Now that work has (finally) slowed down, I can take a bit of writing time to myself. It’s funny that I write for a living, but never seem to find time to do the kind of writing that is good for my soul. I guess I wouldn’t be a writer if I didn’t find writing to be cathartic – when I’m feeling low, writing out my problems always makes me feel better.
These days, most of that writing doesn’t take the form of a diary, but rather lengthy e-mails to a few very good friends. One in particular is another writer (who knows exactly who she is). She is the frequent recipient of very long e-mails. I swear, we often write to each other instead of talking because writing comes so naturally to us.
But writing was also the point of starting this blog, and I’m hoping that over my upcoming vacation, I might actually find some time to write blog posts about several of the issues that have come up in my life and in my training. I have plenty of ideas for topics to write about, but never any time to execute them!
For two whole weeks, though, I won’t have to write about the top five key performance indicators in your warehouse (blergh) or about how some company improved its warehouse with voice-directed picking (double-blergh). For two weeks, I am going to spend time with my family and start thinking about the future.
I’ve been dealing with quite a few issues this fall. I won’t go into to too many of them here, partly because it would be really boring to drone on AGAIN about my sucky career (I have one job I love, one job I tolerate and one job I detest) and how my kids are driving me crazy. It’s also partly because this is supposed to be my outlet to write about the running/fitness side of my life. I mean, I deal with work and family issues all the time too, but I want to take some time to reflect on the stuff I do that’s just for me. And that’s the running and fitness activities.
(Coming soon… updates on strength training, a fantastic new walking group I joined this fall and some interesting changes to my half-marathon training!)
Today, however, I’ve got something on my mind that I just can’t shake. It started last weekend, when I went out with three girlfriends to celebrate one’s very special milestone birthday. We had a great idea of having a lunch, then heading to a local spa for pedicures. It was, without a doubt, the most fun “me” day I’ve had in a long time!
As we were waiting for our toenails to dry, one friend was chatting about her weight. This friend, never overweight to begin with, had embarked on a weight loss program in the summer and was incredibly successful. She, like so many of us, had been eager to lose the “last 10 pounds.” (We’re all addicted to that show, by the way! My friend even e-mail Tommy Europe to see if he would come to Ontario, but sadly, they only film in B.C.) Well, on Saturday, she was telling us that she’s kept all the weight off, even during this holiday party season.
Then she did something I have NEVER had the guts to do… she told us how much she weighed! And I had to admit, when I heard the number… I was jealous! Not jealous in a “gee, I think I hate you now” kind of way, but a “gosh, I would do ANYTHING to weigh that amount” kind of way.”
So I replied, “That is amazing! I would give anything to weigh that, but I can’t seem to lose any weight at all.” (This, as an aside, is true. Despite embarking on a very healthy eating plan this fall and all my working out – five to six days a week, which includes four runs and three strength training sessions, some of which are combined – I weigh exactly what I weighed when I finished Weight Watchers after losing my Christopher baby weight.)
Now, our other friend piped up. I should explain that this friend, the birthday girl herself, is perhaps the most overwhelmingly positive person I’ve ever met. She sees good in everything, and has truly learned about the power of positive thinking. I find her an inspiration, and have been trying to be more positive myself under her influence. (Not that it works very often, being the cynical, journalist type that I am, but I am TRYING to have a more positive outlook!)
She said, “That’s why you’re not losing weight! It’s all in your attitude!” And she wouldn’t listen to any of my arguments to the contrary. Not about my reasonably healthy diet, nor my hectic training schedule. And she was so adamant, it got me thinking: was she right?
I’ve had a few days to reflect on it, and I’ve come to the conclusion that, no, she’s not right – but she is right. I realize that doesn’t make a lot of sense, but it did open my eyes to certain things.
No, I don’t believe my inability to lose weight is a result of my attitude, but I DO think I need to change my attitude. I think there is one very good reason why I’m not losing weight – I’m at the weight my body thinks I should be at. It’s my MIND that is hung up on the number on the scale.
This is NOT the part where I disclose my weight on the Internet for all and sundry to read! But I will disclose the following details:
1. I am 5’11” tall. No matter how hard I try, or how much I exercise and weight train, I will NOT become a 5’2” size 0. Never going to happen.
2. I just bought a pair of pants from Lululemon in a size four. That is the smallest size I’ve ever worn in my life – even when I was a teenager and was the lightest I’ve ever been.
3. I have a body mass index of 22, which is considered a normal, healthy weight.
4. I weight train 2-3 times a week, including one very intense, one-hour strength training class per week.
And that’s where I think my friend might be right… my problem is my attitude. Maybe I weigh exactly what I am supposed to weigh. Just because, psychologically, I don’t like the number on the scale, it doesn’t mean that I need to lose weight. Instead of worrying about shedding pounds, maybe I should start shedding my own bad attitude and misconceptions about what I “should” weigh and just enjoy being fit and healthy.
Of course, I’m sure I could lose weight… if I starved myself, or denied myself every single pleasure I get out of life. I could refuse to put anything in my mouth that wasn’t 100% healthy… but then, while I might be thin, I would be miserable. I like having a glass of wine on a Friday night. I like nibbling on appetizers at a party. I like having dessert once in a while. And while I do have to be careful not to go overboard, I also work out so that I can “afford” to enjoy my food.
So really, my friend was right. My problem IS my attitude. Why am I so obsessed with the number on the scale? If I can drink wine, eat cheese, grab a Starbucks Chai, or pop a few French fries in my mouth and still buy a size four pant, why let a stupid number – a number that medical authorities tell me is a healthy number – bother me?
Of course, that is easier said than done. We all obsess over that number, all the time. But I am really going to try to focus on a few other numbers for a while, including:
-21.1 (kilometers; the distance of a half marathon)
-10 (pounds; the weight I want to be able to lift through my entire strength training class)
-4 (the size of my Lululemon pants)
-5’11” (my height)
-22 (my BMI)
In the new year, I might also investigate getting my body fat tested. I’d like to know, really, what is my percentage of body fat? Everyone swears up and down that muscle weighs more than fat. Is it true? Maybe it does… I certainly work out enough to have quite a bit of muscle. What if the scale says one thing, but I find out I’ve got 20% body fat? Or 15%? Will that make a difference to my attitude?
I’m certainly willing to try. Because the biggest problem isn’t my weight… it’s how it’s weighing on my mind.
Happy trails…
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Good enough for half?
It’s never a good sign when I don’t have time for blog updates. The good news is that I’m finding time to run. The bad news? I’m not finding MUCH time, and no time to write this blog.
But all that is about to change. After a year of taking on too much work, one of my major contracts is finally over. I have cut my workload almost in half, which is a fantastic relief. If I have learned one thing this past year, it is that too much work is just that – to much work. It was hard striking a balance, and I think a lot of things suffered. Time with the family really suffered (and the kids were in daycare far more than I would have liked), as did the order in my household. I don’t think I’ve ever been quite this messy or disorganized in my life.
Similarly, our eating habits suffered. With no time to cook, we grabbed far to many meals on the go, especially in the months from August to October, when I was on back-to-back-to-back deadlines. I had to complete three issues of the manufacturing magazine and three issues of the warehouse magazine in three months. Plus, I started working part-time again at the college in September, and September is the busiest month for the nursery school. (And THAT hasn’t gotten any easier. Last year, when everyone wanted me to be president again, they said, “It can’t be worse than this past year!” They were wrong… it is!)
But there is good news too. One is that I found out what happened to my favourite instructor at my old gym. (The one I belonged to before we joined the Y as a family.) It turns out, she has started a new fitness program called “Tread Powerfully” (more on that later), and as part of that, offers an “Intense Strength” class, which is an hour-long muscle class. I signed up, and have been faithfully doing the strength class once a week (and the Tread Powerfully classes when I have time… the class times often conflict with my schedule). It’s very exciting, and I’m going to spend more time blogging about the concept soon.
And as for the running? I’m still running, but was so busy, I abandoned my plan of running a 10K race at the end of October. I’d say I get out to run anywhere from three to four times a week. I try to do one “long” run a week (about 10K), and a few 5K, 6K, or 7K in between. Add to that the weight training and the occasional Tread Powerfully class, and I think I’ve managed to maintain my fitness level.
But this level isn’t going to enable me to run a marathon – not even close. It’s time to move on, and take my training to the next level. I start my half-marathon clinic this week (although I can’t go to the classes on Thursday night, I’m still taking advantage of the instructors & training program), and I am signed up to run the Chilly Half Marathon here in Burlington on March 1st. My plan is to run two half-marathons in 2009, and start training for the Mississauga Marathon after completing my second half. So far, this is a good start.
That’s about it for this update, but part of the reason I cut back on my workload is to have more time to write about subjects that actually interest me. That includes this blog. I won’t go this long again without an update.
Happy trails…
But all that is about to change. After a year of taking on too much work, one of my major contracts is finally over. I have cut my workload almost in half, which is a fantastic relief. If I have learned one thing this past year, it is that too much work is just that – to much work. It was hard striking a balance, and I think a lot of things suffered. Time with the family really suffered (and the kids were in daycare far more than I would have liked), as did the order in my household. I don’t think I’ve ever been quite this messy or disorganized in my life.
Similarly, our eating habits suffered. With no time to cook, we grabbed far to many meals on the go, especially in the months from August to October, when I was on back-to-back-to-back deadlines. I had to complete three issues of the manufacturing magazine and three issues of the warehouse magazine in three months. Plus, I started working part-time again at the college in September, and September is the busiest month for the nursery school. (And THAT hasn’t gotten any easier. Last year, when everyone wanted me to be president again, they said, “It can’t be worse than this past year!” They were wrong… it is!)
But there is good news too. One is that I found out what happened to my favourite instructor at my old gym. (The one I belonged to before we joined the Y as a family.) It turns out, she has started a new fitness program called “Tread Powerfully” (more on that later), and as part of that, offers an “Intense Strength” class, which is an hour-long muscle class. I signed up, and have been faithfully doing the strength class once a week (and the Tread Powerfully classes when I have time… the class times often conflict with my schedule). It’s very exciting, and I’m going to spend more time blogging about the concept soon.
And as for the running? I’m still running, but was so busy, I abandoned my plan of running a 10K race at the end of October. I’d say I get out to run anywhere from three to four times a week. I try to do one “long” run a week (about 10K), and a few 5K, 6K, or 7K in between. Add to that the weight training and the occasional Tread Powerfully class, and I think I’ve managed to maintain my fitness level.
But this level isn’t going to enable me to run a marathon – not even close. It’s time to move on, and take my training to the next level. I start my half-marathon clinic this week (although I can’t go to the classes on Thursday night, I’m still taking advantage of the instructors & training program), and I am signed up to run the Chilly Half Marathon here in Burlington on March 1st. My plan is to run two half-marathons in 2009, and start training for the Mississauga Marathon after completing my second half. So far, this is a good start.
That’s about it for this update, but part of the reason I cut back on my workload is to have more time to write about subjects that actually interest me. That includes this blog. I won’t go this long again without an update.
Happy trails…
Friday, August 1, 2008
Just like starting over...
I’ve been back on the running/training bandwagon for about three weeks now. It’s been six weeks since my surgery, and I’ve recovered nicely. But taking three weeks off running? That was harder than I expected.
I haven’t had much of a chance to get outside, so I’ve mostly been running on the treadmill at the Y (where the kids can go to activities.) But my cardio suffered from three weeks off. It’s only just beginning to improve. I used to warm up between 6.0 and 6.5 miles per hour on the treadmill – my first week back, I could barely make it up to 6.0 without feeling like death warmed over.
Huffing and puffing, I’ve been trying to keep up with my training schedule of running (or some other form of cardio), five times a week. A trip to Las Vegas this weekend will derail that a bit, but basically I am getting back to normal. I ran as high as 7.2 yesterday on the treadmill, and even went to a spinning class on Tuesday morning.
So now I really need to find a goal race for all this training. I’m aiming for a 10K, sometime in October, just to make sure I’m right back to where I was before embarking on half marathon training. (The half marathon clinic starts at the beginning of November, and I am so there!) The goal is to run the 10K between 55 and 59 minutes. We’ll see how it goes.
I am also allowed to start weight training again soon. I am really going to try to do more strength and weight training. I know that’s my weakest area (no pun intended), and I know that to run faster, I need to be stronger. Next week, after Vegas, it will all start again.
In the meantime, I’m heading into vacation mode. I tend not to take a lot of time off (self-employment does that to you – you either work and get paid, or you don’t), so it’s pretty exciting that I am going to be gone from Saturday to Wednesday with NO e-mail or Internet access. (I’m sure the hotel will have some, but I am not bringing my laptop!!) I’m also not fooling myself into bringing my running shoes, thinking I’ll go for a run. I know I won’t. We are going to celebrate Mike’s birthday (and his friends’ birthdays) and have a good time. We’ll be walking a lot, and that will have to suffice. I’m going to do a 6K run tomorrow before we leave (our flight doesn’t leave until 9 p.m.), and a 6K run on Thursday after we get home. The rest of the time, I’m going to enjoy myself.
So that’s the update for now. I may be starting over – a bit – but at least I didn’t give up.
Happy trails…
I haven’t had much of a chance to get outside, so I’ve mostly been running on the treadmill at the Y (where the kids can go to activities.) But my cardio suffered from three weeks off. It’s only just beginning to improve. I used to warm up between 6.0 and 6.5 miles per hour on the treadmill – my first week back, I could barely make it up to 6.0 without feeling like death warmed over.
Huffing and puffing, I’ve been trying to keep up with my training schedule of running (or some other form of cardio), five times a week. A trip to Las Vegas this weekend will derail that a bit, but basically I am getting back to normal. I ran as high as 7.2 yesterday on the treadmill, and even went to a spinning class on Tuesday morning.
So now I really need to find a goal race for all this training. I’m aiming for a 10K, sometime in October, just to make sure I’m right back to where I was before embarking on half marathon training. (The half marathon clinic starts at the beginning of November, and I am so there!) The goal is to run the 10K between 55 and 59 minutes. We’ll see how it goes.
I am also allowed to start weight training again soon. I am really going to try to do more strength and weight training. I know that’s my weakest area (no pun intended), and I know that to run faster, I need to be stronger. Next week, after Vegas, it will all start again.
In the meantime, I’m heading into vacation mode. I tend not to take a lot of time off (self-employment does that to you – you either work and get paid, or you don’t), so it’s pretty exciting that I am going to be gone from Saturday to Wednesday with NO e-mail or Internet access. (I’m sure the hotel will have some, but I am not bringing my laptop!!) I’m also not fooling myself into bringing my running shoes, thinking I’ll go for a run. I know I won’t. We are going to celebrate Mike’s birthday (and his friends’ birthdays) and have a good time. We’ll be walking a lot, and that will have to suffice. I’m going to do a 6K run tomorrow before we leave (our flight doesn’t leave until 9 p.m.), and a 6K run on Thursday after we get home. The rest of the time, I’m going to enjoy myself.
So that’s the update for now. I may be starting over – a bit – but at least I didn’t give up.
Happy trails…
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Chop, chop
There’s a pretty decent explanation as to why I haven’t updated my running blog in almost two months – I haven’t been running! Okay, that’s not entirely true. I haven’t taken two months off running. But I have been sidelined for almost three weeks now, and in the weeks leading up that, I was so busy preparing for being sidelined, I didn’t have time to update my blog.
For most of May and June, I simply ran (either outside or at the Y) four or five times a week. I really didn’t follow much of a training plan – just got out whenever I could. One thing I discovered is that if I don’t have a goal race to work toward, I’m not that great at being strict! Oh, I ran, did some speed work and hills once or twice, but nothing hardcore. I never ran longer than 8K either.
But I was pretty busy. I was booked to have surgery on June 20th, and knew that I would have to take three weeks off running, and at least a week off work. When you’re a self-employed freelance writer, taking time off is not quite as easy as it looks. Sure, I work from home – but that means I WORK from home, and there’s no one else to do my job. No one is going to step in and write those articles, or edit those magazines, or write those newsletters while I’m gone. So basically, I had to extra work to get myself ahead to be able to take a week off.
The surgery itself went well, but the surgeon is pretty strict on his no exercise rule. Three weeks minimum. I don’t want to open any incisions. (I’m too embarrassed to talk about it here, but suffice it to say it was NOT life-threatening surgery. But it will help improve my overall health and my running, and I can already say it was worth it.)
This Friday is the three week mark. I’m going to walk for a few days, and go for my first post-surgery run next Tuesday. I have already set myself a training schedule for the next three months. I’m basically going to re-do my 10K training, starting from scratch. That means short runs (3 to 6 K), working my way back up to hill training and speed work. I’m currently looking for a goal race in September (either a 5 or 10K) to keep me good.
Because in the fall, the real work starts. It’s time to move on and for me that means the half-marathon. I now have less than two years before my marathon goal, and I want to run at least two half-marathons before training for the full. I’m going to join the half-marathon clinic in the fall, with the goal of running the Chilly Half here in early March. (It fills up fast, so I will actually have to register before Christmas.) I think I can do it. Okay, I KNOW I can do it. I just need some determination.
Of course, throwing a wrench into the plans is that I have done something very necessary, but perhaps a bit foolish. Despite knowing that I work, on average, 40 to 60 hours a week, I somehow decided that it would be best to keep the boys home for the summer! Andrew’s in a lot of camps, I’ve done a lot of work ahead of time… but it’s still going to be crazy fitting it all in. How the big experiment will work remains to be seen. But I’m happy the boys are home. And they’re pretty good… I’ve been able to do some work while they play.
We will see how it goes. I admit to being pretty grouchy since I haven’t been able to run. Here’s looking forward to getting back to it next week!
Happy trails…
For most of May and June, I simply ran (either outside or at the Y) four or five times a week. I really didn’t follow much of a training plan – just got out whenever I could. One thing I discovered is that if I don’t have a goal race to work toward, I’m not that great at being strict! Oh, I ran, did some speed work and hills once or twice, but nothing hardcore. I never ran longer than 8K either.
But I was pretty busy. I was booked to have surgery on June 20th, and knew that I would have to take three weeks off running, and at least a week off work. When you’re a self-employed freelance writer, taking time off is not quite as easy as it looks. Sure, I work from home – but that means I WORK from home, and there’s no one else to do my job. No one is going to step in and write those articles, or edit those magazines, or write those newsletters while I’m gone. So basically, I had to extra work to get myself ahead to be able to take a week off.
The surgery itself went well, but the surgeon is pretty strict on his no exercise rule. Three weeks minimum. I don’t want to open any incisions. (I’m too embarrassed to talk about it here, but suffice it to say it was NOT life-threatening surgery. But it will help improve my overall health and my running, and I can already say it was worth it.)
This Friday is the three week mark. I’m going to walk for a few days, and go for my first post-surgery run next Tuesday. I have already set myself a training schedule for the next three months. I’m basically going to re-do my 10K training, starting from scratch. That means short runs (3 to 6 K), working my way back up to hill training and speed work. I’m currently looking for a goal race in September (either a 5 or 10K) to keep me good.
Because in the fall, the real work starts. It’s time to move on and for me that means the half-marathon. I now have less than two years before my marathon goal, and I want to run at least two half-marathons before training for the full. I’m going to join the half-marathon clinic in the fall, with the goal of running the Chilly Half here in early March. (It fills up fast, so I will actually have to register before Christmas.) I think I can do it. Okay, I KNOW I can do it. I just need some determination.
Of course, throwing a wrench into the plans is that I have done something very necessary, but perhaps a bit foolish. Despite knowing that I work, on average, 40 to 60 hours a week, I somehow decided that it would be best to keep the boys home for the summer! Andrew’s in a lot of camps, I’ve done a lot of work ahead of time… but it’s still going to be crazy fitting it all in. How the big experiment will work remains to be seen. But I’m happy the boys are home. And they’re pretty good… I’ve been able to do some work while they play.
We will see how it goes. I admit to being pretty grouchy since I haven’t been able to run. Here’s looking forward to getting back to it next week!
Happy trails…
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
The 10K redux
I do believe I have kicked my own ass.
On Saturday, I ran a 10K race in Mississauga. It’s the big race I’ve been training for since I started taking 10K clinics last fall. My first chance to run a real, timed, 10K race – not just a race done for us at the Running Room.
Originally, I had hoped to run 10K in 55 minutes. As I worked out and ran our two previous “races,” I kind of figured that was never going to happen. The last race we did, I clocked in at 59:20, working as hard as I possibly could. My instructor kept telling me that speed work would make me faster, even if I did it on a treadmill. I dutifully worked out, but even on our practice runs, it just didn’t seem possible that I could run that fast. (And, yes, I do realize that for many people, a 55 minute 10K is not fast… I’m basing this on my own running skills, not someone else’s!)
Race day came. I carpooled with a few people from our 10K clinic. Two were our clinic’s fastest runners. They were aiming for 50 to 51 minutes. Myself and another girl were aiming for under 59 minutes – we just wanted to beat our best times. We met up with the rest of our class in a parking lot close to the start line.
There was a crowd of about 1,000 people running the race. We did a small warm-up as a group, and shoved our way into the crowd at the start. (I should take a moment to comment on race “etiquette.” If you’re a slow runner, or you’re walking the race, you should MOVE TO THE BACK. Let those people who are trying to race up near the front. My clock time – when the gun went off – and my chip time – when my feet actually crossed the start line – were more than 30 seconds off, because of the crowd gathered near the start line. Others had discrepancies of more than a minute.)
The trail started with a massive hill. Okay, it didn’t seem that big at first, but by the time I got to the top of it, it seemed a lot bigger. Then we had to go up a few more good-sized hills. (“Why didn’t they tell us it would be this hilly?” another girl from my running clinic gasped on our way up one of them.) We hit the first kilometer mark in slightly over five minutes. So far, so good.
Instead of doing 10 and 1s, I decided to take a 60 sec. walk break every 2K. It’s not much of a difference, but it helped push me forward. (I also didn’t walk for the first 4K.) I know a lot of people don’t believe in 10 and 1s, but I swear it helps me run faster. By giving myself one minute of active recovery, it helps me pick my speed back up when I start running again. I know when I move to the half marathon and marathon, I’m going to continue doing 10 and 1s.
Around the 7K mark, I surged ahead of my friend. We had mutually agreed that we wouldn’t stick together if one of us felt good enough to go. I then rounded the 8K mark, and headed into a big “loop.” I saw my other clinic buddies on the loop (totally on track to make their 50 minute goals) and waved. Then I kept pumping.
Once I passed the 9km mark, there were people standing on the sidelines cheering. If you register early enough for the race, your name is on your bib. It was slightly disconcerting to hear people shouting “Go Alison! You’re almost there!” But it also helped fuel my legs toward the finish.
And cross the finish line I did… 55 minutes and 7 seconds after I crossed the start line. I had achieved my goal! I could barely breathe and I wanted to cry – I had done what I thought was impossible for me to achieve.
I grabbed the tin-foil type blanket offered and found my running clinic. It turns out, I wasn’t the only one who had a great race. Every single one of my running buddies, beat their best times. Whether it was to run it in 50 minute, 55 minutes, or 1:10, we had all achieved our goals.
It’s definitely an accomplishment to celebrate. I had set a goal, and achieved it. If I can run a 10K in 55 minutes (and seven seconds!), I can run a marathon.
I guess it also means it’s time to move on to the half. While I’d like to say I’m going to be starting that training soon, it looks more likely that I won’t start training for a half marathon until the fall. Why? Well, I think that’s a blog posting for another day. For now, I just want to enjoy my own personal victory.
Happy trails…
On Saturday, I ran a 10K race in Mississauga. It’s the big race I’ve been training for since I started taking 10K clinics last fall. My first chance to run a real, timed, 10K race – not just a race done for us at the Running Room.
Originally, I had hoped to run 10K in 55 minutes. As I worked out and ran our two previous “races,” I kind of figured that was never going to happen. The last race we did, I clocked in at 59:20, working as hard as I possibly could. My instructor kept telling me that speed work would make me faster, even if I did it on a treadmill. I dutifully worked out, but even on our practice runs, it just didn’t seem possible that I could run that fast. (And, yes, I do realize that for many people, a 55 minute 10K is not fast… I’m basing this on my own running skills, not someone else’s!)
Race day came. I carpooled with a few people from our 10K clinic. Two were our clinic’s fastest runners. They were aiming for 50 to 51 minutes. Myself and another girl were aiming for under 59 minutes – we just wanted to beat our best times. We met up with the rest of our class in a parking lot close to the start line.
There was a crowd of about 1,000 people running the race. We did a small warm-up as a group, and shoved our way into the crowd at the start. (I should take a moment to comment on race “etiquette.” If you’re a slow runner, or you’re walking the race, you should MOVE TO THE BACK. Let those people who are trying to race up near the front. My clock time – when the gun went off – and my chip time – when my feet actually crossed the start line – were more than 30 seconds off, because of the crowd gathered near the start line. Others had discrepancies of more than a minute.)
The trail started with a massive hill. Okay, it didn’t seem that big at first, but by the time I got to the top of it, it seemed a lot bigger. Then we had to go up a few more good-sized hills. (“Why didn’t they tell us it would be this hilly?” another girl from my running clinic gasped on our way up one of them.) We hit the first kilometer mark in slightly over five minutes. So far, so good.
Instead of doing 10 and 1s, I decided to take a 60 sec. walk break every 2K. It’s not much of a difference, but it helped push me forward. (I also didn’t walk for the first 4K.) I know a lot of people don’t believe in 10 and 1s, but I swear it helps me run faster. By giving myself one minute of active recovery, it helps me pick my speed back up when I start running again. I know when I move to the half marathon and marathon, I’m going to continue doing 10 and 1s.
Around the 7K mark, I surged ahead of my friend. We had mutually agreed that we wouldn’t stick together if one of us felt good enough to go. I then rounded the 8K mark, and headed into a big “loop.” I saw my other clinic buddies on the loop (totally on track to make their 50 minute goals) and waved. Then I kept pumping.
Once I passed the 9km mark, there were people standing on the sidelines cheering. If you register early enough for the race, your name is on your bib. It was slightly disconcerting to hear people shouting “Go Alison! You’re almost there!” But it also helped fuel my legs toward the finish.
And cross the finish line I did… 55 minutes and 7 seconds after I crossed the start line. I had achieved my goal! I could barely breathe and I wanted to cry – I had done what I thought was impossible for me to achieve.
I grabbed the tin-foil type blanket offered and found my running clinic. It turns out, I wasn’t the only one who had a great race. Every single one of my running buddies, beat their best times. Whether it was to run it in 50 minute, 55 minutes, or 1:10, we had all achieved our goals.
It’s definitely an accomplishment to celebrate. I had set a goal, and achieved it. If I can run a 10K in 55 minutes (and seven seconds!), I can run a marathon.
I guess it also means it’s time to move on to the half. While I’d like to say I’m going to be starting that training soon, it looks more likely that I won’t start training for a half marathon until the fall. Why? Well, I think that’s a blog posting for another day. For now, I just want to enjoy my own personal victory.
Happy trails…
Monday, April 28, 2008
A question of time
If I’m supposed to start updating this blog on Sundays after my long run, I’m either doing very well or very poorly – seeing as how it’s Monday! But since it had been months since I updated, I figure being a day late isn’t too bad. Even now, though, I’m whipping this post off before heading to a doctor’s appointment, picking up Andrew from school, getting groceries, picking up Chris from daycare… and I do still have tons of work!
After yesterday’s 10K group run, I’ve figured out one very important thing. I am becoming obsessed with time, and not in a good way. I know that, when running, you’re really only running to beat yourself. But I’m starting to really panic about my 10K time (much like I did with the 5K), and I’m worried it’s taking the enjoyment out of running for me.
I originally planned to train hard enough to take my 10K time down to 55 minutes. But the more I run, the more unlikely it seems that I will meet that goal. That’s a whole four minutes I have to shave off my time (four minutes and 20 seconds, to be precise), and I think I might be putting too much pressure on myself.
Part of the problem is the running clinic I’m in. Before, we had very few people in our clinic, and I was one of the fastest runners. Now, we have 37 people – and while I’m not the slowest, I’m also nowhere near the fastest! But who cares, right? I do, only not for the reasons you’d think.
See, the problem is that I’d made some running buddies in the “fast” crowd – and now my buddies are outpacing me. I want to keep up with them because we’ve had some great conversations on our runs, and they make the runs a lot more fun for me. But I can’t. I simply can’t run that fast. Some will end up breaking 50 minutes on the 10K, and it’s never going to happen for me.
I guess the point would be to make new running buddies. But I really LIKE the people I run with now. So I either get faster – or let it kill me.
To try and get a little faster, I’ve been upping my speed workouts. Will it pay off on race day? I think it’s unlikely. I think I’m running about as fast as I can go. So what should I do?
I don’t have the answer, but I do know I plan to take a bit of the pressure off myself. Next Sunday, when I run with the group, if I can’t keep up, well, I guess I’ll talk to my buddies after. And if I run the 10K race in an hour, then I do. It’s not the Olympics, after all. Running is supposed to be FUN. If I keep worrying about my time, I’ll drive myself crazy. So fun it is.
Less than two weeks until race day… we’ll see what happens then.
Happy trails…
After yesterday’s 10K group run, I’ve figured out one very important thing. I am becoming obsessed with time, and not in a good way. I know that, when running, you’re really only running to beat yourself. But I’m starting to really panic about my 10K time (much like I did with the 5K), and I’m worried it’s taking the enjoyment out of running for me.
I originally planned to train hard enough to take my 10K time down to 55 minutes. But the more I run, the more unlikely it seems that I will meet that goal. That’s a whole four minutes I have to shave off my time (four minutes and 20 seconds, to be precise), and I think I might be putting too much pressure on myself.
Part of the problem is the running clinic I’m in. Before, we had very few people in our clinic, and I was one of the fastest runners. Now, we have 37 people – and while I’m not the slowest, I’m also nowhere near the fastest! But who cares, right? I do, only not for the reasons you’d think.
See, the problem is that I’d made some running buddies in the “fast” crowd – and now my buddies are outpacing me. I want to keep up with them because we’ve had some great conversations on our runs, and they make the runs a lot more fun for me. But I can’t. I simply can’t run that fast. Some will end up breaking 50 minutes on the 10K, and it’s never going to happen for me.
I guess the point would be to make new running buddies. But I really LIKE the people I run with now. So I either get faster – or let it kill me.
To try and get a little faster, I’ve been upping my speed workouts. Will it pay off on race day? I think it’s unlikely. I think I’m running about as fast as I can go. So what should I do?
I don’t have the answer, but I do know I plan to take a bit of the pressure off myself. Next Sunday, when I run with the group, if I can’t keep up, well, I guess I’ll talk to my buddies after. And if I run the 10K race in an hour, then I do. It’s not the Olympics, after all. Running is supposed to be FUN. If I keep worrying about my time, I’ll drive myself crazy. So fun it is.
Less than two weeks until race day… we’ll see what happens then.
Happy trails…
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Ouch!
My new Mizuno running shoes are great. I started using them on Friday, and have not had one problem with shin splints. (Considering I was in agony on Wednesday night after running in my Nikes, that’s a big deal.) There’s just one little problem… ouch!
See, the new Mizunos aren’t broken in, and they’ve given me two rather massive blisters on my heels. We’re talking big-time blisters, and are they painful! I ran an easy 5K on Friday, which is when the blisters first started. On Saturday, I did some speed work on the treadmill (four minute, intense speed intervals – yuck!) and didn’t even bother doing weights because my feet hurt so much. Somehow I got through today’s easy 10K run, but I have to admit, my feet are in pretty bad shape now. I’m going to soak them in Epsom salts tonight, but I’m afraid of what tomorrow will bring. I have to be at a trade show all day, and I think the blisters might kill me!
Ultimately, I think I’ll be very happy with the shoe choices. The aches and pains/shin splints are already gone, proving to me that it was indeed my shoes that caused the problem. These shoes have great support, and if I can get the blisters under control, it will be great.
Until then, though, I think I’m in for some painful times ahead!
Today also marked another milestone for me with my running. Today I started my experiment with different types of energy drinks and gels. I know they’re not to important for me right now, considering I’m only running distances of up to 13K right now, but as I move to half marathon training in the fall, it will become much more important. Any time you’re out running for longer than 90 minutes, you need to put both carbohydrates and electrolytes back in your body. And while you could try munching on an apple while running, energy drinks and gels are really the best way to get those nutrients back into your body. (We had a sports nutritionist come in and talk to our clinic… can you tell?)
So today I tried a gel before my run. Disgusting! I didn’t notice it gave me more energy (although the run was easier – I think that’s because we slowed down our pace a bit), but it certainly didn’t upset my stomach either. Next week, I’m going to try an energy drink instead of water on my run. We’ll see if that makes any difference.
Happy trails…
See, the new Mizunos aren’t broken in, and they’ve given me two rather massive blisters on my heels. We’re talking big-time blisters, and are they painful! I ran an easy 5K on Friday, which is when the blisters first started. On Saturday, I did some speed work on the treadmill (four minute, intense speed intervals – yuck!) and didn’t even bother doing weights because my feet hurt so much. Somehow I got through today’s easy 10K run, but I have to admit, my feet are in pretty bad shape now. I’m going to soak them in Epsom salts tonight, but I’m afraid of what tomorrow will bring. I have to be at a trade show all day, and I think the blisters might kill me!
Ultimately, I think I’ll be very happy with the shoe choices. The aches and pains/shin splints are already gone, proving to me that it was indeed my shoes that caused the problem. These shoes have great support, and if I can get the blisters under control, it will be great.
Until then, though, I think I’m in for some painful times ahead!
Today also marked another milestone for me with my running. Today I started my experiment with different types of energy drinks and gels. I know they’re not to important for me right now, considering I’m only running distances of up to 13K right now, but as I move to half marathon training in the fall, it will become much more important. Any time you’re out running for longer than 90 minutes, you need to put both carbohydrates and electrolytes back in your body. And while you could try munching on an apple while running, energy drinks and gels are really the best way to get those nutrients back into your body. (We had a sports nutritionist come in and talk to our clinic… can you tell?)
So today I tried a gel before my run. Disgusting! I didn’t notice it gave me more energy (although the run was easier – I think that’s because we slowed down our pace a bit), but it certainly didn’t upset my stomach either. Next week, I’m going to try an energy drink instead of water on my run. We’ll see if that makes any difference.
Happy trails…
Friday, April 18, 2008
Run versus write
I was at a birthday party last weekend, when someone asked me about updating my running blog. Was I not running anymore? Why hadn’t I updated it in a while?
I asked myself, has it really been that long? And the answer is yes! Three months is way too long to go without updating my running blog!
It’s no secret that I bit off a bit more than I can chew in terms of work this year, and lately I don’t seem to have much time for any “leisurely” writing pursuits. The good news is, I HAVE found time to run.
I completed my second 10K clinic and, once again, there was no official 10K race happening in the area to match the end of the clinic. But the Running Room put on another race for us from the store, where I clocked in at 59:20. I had a bit of a rough run, running out of steam toward the end. I hadn’t been feeling great leading up to the race, which may explain my lack of energy.
I then signed up for a third 10K clinic. I am determined to run one “real” 10K race before moving on to the half marathon distance. I’ve signed up with the Mississauga 10K in May, and the past few weeks I have been working toward training for that race.
My training has been a bit off, though. I’ve only done one 10K run since March, and that was on a treadmill. I’ve been having some shin splints and foot pain, but I just bought a new pair of shoes which should help. I was beginning to wonder if the Nikes I was using weren’t the best shoes for me. This time around, I’ve chosen a pair of Mizunos, and I took them out for a spin this morning. They seem to be a lot more comfortable (minus the fresh blisters on my heels, mind you!)
The other big change I’ve made is skipping the Tuesday run. Instead, Mike and I have been going to “Boot Camp” at the YMCA. We get a babysitter and head to the gym every Tuesday night for a combined strength/cardio workout. It’s fun – and it’s been especially nice to share my newfound love of fitness with Mike. (Unfortunately, we have to wrap it up in May, because Mike starts ball hockey again on Tuesday nights. And I KNOW I won’t drag myself out of the house Tuesday nights when I can go for a run Tuesday mornings.)
So that, in a nutshell, is the past three months of training. I’ve decided I want to make it a point to blog a bit more. Every Sunday, after my long run, I’m going to try to write about the week’s training. I know that’s an ambitious goal, but so is running a marathon, right? There’s a lot of ground to cover, so to speak, and I’m going to try to cover it all.
Happy trails…
I asked myself, has it really been that long? And the answer is yes! Three months is way too long to go without updating my running blog!
It’s no secret that I bit off a bit more than I can chew in terms of work this year, and lately I don’t seem to have much time for any “leisurely” writing pursuits. The good news is, I HAVE found time to run.
I completed my second 10K clinic and, once again, there was no official 10K race happening in the area to match the end of the clinic. But the Running Room put on another race for us from the store, where I clocked in at 59:20. I had a bit of a rough run, running out of steam toward the end. I hadn’t been feeling great leading up to the race, which may explain my lack of energy.
I then signed up for a third 10K clinic. I am determined to run one “real” 10K race before moving on to the half marathon distance. I’ve signed up with the Mississauga 10K in May, and the past few weeks I have been working toward training for that race.
My training has been a bit off, though. I’ve only done one 10K run since March, and that was on a treadmill. I’ve been having some shin splints and foot pain, but I just bought a new pair of shoes which should help. I was beginning to wonder if the Nikes I was using weren’t the best shoes for me. This time around, I’ve chosen a pair of Mizunos, and I took them out for a spin this morning. They seem to be a lot more comfortable (minus the fresh blisters on my heels, mind you!)
The other big change I’ve made is skipping the Tuesday run. Instead, Mike and I have been going to “Boot Camp” at the YMCA. We get a babysitter and head to the gym every Tuesday night for a combined strength/cardio workout. It’s fun – and it’s been especially nice to share my newfound love of fitness with Mike. (Unfortunately, we have to wrap it up in May, because Mike starts ball hockey again on Tuesday nights. And I KNOW I won’t drag myself out of the house Tuesday nights when I can go for a run Tuesday mornings.)
So that, in a nutshell, is the past three months of training. I’ve decided I want to make it a point to blog a bit more. Every Sunday, after my long run, I’m going to try to write about the week’s training. I know that’s an ambitious goal, but so is running a marathon, right? There’s a lot of ground to cover, so to speak, and I’m going to try to cover it all.
Happy trails…
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Cleanin’ out my closet
On Wednesday, I started my second 10K clinic. Unlike the first time I started the 10K clinic, this time, I know I can physically run 10 kilometers, which is great. Unfortunately, the clinic instructors – one of whom ran my 10K race with me – know I can run 10K!
Basically, they’ve given me (and two other women who are repeating the clinic) a much more aggressive training schedule. Instead of taking it easy with the rest of the class, we’re going to be logging more kilometers and doing more speed work and hills – at least once a week.
To be honest, I wouldn’t even want to go back to the old training schedule. It was great, but most of the first few weeks are taken up with 3K runs. I’m a little past that by now! So I’m off this morning for an 8K run, and by next week, it’s back to 10K on Sundays. (Or more, in a few weeks!)
The other thing we’ve been working on in my house is getting better control of nutrition. I’d say that when it comes to breakfast and lunch, we all eat very well. I’ve written about nutrition enough and read about nutrition enough to know what we should be eating. (Lots of veggies, lots of fruit, whole grains, lean proteins…)
And, during the week, I really try to make healthy dinners. It’s hit or miss some weeks, depending on how busy we are, but I have some great cookbooks I rely on and we try to have good meals.
Friday and Saturday are more of a challenge, because Mike and I tend to feed the kids early and cook special dinners for ourselves. Sometimes they’re great, but sometimes… sometimes it’s things like nachos. (Baked in the oven with cheese and beef, and eaten with guacamole, salsa and sour cream. Mmm!)
So last week, I decided we needed to “cleanse” our systems. Last spring, I did a cleanse recommended in a book. Basically, you cut out red meat, grains, processed sugar and dairy for five days. It’s meant to cleanse your body, improve your skin, and, yes, you should lose about five pounds.
I put both Mike and I on the cleanse last week, and it went fairly well. At the end of it, Mike lost five pounds! Me? I lost… zilch.
I was disappointed. I mean, who couldn’t stand to lose five pounds? (Okay, there are a few people, but most of us would probably like to lose five pounds. Some would like to lose 10, and some even more!) It’s hard not to get disappointed when you put in that kind of effort for no reward. (Which is why I like running… I feel like there is a reward, when you beat a time, or run a distance you’ve never run before.)
But I’m determined to stick with healthy eating. We’re not perfect, but I’m trying to make sure that we eat very well 80 percent of the time, and have treats in moderation. I’m even trying out baked goods from a new cookbook, and made brownies with spinach and carrots last night! I swear you couldn’t taste the veggies at all! (Andrew ate the brownie, naturally. And, just as naturally, Chris – my picky, picky eater – took one bite and said, “No thank you!”)
Time for an 8K run this morning. Here’s hoping this week’s training goes well.
Happy trails…
Basically, they’ve given me (and two other women who are repeating the clinic) a much more aggressive training schedule. Instead of taking it easy with the rest of the class, we’re going to be logging more kilometers and doing more speed work and hills – at least once a week.
To be honest, I wouldn’t even want to go back to the old training schedule. It was great, but most of the first few weeks are taken up with 3K runs. I’m a little past that by now! So I’m off this morning for an 8K run, and by next week, it’s back to 10K on Sundays. (Or more, in a few weeks!)
The other thing we’ve been working on in my house is getting better control of nutrition. I’d say that when it comes to breakfast and lunch, we all eat very well. I’ve written about nutrition enough and read about nutrition enough to know what we should be eating. (Lots of veggies, lots of fruit, whole grains, lean proteins…)
And, during the week, I really try to make healthy dinners. It’s hit or miss some weeks, depending on how busy we are, but I have some great cookbooks I rely on and we try to have good meals.
Friday and Saturday are more of a challenge, because Mike and I tend to feed the kids early and cook special dinners for ourselves. Sometimes they’re great, but sometimes… sometimes it’s things like nachos. (Baked in the oven with cheese and beef, and eaten with guacamole, salsa and sour cream. Mmm!)
So last week, I decided we needed to “cleanse” our systems. Last spring, I did a cleanse recommended in a book. Basically, you cut out red meat, grains, processed sugar and dairy for five days. It’s meant to cleanse your body, improve your skin, and, yes, you should lose about five pounds.
I put both Mike and I on the cleanse last week, and it went fairly well. At the end of it, Mike lost five pounds! Me? I lost… zilch.
I was disappointed. I mean, who couldn’t stand to lose five pounds? (Okay, there are a few people, but most of us would probably like to lose five pounds. Some would like to lose 10, and some even more!) It’s hard not to get disappointed when you put in that kind of effort for no reward. (Which is why I like running… I feel like there is a reward, when you beat a time, or run a distance you’ve never run before.)
But I’m determined to stick with healthy eating. We’re not perfect, but I’m trying to make sure that we eat very well 80 percent of the time, and have treats in moderation. I’m even trying out baked goods from a new cookbook, and made brownies with spinach and carrots last night! I swear you couldn’t taste the veggies at all! (Andrew ate the brownie, naturally. And, just as naturally, Chris – my picky, picky eater – took one bite and said, “No thank you!”)
Time for an 8K run this morning. Here’s hoping this week’s training goes well.
Happy trails…
Thursday, January 3, 2008
The Resolution Run
On New Year’s Eve, the Running Room holds an annual run known as the “Resolution Run.” It’s a 5K fun run (i.e. not really a timed race) which is a great chance for people to start the New Year off right, with a bit of exercise. With your entry fee, you also get a jacket, so it’s pretty worthwhile.
I decided in November that I would sign up for this year’s run. What better way to kick off a whole new year of running goals than with a 5K fun run? So off I went to the run, clocking it in at 27:10, my best 5K time yet. (Although it wasn’t timed, the girl behind me was timing it, so I asked her after we crossed the finish line.)
But, more importantly, the run gave me some time to reflect on the purpose of New Year’s resolutions. Yes, I realize the majority of us make resolutions and don’t keep them, but the new year does bring a fresh start – a perfect time for resolutions.
Just before I headed off to my race, I read a great note written by one of my Facebook friends. It was a list of her top 10 resolutions for the New Year – and they were inspiring. Not the usual “I want to lose weight” or “I want to stop biting my fingernails” kinds of resolutions, but real, honest ways in which she wanted to change her life.
So while I ran my “Resolution Run,” I decided to come up with a few resolutions of my own. It’s no secret to those close to me that the fall of 2007 was a rough one for both me and my family. I found I was working too much, stressed out too much, yelling too much and far, far too snappish with everyone. I piled on the work (and stress), and found myself far, far worse off than before.
And while there’s not much I can do about a lot of it, I’ve come up with 10 of my own resolutions to try and make sure I don’t go through this again. Some of it is just changing my own attitude – and some is just putting my mind to making some changes. So here goes…
1. Worry and stress less
Yes, my biggest problem isn’t really even the amount of work I have or the never-ending “to-do” lists. It’s the fact that I worry and stress myself sick over those items. Deadlines are a part of my business – and I’ve never missed one in my life. Worrying about things that are out of my control is just a useless waste of time. The kids are sick and can’t go to daycare? I’ll deal with it. The washing machine breaks after a night when everyone pukes six times? I’ll deal with it. The idea here is to roll with the punches and not sweat the small stuff anymore. It’s going to take a lot of work to get to that point, but with a positive outlook, I believe I can do it.
2. Get organized
I know a number of people will kill themselves laughing at that statement, because most of my friends tell me I’m the most organized person they know. And it’s true… I’m pretty organized, particularly when it comes to work. (You cannot work from home with two kids and not be organized.)
But I’m not really talking about that kind of organization. I’m talking about clutter. The clutter in drawers, and cupboards, the papers piling up and the kids’ artwork… all the crap that seems to take over your life. I plan to organize my house, room by room, and find ways to realistically deal with all the clutter. (By realistically, I mean not setting myself up for failure. For example, I KNOW I will never scrapbook – so why tell myself I’m going to put the kids’ artwork and pictures in a scrapbook? Instead, I’m going to get more labeled Rubbermaid containers and stuff their artwork in there.) In fact, I’ve already started. This morning, I painted the boys’ rooms, and when they come home from the grandparents’ house on Saturday, their rooms will be freshly redecorated and organized.
3. Go organic
This one is going to be my toughest challenge, because I’m inherently cheap. But I’ve been doing a great deal of reading and research on the subject, and I’m really starting to see the health (and environmental) benefits of going organic. This means both food and cleaning products. Mike and I both complain of being tired, and I'm wondering if it's not related to all these chemicals in our homes and food. Not only that, but I’d love to think I could feed my family the healthiest foods possible. I know I can’t do it all at once, but I’ve resolved to start. I’ve already started switching cleaning products, which is a good first step. (Although, I have yet to find a cleaner for my bathtub that works as well as Vim, I must admit…)
4. Make new friends, and keep the old
Our busy lives mean sometimes friendships get a little bit shoved aside. But being on Facebook has put me in touch with so many old friends, and I've gotten to know a few new ones better as well. I know I don’t spend enough time with my closest friends, and I resolve to change that. There are also some newer friends in my life that I would really like to get to know better. I want to do that this year.
5. Improve my finances
Always an area of struggle for the family, for a few reasons. One is that both Mike and I just like to buy stuff! It was also a rough fall financially, because although I was working a lot, a few late-paying clients and a time lag between starting work and getting paid for it meant we had a number of big expenses with no money coming in. So this year, I resolve to finally get on top of the finances for good. And the best way to that, of course, is to do number six on my list…
6. Get tougher with late-payers
It keeps happening to me time and time again. I do work for a client, invoice them and then… nothing. Months pass, and no cheque. I e-mail saying, “Can you check on this invoice for me?” and I hear nothing. By then, I’ve had to borrow that money from credit – and am now paying interest so it actually COSTS me money to have done that job. (And this happens to me far more than I’d like to admit.)
It’s partly because I’m wishy-washy and hate confrontation. My accountant yells at me every year for letting it happen. “Charge them interest!” he says. At least five percent for every 30 days the account is in arrears. (But, of course, they have no legal obligation to pay it…) But this is the year I’m finally going to take that advice and start threatening people who don’t pay with small claims court. And, the other biggie, is that I will no longer work for those clients any more.
7. Stop comparing myself to other people
This is something that’s plagued me all my life. And I always thought that if I was fitter, or thinner, or something, that I would stop doing it. But today, I’m probably in the best shape I’ve ever been in my life. I work out, I eat (mostly!) okay, and I’m still unhappy with myself. I constantly compare myself to other people, and find myself lacking.
But the truth is, I am 5’11” tall – in my bare feet. I am never going to be tiny. I don’t have a great deal of excess fat anymore thanks to running (which is great for health reasons), but I’m far too tall to be a size zero. It’s just not me. I’ll never look like a few of my super-tiny friends (some of whom are 5’2”). I look like me. My husband, my sons, my family and my friends really don’t love me any less because I’m not a 5’4” size zero. So this year, I will stop comparing myself to others and learn to accept myself for being a healthy, fit, 5’11” woman. Which leads me to number eight…
8. Improve my running times
Okay, that’s a shallow goal, but, hey, this blog is supposed to be all about running! And I do want to improve my times this year. According to my 10K clinic instructor, the best way to do that is to run! Run more often, run longer distances and just generally run faster. So I will ensure I add both speed work and hills to my workouts and continue with weight training to improve my muscle strength. I aim to run 10K in 55 minutes, and bring my 5K time down to less than 27 minutes. (25 would be awesome!)
9. Be charitable
The last few years have seen me give more to charity, and that’s a resolution I want to strengthen in 2008. We will ask for donations to charity for the kids’ birthdays, I will run several charitable races, and just help out whenever I can. It’s tough to find the right causes out of so many good ones, but I will continue to support pediatric brain tumour research at Sick Kids, breast cancer research, MS and perhaps choose an international aid charity to help those less fortunate in the rest of the world.
10. Have more fun
I think this fall really took the fun out of my life. I feel like my family suffered because mommy just wasn’t any fun anymore. So this year, I plan to have fun. We started off with a trip to Niagara Falls after Christmas, and I want that to continue this year. I want to get bikes and go for bike rides with the family this summer. Take day trips to Niagara Falls, African Lion Safari, Canada’s Wonderland. Go swimming in our pool. Have a picnic. Just generally find some time in our lives for fun. (I also promised Andrew we would do a 1K fun run this summer.) Life is short, and before I know it, the boys will be all grown up and gone. This year, I’m going to enjoy my babies while I still can.
Will I keep these resolutions? I sure hope so. I hope to revisit them all during next year’s Resolution Run – and show that I’ve come a long way.
Happy trails…
I decided in November that I would sign up for this year’s run. What better way to kick off a whole new year of running goals than with a 5K fun run? So off I went to the run, clocking it in at 27:10, my best 5K time yet. (Although it wasn’t timed, the girl behind me was timing it, so I asked her after we crossed the finish line.)
But, more importantly, the run gave me some time to reflect on the purpose of New Year’s resolutions. Yes, I realize the majority of us make resolutions and don’t keep them, but the new year does bring a fresh start – a perfect time for resolutions.
Just before I headed off to my race, I read a great note written by one of my Facebook friends. It was a list of her top 10 resolutions for the New Year – and they were inspiring. Not the usual “I want to lose weight” or “I want to stop biting my fingernails” kinds of resolutions, but real, honest ways in which she wanted to change her life.
So while I ran my “Resolution Run,” I decided to come up with a few resolutions of my own. It’s no secret to those close to me that the fall of 2007 was a rough one for both me and my family. I found I was working too much, stressed out too much, yelling too much and far, far too snappish with everyone. I piled on the work (and stress), and found myself far, far worse off than before.
And while there’s not much I can do about a lot of it, I’ve come up with 10 of my own resolutions to try and make sure I don’t go through this again. Some of it is just changing my own attitude – and some is just putting my mind to making some changes. So here goes…
1. Worry and stress less
Yes, my biggest problem isn’t really even the amount of work I have or the never-ending “to-do” lists. It’s the fact that I worry and stress myself sick over those items. Deadlines are a part of my business – and I’ve never missed one in my life. Worrying about things that are out of my control is just a useless waste of time. The kids are sick and can’t go to daycare? I’ll deal with it. The washing machine breaks after a night when everyone pukes six times? I’ll deal with it. The idea here is to roll with the punches and not sweat the small stuff anymore. It’s going to take a lot of work to get to that point, but with a positive outlook, I believe I can do it.
2. Get organized
I know a number of people will kill themselves laughing at that statement, because most of my friends tell me I’m the most organized person they know. And it’s true… I’m pretty organized, particularly when it comes to work. (You cannot work from home with two kids and not be organized.)
But I’m not really talking about that kind of organization. I’m talking about clutter. The clutter in drawers, and cupboards, the papers piling up and the kids’ artwork… all the crap that seems to take over your life. I plan to organize my house, room by room, and find ways to realistically deal with all the clutter. (By realistically, I mean not setting myself up for failure. For example, I KNOW I will never scrapbook – so why tell myself I’m going to put the kids’ artwork and pictures in a scrapbook? Instead, I’m going to get more labeled Rubbermaid containers and stuff their artwork in there.) In fact, I’ve already started. This morning, I painted the boys’ rooms, and when they come home from the grandparents’ house on Saturday, their rooms will be freshly redecorated and organized.
3. Go organic
This one is going to be my toughest challenge, because I’m inherently cheap. But I’ve been doing a great deal of reading and research on the subject, and I’m really starting to see the health (and environmental) benefits of going organic. This means both food and cleaning products. Mike and I both complain of being tired, and I'm wondering if it's not related to all these chemicals in our homes and food. Not only that, but I’d love to think I could feed my family the healthiest foods possible. I know I can’t do it all at once, but I’ve resolved to start. I’ve already started switching cleaning products, which is a good first step. (Although, I have yet to find a cleaner for my bathtub that works as well as Vim, I must admit…)
4. Make new friends, and keep the old
Our busy lives mean sometimes friendships get a little bit shoved aside. But being on Facebook has put me in touch with so many old friends, and I've gotten to know a few new ones better as well. I know I don’t spend enough time with my closest friends, and I resolve to change that. There are also some newer friends in my life that I would really like to get to know better. I want to do that this year.
5. Improve my finances
Always an area of struggle for the family, for a few reasons. One is that both Mike and I just like to buy stuff! It was also a rough fall financially, because although I was working a lot, a few late-paying clients and a time lag between starting work and getting paid for it meant we had a number of big expenses with no money coming in. So this year, I resolve to finally get on top of the finances for good. And the best way to that, of course, is to do number six on my list…
6. Get tougher with late-payers
It keeps happening to me time and time again. I do work for a client, invoice them and then… nothing. Months pass, and no cheque. I e-mail saying, “Can you check on this invoice for me?” and I hear nothing. By then, I’ve had to borrow that money from credit – and am now paying interest so it actually COSTS me money to have done that job. (And this happens to me far more than I’d like to admit.)
It’s partly because I’m wishy-washy and hate confrontation. My accountant yells at me every year for letting it happen. “Charge them interest!” he says. At least five percent for every 30 days the account is in arrears. (But, of course, they have no legal obligation to pay it…) But this is the year I’m finally going to take that advice and start threatening people who don’t pay with small claims court. And, the other biggie, is that I will no longer work for those clients any more.
7. Stop comparing myself to other people
This is something that’s plagued me all my life. And I always thought that if I was fitter, or thinner, or something, that I would stop doing it. But today, I’m probably in the best shape I’ve ever been in my life. I work out, I eat (mostly!) okay, and I’m still unhappy with myself. I constantly compare myself to other people, and find myself lacking.
But the truth is, I am 5’11” tall – in my bare feet. I am never going to be tiny. I don’t have a great deal of excess fat anymore thanks to running (which is great for health reasons), but I’m far too tall to be a size zero. It’s just not me. I’ll never look like a few of my super-tiny friends (some of whom are 5’2”). I look like me. My husband, my sons, my family and my friends really don’t love me any less because I’m not a 5’4” size zero. So this year, I will stop comparing myself to others and learn to accept myself for being a healthy, fit, 5’11” woman. Which leads me to number eight…
8. Improve my running times
Okay, that’s a shallow goal, but, hey, this blog is supposed to be all about running! And I do want to improve my times this year. According to my 10K clinic instructor, the best way to do that is to run! Run more often, run longer distances and just generally run faster. So I will ensure I add both speed work and hills to my workouts and continue with weight training to improve my muscle strength. I aim to run 10K in 55 minutes, and bring my 5K time down to less than 27 minutes. (25 would be awesome!)
9. Be charitable
The last few years have seen me give more to charity, and that’s a resolution I want to strengthen in 2008. We will ask for donations to charity for the kids’ birthdays, I will run several charitable races, and just help out whenever I can. It’s tough to find the right causes out of so many good ones, but I will continue to support pediatric brain tumour research at Sick Kids, breast cancer research, MS and perhaps choose an international aid charity to help those less fortunate in the rest of the world.
10. Have more fun
I think this fall really took the fun out of my life. I feel like my family suffered because mommy just wasn’t any fun anymore. So this year, I plan to have fun. We started off with a trip to Niagara Falls after Christmas, and I want that to continue this year. I want to get bikes and go for bike rides with the family this summer. Take day trips to Niagara Falls, African Lion Safari, Canada’s Wonderland. Go swimming in our pool. Have a picnic. Just generally find some time in our lives for fun. (I also promised Andrew we would do a 1K fun run this summer.) Life is short, and before I know it, the boys will be all grown up and gone. This year, I’m going to enjoy my babies while I still can.
Will I keep these resolutions? I sure hope so. I hope to revisit them all during next year’s Resolution Run – and show that I’ve come a long way.
Happy trails…
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