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…
Friday, April 18, 2008
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…
Monday, December 17, 2007
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…
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…
Monday, November 26, 2007
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…
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…
Saturday, November 17, 2007
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…
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…
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
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…
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…
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