his favourite yellow cake with chocolate icing. We also cracked open a nice bottle of Wolf Blass Shiraz to celebrate. Talk about too much food!

I also know this weekend isn’t going to get much better… we’ll probably do takeout tonight when Mike gets home, and tomorrow we’re going to a barbecue which I know won’t be good. To top it off, I just ate two Timbits that Andrew’s little friend brought with him for a play date! (And I never eat Timbits.) Talk about negating my good day, which started with a protein-packed soy milk and berry smoothie and a great salad for lunch.

I guess that means it’s time to start the nutrition research. I’m sure a lot of that will happen along this journey. Right now, if I could stop falling off the wagon (or at least stop falling off as much!), that would be a big help.

Now I’m off to play outside with the boys! Tomorrow, I’ll go for another early-morning run, then take Sunday off. Mike is on holiday next week, so I’m sure my schedule will get a bit messed up! I’m aiming to run outside Monday, Thursday and Saturday again, and go to the gym on Tuesday (for muscle class) and Wednesday (for spinning.) I can’t guarantee I’ll go to spinning on Friday. I may just take a rest (it is supposed to be a vacation after all!) or see what kind of fun class might be happening on Friday at a time I can’t normally go to the gym.

Happy trails!

Running to stand still

It turns out the hardest part about the whole running a marathon/writing a book thing isn’t going to be finding the time to run – it’s finding the time to write! Work and the kids’ activities have been especially hectic in the past few weeks, and I find I don’t have the time to write about my training and updating my blog.

Training-wise, things are going well. I’ve managed to fit in most of my scheduled workouts and runs for the past two weeks. I skipped a spinning class one week and my Saturday run this week, but otherwise I am progressing. I’ve had two weeks of running for 25 minutes, doing “5-and-1s” (running for 5 minutes, walking for one.) I’m averaging about 3.6 km per run.

This week, I have to up the length of my running periods. I am still to run for 25 minutes, but now doing “7-and-1s.” I don’t anticipate it will be too hard – if nothing else, spinning has increased my cardiovascular strength. The key, of course, is finding time to run outdoors. Having the kids here means I have to run in the evenings, and this week is a busy one, with Mike out a few evenings for hockey. It looks like I may have to do one of my three runs at the gym on the treadmill, so the kids can stay at the daycare there.

I ended up spinning this morning, so it looks like I will run Wednesday (in the evening), Friday (at the gym on the treadmill), and Saturday. I’ll spin again on Thursday, and do my usual Tuesday morning muscle/strength training class tomorrow. I do find I’m working out five to six times a week. It’s a lot (I never seem to have enough clean workout gear!), but manageable. If only the rest of life were manageable as well!

It’s amazing the amount of support you get from people when you talk about your fitness goals. I find that, particularly at my gym, the minute I mention my training, everyone is eager to talk about it, share their own stories and swap tips. This morning, a woman in my spinning class told me all about a trail run she did on the weekend and it sounded like a fantastic place to run. The instructors, too, are incredibly supportive. Of course, it’s a group of people who take their own health and fitness seriously, so it’s no wonder they are supportive!

I know there’s much more I want to research and write about these days. How do I run in the extreme heat? How do I stay on track with proper nutrition? (We eat very well, but not all the time, and when I fall off the nutrition wagon, I fall HARD.) How can I properly increase my strength training? (Because one muscle class a week is not going to cut it…) Do I need a trainer? Do I have money for a trainer? (Probably not!)

So what I’ve decided to do is spend some time researching each one of these questions at a time, and write about what I learn. I guess that means I should start with the first question: running in the heat. I do know hydration is critical, but are there any other tips? I’m off to find the answer.

Happy trails!

Runners on your marks

Never one to sit around and contemplate things too much, I decided if I’m serious about training, I’d better get started. Unfortunately, the Running Room’s 5K clinic (the follow-up to the Learn to Run I took in the winter) is already several weeks into its curriculum, so I can’t join.

Instead, I decided to sign up for the Running Room’s online 5K clinic. I’ve selected a goal race for the end of August (which I’ll register for soon) and now I have to start working toward that. My online clinic gives me a training schedule to get through the next 11 weeks, and it’s really pretty easy. Technically, the schedule doesn’t start until next week, but I’m just going to do the first week twice.

I’ve already had to modify it a bit to fit my schedule. I’m supposed to run Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays, but those days don’t work that well for me. I’ve moved everything back a day to Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. I didn’t bother going to the gym this morning, as I really want to make it a point of running outside rather than on a treadmill. If you’ve ever done both, you know there’s a huge difference. Outside is much, much harder. There are variances in temperature, wind speed, hills, etc., that make it far more difficult. I’m going to do my run tonight, when Mike is home and the kids are in bed.

The good thing about this new schedule is that I don’t have to give up any of my classes at the gym. For now, I can still do spinning on Wednesday and Friday mornings, as well as my Tuesday morning muscle class. That will change this summer, when Andrew’s nursery school is over, but for the remaining two weeks, I can at least keep up with it.

For this week and next, I’m to run for 25 minutes, regardless of distance. The pattern, according to my Running Room schedule, is walk for 1 minute, run for 5, walk for 1, etc. That’s what’s known as “Five and ones” in runner-speak. For me, this is the easy part, as I’m already in half-decent shape. I think it’s later, when I get into longer runs, that I will start to really challenge myself.

Which makes today the true starting point of this little “adventure.” Luckily, I’m not really starting from scratch. The Running Room website has my stats from the last race I ran, in March, and according to those stats, I actually ranked 8th out of 63 women in my age category (30-34) who ran that race. Not too bad!

So where am I starting from? I guess I’d better figure that out. The Running Room website has a self-test to help me assess my level of fitness, and since I already do quite a bit of cardio, I seem to be ready to run at least 4-5K.

Of course, this week is already busy… I’m finishing off yet another last minute assignment for the U.S. publication I work for, and I’m having two parties here this week: the preschool executive barbecue on Thursday and the in-laws on Saturday. Plus, Mike has ball hockey on Tuesday and Wednesday night is the Father’s Day dinner at the pre-school AND the Junior Kindergarten meeting at Andrew’s new school. On Friday, a friend and her sons are coming over for a playdate, and Andrew’s soccer pictures are Friday evening. It’s going to be a challenge to fit it all in, but here’s the workout schedule so far:

Monday: Run 25 minutes in evening
Tuesday: 45-minute muscle class at the gym (thank heavens for a gym with a daycare!)
Wednesday: 50-minute spinning class
Thursday: Run 25 minutes in morning, after I drop the kids off at daycare (they currently go one day a week, until the end of June)
Friday: 50-minute spinning class
Saturday: Run 25 minutes in the morning, before Andrew’s soccer
Sunday: Rest. (And it’s Father’s Day!)

There’s also a big nutrition aspect of this, but I’ll probably save that for a later date. For now, it’s off to work I go while the kids are napping. This copy isn’t going to edit itself!

Happy trails…

How I'm going to run a marathon

“Train to run a marathon? You don’t need to train! Here’s how you run a marathon. Step one: you start running. There is no step two.”
-Barney on How I Met Your Mother

I am not an athlete.

I’ve never really been an athlete. Growing up, I was awful at every sport I ever tried. I’m inherently lazy as well – my motto has always been to never walk when I can ride and never sit when I can recline. Family legend has it I didn’t walk until I was 16 months old simply because I was lazy.

That’s why the idea of running a marathon terrifies me. And why, in 2010, I’m going to do just that. I am going to run a marathon when I’m 35 years old. And this blog is going to chronicle my training as I take myself from “zero to hero” in just three years.

I know, that sounds crazy. Why would a person like me actually take on something this momentous?

Before I answer that, a little bit about me. At this moment, I’m a 32-year old mother of two boys, ages 4 and 20 months. I work from home as a freelance writer and editor so I can take care of my kids. I edit boring technical trade magazines, and in September, I’m taking on a huge one-year contract to edit the magazine I used to do full-time, before I had kids. (I’m covering for the current editor’s mat leave.) I’m also taking over as president of the board at my sons’ preschool. Between juggling all that and continuing to work for my other clients, I must be crazy, right?

Probably a little! About a year ago, I caught a bit of the fitness bug. I gained a lot of weight when I was pregnant with my kids. Sixty pounds during the first pregnancy, which I managed to lose by going to one of those 30-minute fitness places and by following a popular low-carb diet. But during pregnancy #2, all of my bad habits crept back – laziness, a taste for junk food – and I once again gained 60 pounds.

Fat, flairless and generally disgusted with myself, I joined a gym with a daycare to try and shed those pounds. There, I discovered spinning (a group fitness class on stationary bikes) and the treadmill. Through the fitness classes and Weight Watchers, I once again lost the baby weight and got back to my usual self.

Then I realized I still didn’t much like my “usual” self. I’ve never been particularly skinny and always had a tendency to put on weight. With this new fitness kick I was on, I started to see some potential – a way to become the person I’d always wanted to be.

So I joined a “Learn to Run” class, and ran a 5K race in the winter. But in the middle of all that, we decided to sell our house and buy a new one and I lost momentum.

Which brings me back to the marathon! I have always said I want to run a marathon on day. And after everyone (myself included) stopped laughing at the idea, I realized I really want to make this happen. I know I can’t do it overnight – I need to train. So I set the goal: a marathon by age 35. That’s when I realized I’m already 32. I’d better get moving. So I’m officially starting my training this summer. There will be small goals along the way, but the official endgame is in 2010, when I’m aiming to run the Mississauga Marathon. That’s 42.2 kilometers.

So why the blog? Well, that’s where a different kind of ambition comes in. The fact is, for the past seven years, I’ve been writing about things like manufacturing, emergency preparedness, human resources and cable. (Yes, cable. Like the kind you hook up to your TV.) And while it pays the bills, it’s not really what I want to do with my life. I want to write about health, nutrition and fitness. I want to write books. I want to write for women’s magazines. But I’m so busy writing about everything else, I run out of steam when it comes to writing the “good” stuff.

That’s why I’m going to chronicle my training efforts in a blog. Not only will it give me practice writing about something I love, the end goal will be to have it published in a book. Even if it never gets published, at least I will know I’ve accomplished something.

Of course, the problem with starting this blog now and not after the fact is that the outcome is not guaranteed. I might call this blog “How I Ran a Marathon,” but until I cross the finish line in 2010, nothing is certain. I might give up. I might be too busy to finish it. I could injure myself. I could find out that I’m nothing more than another person who starts something but never finishes it.

I’m going to update regularly with how my training is going. Since I can’t do this all at once, I’m going to start with small goals. This summer, I have two: I am going to train to run a 5K in 25 minutes (currently my best time is 29:57) and I am going to train to do a 31K fundraising walk in September. (More on that later.)

Let’s get it started…