Ramp Up to Big Sur- Week 20

Week 20 of training brings me to a highlight in my personality...... it appears I am runner who enjoys adversity.

In the last few weeks I have been able to enjoy the weather that Mother Nature has brought in my direction. I will take us to last Wednesday's training run. I worked at 5am and got to watch first hand as the weather changed from worse to worse. As the day continued it got colder, cloudier, slippery and freezing! I work in a large box retail outlet so the thought that one of their managers was intending on going out in the great freezing white outdoors to run a 10K after a long early shift was a little"crazy" to all. As the end of my day neared the weather did not improve. It was even snowier, colder and slippery! I knew this was my chance to prove that mother nature would not win! I donned my winter running attire to the many comments of "Are you seriously running out there"- fingers actively pointing to the great outdoors. "You know its slippery out there", "how far are you going...." etc. On went the remaining gear with a positive attitude and out the door I went.

Now was the time to take that hardest step in running- the first step out the door!  Honestly it was a fabulous run! The temps were only cold enough to freeze my butt cheeks but the rest of me was quite happy after my first initial 2K.  I ran my entire training run with a smile on my face.  As I was running and enjoying the snow coming down and making the only footprints on the fresh snow. I realized this was the most purposeful moment of my day.

 Later I reflected on that run and a few others that I have enjoyed over the years and suddenly I had my realization! My best runs in not only speed, attitude and general fun has usually been when Mother Nature has kicked up her heels and given me some attitude.  On any given run when a little or a lot of wind comes my way I always dig in and speed up! Puddles to jump in only increase the fun factor! One of my all time favourite runs was with a good friend where we experienced freezing rain, snow and crazy temps. At some points we were running in snow that was higher than our knees. Okay maybe not running but trying to as we laughed and enjoyed the moment. I love those moments when you are out there and you can see the look on peoples faces as they drive past- "Is she crazy?!" Hell no! I am a runner and I am enjoying life!

At the end of the day I hope my running shows a part of my personality.... when the going gets tough well you just keep going! One foot in front of the other its that simple!

Ramp Up to Big Sur- Week 21

  Another week of training successfully completed! I have officially in the last 4 weeks put on over 100km! Big switch from taking this last year off of running. It feels great and I am enjoying the feeling of being committed to a goal. The whole negative side affect to all of this- Mother Nature's odd creative ideas to add a little interest to my runs....

This weeks blog is all about the kilometre....one single kilometre. It amazes me the emotions that can enter the mind and body all within one kilometre. Mid week was a difficult run for me. Mixture of a weird work schedule consisting of me not sleeping for 25 hours due to working an overnight then power sleeping for a few hours. Upon waking up from my power nap I immediately climbed into my running gear and stepped into the great white outdoors in freezing temperatures. Winds bringing with it a mixture of freezing rain and snow. Wind that regardless of the direction you were running it was coming right at your face. Yep it was a completely idyllic run! I couldn't have asked for more from Mother Nature. Thankfully it was a  nice short 10K! (I love how that sounds- short LOL!) 3km left of my run and I met that magical emotional kilometre. I was in my zone, my body was in its stride, my brain was quietly going along for the ride. It was all good!  I finally decided "this isn't that bad", "I got this" all was good then I hit 2.5km. Instantly I did not want to play any more. My face was frozen, my legs were tired and well lets just face it I was plain tired and grumpy! 2km left everything changed: The sun came out, the wind let up and the song- oh yes the song " I've Got Soul but I'm Not a Soldier- Killers" woo! hoo! it was happy times again!

 The power of the mind and the minute is an incredible experience. Motto learned from this week every minute is a new minute so if one sucks hold out for a moment because its all about to change!

"Will Do Lists"

   We are getting close to that time of year when everyone starts thinking about their new year's resolution!
I am sure there are lots of others who think the same as me of New Year's resolution- a commitment that if they don't screw it up the first day due to being hungover from the night before it quickly looses its zest within a week or two, if you really stretch it maybe a month. Then its all over until the next year.

  I was inspired 2 years ago not for a New Year's resolution but a "Will Do List" for the entire year. This funny enough coincided with my year long challenges which yes they were part of my 'will do lists'. A 'will do list' is very different than a New Year's resolution. First off New year's resolutions are traditionally unrealistic with no  real plan in place to make them happen. Remember without a plan a goal is only a wish. Besides its hard to make a commitment that is going to last for entire year. Believe me I know! I am about to head into a crazy one in this upcoming year but that is another blog!

 A 'will do list' can contain ideas from all parts of your life: family, career, fitness, health, friends, activities, interests, learning, new hobbies! You name it! Think about what is the most important part of your life or perhaps there is something new you want to introduce into your life. What things if you focused on them for a year could make a huge impact on your life. That's a 'will do list!

Let's have some fun with this- Let's pretend an item on our 'will do list' is to reach out and contact an old friend. Awesome! Now let's take it a step further- remember we have a year. How about contacting one old friend a month. Simple right! Phones work two ways and we always have facebook! In the next year you could reconnect with 12 people that this time next year will be a part of your life. Who doesn't have room for more friends?!  The trick is to commit to it! Get it on paper! Share with your friends. Inspire others to join you!

This last year I wanted to make sure my goals were somewhere that I could see them so I printed them off and placed them in a nice frame-  Trick: place it somewhere that you will see it everyday! Imagine having your 'will do list' framed and in the bathroom so that you get a peek at each and every morning. Now don't tell me that won't help with the focus!

This year I have started on my "Will do List" and decided to create a vision board. It was a fun adventure going through my crazy collection of magazines (yes I have a problem). On top of it all I was inspired by a picture I saw and randomly decided that it needed to be included on my "will do list" . Go ahead, act like a kid again and have fun with pictures and scissors.

( See the crazy woman there; the one ready to do a pull up with one arm)
That is going on my "Will do List' oh yeah baby!!!

   Have fun and create your own "Will do List" and even better share it with me and many others! We all love the inspiration!

Ramp up to Big Sur- Week 22!

   Wow! Week 22- well what do I say about this week?! Well thankfully I have started my training far in advance that I have allowed myself the ability to have a rest week every 5-6 weeks. As I mentioned last week I got really sick and that pretty much took over most of last week. Thankfully to my pre- thinking and pre- planning I am suppose to be enjoying a rest week this week..... well no longer! I got to have a restful week sick as a dog with that damn flu last week so this week its all back to work. My mileage from last week has quickly been transferred over to this week and voila' here we are....

  The night before this weeks long run I heard rumour of the weather changing! I live in one of the windiest cities in Canada so weather change and your running schedule have a huge interest in the other. Weather report dictated a 80K plus wind..... yowzer! Upon waking up this morning I quickly looked at the weather and it was a beautiful 10 degrees oh yeah and at this point only 18km wind! I was in and I knew I had only a small window before that would change..... on went the gear and out the door I went. My run was one of the slowest runs of my career but I am okay with that considering the rough week I had prior. Funny enough it was one of the slowest runs of my career but at the same time I missed most of my minute breaks during my 10 n 1 run. No need- no desire! Just my nice slow steady pace- I will take it and consider it another successful run!!

Turn of events- I mentioned earlier the weather.... well she came out like a fierce storm. I believe the winds hit 100K today! You could not physically stand in one spot unless you were holding onto something. It was utter craziness! After a grocery shop and incredibly interesting time getting the cart to the truck and holding it  in place while loading our wares. Then home James! Upon getting home we looked outside and there was this weird wind storm picking up... really dark?! At first I thought it was a hurricane en route, wrong again! Lethbridge was hit with multiple grass fires and one was just outside my backyard. Grass fires and 80 plus winds- no big deal! Holy!! Evacuation  Alerts and the whole bit! So I question you- evacuation alert- what would you pack?! As my pictures are all safely saved on my laptop ready to go at a given notice my next stop for what needed to be rescued- my running medals! and not only mine but my Mom and Grandfathers. Those were worked for, earned and truly irreplaceable. Everything else is a great reason to go shopping once all is said and done! Obviously there were a few other sentimental items but the medals were the first of my concern! I am so proud of the medals that my Mom and Grandfather gave to me. How many people can say they ran a half marathon with their parent and then be the grandchild that gets those medals?! After a crazy emotional evening this runner is done and needs to get a good nights sleep! Maybe I will dream about my future medals?!

Ramp Up to Big Sur- Week 23

Well week 23 has been a week of its own....




   I started the week off strong with last Sunday's run, a great time at Monday's kickboxing class then.... it was about an hour after kickboxing I realized I was tired not normal tired. My body was exhausted. Weird! I just racked it up to the start of the training and my body adjusting. Later that night at 11:30pm to be exact I woke up to my throat completely raw, nose stuffed up and knew I was sick. Damn! Tues I managed to squeak out one of my friends daily fitness challenge. The 20 burpies did not feel good but I got them done and the other forms of entertainment that were attached. I knew I should have started with the burpies. Wed came around and I didn't feel a 100% but I didn't feel bad either. Now comes in the test! Yes the test! Anyone who is into fitness knows when you are not feeling good there is a test- "The Neck Test" if your symptoms are from the neck up your good to go, if your symptoms are from the neck down you need to take it easy and possibly a break. Okay most likely a break is the true answer. On Wed I passed the neck test so woo hoo! off I went for a short training run. I took my puppies so it would be a nice pace and I wouldn't push my luck. After my wonderful run on Wednesday my week progressed rapidly downhill. Cold/flu is definitely in my body. I have lost my voice for 3 days- ( insert cheering here). No workouts completed Friday or Saturday minus very short walks with my girls due to freezing temps!! Now Sunday is my long distance training run.....what to do, what to do?! I took the neck test and unfortunately I do have this slight feeling of someone physically standing on my chest. Yet I could not stand the thought of another idle day. Plan B- spin bike it is!! I have learnt over the last couple of days that I have energy for fleeting moments so I decided to break up my ride. Nothing too exciting but I rode my bike 3 times for 15 min intervals. Excitedly each interval I covered more distance and needless to say faster. Honestly it felt so good to sweat- My image was the sweat taking the toxins away!!! I will know later if what I did was a good idea but for today it made me feel just a little bit human again! 

Ramp Up to Big Sur- Week 24

   The last 2 Saturdays my legs have gone into my workouts screaming at me! Last Saturday I rode my bike and my legs were burning through the whole process. I had made a conscious decision to change my training run into a bike ride to give my legs, knees and hip flexor's a bit of a break. While spinning away I seriously questioned my thought process as I felt that running would have hurt way less than how I was feeling on that bike. Regardless of how I was feeling the pain was put to the back burner and the mileage was completed. Fast forward to this Saturday- again conscious decision to miss a training run and instead take on the entertainment of being able to hit a Kickboxing  class! Yet again another brilliant idea! Jumping squats, jumping lunges, walking lunges not only in forward motion but throw a few backwards ones in there. I believe there was more torture that was thrown at us but the brain shut down at some point and just did vs. think!!! I do recall during one of the jogging sections actually hitting my legs with my fists to try and relieve the tightness! Needless to say both Saturday nights I questioned how the morning run was going to go..... 


 Believe it or not in both cases my runs went awesome! The first couple K's my body was trying to find its stride and loosen up. Today I heard the time on the completion of my first km and was pleasantly surprised. I had no idea that I was actually running anywhere near that pace- woo!hoo! Then came the prompt for time and pace at the 4K and woo!hoo! yet again ahead of my usual pace! Speaking of the 4K mark someone must have sent Mother Nature a text that I was having a rocking good run! So "BAM" she showed up in the mode of a horrific wind! She slammed me around for a good half  K then felt guilty for it and gave me a friendly forward shove along the path for a good 0.25K! Very kind of her I thought?! Then randomly as my pace felt great I would get smacked again..... funny this time it was never followed up with a gentle shove in the forward direction. Just repeatedly against me or directly to the side! There is something about running in the wind that brings out the Inner Warrior in me and I go faster! That feeling of someone saying "Oh I am sorry. Is this wind getting in the way of your run?!" just gets my gggrrrrr! Now creme de la creme I hit my 9K mark with 1K left to go and again I get my update. Hell yeah! I am on course for a PB for the 10K!!! My mistake this time I clearly thought this way too loudly and Mother Nature reared her ugly wind storm again! This time I was actually hit so hard that I took two paces backwards! "Hell no I have 1K to go and you are not stealing my PB" so on I pushed while she pushed me back and I am very proud to say "I WON"! New PB created today! This is not my overall PB ever but it is my new PB since getting back into running and I am one happy runner! 

Big Sur Ramp Up week 25

                               First official Week of Training!! 

                     "Bring It" was this weeks motto....

 Armed with my new Lulu gloves, I Phone with Nike GPS and  tunes- week one of training begins...


   I have know since the beginning that training this time is all about the mental game. The miles will just happen but your head has to be in the game and keep you going when everything else is yelling "Stop"! This is my tool to convince me that winter running is all part of the process to help me have a good marathon.  Well we wouldn't want Mother Nature to fail on her part so..... last Sunday was a great teaser to the start of my training. Beautiful, sunny, gorgeous day minus the 25K winds but whatever I live in Lethbridge its all part of the course. This Sundays long run  was initially postponed to happen later in the day. Something about -10 didn't excite me but something about -4 made me run right out the door. Its all about enjoying the honeymoon phase of your training.



   My body continues to amaze me at its ability to remember. I worked hard to become a runner! Every second running was a concious effort.... seriously!! and yet here I am with basically having taken a full year off and running 10-14K and feeling awesome! Thank you! Thank you! to my body and legs for committing with me and making this happen! The new theory is..... if I can go out with no training and bang off a 14K run whats a little Marathon with some actual training! We shall see how well that carries me later- LOL!