I am an athlete.
For the past three years, I've imagined being able to write this blog post and say those words out loud. Finally, after all that hard work, I think it's safe to say I am officially an athlete. Yesterday, I crossed the finish line in 4:16:41 and completed a marathon.
There's so much to reflect on now that it's done. Part of me doesn't even believe that I did it (although at 37K, believe me, I realized I actually WAS doing it!). But I've got the pictures and the medal to prove it – in three years, I have gone from decidedly un-athletic to a full-out marathon runner.
When Mike and the kids met up with me after I crossed the finish line, Mike asked me how it went. I replied, "It was hard. Really, really hard." And it was – much harder than any run I'd ever done before, and perhaps the hardest physical thing I've ever done in my life other than giving birth. (As an interesting aside, I was in labour with Chris for four hours and 20 minutes – four minutes more than it took me to run the marathon1)
The day itself was gorgeous. You could not have asked for better weather. Beautiful, sunny, no wind and not too hot. I did get a bit of a sunburn (didn't think to put on sunscreen!), but I had a hat and sunglasses on the whole time, so my face and head were fine.
The race started at 7:30 in the morning, just outside of Square One shopping centre. We ran west down Burnamthorpe, both the half marathoners and the full marathoners. It was extremely crowded. I couldn't wait for the 15K mark, when it would start to thin out a bit.
Most of the run was through the most beautiful neighbourhoods you can imagine. And the path down along the lake? Stunning, especially with that sunshine. I'll never forget turning down the path and seeing the lake sparkling in the sunlight. Then, the path curves and there was an incredible view of the Toronto skyline. I wish I'd had a camera to take a picture, although I was a bit busy at the time!
But everyone told me that running the 42K (26 miles) was harder than any training run or any other race. They were right. I felt myself struggling even around the 25K mark or so… I didn't know how I'd make it to 42. I kept refueling and I drank a ton of water, and really just tried to break the race down into smaller chunks. I'd tell myself things like, "Well, at 27K you can have more food. Just make it to 27K and you'll feel better," or, "At 38K there's another water station and you can walk while you drink your water. Just make it to there and you'll feel better."
At least when I hit 40K there were enough spectators cheering that it powered me through until the end. The funny part about the Mississauga race is that your first name is on your bib, so complete strangers kept shouting things like, "Go Alison! You can do it Alison! You look great Alison!"
After the race was done, I felt like my legs were going to fall off. I managed to get halfway to the car before I threw in the towel and told Mike he'd just have to go get the car and bring it to me. I spent most of the afternoon in bed or on the couch (after a soak in Epsom salts!), and honestly, I actually feel a bit better than I thought today. Going up and down stairs is tough (why do I live in a split level???), but I even managed to walk Andrew to the bus stop this morning.
While you try to train and prepare for everything, there are always some race-day mistakes you make. For me, one mistake was definitely neglecting my armpits – the skin is completely chafing and hurts more than my legs! I should have used Body Glide or Vaseline. That has never happened to me before in a run, and I ran in that tank top all the time – but usually with a shirt over top. Yesterday it was too hot for the shirt (I took it off at the 3K mark), so that probably explains it. They started hurting around the 15-16K mark, which didn't bode well for the rest of the race.
Another mistake was how much I slowed down. I'm not sure WHY that happened (well, I mean, I know WHY – I was pooped! – but why my training didn't power me through that). I don't know if I went out too fast or if I simply hadn't done enough long runs, but that is an area I would really like to work on. Not that I had a bad result – not at all! – but I could have done a lot better if I hadn't slowed down so much. I felt like a turtle… and probably looked like one too!
But while it only took me 4:16 to run the race, the truth is it took every minute of those three years of training. Every 5K race, every 10K race, every half marathon, Around the Bay, and every second of my training runs, Tread Powerfully classes, Intense Strength classes, Power Pilates classes… all of those things led to this moment.
I also learned that with outer strength comes a great deal of inner strength. Three years ago, I was really a different person. I was more reactive. I got angry when I did something wrong. I had no patience. Running and exercise gave me all those things. It gave me patience. It showed me how, by taking time for myself, I could give more of myself to others. It has started me on the road to becoming a better person – a better mother, a better wife, a better friend, a better member of the community. I have many more things I want to achieve, both personally and in the world. I have career goals, goals for my family and I want to help others. I truly believe this journey has given me the inner strength to do that.
Of course, my running journey isn't over either – far from it. Mike asked me yesterday if I would do a marathon again. I know I will. It may not be this fall (today, running the Scotiabank Toronto marathon seems like a BAD idea!), but I will do it again. I want to run the New York marathon and the Chicago marathon one day. I'm even harbouring a dream of running Boston, although I'd have to shave ½ an hour of my time to qualify! I don't know where the future will take me, but I know my feet will take me there.
So stay tuned… this blog isn't done and neither am I. For now, I'm going to take a few days rest and spend a bit of time decided on the next step of my journey. See you then!
Happy trails…
Monday, May 17, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
The final countdown
I started this blog almost three years ago with one goal in mind: run the Mississauga Marathon in May of 2010. I find it hard to believe that May of 2010 is upon us, and in six days, I am actually going to (attempt to) meet that goal by running the marathon on Sunday. Talk about stick-to-it-iveness! (Yeah, that's not a word…)
I can't say I've been the most successful blogger in all of this, as I seem to have had a bit of trouble updating regularly. Whoops! It's definitely a peril of being a professional writer… by the time my work writing is done, I have no more time for personal writing. Luckily, with my new job, I have a weekly editor's blog I update regularly (at www.primacy.ca), so there have been a few running-related posts over there.
What I can say, though, is that as far as reaching the actual marathon goal goes, I have been far more successful. While there are no guarantees I will actually finish the race, I'm choosing to think positively and that I will finish, even if it takes me six hours.
But I think what I'm really still amazed at is that I actually followed through with this whole thing. It took almost three years and three 5K races, three 10Ks, a 10-miler, three half marathons and one 30K race, but I managed to go from barely being able to run to running for 3+ hours straight. Yeah, that seems crazy, even to me.
Since the "actual" marathon training began in January, I have not missed a single run on my training plan either. There were a few I had to postpone, but I somehow fit in every single run. Not bad for a mother of two with two jobs, a house and a husband! There were a lot of 5:30 a.m. runs and a lot of juggling, but I managed to fit it all in, along with three strength training/pilates classes a week. So you see, there really IS time to exercise… I even found time for those big, long 2+ hour runs. It wasn't always easy, but it was doable.
So how am I going to do on Sunday? Honestly, I have no idea. Realistically, I think 4:30 is a good time for me for my first marathon. While I don't have a time goal per se (my goal is really just to finish), I think that I would be a teensy bit disappointed if I didn't make it in 4:30. I managed to do the 30K Around the Bay in 2:46, so that gives me a lot of time to slow down and bit and make sure I make it another 12 kilometres. If I had to choose a "dream" time, I'd say around 4:15. (Remember that to qualify for Boston in my age category, I'd have to do it in 3:45… so taking into account that 3:45 is kind of the high water mark for us "average" runners, I think these times are pretty realistic.)
But all this thinking about time has got me thinking about a bunch of other numbers that come into play. Here's what I've learned about running a marathon, by the numbers:
Number of:
Pairs of running shoes: 9
Races entered: 10
Water belts: 3
Water bottles: 11
Pounds of weight lifted 3x a week: 20 (10 per dumbbell)
Kms run since January, 2010: 945.5 (with only 14.5 left to go until race day!)
Times I've puked: 3
Times I've cried: 2 (only twice! Once after my first half, once after Around the Bay)
Times I've imagined myself crossing the finish line: infinity
Yes, it's been a long, hard journey, but ultimately, it's one I'm glad I've done. I learned more about myself during this training than I think I have in my whole life. I think it's made me a calmer person – more relaxed, happier and a better mother and wife than I was before I started this journey.
What's next? I've actually decided NOT to decide on anything just yet. I want to wait and see how Sunday goes before making my next move. It could be anything… I might decide to do a half marathon this fall, I might try power walking a race again, I might take a break from running and get back into spinning, Tread Powerfully and try out some yoga… or I might even decide to try another marathon this fall. But whatever I choose, I won't make a decision until after the marathon.
Six more days to go…
Happy trails…
I can't say I've been the most successful blogger in all of this, as I seem to have had a bit of trouble updating regularly. Whoops! It's definitely a peril of being a professional writer… by the time my work writing is done, I have no more time for personal writing. Luckily, with my new job, I have a weekly editor's blog I update regularly (at www.primacy.ca), so there have been a few running-related posts over there.
What I can say, though, is that as far as reaching the actual marathon goal goes, I have been far more successful. While there are no guarantees I will actually finish the race, I'm choosing to think positively and that I will finish, even if it takes me six hours.
But I think what I'm really still amazed at is that I actually followed through with this whole thing. It took almost three years and three 5K races, three 10Ks, a 10-miler, three half marathons and one 30K race, but I managed to go from barely being able to run to running for 3+ hours straight. Yeah, that seems crazy, even to me.
Since the "actual" marathon training began in January, I have not missed a single run on my training plan either. There were a few I had to postpone, but I somehow fit in every single run. Not bad for a mother of two with two jobs, a house and a husband! There were a lot of 5:30 a.m. runs and a lot of juggling, but I managed to fit it all in, along with three strength training/pilates classes a week. So you see, there really IS time to exercise… I even found time for those big, long 2+ hour runs. It wasn't always easy, but it was doable.
So how am I going to do on Sunday? Honestly, I have no idea. Realistically, I think 4:30 is a good time for me for my first marathon. While I don't have a time goal per se (my goal is really just to finish), I think that I would be a teensy bit disappointed if I didn't make it in 4:30. I managed to do the 30K Around the Bay in 2:46, so that gives me a lot of time to slow down and bit and make sure I make it another 12 kilometres. If I had to choose a "dream" time, I'd say around 4:15. (Remember that to qualify for Boston in my age category, I'd have to do it in 3:45… so taking into account that 3:45 is kind of the high water mark for us "average" runners, I think these times are pretty realistic.)
But all this thinking about time has got me thinking about a bunch of other numbers that come into play. Here's what I've learned about running a marathon, by the numbers:
Number of:
Pairs of running shoes: 9
Races entered: 10
Water belts: 3
Water bottles: 11
Pounds of weight lifted 3x a week: 20 (10 per dumbbell)
Kms run since January, 2010: 945.5 (with only 14.5 left to go until race day!)
Times I've puked: 3
Times I've cried: 2 (only twice! Once after my first half, once after Around the Bay)
Times I've imagined myself crossing the finish line: infinity
Yes, it's been a long, hard journey, but ultimately, it's one I'm glad I've done. I learned more about myself during this training than I think I have in my whole life. I think it's made me a calmer person – more relaxed, happier and a better mother and wife than I was before I started this journey.
What's next? I've actually decided NOT to decide on anything just yet. I want to wait and see how Sunday goes before making my next move. It could be anything… I might decide to do a half marathon this fall, I might try power walking a race again, I might take a break from running and get back into spinning, Tread Powerfully and try out some yoga… or I might even decide to try another marathon this fall. But whatever I choose, I won't make a decision until after the marathon.
Six more days to go…
Happy trails…
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Around the bay in two hours (and 46 minutes)
It's less than five weeks until the marathon, and I'm almost through the worst of my training. One more 32K run and it's time to taper! I'm really looking forward to tapering.
It's not even the long runs that are getting to me; it's the early morning runs, particularly the days I have to run 13K. I get up at 5:30 a.m. on those days to run and, as you can imagine, I'm really tired.
But otherwise, training is going very well. A few weeks ago, I did the "famed" Around the Bay race in Hamilton. It sounds exactly like what it is – a 30K race that literally takes you around the bay through Hamilton and Burlington. Most of the course is fairly flat, but the last 10K take you along Northshore Blvd. and up Valley Inn Road – and those who know the area know that there are many hills, especially the "big one" on Valley Inn.
The Bay race is known for those killer hills, as well as being known as the oldest road race in North America. It actually pre-dates the Boston Marathon by a year or two, but since it's not a real marathon, it doesn't quite have the same cachet! (And you don't have to qualify to run the Bay… anyone who wants to run it can sign up and do so.)
Still, around here, the Bay is "the" race to run. If you don't want to do the full 30K, you can do 5K, or you can do the relay (in teams of either two or three). All in all, it's a great race. Very fun, very challenging and a great warm-up race to a full marathon. (In fact, many people who are running Boston use the Bay as a training run.) I had always planned to use it as my warm-up race as well.
All in all, the 30K race was a success for me. I ran it in 2:46 on the nose, which was almost 15 minutes faster than my three-hour "amazing" goal. I honestly figured it would take me at least three hours, if not longer than that to finish. Sure, I ran two sub-two-hour half marathons, but they weren't much under two hours. And this was the first time I was running 30K – I was sure to slow down.
I didn't – and honestly, I didn't even realize how fast I was going until I rounded the corner into Copps Coliseum and saw the time on the jumbotron (another amazing reason to run this race – it ends IN the stadium!)
Was I happy? You bet. But it wasn't all perfect. While my speed was good, I did have some terrible cramps between 10K and 17K – bad enough to make me have to walk a bit. I wasn't sure what caused them – something I ate the night before, a too-tight water belt, dehydration – but it made for a slightly unpleasant experience.
The other problem was that I was so fast, Mike and the kids hadn't even made it into the stadium to see me finish. He got a text message from me saying I was done while he was still outside. He had trouble finding parking – definitely something to keep in mind before the marathon.
So what did I learn from Around the Bay? Here's what it taught me for my marathon:
1. Watch what you eat the night before. I experienced some of the same cramps on my 32K run, and the only connection I can find is that I had ground beef the night before. I suspect that may be the culprit for my cramps. And even if it's not, I'm still going to avoid it in my pre-marathon meal. I think I will have what I ate before the Chilly – a vegetarian pasta dish on brown rice pasta.
2. Get there early. That goes for the start line AND for the family heading to the finish line. You never know when you'll be done – or how bad parking will be. I really don't want my family to miss me finishing the marathon.
3. I'm stronger than I think. I KNOW the 30K is easier than the marathon, but I once thought it was impossible too. It's not – and I need to remember that around the 37 kilometer mark of the marathon when I want to give up.
4. I really need to eat. I gobbled Sharkies energy chews on the Bay race, but I'm experimenting with other chews (the gels make me sick) before the marathon. So far, I've settled on the GU energy blocks. They taste amazing, and they have electrolytes, carbohydrates and sodium to get me through the 4+ hours of the race.
Take those lessons as well-learned. I'm applying them in my long runs now, and hopefully it will help come race day!
Happy trails…
It's not even the long runs that are getting to me; it's the early morning runs, particularly the days I have to run 13K. I get up at 5:30 a.m. on those days to run and, as you can imagine, I'm really tired.
But otherwise, training is going very well. A few weeks ago, I did the "famed" Around the Bay race in Hamilton. It sounds exactly like what it is – a 30K race that literally takes you around the bay through Hamilton and Burlington. Most of the course is fairly flat, but the last 10K take you along Northshore Blvd. and up Valley Inn Road – and those who know the area know that there are many hills, especially the "big one" on Valley Inn.
The Bay race is known for those killer hills, as well as being known as the oldest road race in North America. It actually pre-dates the Boston Marathon by a year or two, but since it's not a real marathon, it doesn't quite have the same cachet! (And you don't have to qualify to run the Bay… anyone who wants to run it can sign up and do so.)
Still, around here, the Bay is "the" race to run. If you don't want to do the full 30K, you can do 5K, or you can do the relay (in teams of either two or three). All in all, it's a great race. Very fun, very challenging and a great warm-up race to a full marathon. (In fact, many people who are running Boston use the Bay as a training run.) I had always planned to use it as my warm-up race as well.
All in all, the 30K race was a success for me. I ran it in 2:46 on the nose, which was almost 15 minutes faster than my three-hour "amazing" goal. I honestly figured it would take me at least three hours, if not longer than that to finish. Sure, I ran two sub-two-hour half marathons, but they weren't much under two hours. And this was the first time I was running 30K – I was sure to slow down.
I didn't – and honestly, I didn't even realize how fast I was going until I rounded the corner into Copps Coliseum and saw the time on the jumbotron (another amazing reason to run this race – it ends IN the stadium!)
Was I happy? You bet. But it wasn't all perfect. While my speed was good, I did have some terrible cramps between 10K and 17K – bad enough to make me have to walk a bit. I wasn't sure what caused them – something I ate the night before, a too-tight water belt, dehydration – but it made for a slightly unpleasant experience.
The other problem was that I was so fast, Mike and the kids hadn't even made it into the stadium to see me finish. He got a text message from me saying I was done while he was still outside. He had trouble finding parking – definitely something to keep in mind before the marathon.
So what did I learn from Around the Bay? Here's what it taught me for my marathon:
1. Watch what you eat the night before. I experienced some of the same cramps on my 32K run, and the only connection I can find is that I had ground beef the night before. I suspect that may be the culprit for my cramps. And even if it's not, I'm still going to avoid it in my pre-marathon meal. I think I will have what I ate before the Chilly – a vegetarian pasta dish on brown rice pasta.
2. Get there early. That goes for the start line AND for the family heading to the finish line. You never know when you'll be done – or how bad parking will be. I really don't want my family to miss me finishing the marathon.
3. I'm stronger than I think. I KNOW the 30K is easier than the marathon, but I once thought it was impossible too. It's not – and I need to remember that around the 37 kilometer mark of the marathon when I want to give up.
4. I really need to eat. I gobbled Sharkies energy chews on the Bay race, but I'm experimenting with other chews (the gels make me sick) before the marathon. So far, I've settled on the GU energy blocks. They taste amazing, and they have electrolytes, carbohydrates and sodium to get me through the 4+ hours of the race.
Take those lessons as well-learned. I'm applying them in my long runs now, and hopefully it will help come race day!
Happy trails…
Friday, March 19, 2010
The final countdown
There are a few things I didn’t anticipate about trying to write a blog, have a career, raise a family AND run a marathon. One was that I wouldn’t really have time to update the blog!
The other is that marathon training is TOUGH. Quite possibly even tougher than the marathon itself (although somehow I doubt that…). Training is going well, but crazy. I have run 63 km since Sunday, and am off to do another 27 tomorrow. I now have two pairs of running shoes (soon to start rotating through them), and am still working on improving my eating habits. I have a new protein power with amino acids designed to help recovery.
I also completed the Chilly Half Marathon a few weeks ago with a record-breaking time of 1:50:45. That’s faster than I ran the Scotia Half last fall, and that’s also without any speed work. I think the sheer amount of mileage I’m putting in right now is making a difference.
Around the Bay (30K) is next weekend, and I hope I’m ready. I haven’t run 30K yet… the most I’ve done to date is 25K, although the 27 is looming tomorrow. I’m strength training 3 x a week now as well, and I admit, that’s about it. I’ve even given up the outdoor Tread Powerfully classes right now, because I just don’t have the time to get to them. I’m sure I will pick it back up again soon, but I need to incorporate one rest day a week right now, as my muscles are fatigued and I really want to avoid injury.
I’ve started seeing a new chiropractor and a new massage therapist, as well as continuing to get professional advice on my shoes from the folks at the Burlington Orthotic Centre. And of course, Sue Abell, TP instructor and trainer extraordinaire, is always answering my endless questions!
Career-wise, everything is going great these days. I’m enjoying my new teaching gig – it’s tough and it’s challenging, but rewarding too. And the new website (www.primacy.ca) is up and running, and I am loving writing about things like health, fitness, nutrition, etc.
So for the moment, it’s time to put my head down and focus on my training. It’s tough fitting it all in, but I’m pretty determined I’m going to do this.
Eight weeks, two days and counting…
The other is that marathon training is TOUGH. Quite possibly even tougher than the marathon itself (although somehow I doubt that…). Training is going well, but crazy. I have run 63 km since Sunday, and am off to do another 27 tomorrow. I now have two pairs of running shoes (soon to start rotating through them), and am still working on improving my eating habits. I have a new protein power with amino acids designed to help recovery.
I also completed the Chilly Half Marathon a few weeks ago with a record-breaking time of 1:50:45. That’s faster than I ran the Scotia Half last fall, and that’s also without any speed work. I think the sheer amount of mileage I’m putting in right now is making a difference.
Around the Bay (30K) is next weekend, and I hope I’m ready. I haven’t run 30K yet… the most I’ve done to date is 25K, although the 27 is looming tomorrow. I’m strength training 3 x a week now as well, and I admit, that’s about it. I’ve even given up the outdoor Tread Powerfully classes right now, because I just don’t have the time to get to them. I’m sure I will pick it back up again soon, but I need to incorporate one rest day a week right now, as my muscles are fatigued and I really want to avoid injury.
I’ve started seeing a new chiropractor and a new massage therapist, as well as continuing to get professional advice on my shoes from the folks at the Burlington Orthotic Centre. And of course, Sue Abell, TP instructor and trainer extraordinaire, is always answering my endless questions!
Career-wise, everything is going great these days. I’m enjoying my new teaching gig – it’s tough and it’s challenging, but rewarding too. And the new website (www.primacy.ca) is up and running, and I am loving writing about things like health, fitness, nutrition, etc.
So for the moment, it’s time to put my head down and focus on my training. It’s tough fitting it all in, but I’m pretty determined I’m going to do this.
Eight weeks, two days and counting…
Friday, November 20, 2009
Gearing up for the big one
It’s been three months since I wrote anything for this blog, and I’m hanging my head in shame. It’s not because I haven’t been running – it’s just that I took on a new job and life is going at a breakneck pace.
First, the good news. In September, I signed a contract with a medical company to become editor of their soon-to-be-launched health, nutrition and fitness website. Yeah, it’s pretty exciting! The content is amazing and it is exactly the type of writing I want to do. Articles on proper nutrition, working out, and all those other topics I really want to explore. It’s fun and exciting, and I can’t wait until the site launched! (A glitch with the technical team has delayed it, but it should be up by January.)
Then, there’s the even better news. I completed the Scotia Half Marathon in Toronto, beating my goal of 2 hours. I actually finished it in 1:56:51, shaving 14 minutes off my time from the Chilly Half Marathon. That’s crazy, right? How does one even do that?
I credit it to three things. One is that I finally lost those nagging 10 pounds. (Okay, truth be told, I’d really like to lose another 10 or so… but I could see this happening forever.) Being lighter really does make a difference when it comes to running.
The second is speed work. I did speed work training for the Chilly as well, but this time, I would go to the track and really focus on my speed intervals. (While training for the Chilly, I simply timed my intervals while running on the road.) Being on the track was a good gauge of distance and speed, and I think it helped me increase my cardio capacity and leg turnover speed.
Finally, I started doing more strength training/weights. I had previously been doing one Intense Strength class per week through Tread Powerfully (this is done inside, with 10lb. weights and is a very intense workout) and I ramped up to 2-3 Tread Powerfully classes per week (power walking with 3lb. weights.) The more muscle I put on, the stronger I got, which improved my speed. In September, I ramped it up even more with the Intense Strength class, a combined strength training/Pilates class, and an “Advanced Intense Strength” class that even has homework assignments every week! That class is truly a killer, and only for the fittest and/or most determined of all the Tread Powerfully members. (I like to believe that I’m both!)
So what’s next? I have actually signed up for a number of races, culminating in the Mississauga Marathon. Here’s what I’m working on:
-The Boxing Day 10 miler (16 km.) on Dec. 26 (which just happens to be my 35th birthday)
-The Chilly Half Marathon on March 7, 2010
-Around the Bay (30K) road race on March 28, 2010
-The Mississauga Marathon on May 16, 2010
I’m also keeping up with my strength training workouts. A lot of people ask me what my workout schedule looks like. I’m not sure they want to know! It’s a bit intensive, but so far, so good. My weight is holding steady, but I find my clothes are getting bigger and I’m looking a lot more muscular. But, for the curious, here’s a typical week for me:
* Sunday: Advanced Intense Strength, 7 a.m. (this combines weights with sports drills, plyometric exercises and even skipping… it changes every week and is incredibly intense.)
* Monday during the kids’ swimming lessons: I was spinning at the YMCA every Monday evening, but I kind of loathe the instructor. (As an instructor, not as a person.) Now I have changed to 3 miles of speedwork on the treadmill, aiming to have it finished in 25 minutes.
* Monday after swimming lessons: The week’s Advanced IS “homework” (which varies every 2 weeks) and a core strengthening routine. (Think planks, pushups, crunches, etc.)
* Tuesday morning: An “easy” run, ranging from 6 to 10K, depending on my training schedule. And yeah, I get up at 6 a.m. to do this before the kids go to school and I go to work.
* Tuesday evening: Intense Strength, 6:30 p.m.
* Wednesday: An interval routine consisting of skipping and body-weighted exercises, followed by the week’s Advanced IS “homework” and another core strengthening routine. I usually try to get up at 6 a.m. for this, but if I can’t, I do it in the evening when the kids have gone to bed.
* Thursday morning: Either speedwork at the track or a tempo run. The distance is slowly building before the 10 mile race. (Again, I get up at 6 a.m. to do this one…)
* Thursday evening: Power Pilates at 6:30 p.m., which is a half-hour of weights (I use 10lbs) followed by a half-hour of Pilates.
* Friday morning: The week’s long run. Today’s, for example, was 12K. That will keep increasing until the marathon. (I try to get up at 6, but thanks to a flexible schedule, I don’t always have to… today, for example, I wasn’t that busy with work so I did it after I dropped the kids off.)
* Saturday morning: Tread Powerfully “4.5 mph” class at 7 a.m. This is a very intense TP class for people who can consistently walk at least 4.5 miles per hour or faster. (And yes, I can!)
Ouch! I just realized that this means I work out TEN times a week. It might be a bit excessive, but honestly, I’ve never felt better.
Now if I could just get my nutrition under control! It’s not bad… but with winter coming, I’m craving sweets and bad carbs. I have a plan… now I just need to do it! More on that later.
Happy trails…
First, the good news. In September, I signed a contract with a medical company to become editor of their soon-to-be-launched health, nutrition and fitness website. Yeah, it’s pretty exciting! The content is amazing and it is exactly the type of writing I want to do. Articles on proper nutrition, working out, and all those other topics I really want to explore. It’s fun and exciting, and I can’t wait until the site launched! (A glitch with the technical team has delayed it, but it should be up by January.)
Then, there’s the even better news. I completed the Scotia Half Marathon in Toronto, beating my goal of 2 hours. I actually finished it in 1:56:51, shaving 14 minutes off my time from the Chilly Half Marathon. That’s crazy, right? How does one even do that?
I credit it to three things. One is that I finally lost those nagging 10 pounds. (Okay, truth be told, I’d really like to lose another 10 or so… but I could see this happening forever.) Being lighter really does make a difference when it comes to running.
The second is speed work. I did speed work training for the Chilly as well, but this time, I would go to the track and really focus on my speed intervals. (While training for the Chilly, I simply timed my intervals while running on the road.) Being on the track was a good gauge of distance and speed, and I think it helped me increase my cardio capacity and leg turnover speed.
Finally, I started doing more strength training/weights. I had previously been doing one Intense Strength class per week through Tread Powerfully (this is done inside, with 10lb. weights and is a very intense workout) and I ramped up to 2-3 Tread Powerfully classes per week (power walking with 3lb. weights.) The more muscle I put on, the stronger I got, which improved my speed. In September, I ramped it up even more with the Intense Strength class, a combined strength training/Pilates class, and an “Advanced Intense Strength” class that even has homework assignments every week! That class is truly a killer, and only for the fittest and/or most determined of all the Tread Powerfully members. (I like to believe that I’m both!)
So what’s next? I have actually signed up for a number of races, culminating in the Mississauga Marathon. Here’s what I’m working on:
-The Boxing Day 10 miler (16 km.) on Dec. 26 (which just happens to be my 35th birthday)
-The Chilly Half Marathon on March 7, 2010
-Around the Bay (30K) road race on March 28, 2010
-The Mississauga Marathon on May 16, 2010
I’m also keeping up with my strength training workouts. A lot of people ask me what my workout schedule looks like. I’m not sure they want to know! It’s a bit intensive, but so far, so good. My weight is holding steady, but I find my clothes are getting bigger and I’m looking a lot more muscular. But, for the curious, here’s a typical week for me:
* Sunday: Advanced Intense Strength, 7 a.m. (this combines weights with sports drills, plyometric exercises and even skipping… it changes every week and is incredibly intense.)
* Monday during the kids’ swimming lessons: I was spinning at the YMCA every Monday evening, but I kind of loathe the instructor. (As an instructor, not as a person.) Now I have changed to 3 miles of speedwork on the treadmill, aiming to have it finished in 25 minutes.
* Monday after swimming lessons: The week’s Advanced IS “homework” (which varies every 2 weeks) and a core strengthening routine. (Think planks, pushups, crunches, etc.)
* Tuesday morning: An “easy” run, ranging from 6 to 10K, depending on my training schedule. And yeah, I get up at 6 a.m. to do this before the kids go to school and I go to work.
* Tuesday evening: Intense Strength, 6:30 p.m.
* Wednesday: An interval routine consisting of skipping and body-weighted exercises, followed by the week’s Advanced IS “homework” and another core strengthening routine. I usually try to get up at 6 a.m. for this, but if I can’t, I do it in the evening when the kids have gone to bed.
* Thursday morning: Either speedwork at the track or a tempo run. The distance is slowly building before the 10 mile race. (Again, I get up at 6 a.m. to do this one…)
* Thursday evening: Power Pilates at 6:30 p.m., which is a half-hour of weights (I use 10lbs) followed by a half-hour of Pilates.
* Friday morning: The week’s long run. Today’s, for example, was 12K. That will keep increasing until the marathon. (I try to get up at 6, but thanks to a flexible schedule, I don’t always have to… today, for example, I wasn’t that busy with work so I did it after I dropped the kids off.)
* Saturday morning: Tread Powerfully “4.5 mph” class at 7 a.m. This is a very intense TP class for people who can consistently walk at least 4.5 miles per hour or faster. (And yes, I can!)
Ouch! I just realized that this means I work out TEN times a week. It might be a bit excessive, but honestly, I’ve never felt better.
Now if I could just get my nutrition under control! It’s not bad… but with winter coming, I’m craving sweets and bad carbs. I have a plan… now I just need to do it! More on that later.
Happy trails…
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
If the shoe fits
You always hear how inexpensive running is as a form of exercise, and to a certain extent that’s true. You don’t need fancy equipment or a gym membership, just a pair of shoes and the great outdoors. But there’s the rub… you need shoes. And, particularly when you are doing a lot of running, you need really good shoes.
Good shoes don’t come cheap. The minimum amount you can expect to pay is $100 – more for a really good pair. Now, when it comes to shoes, I have to confess I’m pretty cheap. I haven’t paid more than about $120 for a pair of shoes yet. It’s really starting to show.
I’ve always had a bit of problem with running shoes. I wear a size 9 shoe, and when I first started running, I really wanted the Nike+ running shoes so I could use my iPod to track mileage, etc. I went through three pairs of Air Max Moto shoes before realizing that they really weren’t the best shoes. They didn’t have enough cushioning, and all-in-all, I wasn’t happy with them.
So I went to the Running Room and bought my infamous pair of Mizunos and a sleeve to hold my Nike+ sensor. The Mizunos gave me terrible blisters, so the leader of my 10K clinic advised me to wear two pairs of socks. That eliminated the blister problem, but when I ran my last 10K race, I also lost my toenail as a result of my shoes being too tight. (As an aside, my Nike sensor then wore out, and I never bothered replacing it. I started using MapMyRun.com to plan out my routes.)
I went back to the Running Room and they told me the size 9s were just far too tight, and that was my problem. So they gave me a pair of the Asics (the cheaper ones) in a size 10 – the only size they had in stock. Those are the shoes I used to run the half marathon last March. And they weren’t too bad – in the winter, I wore thick socks and it didn’t bother me too much that they were too big.
Spring rolled around, and the Asics were on their last legs. Plus, with the warmer weather, I stopped wearing thick socks – and I noticed how badly my feet were slipping. My knee started to hurt again, as did my hips; a sure sign I needed new shoes.
To “get me through,” I bought another pair of Nikes at the outlet, and they were super-cheap. I honestly wasn’t even sure they were the right type for my gait (I roll my feet outwards), but I figured it would get me through training for the 5K, then this summer I could invest in a pair of good shoes.
Well, those Nikes barely lasted a month. They got so bad, my friends could see my feet rolling outward. They looked like crap, felt like crap, and all the aches and pains started coming back. I started running in the old Asics again, because at least they didn’t completely kill my feet.
But they weren’t going to last, and my long runs (up to 14K at this point) have been torture. So I finally bit the bullet and went to the Burlington Orthotic Center to get my gait analyzed and to get PROPERLY fitted for shoes.
The results weren’t too surprising. Yes, my feet indeed roll outward, and the left one actually rolls out, then rolls in. I tried on several different pairs, and we settled on the Asics (but the level up from what I had.) However the biggest change is that I should be wearing a 9 ½. The 10, they said, was just way too big for me and it was no wonder I was having problems. The 9 ½ I tried on felt great, but they were a D width, and that’s too wide for my foot. They offered to order in the B width, and from then on it’s been a waiting game.
I finally get to pick up my new shoes tomorrow, and I have to say I’m excited. I have to run 16K on Sunday evening, and I was dreading the thought of doing it in my beat-up old Asics. The new shoes will seem like heaven.
The best part is that because I got them from the orthotic center, I can get my doctor to sign a prescription and claim the shoes under our benefits. We get up to $200 a year for shoes, so if one pair of these criminally expensive (approx. $180) shoes can be covered, that is fantastic. Because at the rate I’m running, I’ll need new shoes again before Christmas. Ouch!
Happy trails…
Good shoes don’t come cheap. The minimum amount you can expect to pay is $100 – more for a really good pair. Now, when it comes to shoes, I have to confess I’m pretty cheap. I haven’t paid more than about $120 for a pair of shoes yet. It’s really starting to show.
I’ve always had a bit of problem with running shoes. I wear a size 9 shoe, and when I first started running, I really wanted the Nike+ running shoes so I could use my iPod to track mileage, etc. I went through three pairs of Air Max Moto shoes before realizing that they really weren’t the best shoes. They didn’t have enough cushioning, and all-in-all, I wasn’t happy with them.
So I went to the Running Room and bought my infamous pair of Mizunos and a sleeve to hold my Nike+ sensor. The Mizunos gave me terrible blisters, so the leader of my 10K clinic advised me to wear two pairs of socks. That eliminated the blister problem, but when I ran my last 10K race, I also lost my toenail as a result of my shoes being too tight. (As an aside, my Nike sensor then wore out, and I never bothered replacing it. I started using MapMyRun.com to plan out my routes.)
I went back to the Running Room and they told me the size 9s were just far too tight, and that was my problem. So they gave me a pair of the Asics (the cheaper ones) in a size 10 – the only size they had in stock. Those are the shoes I used to run the half marathon last March. And they weren’t too bad – in the winter, I wore thick socks and it didn’t bother me too much that they were too big.
Spring rolled around, and the Asics were on their last legs. Plus, with the warmer weather, I stopped wearing thick socks – and I noticed how badly my feet were slipping. My knee started to hurt again, as did my hips; a sure sign I needed new shoes.
To “get me through,” I bought another pair of Nikes at the outlet, and they were super-cheap. I honestly wasn’t even sure they were the right type for my gait (I roll my feet outwards), but I figured it would get me through training for the 5K, then this summer I could invest in a pair of good shoes.
Well, those Nikes barely lasted a month. They got so bad, my friends could see my feet rolling outward. They looked like crap, felt like crap, and all the aches and pains started coming back. I started running in the old Asics again, because at least they didn’t completely kill my feet.
But they weren’t going to last, and my long runs (up to 14K at this point) have been torture. So I finally bit the bullet and went to the Burlington Orthotic Center to get my gait analyzed and to get PROPERLY fitted for shoes.
The results weren’t too surprising. Yes, my feet indeed roll outward, and the left one actually rolls out, then rolls in. I tried on several different pairs, and we settled on the Asics (but the level up from what I had.) However the biggest change is that I should be wearing a 9 ½. The 10, they said, was just way too big for me and it was no wonder I was having problems. The 9 ½ I tried on felt great, but they were a D width, and that’s too wide for my foot. They offered to order in the B width, and from then on it’s been a waiting game.
I finally get to pick up my new shoes tomorrow, and I have to say I’m excited. I have to run 16K on Sunday evening, and I was dreading the thought of doing it in my beat-up old Asics. The new shoes will seem like heaven.
The best part is that because I got them from the orthotic center, I can get my doctor to sign a prescription and claim the shoes under our benefits. We get up to $200 a year for shoes, so if one pair of these criminally expensive (approx. $180) shoes can be covered, that is fantastic. Because at the rate I’m running, I’ll need new shoes again before Christmas. Ouch!
Happy trails…
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
The journey
And here I thought taking the summer off would mean I had MORE time to write! Instead, it’s been even longer between posts. Although, I did spend most of June trying to cram in the rest of the summer’s work ahead of time, so hopefully I can forgive myself for not finding the time to update my blog. Then the beginning of July was devoted to vacation, and now we are finally settling into a good summer routine. I finally have time to pull together some random running thoughts that have been circulating in my head for a while. (Running through my head? Pardon the pun!)
First, let’s start with the Moon in June 5K race. My goal was to beat my 5K PB (personal best) of 27:10. I managed to shave more than two minutes off that time, coming in at 25:06 and placing 5th out of 71 in my age group. (And, because my birthday is not until December, I’m still in the 30-34 age group!) It was certainly a great night for all of us who ran, including Mike, who ran his first 5K in 30:31. We also ran with our friends, who did well, seeing as how it was his first 5K and her first in more than 8 or 9 years. We ended the evening on an incredible high, and now all three of them are training for the Harvest Moon 5K in October. I’ve decided to sit that one out, however, and look after all the kids. (It’s only two weeks after my next half marathon!)
Achieving that goal I had of beating my 5K PB certainly got me thinking over the last few weeks about this whole running journey. It’s not just about the physical changes or how fast I run, but how it’s also changing me on the inside. Sure, I’m lighter, stronger and faster than I’ve ever been, but I’m also less tired, less anxious and more centered than before. It’s like my training program isn’t just reshaping my body, it’s also reshaping my mind and soul at the same time.
I’ll give you an example. Last year, I never would have dreamed of taking two months off of work. Or even taking a weekend off, for that matter. No, because I am self-employed, I felt like the burden fell completely on me. Even taking a week off was a huge undertaking, and I would never have quit one job and informed the other that I was taking an extended amount of time off.
But something has changed in me, and changed for the better. I did choose to quit a job that required me to work weekends and odd hours, taking time away from my family and causing an inordinate amount of stress. I called the other client and informed them that I was going to do four months of work in two months, then take two months off. And they were 100 percent on board. “If anyone can do it, you can,” the publisher informed me. “I say go for it.”
And I’m even trying to ensure my workouts don’t get in the way of my kids this summer. I’ve been getting up at 5:30 a.m. to run, a few mornings a week. I’m trying to minimize the number of days they go to the YMCA. I’m doing evening and early morning Tread Powerfully classes so I can fit my workouts in when Mike gets home. And I’ve even started swimming, so I can do laps while the kids have fun in the pool.
I’m also using this time to accomplish some of the never-ending things on my to-do list. I’ve started to get ready to (finally!) paint the living room, a much-needed update, since the previous owners used the cheapest possible paint to “fluff” the house before we bought it two years ago. I’m cleaning and organizing my bathroom, kitchen and the boys’ rooms, hopefully before school starts. Not to mention spending a bit of time on my own personal writing projects, long abandoned in the hustle and bustle of daily life.
And although I’m worried about what will happen in September, I’m trying not to let it bother me too much. Yes, by then, I will need to find something to replace the job I quit, or possibly even go back to a “regular” office job. (The woes of being self-employed are many, especially when you don’t get paid in a timely fashion. Our finances take a hit whenever that happens… and it may be time to throw in the towel.) I’m taking some time to think about it over the summer and try to find the right answer. Opportunity knocks when you least expect it, right? At least, that’s what I hope.
For now, I’m going to enjoy my summer. The kids and I have been swimming (even though the pool heater is broken… brrr!!), and today we’re going to start a special project of painting canvases to adorn my front hall as art. I told Mike that I don’t even care if the art ends up being a giant picture of Optimus Prime (Andrew’s favourite thing to draw) and an endless loop of “678” (Christopher’s favourite thing to draw). I just want some original art done by the boys to forever remember this summer.
And of course, I will keep running! (And going to Tread Powerfully… so far, I’m running three times a week, going to Tread three times a week, doing one intense strength class a week and swimming a few times a week.) It’s going very well, and I feel very strong when running. I’m getting a bit faster, and hopefully that will show when I run the half in September.
Happy trails…
First, let’s start with the Moon in June 5K race. My goal was to beat my 5K PB (personal best) of 27:10. I managed to shave more than two minutes off that time, coming in at 25:06 and placing 5th out of 71 in my age group. (And, because my birthday is not until December, I’m still in the 30-34 age group!) It was certainly a great night for all of us who ran, including Mike, who ran his first 5K in 30:31. We also ran with our friends, who did well, seeing as how it was his first 5K and her first in more than 8 or 9 years. We ended the evening on an incredible high, and now all three of them are training for the Harvest Moon 5K in October. I’ve decided to sit that one out, however, and look after all the kids. (It’s only two weeks after my next half marathon!)
Achieving that goal I had of beating my 5K PB certainly got me thinking over the last few weeks about this whole running journey. It’s not just about the physical changes or how fast I run, but how it’s also changing me on the inside. Sure, I’m lighter, stronger and faster than I’ve ever been, but I’m also less tired, less anxious and more centered than before. It’s like my training program isn’t just reshaping my body, it’s also reshaping my mind and soul at the same time.
I’ll give you an example. Last year, I never would have dreamed of taking two months off of work. Or even taking a weekend off, for that matter. No, because I am self-employed, I felt like the burden fell completely on me. Even taking a week off was a huge undertaking, and I would never have quit one job and informed the other that I was taking an extended amount of time off.
But something has changed in me, and changed for the better. I did choose to quit a job that required me to work weekends and odd hours, taking time away from my family and causing an inordinate amount of stress. I called the other client and informed them that I was going to do four months of work in two months, then take two months off. And they were 100 percent on board. “If anyone can do it, you can,” the publisher informed me. “I say go for it.”
And I’m even trying to ensure my workouts don’t get in the way of my kids this summer. I’ve been getting up at 5:30 a.m. to run, a few mornings a week. I’m trying to minimize the number of days they go to the YMCA. I’m doing evening and early morning Tread Powerfully classes so I can fit my workouts in when Mike gets home. And I’ve even started swimming, so I can do laps while the kids have fun in the pool.
I’m also using this time to accomplish some of the never-ending things on my to-do list. I’ve started to get ready to (finally!) paint the living room, a much-needed update, since the previous owners used the cheapest possible paint to “fluff” the house before we bought it two years ago. I’m cleaning and organizing my bathroom, kitchen and the boys’ rooms, hopefully before school starts. Not to mention spending a bit of time on my own personal writing projects, long abandoned in the hustle and bustle of daily life.
And although I’m worried about what will happen in September, I’m trying not to let it bother me too much. Yes, by then, I will need to find something to replace the job I quit, or possibly even go back to a “regular” office job. (The woes of being self-employed are many, especially when you don’t get paid in a timely fashion. Our finances take a hit whenever that happens… and it may be time to throw in the towel.) I’m taking some time to think about it over the summer and try to find the right answer. Opportunity knocks when you least expect it, right? At least, that’s what I hope.
For now, I’m going to enjoy my summer. The kids and I have been swimming (even though the pool heater is broken… brrr!!), and today we’re going to start a special project of painting canvases to adorn my front hall as art. I told Mike that I don’t even care if the art ends up being a giant picture of Optimus Prime (Andrew’s favourite thing to draw) and an endless loop of “678” (Christopher’s favourite thing to draw). I just want some original art done by the boys to forever remember this summer.
And of course, I will keep running! (And going to Tread Powerfully… so far, I’m running three times a week, going to Tread three times a week, doing one intense strength class a week and swimming a few times a week.) It’s going very well, and I feel very strong when running. I’m getting a bit faster, and hopefully that will show when I run the half in September.
Happy trails…
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