Showing posts with label Calgary Marathon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Calgary Marathon. Show all posts

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Calgary Marathon - The FINAL Update.

Last week I wrote this post and I was feeling okay about it, I really was. Then I started talking about it with my family more and more. Finally, I sat down to book my flight, I looked at the price and I thought what am I doing?!?

As much as it pains me to say it, I will not be going to Calgary in a few weeks to run in any capacity. I wanted so badly to run this amazing Canadian race and add it to my marathon list, especially when I was asked to be part of the blogging team. But when it really came down to it, spending that much on a 'racecation' when my foot is still not 100% isn't going to be worth it. Plus, as you might have read, it lines up directly with the time I should be taking my final exam for school before my practicum. The timing just isn't on my side this year. On top of all that, I'd be going alone. As much as I like to think of myself as an independent person, there's something about having a family member or a friend there with you when you're running a race out of town and because of other unforeseen obligations, it turns out that I'd be flying solo. The great people who organize this race have ever so generously extended the invitation for me to once again be part of the team in 2015 and I cannot thank them enough for that. I hate the idea of letting anyone down, it's just not who I am, but sometimes things just don't go as planned.

I hate to end things on a sad note, so I'd like to recap a little bit where everyone else is at 3 weeks out on the SCM Forerunner team:
(Some of the Forerunners provided personal recaps for me to share and for the others I wrote a little something but please check out their personal blogs for more information!)

Michelle is in great shape and feeling energized after her most recent half marathon. This past weekend she went out and ran through the snow in Calgary (yes in Spring!) for 36 km. Way to go Michelle. Click on the link to read more!

"I'm training for the full, using the Hanson Method. Peak kms are about 1/3 more than I've ever done before. Left calf is a little sore, but manageable. Legs feel strong and fast yet also tired and heavy. Not exactly sure what it all means, but I usually don't know how things are going until the finish line. Part of the fun perhaps?" - Peter

"My final month of training for the Calgary Marathon 50k Ultra Marathon has been a whirl-wind of high mileage, food (lots of it) and testing new products/gear. Just a few weeks ago I was offered a bib to participate in the sold out 70.3 Calgary Ironman, a coworker convinced me that this was an excellent idea. The next thing I knew I was counting down the weeks until my very first triathlon, which is only 7 weeks post first ultramarathon! I promptly hired a coach and have been thrown into an even more intense training program to get ready for both events. I have to admit that I'm really enjoying the change in pace and different workouts. My legs are exceptionally happy these days.
I attended the Calgary Marathon medal and t-shirt reveal at Eau Claire market and was not disappointed in this years swag! If anything I'm motivated by shiny things and lets just say, this years bling is HOT. This is going to be the best year to run the Calgary Marathon and I'm so excited to experience the excitement of race day with thousands of my fellow running friends. My body feels strong and my mind will get there as soon as the snow is gone!" - Lindsay
Crystal is an avid cross-fitter and was feeling some nerves about the upcoming race last week, but this week she's back at it with strength and a solid training plan for the remaining time.

Leigh Debenham @ The Best Thing Is Love
 Leigh has also unfortunately suffered a knee injury and won't be running the Calgary marathon this year. I have so enjoyed reading her blog over the last few months and will continue to do so, definitely worth a read!

Lindsey Allen @ Captured and Exposed
Lindsey takes some truly gorgeous photos and shares them on her blog, she is also an active member of the Calgary community. Check out her blog for updates on her training!

 Tina Garstad @ Fabulosi-T
I recently had the pleasure of meeting Tina in person for the first time! Our training philosophies are very similar and I can't wait to virtually cheer her on through her 3rd Marathon! She is feeling strong heading into one of her longest training runs this weekend. Just this past Sunday, she completed her 28th Half Marathon, way to go Tina!
Tina and I meeting up this past weekend!
Karen Cooksley @ All Downhill From Here
 Karen is currently recovering from an injury, check out all the proactive things she is doing to heal and move forward on her blog!

 Terry is powering through marathon training with 80+ km weeks! She has recently been doing Yasso 800s, a form of speed work that I have yet to try. I look forward to seeing how it relates to her marathon time, though I have confidence that she is going to do awesome!

 Martin recently ran 630 miles around the coast of England, WOW, truly an inspiration! To make his journey even more incredible, he has raised more than a half a million $ for charity and has also written a book about his experience.

The Calgary Marathon medals were also recently revealed and they sure are grand! I can't wait to get my belt buckle one day, hopefully next year!
Although, as I say, I am disappointed about not being able to take part in the event this year, especially being the 50th anniversary, I am so confident in the rest of the blogging team and I can't wait to read about their races!

Will you be at the Calgary Marathon this year? What are you most looking forward to?

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Calgary Marathon Update

Before I left for Vegas, I mentioned how I have been struggling with my foot/ankle pain still and it has majorly threatened my training for the full marathon in Calgary. What I didn't say, maybe because I wasn't ready to say it out loud yet, was that very night I chose to downgrade to the half distance.

It was a hard decision even though I believe that it's very unlikely I would have made it to the marathon finish line without further injury. At the beginning of this year I set out to run 3 full marathons in a matter of months and as it turns out, I have only and will only run 1 this year.

The full marathon is just a whole other ball game, one that my foot isn't strong enough for right now. It's taken a couple weeks, but I'm happy that I'm still able to run the half distance with mild pain/discomfort. And hey, I'm still a marathoner, just not training for one right now.

I think sometimes when you've reached certain goals it's hard to see all the milestones that got you there in the first place. I need to remember that a half marathon is still an accomplishment and something I can definitely be proud of.

So now you know. How's your training coming along?


Thursday, April 17, 2014

Preamble to the Vegas Mustang 50th Anniversary Half Marathon

Tomorrow we're off to Vegas for my race on Saturday. I have mixed feelings about it. My foot pain comes and goes and though I'm pretty confident I can finish the half marathon, I'm starting to get really nervous about the marathon distance in June for Calgary. Speaking of which, the deadline to switch distance is tonight at midnight (in case you need to)... Every time I run now, that's in the back of my mind.

The pain in my foot seems to have migrated into the back of my ankle, where I'm starting to wonder is maybe where it really began, and perhaps the arch pain was a result of continuing to run on it or overcompensation. Anyways, there's not much I can do about it at this point, except continuing to focus on recovery and running smart. I think the timing for this injury is what perplexes me the most. Sometimes I feel like I can only be good at one thing at one time if that makes sense. Lately I've been more focused on school because I haven't been enjoying running as much because of the pain, which I suppose isn't entirely terrible, since I need to finish it. Also, it could be a lot worse, as my foot actually seems to be managing the half distance before becoming excruciatingly painful, so I'm definitely counting my blessings in that respect. That's a huge improvement since LA.

Mostly I'm looking forward to a vacation with Cody. We have a really busy Summer coming up with friends getting married and my practicum for school, so this will be our main vacation this year other than hopefully some camping and I think we both need the time away together.

Other than the race, I don't have any plans to run. Supposedly, it's set to be 30+ degrees or high 80's Fahrenheit. Personally, I do not run well in those temperatures, but hopefully because the race is so early in the morning we will be able to beat the heat...

Do you have any exciting plans for the Easter long weekend? Any suggestions for what to do in Vegas? We are seeing a couple of shows, but so far that's it.


Tuesday, March 25, 2014

I'm BACK baby!

So I finally went for a run and the verdict is... no pain! I'm baaacckk!
I'm trying not to celebrate too much yet, as it was only 5 kilometers and I have a lot of mileage in front of me still...
But here's my plan moving forward:

1. This injury has humbled me and reminded me how fragile our bodies actually are. I will certainly be paying a lot more attention to recovery and prevention than I ever did before.

2. I've decided to listen to the doctor and downgrade to the half at BMO so I don't damage myself for the Calgary full marathon. As he put it, I could probably run a half marathon in my sleep at this point... well I don't know about that, but yes it's lot simpler than a full marathon at this point. This will give me the time I need to work up to the full distance again safely.

3. Going forward, what training schedule am I following?
A modified schedule for Calgary Full Marathon on June 1st with 3 half marathons and a trail race in the mix! See below for the latest addition!

4. Blogging has opened up lots of great opportunities over the last year, but one really exciting one has been being part of the Rock 'n' Blog team for the Oasis Rock 'n' Roll Vancouver Half Marathon & Cunningham Seawall 10k. Today, they announced that runners who complete their Portland, Seattle, & Vancouver events will be eligible for a new limited edition medal called the Cascadia medal and guess what? I'm doing all 3... commence happy dance NOW! I had already planned to do Seattle and obviously Vancouver, but Portland is my latest addition!

I will receive a total of 7 medals for completing 3 races, can you say WOW! Here's a peek at a few of them below! Rock 'n' Roll Seattle & Rock 'n' Roll Vancouver have yet to reveal their medals...





Thursday, March 20, 2014

Reality Check

It's hard to believe that it has been over 10 days since I laced up my running shoes. When I finished LA marathon, I knew the only answer to my foot issues was going to be taking some time off, and I was scared. Scared for what that would mean, scared that I wouldn't know what to do with myself, scared at ruining my training for my upcoming races...

What actually happened is quite the opposite. I'm the type of person that when I set my mind to do something, it's all I can see. I go ALL IN no matter what. This can be positive or negative. It's part of the reason I've made it to so many finish lines, but it also keeps me from seeing the 'bigger picture' at times.

As the exhilaration of actually finishing LA marathon faded away and the freedom of not having to go for a run lost it's novelty... I found myself looking around at my not-so-clean house, evaluating where I should really be at with school, and calculating how much money I've spent on running over the last year and a half, and I've got to be honest, it's not a pretty picture.

I'm not saying that I have regrets, because I don't. I'm just grateful for the chance to step back and look at things from a different perspective. Does that mean when Monday rolls around and my doctor-imposed  moratorium on running is over, you won't find me out there hitting the pavement with a smile on my face? Absolutely not. Well at least, I hope not (fingers crossed for a happy pain-free foot). 

I'm still a runner, its part of who I am now. But it's not all I am. I'm a mother and a wife too and I have other non-running goals that haven't seen as much commitment as they should have. So instead of worrying about what race to sign up for next, I'm just going to focus on what I've got on my plate right now and making sure all of my priorities are in order.

What does that mean for my race schedule? So far, nothing changes, yet. The Chiro has recommended focusing on my next half marathon, which is on Easter weekend and then evaluating which distance to take on at BMO, although he was suggesting dropping to the half. Calgary full marathon is my next BIG goal race on June 1st which I'm confident I have time to train for, assuming my foot cooperates. However, it may mean dropping Run for Water and putting my quest for Marathon Maniac status on hold for this year. Only time will tell at this point.

Balance is a struggle for everyone I think. How do you balance running with the rest of your life? Do you find it to be a challenge?

Friday, January 10, 2014

I am a #SCM Forerunner!

As you may have already read, 2 big races have invited me to be part of their blogging team this year. The first of which, is the Scotiabank Calgary Marathon. I truly am so honored to be featured as an #SCMForerunner alongside some pretty fantastic runners.
RACE DETAILS
Distances:
Ultra Marathon, Marathon, Half Marathon, 10k, 5k, & Kids Marathon

Date:
June 1, 2014

Location:
Stampede Park, Calgary AB

Cost:
Registration for the Marathon & Half Marathon is $90 until May 26, 2014

I would have been honored to be chosen for this opportunity in any case, but there are some things about this year that will make it extremely special. It is the 50th anniversary of the Calgary Marathon! Did you know that the Calgary Marathon also happens to be Canada's oldest marathon? Pretty cool eh (haha)!

This race will also mark the completion of my quest for Marathon Maniac status (Bronze Level: 3 marathons in a 90-day time frame OR 2 marathons in a 16-day time frame)! Oh boy, I am going to be tired...

I'm joining a pretty amazing list of runners, check out their blogs for more info and to follow their training as well:





 





All of our profiles are up on the Calgary ForeRunners site including mine!

If you are not already registered for this exciting race, I hope you'll consider it, and if you are, I will see you there! Stay tuned for more posts on this event including some tips on traveling to a big race.

Saturday, January 4, 2014

2014 Race Schedule

So here it is, my 2014 race schedule:

1. Chilly Chase Half Marathon – Vancouver, BC - January 26, 2014

2. Vancouver First ½ Half Marathon – Vancouver, BC - February 16, 2014

3. West Van Run 10k – West Vancouver, BC - March 2, 2014

4. Golden Ears Half Marathon – Langley, BC - March 9, 2014

5. Ford Mustang 50th Anniversary Half Marathon – Las Vegas, NV - April 19, 2014

6. BMO Vancouver Full Marathon – Vancouver, BC - May 4, 2014

7. Run for Water Full Marathon – Abbotsford, BC - May 25, 2014

8. Calgary Full Marathon – Calgary, AB - June 1, 2014

9. Seattle Rock n’ Roll Half Marathon – Seattle, WA - June 21, 2014

10. Vancouver Rock n’ Roll Half Marathon – Vancouver, BC - October 26, 2014

So as you can see, so far I have only 10 races on the schedule and I still need to pick 4 more for the 14in2014 challenge but I figure, just like last year, a few more will come up along the way! 

I've highlighted my 2 premiere races for this year! I'm so ecstatic to be joining the #SCMForerunners team for the Scotiabank Calgary Marathon in June. And I'm quite honestly still in disbelief that the Rock 'n' Roll race series will be landing in my city for the inaugural Rock 'n' Roll Oasis Vancouver Half Marathon and Cunningham Seawall 10k in October and I'm so honored that I have been invited to join in the festivities. There will be lots more on these to come, so stay tuned!

As always, you can find my updated race schedule and completed races here.

My ProCompression giveaway runs until Thursday!

Are you doing any of these races? What are you most excited about for 2014? Lastly, do you have any suggestions for my 4 other mystery races?