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?
Showing posts with label marathon training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marathon training. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
I don't want to run.
There I said it.
I don't always like writing when I feel like I'm lacking inspiration,
but I'm all for honesty and I haven't written in almost a week.
This doesn't happen very often but I'm just not feeling it right now. It probably has a lot to do with the strep throat I'm still getting over and my foot injury, but mentally my head is totally out of the game.
I went for a slow 7k run yesterday as I was unable to run on Sunday, still being ill. Today was really "blah", just felt like getting it done. I have work to do and races to get ready for. And though I'm not feeling inspired, I know that there's a run around the corner that will be the amazing one I need to clear my head and forget all about this. I just wish that run could happen tomorrow but unfortunately I have no control over that.
I always feel so conflicted when this happens. Over the last year I've come to define myself as a runner. It's part of who I am now, so what does it say when I have no desire to do something that I love? I know it's temporary, but it feels so wrong, so unlike me.
Now tell me about your running and send me some inspiration cause I'm gonna need it. My next race is in 10 days...
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...
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?
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Race Review: LA Marathon
Wow. The day was finally here... only a few short hours after closing my eyes, the hotel wake up call and all the phone alarms were simultaneously signaling it was time to get the show on the road.
After figuring out how to hang up our super modern hotel phone... I stumbled to the bathroom and sorted all of my race things out. I had laid out as much as I could the night before.
I really don't think I have ever been so nervous before a race. I was just so terrified that I wouldn't be able to run. Because of this, I neglected to take a too many pictures of my "smiling" face before the start.
I had asked at the expo what would happen if I tried to get on a shuttle later than my reserved 3:30AM time (one of the only times left by the time I signed up) and they said it shouldn't be a problem just don't wait until the last one. I was aiming to be at Santa Monica City Hall by 4:30 (the last shuttle would leave by 5:30). I got there shortly after 4:00 and found a ton of empty bus'. Security took a quick peek in my hydration pack and then I got right on the bus.
The bus was rather quiet. The man next to me only said one thing: "This seems like quite a long way to Dodger Stadium, we are going to be running this far?". I just put my head down.
When we arrived at the stadium, there was hardly anyone there with 3 hours to go before the start, I suppose it wasn't that surprising. I really wish we had been allowed into the stadium though. I feel like I could have fallen asleep in one of the seats or something. Instead, the only place to sit was the ground.
It was cold, really cold and windy. I had a throwaway sweatshirt but really wish I had brought a blanket or a garbage bag or something. This one lady had brought a whole comforter, she looked so warm. I sat there stretching until pretty much the sun came up. I tried to get in touch with the other girls, but they were running late and I realized I wouldn't be able to see them before the race. I gathered my things and headed for the port-a-potties. The lines were pretty long, but I still had time. When I got back to the open corral I tried to find the 11:00 min/mile pace sign but everything was so crowded I was only able to get to the side of chute. As the race began and people started moving forward I was able to get in but I'm not sure which "corral" I actually ended up in. That part was a lot less organized than I expected. Funny enough, people around me were saying things were way more organized this year than previous years.
Above us, the sky was opening up into a beautiful sunrise.
Maybe it's the pessimist in me, but whenever I see this, I always think of the phrase "Pink sky at night sailor's delight, pink sky in the morning sailor's warning". This is probably never the case but it refers to bad weather, and in fact it definitely wasn't the case on this day.
This is the only pre-race selfie I took, check out the photo bomb ha ha:
And just like that, we were running. I was running. I was so hesitant on my feet, would I make it? Would there be pain? Every step terrified me. As we passed the first mile marker, I was still feeling okay, and that's probably when I finally took a deep breath. The only thing I found bothersome was that my hat didn't fit... big race no-no, try on something before you where it in a marathon people!
As we passed through Chinatown, I began to feel some shooting pains in the bottom of my foot. I reminded myself to stay calm and just go slow. My goal was to cross the finish line however I got there. So I didn't want to run so hard that I wouldn't be able to at least walk. I kept to my 10/1s very well other than the major hills. Every time the road would slant in any direction, up, down, sideways, my arch would begin to hurt more. So I walked when I had to and ran as often as I could. I think at mile 10, I finally realized I was going to do this. I still didn't know how long it was going to take me, but I was going to get there, slowly but surely.
As we made our way down Hollywood Boulevard, the sun was really starting to peek through the buildings, and I could feel it getting hotter. I hadn't seen Gatorade at a water station since mile 3 and though it isn't my favorite anymore, I knew I was running low on Skratch in my hydration pack, and my mouth was getting dry. I was shivering quite a bit even though it was hot. I was trying not to think about what that meant, but I know from first aid that I was in the early stages of significant dehydration.
I had a spectator take this picture for me:
I posted it to RBRR's FaceBook page and captioned it "15.2 miles to the beach, we are NOT almost there!"
As I came up on the halfway mark at around 2:30 something, I was pleased. Even if I walked the rest of the race, I was confident that I could get there. That isn't even my worst half marathon time, so all things considered, things were going well.
Sunset Boulevard, was the first taste of what the weather was going to be like for the remainder of the race; HOT.
This was also where I felt walking was going to become more and more of reality as the pain became more intense. I had been texting the other girls during my walk breaks and I knew Jacki was behind me at this point and struggling. So I waited 4 or 5 minutes to see if I could see her and cheer her through since I was walking a lot anyways.
While I was waiting, I noticed this sign and boy was I tempted to stop, champagne sounded pretty delicious!
Having since looked at the picture more closely, a lot of people were headed in there! I imagine for a restroom, but still funny!
Thankfully, I was able to spot Jacki in the crowd and I ran on with her. I figured she would keep going and then I would be walk/running alone for the rest of the race, but she was really having a rough day.
I'm so glad she was with me because look who she spotted on the side of the road cheering, BOB HARPER!
If it wasn't for Jacki, I don't think I would have been brave enough to ask for a picture either, I think he was trying to keep a low profile. He was really kind about it though.
On we went, running when I could, and walking when I couldn't any longer. I started to lose track of where we were when we were no longer on Sunset Boulevard. At some point we ended up in Beverly Hills and from that point on we were almost exclusively walking. I had hoped to be able to run the last 5 or so kilometers to the finish, so I was just biding my time.
Things really slowed down now. Dehydration had totally taken it's toll, I was shivering constantly now, and my mouth was as dry as the desert, no amount of water would quench my thirst. They had run out of Gatorade completely. Everyone seemed really surprised by the heat. I don't know what the exact temperature was, I've seen reports ranging from 28-32 degrees celsius or in the high 80's farenheit. Obviously I knew it would be warmer than at home, but this felt particularly unseasonable.
At some point we ended up on San Vincente which stretched on forever towards the beach. Looking at the course map now, I can see that stretch was about 4 miles long. We were doing our best to walk our kilometers at a 9:30 pace, I'm not sure what that is in miles. There was a slight downhill to Ocean Ave when we could see the beach but it wasn't as dramatic as the elevation profile had made it seem.
When we had about 2 kilometers to go, I wanted to run, but Jacki had developed a blister straight across the bottom of her foot and she just couldn't. We had made it this far together and we were going to finish together. So we walked until we reached the chute and we ran in together.
All in all, I think I did okay. Considering I ran a half marathon and then walked another one on a foot that probably should have done neither. I crossed in under 6 hours which is what I had adjusted my goal to after the injury. And I didn't DNF (Did Not Finish) which was my biggest fear. I also had lots of fun despite the pain and was a lot less lonely out there with Jacki next to me.
After the finish, I was hobbling. We had to walk quite a ways to get ice and water. I had my left knee taped and iced and took a bag with me for when it was time to remove my shoe. I could tell that my foot had swelled a lot because I could feel the laces on my right shoe were a heck of a lot tighter than when I started. All I grabbed from the small selection of food was some animal crackers. We somehow missed the cold towels, WOW that would have been amazing. I took a picture with Jacki as she is planning on purchasing the photos and we began searching for my sister and Nikki.
The crowds were intense and it wasn't easy to locate anyone. Finally, we found them and made it back to our hotel.
I'm so proud of Nikki, she got a 14 minute PR in some really tough conditions.
I was in a lot of pain after the race and still am today. I'm really hoping some rest will help me resolve the issue so I can get back to doing something I love. Until then, I will eat, ha ha.
My sister and I spent the evening relaxing in our hotel room and took a very slow walk on the beach to take in the gorgeous sunset.
Thanks LA for a great trip. Now it's back to real life.
Race Review Summary
Package Pickup/Expo:
Easy and fast. There was convenient parking as well. There wasn't too many exciting exhibitors though, I expected more in that respect for such a big race.
Price/Value: $195
That was the cost for international participants. I'm not sure what it was otherwise. It did include the 5k, but still very expensive. I mean that rivals a Disney race for cost. At this cost, there are expectations, some of which were not met, such as adequate hydration and post race food.
Aid Stations:
There were enough of them, they had just run out of stuff. I understand that the weather was unseasonably warm, but seeing as how the race released a warning about extreme heat the day before, I would have thought they would have been making adjustments accordingly.
Course Difficulty:
Not as "flat and fast" as advertised. I don't really think I'm over exaggerating either. I ran San Francisco, I've seen my fair share of hills. Was it the hilliest course I've run? No. But I wish the advertising would have been clearer regarding this.
Medals:
Love them and I love how the ribbon has "Stadium to Sea" on it.
After figuring out how to hang up our super modern hotel phone... I stumbled to the bathroom and sorted all of my race things out. I had laid out as much as I could the night before.
I had asked at the expo what would happen if I tried to get on a shuttle later than my reserved 3:30AM time (one of the only times left by the time I signed up) and they said it shouldn't be a problem just don't wait until the last one. I was aiming to be at Santa Monica City Hall by 4:30 (the last shuttle would leave by 5:30). I got there shortly after 4:00 and found a ton of empty bus'. Security took a quick peek in my hydration pack and then I got right on the bus.
The bus was rather quiet. The man next to me only said one thing: "This seems like quite a long way to Dodger Stadium, we are going to be running this far?". I just put my head down.
When we arrived at the stadium, there was hardly anyone there with 3 hours to go before the start, I suppose it wasn't that surprising. I really wish we had been allowed into the stadium though. I feel like I could have fallen asleep in one of the seats or something. Instead, the only place to sit was the ground.
Above us, the sky was opening up into a beautiful sunrise.
This is the only pre-race selfie I took, check out the photo bomb ha ha:
As we passed through Chinatown, I began to feel some shooting pains in the bottom of my foot. I reminded myself to stay calm and just go slow. My goal was to cross the finish line however I got there. So I didn't want to run so hard that I wouldn't be able to at least walk. I kept to my 10/1s very well other than the major hills. Every time the road would slant in any direction, up, down, sideways, my arch would begin to hurt more. So I walked when I had to and ran as often as I could. I think at mile 10, I finally realized I was going to do this. I still didn't know how long it was going to take me, but I was going to get there, slowly but surely.
I had a spectator take this picture for me:
As I came up on the halfway mark at around 2:30 something, I was pleased. Even if I walked the rest of the race, I was confident that I could get there. That isn't even my worst half marathon time, so all things considered, things were going well.
Sunset Boulevard, was the first taste of what the weather was going to be like for the remainder of the race; HOT.
While I was waiting, I noticed this sign and boy was I tempted to stop, champagne sounded pretty delicious!
Thankfully, I was able to spot Jacki in the crowd and I ran on with her. I figured she would keep going and then I would be walk/running alone for the rest of the race, but she was really having a rough day.
I'm so glad she was with me because look who she spotted on the side of the road cheering, BOB HARPER!
On we went, running when I could, and walking when I couldn't any longer. I started to lose track of where we were when we were no longer on Sunset Boulevard. At some point we ended up in Beverly Hills and from that point on we were almost exclusively walking. I had hoped to be able to run the last 5 or so kilometers to the finish, so I was just biding my time.
Things really slowed down now. Dehydration had totally taken it's toll, I was shivering constantly now, and my mouth was as dry as the desert, no amount of water would quench my thirst. They had run out of Gatorade completely. Everyone seemed really surprised by the heat. I don't know what the exact temperature was, I've seen reports ranging from 28-32 degrees celsius or in the high 80's farenheit. Obviously I knew it would be warmer than at home, but this felt particularly unseasonable.
At some point we ended up on San Vincente which stretched on forever towards the beach. Looking at the course map now, I can see that stretch was about 4 miles long. We were doing our best to walk our kilometers at a 9:30 pace, I'm not sure what that is in miles. There was a slight downhill to Ocean Ave when we could see the beach but it wasn't as dramatic as the elevation profile had made it seem.
When we had about 2 kilometers to go, I wanted to run, but Jacki had developed a blister straight across the bottom of her foot and she just couldn't. We had made it this far together and we were going to finish together. So we walked until we reached the chute and we ran in together.
After the finish, I was hobbling. We had to walk quite a ways to get ice and water. I had my left knee taped and iced and took a bag with me for when it was time to remove my shoe. I could tell that my foot had swelled a lot because I could feel the laces on my right shoe were a heck of a lot tighter than when I started. All I grabbed from the small selection of food was some animal crackers. We somehow missed the cold towels, WOW that would have been amazing. I took a picture with Jacki as she is planning on purchasing the photos and we began searching for my sister and Nikki.
The crowds were intense and it wasn't easy to locate anyone. Finally, we found them and made it back to our hotel.
I'm so proud of Nikki, she got a 14 minute PR in some really tough conditions.
 |
| Nikki and I the next day. Everyone was so delirious after the race, no one thought to take any pictures. |
 |
| Post race food at Buca di Beppo |
Package Pickup/Expo:
Easy and fast. There was convenient parking as well. There wasn't too many exciting exhibitors though, I expected more in that respect for such a big race.
Price/Value: $195
That was the cost for international participants. I'm not sure what it was otherwise. It did include the 5k, but still very expensive. I mean that rivals a Disney race for cost. At this cost, there are expectations, some of which were not met, such as adequate hydration and post race food.
Aid Stations:
There were enough of them, they had just run out of stuff. I understand that the weather was unseasonably warm, but seeing as how the race released a warning about extreme heat the day before, I would have thought they would have been making adjustments accordingly.
Course Difficulty:
Not as "flat and fast" as advertised. I don't really think I'm over exaggerating either. I ran San Francisco, I've seen my fair share of hills. Was it the hilliest course I've run? No. But I wish the advertising would have been clearer regarding this.
Medals:
Love them and I love how the ribbon has "Stadium to Sea" on it.
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
Sidelined.
So much has happened in the past week that I don't even know where to start. I've decided to break it up into a few posts to not overwhelm you with all of my thoughts at once.
To start with, I will break down all of the things I did prior to the marathon to deal with the pain occurring in my foot.
1. Panic
I spent the first part of the week completely freaking out about the race even jumping to the conclusions that I might have to back out and not do the race entirely. After the panic settled, I began implementing a plan to give myself the best chance to cross the finish line only a few short days later.
2. See a physiotherapist.
On another runners recommendation, I visited the local physio clinic in hopes that they'd do some magic and have some awesome suggestions to make the pain disappear immediately. She had some great suggestions but of course, was unable to make any promises regarding the race and wasn't able to completely confirm a diagnosis either. She was leaning towards PF or plantar fasciitis but having only seen me once wasn't completely sure.
3. Try reflexology.
I've heard about this before, but thought that it was just the same as massage. I was sort of wrong. It is massage but not the same type that you get when you go to an RMT. It is focused on hands and feet and in my case specifically on my right foot. I will say that I walked out of there without any pain and after 2 treatments, I was feeling pretty good. Health Roots Reflexology offers a treatment for plantar fasciitis, and though I wasn't confirmed to have that yet, it was clear that I'd done something to inflame the arch of my foot and the plantar fascia. A lot of time was spent trying to break up the scar tissue at the base of my heel which is where I was feeling the most pain.
4. Massage Therapy.
I had a hunch that something else must have lead to this problem, for it to come completely out of nowhere just didn't make any sense to me. I did a lot of reading about foot problems that runners encounter and one of the things that stuck out in my mind is having tight calves and that leading to PF. After we ran the 32km, I felt pretty good, tired but good. The only slight thing I noticed was that my calves were REALLY tight. I thought that a couple light runs would loosen things up. Anyways... The RMT worked some magic and really massaged out my legs and feet.
5. See a chiropractor.
I have this really amazing chiropractor who is great at dealing with runners and all the problems we offer. I used to see him regularly, but life got in the way, blah blah blah, and I sort of just stopped going. He was the first person I thought of when all this started but I wasn't able to get in to see him until last Wednesday. Like the physiotherapist, he was very hesitant to pass judgement as to what specifically was happening until after the race, but he was pretty sure that something other than PF was going on. He was also very quiet about the topic of reaching the finish line, but kindly told me to return when I got back from LA and we would go from there. He gave me some hip exercises as he thinks the fact that my right hip being significantly weaker than the other side has played a role in this injury.
6. Ice, roll, stretch, tape, repeat.
I used to roll on a regular basis, but like the chiropractor... life and other excuses got in the way. Anyways, the last week or so, it feels like that's all I've been doing. I even bought a lacrosse ball at the Chiro's suggestion to roll the bottom of my foot and it is the best! I had one of those foot rubz balls from the running store but it just wasn't cutting it. I've also been icing my foot before bed to bring down inflammation and pain. Lastly I've been taping my foot with KT tape... I've been through almost 2 whole rolls.
7. Hope.
There wasn't much else I could do beyond this. My biggest fear was getting out there and having to quit in the middle of the race. Mentally, I would rather not even start the race than have to quit in the middle.
You may already know at this point that I did make it to the finish line, beyond that you will have to wait for my race review which is currently in progress. Today I returned to the chiropractor and he is fairly certain that rest is best at this point. So here I am, sidelined from running until further notice. Right now I'm looking at least 10 days but possibly more. My race schedule is entirely up in the air now. I have to say it is odd to be in this position as I never really have. Though I'm not entirely surprised because after Sunday, I am in quite a bit of pain again, so it isn't as though I can run anyways.
Next up, Day 1 in Los Angeles and the Nutri Bullet Health and Fitness Expo!
To start with, I will break down all of the things I did prior to the marathon to deal with the pain occurring in my foot.
1. Panic
I spent the first part of the week completely freaking out about the race even jumping to the conclusions that I might have to back out and not do the race entirely. After the panic settled, I began implementing a plan to give myself the best chance to cross the finish line only a few short days later.
2. See a physiotherapist.
On another runners recommendation, I visited the local physio clinic in hopes that they'd do some magic and have some awesome suggestions to make the pain disappear immediately. She had some great suggestions but of course, was unable to make any promises regarding the race and wasn't able to completely confirm a diagnosis either. She was leaning towards PF or plantar fasciitis but having only seen me once wasn't completely sure.
3. Try reflexology.
I've heard about this before, but thought that it was just the same as massage. I was sort of wrong. It is massage but not the same type that you get when you go to an RMT. It is focused on hands and feet and in my case specifically on my right foot. I will say that I walked out of there without any pain and after 2 treatments, I was feeling pretty good. Health Roots Reflexology offers a treatment for plantar fasciitis, and though I wasn't confirmed to have that yet, it was clear that I'd done something to inflame the arch of my foot and the plantar fascia. A lot of time was spent trying to break up the scar tissue at the base of my heel which is where I was feeling the most pain.
4. Massage Therapy.
I had a hunch that something else must have lead to this problem, for it to come completely out of nowhere just didn't make any sense to me. I did a lot of reading about foot problems that runners encounter and one of the things that stuck out in my mind is having tight calves and that leading to PF. After we ran the 32km, I felt pretty good, tired but good. The only slight thing I noticed was that my calves were REALLY tight. I thought that a couple light runs would loosen things up. Anyways... The RMT worked some magic and really massaged out my legs and feet.
5. See a chiropractor.
I have this really amazing chiropractor who is great at dealing with runners and all the problems we offer. I used to see him regularly, but life got in the way, blah blah blah, and I sort of just stopped going. He was the first person I thought of when all this started but I wasn't able to get in to see him until last Wednesday. Like the physiotherapist, he was very hesitant to pass judgement as to what specifically was happening until after the race, but he was pretty sure that something other than PF was going on. He was also very quiet about the topic of reaching the finish line, but kindly told me to return when I got back from LA and we would go from there. He gave me some hip exercises as he thinks the fact that my right hip being significantly weaker than the other side has played a role in this injury.
6. Ice, roll, stretch, tape, repeat.
I used to roll on a regular basis, but like the chiropractor... life and other excuses got in the way. Anyways, the last week or so, it feels like that's all I've been doing. I even bought a lacrosse ball at the Chiro's suggestion to roll the bottom of my foot and it is the best! I had one of those foot rubz balls from the running store but it just wasn't cutting it. I've also been icing my foot before bed to bring down inflammation and pain. Lastly I've been taping my foot with KT tape... I've been through almost 2 whole rolls.
7. Hope.
There wasn't much else I could do beyond this. My biggest fear was getting out there and having to quit in the middle of the race. Mentally, I would rather not even start the race than have to quit in the middle.
You may already know at this point that I did make it to the finish line, beyond that you will have to wait for my race review which is currently in progress. Today I returned to the chiropractor and he is fairly certain that rest is best at this point. So here I am, sidelined from running until further notice. Right now I'm looking at least 10 days but possibly more. My race schedule is entirely up in the air now. I have to say it is odd to be in this position as I never really have. Though I'm not entirely surprised because after Sunday, I am in quite a bit of pain again, so it isn't as though I can run anyways.
Next up, Day 1 in Los Angeles and the Nutri Bullet Health and Fitness Expo!
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
23km: Why it's my favorite distance and how I got there.
Almost a year ago, I ran the furthest I'd ever run at that point, just a little more than a half marathon distance, and to me, it was a really big deal! I had joined one of my friends, Nikki, on her training run. I remember as my garmin ticked past 21.1km, that I had a few tears welling up in my eyes for how far I had come.
Obviously, since that day, I have run more than that many times over, but that distance still marks a special moment for me in my training. Saying goodbye to the half marathon distance and hello to a new bigger goal. The marathon. Last June, I went out for a training run and ran that far by myself. And again, for me, that was a really big deal. As I quickly approach my 2nd marathon, I find myself reflecting on that day when it all became real, the day I knew I would one day run a full marathon.
There was a time, only a few years ago, when I couldn't even run 5km by myself. Running has become such a huge part of my life since then, doing so many things that I never thought I would do. All I had to do was stop saying "can't" and get out there. Some days I would hardly run, it would mostly be walking, but gradually I made my way up to running for 10 minutes and walking for a minute, and continuing on that way until I reached the desired distance. The 1st half marathon I ever did, I was taught to run without intervals and my finish time was a lot slower, my slowest in fact except for Lululemon 2012, which was a disaster for other reasons entirely.
To this day, I still do 10/1s for my long runs. My 10 minute portions have become faster and that's how I have improved. Mentally and physically they work really well for me. I credit them for having gotten this far in running. Some people see them as a cop-out, as if somehow because I take a 1 minute walk break, I'm not a "real" runner and I can't improve beyond a beginner level. Well, I'm just not sure how you can possibly think that? How is it any different from people who walk through water stations or stop to take a gel? Don't get me wrong, towards the end of a race, if things are going well, I've been known to skip a few walk breaks, but for the majority I take them no matter what, and because of that I'm able to go a lot faster during the following 10 minutes.
I'm not trying to take anything away from people who run 100 miles, 50 miles, marathons, and so on, or people who run straight through without stopping... but we are all runners and part of the running community and I think that we should all try to honor that more. Whether we are running 5k, 10k, 23k, a marathon or more, however we get to the finish line, it's getting there that counts. Does being a more experienced runner give anyone the right to judge how I run or how I get to that finish line?
Let's rewind a little bit here, I had planned to write a post about surpassing 23km in your training and how much that distance in particular has meant to me over the past year. But last week, I read something and it gave me cause to reflect on literally how I got to 23km and surpassed that goal many times over.
I find that in general, there is a divide between runners who run to win and runners who run just because it's something they love to do, such as a recreational runner like myself. It would be nice if one day I could win a race, but it's not the reason I run, nor is it a goal or priority. I aspire to beat my own time and challenge myself every time I hit the pavement. So let's let go of the judgement and the comparison to other runners, and just do what we love.
Trail runner or road runner. Elite runner or recreational runner. We all love the same thing, can't we just embrace that?
My favorite running quote:
"I often hear someone say I'm not a real runner. We are all runners, some just run faster than others. I never met a fake runner."
-Bart Yasso
There was a time, only a few years ago, when I couldn't even run 5km by myself. Running has become such a huge part of my life since then, doing so many things that I never thought I would do. All I had to do was stop saying "can't" and get out there. Some days I would hardly run, it would mostly be walking, but gradually I made my way up to running for 10 minutes and walking for a minute, and continuing on that way until I reached the desired distance. The 1st half marathon I ever did, I was taught to run without intervals and my finish time was a lot slower, my slowest in fact except for Lululemon 2012, which was a disaster for other reasons entirely.
To this day, I still do 10/1s for my long runs. My 10 minute portions have become faster and that's how I have improved. Mentally and physically they work really well for me. I credit them for having gotten this far in running. Some people see them as a cop-out, as if somehow because I take a 1 minute walk break, I'm not a "real" runner and I can't improve beyond a beginner level. Well, I'm just not sure how you can possibly think that? How is it any different from people who walk through water stations or stop to take a gel? Don't get me wrong, towards the end of a race, if things are going well, I've been known to skip a few walk breaks, but for the majority I take them no matter what, and because of that I'm able to go a lot faster during the following 10 minutes.
I'm not trying to take anything away from people who run 100 miles, 50 miles, marathons, and so on, or people who run straight through without stopping... but we are all runners and part of the running community and I think that we should all try to honor that more. Whether we are running 5k, 10k, 23k, a marathon or more, however we get to the finish line, it's getting there that counts. Does being a more experienced runner give anyone the right to judge how I run or how I get to that finish line?
Let's rewind a little bit here, I had planned to write a post about surpassing 23km in your training and how much that distance in particular has meant to me over the past year. But last week, I read something and it gave me cause to reflect on literally how I got to 23km and surpassed that goal many times over.
I find that in general, there is a divide between runners who run to win and runners who run just because it's something they love to do, such as a recreational runner like myself. It would be nice if one day I could win a race, but it's not the reason I run, nor is it a goal or priority. I aspire to beat my own time and challenge myself every time I hit the pavement. So let's let go of the judgement and the comparison to other runners, and just do what we love.
Trail runner or road runner. Elite runner or recreational runner. We all love the same thing, can't we just embrace that?
My favorite running quote:
"I often hear someone say I'm not a real runner. We are all runners, some just run faster than others. I never met a fake runner."
-Bart Yasso
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Snowshoeing
So recently a friend and fellow blogger, Solana from Beast Mode on the Run, invited me to a free event at Cypress mountain to try out some snowshoes and preview the upcoming Yeti snowshoe run in March.
I've never been snowshoeing before so I really wanted to try it out. I had a race planned for Sunday (the day after snowshoeing) so I wasn't sure it was the best idea, but I decided I wouldn't be snowshoe "running" anyway so why not give it a try?
On Saturday, I picked up Cindy and Jacki and we headed up to Cypress! The yeti was waiting for us when we arrived! (Thanks to Solana's husband, Jay, for all the awesome photos!)
It was nice to be up in the mountains with the snow! I felt totally out of place though, it has been years since I've done any sort of winter sport which is practically a crime here living so close to the North Shore mountains...
I think there ended up being about 40 or so people there and after a group shot, we split up into a fast and a slow group.
I decided that I wanted to hang out near the back of the slow group, since I was incredibly new to snowshoeing and frankly, didn't really know what I was doing.
The first part was probably the hardest because we kept going up and my legs were admittedly still quite sore from hill training.
I knew we weren't traveling at a very good pace, but when we got to the top of the intended location to turn around, we were only at 1.2km... That hardly seemed worth it and since we had the opportunity to try out these great snowshoes, we decided to keep going! All in all, we went just over 4km in about an hour. Very slow I know, but I enjoyed myself and my legs weren't tired at all, which was perfect considering I had a half marathon planned for the next day!
I won a 5peaks buff and Cindy made a valiant effort in the yeti snowman building competition:
I had such a great time that I'm strongly considering signing up for the actual race on March 8th!
After we headed down the mountain we went for a very filling breakfast at Tomahawk!
It was turning out to be the perfect Saturday and I was feeling awesome and ready for the race the next day! Everything changed that evening though... Stay tuned for more on that tomorrow.
I've never been snowshoeing before so I really wanted to try it out. I had a race planned for Sunday (the day after snowshoeing) so I wasn't sure it was the best idea, but I decided I wouldn't be snowshoe "running" anyway so why not give it a try?
On Saturday, I picked up Cindy and Jacki and we headed up to Cypress! The yeti was waiting for us when we arrived! (Thanks to Solana's husband, Jay, for all the awesome photos!)
I think there ended up being about 40 or so people there and after a group shot, we split up into a fast and a slow group.
It was turning out to be the perfect Saturday and I was feeling awesome and ready for the race the next day! Everything changed that evening though... Stay tuned for more on that tomorrow.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Running for Clarity
This past Saturday, I was NOT having a good day. I'm not exactly sure what was happening, I think life just caught up with me you know? I had a bit of a melt down that ended with a migraine and really not feeling the energy to run the next morning. However, I managed to get up on Sunday morning, put my clothes on, and drive to the starting point that I had planned for my (mostly) solo 20k run.
I felt rough for a few kilometers, but of course, pressed on anyway. In the bitter cold, I knew it was going to take a while for my legs to warm up. There were what looked like snow clouds overhead but when I looked North towards the mountains, the sky had opened up into a beautiful sunrise.
Sometimes it's so easy to get lost in your own thoughts and the chaos of life, and when this happens a run always helps me clear my head. At the time, it is usually the last thing I want to do, but it's almost always what I need. I feel like maybe I should make my husband a sign that says "You Need to Run Now", so that when I get the way I was feeling on Saturday night he can just put up the sign and no questions asked, I can go for a run.
My legs were still tired, but I was just so pleased to be out there on the road doing something I love. I was completely at peace, a total contrast from the day before. The question I get asked the most now that I can call myself a runner is "How can you do that, go out and run for that long?". The way I feel about it now is how can I not? It's my sanity, it's my time to sort out my feelings about everything, my time to just BE. It wasn't always that way of course, I struggled for a long time when I started to run. Even now, I still have days where my legs never seem to warm up and every step feels like one step too far, but I know now that there's a run waiting for a me, a run that will change me and remind me why I love running.
At about 12km, I met my mother-in-law so she could finish off the last 8km with me. The sky had completely clouded over now and occasional flurries were falling. That's all I needed though, an hour with myself on the roads hitting the pavement and I felt like myself again.
Did you run this weekend? How did it go?
I felt rough for a few kilometers, but of course, pressed on anyway. In the bitter cold, I knew it was going to take a while for my legs to warm up. There were what looked like snow clouds overhead but when I looked North towards the mountains, the sky had opened up into a beautiful sunrise.
My legs were still tired, but I was just so pleased to be out there on the road doing something I love. I was completely at peace, a total contrast from the day before. The question I get asked the most now that I can call myself a runner is "How can you do that, go out and run for that long?". The way I feel about it now is how can I not? It's my sanity, it's my time to sort out my feelings about everything, my time to just BE. It wasn't always that way of course, I struggled for a long time when I started to run. Even now, I still have days where my legs never seem to warm up and every step feels like one step too far, but I know now that there's a run waiting for a me, a run that will change me and remind me why I love running.
At about 12km, I met my mother-in-law so she could finish off the last 8km with me. The sky had completely clouded over now and occasional flurries were falling. That's all I needed though, an hour with myself on the roads hitting the pavement and I felt like myself again.
Did you run this weekend? How did it go?
Friday, January 31, 2014
January Goals Recap & February Goals
As per this post, I'm updating my goals for February and recapping how January went...
January Recap:
Post about goals for January...
Yay done!
Run at least 4x week, preferably 5x.
I've been sticking to the 4 but so far not 5x per week.
Discover what I'd like to be different about marathon training this time around.
I fixed some of the chafing issues I've had and bought a REAL sports bra (see this post). I also worked on some pacing problems and after only a month of training, I'm right back at my race pace as per my half marathon last weekend!
Get up earlier.
I have to admit this, so far, is a total disaster. I've been reading endless tips from friends and other blogs on how to accomplish this and I haven't really improved. So, I'm taking drastic action. See below.
February:
Get up earlier.
I'm continuing this one. Get ready... I will be getting up at 6:00AM every single day in February, ugh I'm going to regret this one tomorrow... But I need to do something to kickstart my body into getting used to it.
Strength Training.
You may remember me doing CrossFit last Spring/Summer and though I really loved it and it worked, I felt sore almost all the time and it really interfered with my running. This time around, I wanted to find something I can do at home, so yesterday I started P90x. I will not be doing it every day but preferably 4x per week to compliment running. More on this soon.
Read at least 3 books.
Here's what I'm reading in 2014, check it out and see what's up next!
Run 180km
This shouldn't be an issue with all the marathon training but I like the idea of setting monthly mileage goals to keep me accountable. I'll finish off January at about 130km including one entire week of being sick.
Do you have any February goals? Got any tips to help me achieve mine?
January Recap:
Post about goals for January...
Yay done!
Run at least 4x week, preferably 5x.
I've been sticking to the 4 but so far not 5x per week.
Discover what I'd like to be different about marathon training this time around.
I fixed some of the chafing issues I've had and bought a REAL sports bra (see this post). I also worked on some pacing problems and after only a month of training, I'm right back at my race pace as per my half marathon last weekend!
Get up earlier.
I have to admit this, so far, is a total disaster. I've been reading endless tips from friends and other blogs on how to accomplish this and I haven't really improved. So, I'm taking drastic action. See below.
February:
I'm continuing this one. Get ready... I will be getting up at 6:00AM every single day in February, ugh I'm going to regret this one tomorrow... But I need to do something to kickstart my body into getting used to it.
Strength Training.
You may remember me doing CrossFit last Spring/Summer and though I really loved it and it worked, I felt sore almost all the time and it really interfered with my running. This time around, I wanted to find something I can do at home, so yesterday I started P90x. I will not be doing it every day but preferably 4x per week to compliment running. More on this soon.
Read at least 3 books.
Here's what I'm reading in 2014, check it out and see what's up next!
Run 180km
This shouldn't be an issue with all the marathon training but I like the idea of setting monthly mileage goals to keep me accountable. I'll finish off January at about 130km including one entire week of being sick.
Do you have any February goals? Got any tips to help me achieve mine?
Monday, January 20, 2014
Getting Personal with Pacing
I haven't been sleeping well lately, which isn't meshing well with my January goals. I've always had lots of trouble getting to sleep but I also have recently started watching the series Breaking Bad which is only feeding my problem getting to sleep because I could always watch the next episode...
Anyways, long story short, I stayed up too late on Saturday night and woke up again at 2:00AM feeling nauseous from not eating enough for dinner. I took a Gravol and went back to sleep hoping I'd feel better for my run on Sunday morning. When I woke up I was still feeling nauseous, but I really wanted to get my run in, so I took another Gravol and headed to my local run club for a long run. I had 13km on the schedule so I knew that I at least wanted to get that done, but I wasn't sure what the rest of the group would be running. I got there and the only two options this week were 7 or 18km. Hmm... Not ideal but I headed out for the 18km intending to cut it short somewhere along the way.
As we got going, I felt horrible and really sluggish. I was really starting to reconsider doing 7ish kilometers, but I never managed to turn myself around. I just kept going and tried to let go of keeping up with the group. When you run with a group it's so easy to chase or follow the person in front of you which works okay for a few kilometers but after that, things tend to fall apart if you're going faster than you should. I slowed right down to an average pace of 6:30/7:00km including my 10/1s. Within 1 kilometer or so, I found myself all alone but feeling a lot better.
I sort of had to laugh at myself a little bit because I know all of these things and yet I find myself making the same mistakes. I think part of my pacing issue stems from the fact that running has become a lot more social for me over the past couple of years and meeting lots of new friends. I often find myself trying to keep pace with people for fear of missing some good conversation but when you are so out of breath you can't talk, there's really no point ha ha. I enjoy running with a group but it is very important to remember that you are the only person that will get yourself to that finish line.
I threw away the route about halfway through and decided to do my own thing and even though it was a cloudy grey day, it was a really beautiful run for me. Sometimes all I need to clear my head is a couple of hours with myself and the sound of my shoes hitting the pavement.
In the end, I didn't really cut it short and ran 17km exactly, ending in the chocolate milk aisle of the grocery store!
It always amazes me how a run can end so differently than it started. If you're struggling finding your happy pace I urge you to head out on a solo run and see how you feel.
Did you run this past Sunday, how did it go?
Anyways, long story short, I stayed up too late on Saturday night and woke up again at 2:00AM feeling nauseous from not eating enough for dinner. I took a Gravol and went back to sleep hoping I'd feel better for my run on Sunday morning. When I woke up I was still feeling nauseous, but I really wanted to get my run in, so I took another Gravol and headed to my local run club for a long run. I had 13km on the schedule so I knew that I at least wanted to get that done, but I wasn't sure what the rest of the group would be running. I got there and the only two options this week were 7 or 18km. Hmm... Not ideal but I headed out for the 18km intending to cut it short somewhere along the way.
As we got going, I felt horrible and really sluggish. I was really starting to reconsider doing 7ish kilometers, but I never managed to turn myself around. I just kept going and tried to let go of keeping up with the group. When you run with a group it's so easy to chase or follow the person in front of you which works okay for a few kilometers but after that, things tend to fall apart if you're going faster than you should. I slowed right down to an average pace of 6:30/7:00km including my 10/1s. Within 1 kilometer or so, I found myself all alone but feeling a lot better.
I sort of had to laugh at myself a little bit because I know all of these things and yet I find myself making the same mistakes. I think part of my pacing issue stems from the fact that running has become a lot more social for me over the past couple of years and meeting lots of new friends. I often find myself trying to keep pace with people for fear of missing some good conversation but when you are so out of breath you can't talk, there's really no point ha ha. I enjoy running with a group but it is very important to remember that you are the only person that will get yourself to that finish line.
I threw away the route about halfway through and decided to do my own thing and even though it was a cloudy grey day, it was a really beautiful run for me. Sometimes all I need to clear my head is a couple of hours with myself and the sound of my shoes hitting the pavement.
In the end, I didn't really cut it short and ran 17km exactly, ending in the chocolate milk aisle of the grocery store!
It always amazes me how a run can end so differently than it started. If you're struggling finding your happy pace I urge you to head out on a solo run and see how you feel.
Did you run this past Sunday, how did it go?
Thursday, January 16, 2014
(Second half of) January Goals
Okay so I'm a bit late on this one. I had planned it for earlier in the month, but things got busy... I know, excuses, excuses...
A blogger I follow, Leana, does these great goal posts at the beginning of the month and then recaps how it went towards the end and I love the idea so I thought I'd give it a shot. It also furthers my idea that goals are better than resolutions because they apply all-year round.
So here goes January, better late than never:
1. Post about goals for January...
As I say I'm starting a new monthly tradition on the blog. Hopefully February's post will actually be on time!
2. Run at least 4x week, preferably 5x.
I have no problems getting in my long runs on Sunday, but I admit sometimes I struggle with the shorter runs especially when it has to be done early in the morning/late at night. I've always believed that the longer runs are the most important when it comes to training to complete a race but the shorter runs should also be a priority and 3x week that I had been doing during my time off is just not going to cut it for marathon training.
3. Discover what I'd like to be different about marathon training this time around.
There were a few big issues that I noticed after thinking about my 1st marathon, lots of things I want to solve before my 2nd in May.
4. Get up earlier.
I need to start getting up before my husband and son wake up to accomplish more in a day such as getting an early run in or do some schoolwork while the house is still quiet. I always read to go to sleep but I definitely stay up too late sometimes when I get into a book...
What are your January goals, how are they going so far?
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Here we go again!
I have yet to reveal my entire race schedule for 2014, stay tuned for that sometime next week... but I have officially announced that I will be running the BMO Vancouver Full Marathon on May 4, 2014.
After my 1st marathon I was so thrilled with the feeling of completing it that I wanted to sign up for another one the next day. Pretty soon after that, my post marathon high wore off and I was left with a pretty serious case of the post marathon blues. I think it was a combination of that and being burnt out from a year of so much racing.
It has taken some time but I am rested now and looking forward to another year of races. I feel ready to train for a big race, my 2nd full marathon. As of this Sunday I will officially be 'in training' again.
And yes, that means I have opted out of the Ultra I mentioned last week. It doesn't mean that I will never run an Ultra marathon, it just means: not right now. My thoughts about an ultra marathon would be aptly described by the FaceBook relationship status "it's complicated". I feel like it is the next step but I know I'm not ready yet, even if I want to be. I love the half marathon distance, I like the marathon distance, and the Ultra is a crazy unknown. So maybe next year, I will learn to love the marathon distance. Or at least learn a little bit more about myself while training for one.
What are you training for right now? Do you think January is a good time to start training? Do you make New Year's resolutions?
After my 1st marathon I was so thrilled with the feeling of completing it that I wanted to sign up for another one the next day. Pretty soon after that, my post marathon high wore off and I was left with a pretty serious case of the post marathon blues. I think it was a combination of that and being burnt out from a year of so much racing.
It has taken some time but I am rested now and looking forward to another year of races. I feel ready to train for a big race, my 2nd full marathon. As of this Sunday I will officially be 'in training' again.
What are you training for right now? Do you think January is a good time to start training? Do you make New Year's resolutions?
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Race Review: Campbell Valley Wine Run
Alas, I did not avoid the flu, ugh. 3 days to go before my 1st full marathon. I've decided to pretend I am healthy and well and then maybe it will come true, right...?
A little while ago, a friend mentioned doing the Campbell Valley Wine Run as a celebration of the end of marathon training, and at 15k it was a perfect distance for tapering. The cost of the race was $90, which at first glance may seem steep for a local race but it all went to charity, so I couldn't resist.
So with tapering in mind, this past Sunday (a very rainy morning), I picked up my mother-in-law and father-in-law (the babysitter) and we headed over to Surrey.
Nikki had mentioned she would be in costume, but I still wasn't sure if I'd be able to spot her amongst the crowd when we arrived. As it turns out, she was hard to miss:
A little while ago, a friend mentioned doing the Campbell Valley Wine Run as a celebration of the end of marathon training, and at 15k it was a perfect distance for tapering. The cost of the race was $90, which at first glance may seem steep for a local race but it all went to charity, so I couldn't resist.
So with tapering in mind, this past Sunday (a very rainy morning), I picked up my mother-in-law and father-in-law (the babysitter) and we headed over to Surrey.
Nikki had mentioned she would be in costume, but I still wasn't sure if I'd be able to spot her amongst the crowd when we arrived. As it turns out, she was hard to miss:
There were quite a few costumes at the race, I was definitely impressed.
To start off the run we headed outside for a pre-race toast! Who doesn't like to start a race with a glass of bubbly from Backyard Vineyards?
And then it was time to head off towards the other wineries! I felt good to start off, my tummy was a little wobbly after the champagne but we were doing a nice easy pace. Most of the first 5k was on trails and instead of doing our regular 10/1 intervals, we decided to continue on as long as we felt good, knowing that we would be stopping at 3 different wineries along the way. After we exited the trails and were on the road, I felt better, despite looking up at the big hill ahead. As much as enjoy the scenery of the trails, I'm not exactly used to jumping over logs etc. When we hit the hill, we decided to walk up, knowing that this point in training was not a time to push ourselves.
When we reached the summit of what seemed like a rather steep hill for a "taper" run we could tell the winery was up ahead because there were people turning around. I was definitely excited to see what was waiting for us upon arrival.
With a glass of chardonnay from Township 7 in hand, we took the opportunity to get some pictures with the grapes!
Though it wasn't the driest day, the rain was holding off for the moment. After our pictures it was time to head back down the hill towards the next winery. I'd say it was only a few kilometres between the wineries. By the time we reached Domaine de Chaberton, it was full on pouring rain, but 2 different tasters of wine certainly helped numb the chill.
At this point, I felt hungry. I was hoping there'd be a light snack to soak up the wine along the way. Our prayers were answered when we reached the 3rd winery, ecstatic to see that there were mini scones and 4 different types of delectable jams to go with! This winery also served my favorite wine of the day, "Murphy's Law". Thanks Vista D'oro!
As we departed the last winery and headed for the finish, it was coming down like cats and dogs. Nikki's purple balloons were squeaking and we were all pretty drenched. I began to think about what it could be like this coming Sunday at the marathon if it is pouring rain, I quickly realized this isn't a topic I should be dwelling on for any length of time.
We headed into the trails, completely turned around (and perhaps a little woozy from the wine...), I had no idea where we were or how much further it was to the finish line. Thankfully, within minutes we were back on the road headed to the High Point Equestrian Center, which is where we began the race. I was looking forward to getting warm and dry so I picked up my pace in the last stretch with Nikki and Cindy very close behind.
This was an untimed race but including the stops, I think it took us around 2 hours to do the 15k, definitely not a record breaker, but it certainly wasn't meant to be. I was so glad we decided to do this as our taper run. Training for this marathon has been a long road and I am tired, so it was nice to just have a silly fun run.
Monday, September 23, 2013
It's finally Marathon Week!!!!
This is it! 6 days until I run my 1st FULL marathon... eek!
I spent the weekend taking care of my family who was sick... uh oh! I've been downing vitamin C like it's going out of style and trying to avoid the germs which is nearly impossible with a toddler. I don't feel 100% but I've kept things at bay so far. With that in mind it's time to prepare for Sunday which includes doing everything I can to stay healthy and strong.
So what's on my to-do list?
1. Go to the grocery store and stock up on clean healthy food. CHECK
2. Make some Power Cookies for snacks full of energy. IN PROGRESS mmm they smell good!
3. Post the 2nd of 3 giveaways in celebration: http://bit.ly/1fdb3zR DONE
4. Write my review of the Campbell Valley Wine Run. IN PROGRESS
5. Keep an eye on the weather report...
7. Hope that my Garmin watch strap shows up in the mail *crossing my fingers*.
8. Set up my next giveaway, something that I will need to display my race mementos...
9. Pack my crew bag for Cody. I'm so excited that he's coming to this race, I've done so many this year so it would be impossible to have my family at every one, but this will be a big day for me so I couldn't be happier to have people there to support me.
10. Finish my marathon playlist.
11. Buy more Lanacane Anti-Chafing gel, I ran out this weekend and Sunday could be ugly without it...
12. Prepare for volunteering at package pick-up on Saturday.
13. I plan to do 3 short runs this week but we will see how that goes, it is primarily time to REST!
That's all I've got so far but I'm sure I'll be adding to the list all week.
I spent the weekend taking care of my family who was sick... uh oh! I've been downing vitamin C like it's going out of style and trying to avoid the germs which is nearly impossible with a toddler. I don't feel 100% but I've kept things at bay so far. With that in mind it's time to prepare for Sunday which includes doing everything I can to stay healthy and strong.
So what's on my to-do list?
1. Go to the grocery store and stock up on clean healthy food. CHECK
2. Make some Power Cookies for snacks full of energy. IN PROGRESS mmm they smell good!
3. Post the 2nd of 3 giveaways in celebration: http://bit.ly/1fdb3zR DONE
4. Write my review of the Campbell Valley Wine Run. IN PROGRESS
5. Keep an eye on the weather report...
at the moment it's looking like rain...
6. Work on a race outfit. I probably won't be wearing a sparkle skirt or a costume because it is my first, I want to wear mostly what I've trained in and be as comfortable as possible.7. Hope that my Garmin watch strap shows up in the mail *crossing my fingers*.
8. Set up my next giveaway, something that I will need to display my race mementos...
9. Pack my crew bag for Cody. I'm so excited that he's coming to this race, I've done so many this year so it would be impossible to have my family at every one, but this will be a big day for me so I couldn't be happier to have people there to support me.
10. Finish my marathon playlist.
11. Buy more Lanacane Anti-Chafing gel, I ran out this weekend and Sunday could be ugly without it...
12. Prepare for volunteering at package pick-up on Saturday.
13. I plan to do 3 short runs this week but we will see how that goes, it is primarily time to REST!
That's all I've got so far but I'm sure I'll be adding to the list all week.
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
35k and I'm still alive!!!
I did it. I completed my longest training run in preparation for the marathon, 35k. Way back in May when we started training for the Surrey Marathon 35k seemed so far fetched to me and today I can say I did it and it wasn't entirely terrible.
Here's our group raring to go at 8:30AM:
The first half of the run went by very easily before I knew it we were at our first pit stop at Nikki's car where she had stashed a bunch of snacks and cooler full of drinks!
As we crossed the bridge I remembered that the Terry Fox Run was taking place at the very same time. I was happy to be able to see some of the runners and run part of the route because I had intended to run it but I didn't want to have to do the rest of the 35k by myself. Last year my family and I ran the run and raised money in honor of my uncle-in-law who passed away from cancer last August.
We stopped at the truck again to refill our packs with water and we had a visitor waiting there to cheer us on, thanks Gary!
Finally, we were back at the store. We all hugged and congratulated each other. All I could think was I can't believe I'm going to do it, I really am. I'm so looking forward to running 42.2km and it's because of these people who've run beside me, showed me their blisters, and talked endlessly with me about strange and bizarre things attempting to pass the time on our longest run yet.
I finished off the day getting a pedicure with a good friend of mine and it felt SO good. Though I was undoubtably sore I was smiling from ear to ear all day yesterday after finally accomplishing that distance.
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