Will Do Check in......

Will do 2012!!! and the list is flying along! 

I have been sitting at my computer the last couple of days with my "Will do List for  2012" staring right back at me. I have it framed and its sitting directly to the right of my computer- hard to not make eye contact! Which would be the point!


Here is my updates

Project 1825- if you want to know about that baby you have to join the group.  Project 1825 is on facebook and is open for anyone to join.

Big Sur- I just posted a new blog and we are only 10 weeks away! Cali here we come.....

Sub 2 hour half- Finalizing of the when and where.... I am aiming for a fall half marathon. I am leaning to Kelowna?! Road trip, half marathon and getting to visit friends and family sounds like winner to me. Oh but a fast and flat course sounds so good! Mmmm

Now the challenging part- this specific group of goals on my list has me working! 

Growing my blog! - I have made little steps but honestly any success has been more of luck. A real plan needs be created for this goal, Mmmm! insert> thinking cap here!

Organize a fundraiser a quarter for UA- the ideas are rolling but action is now required!

Once a month Random Act of Kindness- I look at this one and think "oh my how did I not get this one done" Then I think back of different things that I have done. RAK's are a strange one.... I don't know if you are like me but I am doing my RAK's but for some reason I question are they good enough. It is a goal so should that require them to be grander or just a conscious thought?!

Gain Financial control- I have made leaps and bounds on this baby! This whole ability to travel has been a huge attitude adjustment to me and my spending willy nilly. Nothing like wanting to purchase something for a $100 and you think to yourself  "hey that's partway to another trip"

Now the fun goals- Woo Hoo! with our recent trip to Mexico I kicked the whole wearing a dress once a month out of the park. I believe there was approximately 7 dresses worn that week- oh yeah! Heels only one day as not really appropriate for the area and yowzer did I end up with some pretty blisters after wearing those  :-( . Weekly date night who are you kidding I just finished a week of date nights!

and yes Mexico that was on the "Will do List" and with Mexico came a few items on my bucket list

Not only 1 but 2 stamps on my passport! This is a big thing as a kid they never stamped my passport when I travelled to and from England. Not sure if it was because I am British and a Canadian Resident or?! I did a little hop and skip at the Customs in Mexico! Remember its important to appreciate the little things in life!

My baby tiger- for as long as I can remember any-time I have seen a tiger or lion I have always had this desire to pet their paws. Although a huge cat is still on my list I have at least lived getting to cuddle a baby Bengal Tiger! It was so awesome and a moment that I will not forget.

Oh the bucket list doesn't stop there..... also since being a kid and an avid horse rider back in the day! What girl has not dreamt about riding a horse on the beach and in the ocean?! This one definitely did and oh yeah it happened too.....

Maybe it's time to dream even bigger- mmmmm?!

Ramping Up to Big Sur Week 10!

Boy oh boy did I count that correctly- 10 weeks away?! Initial thought is scary but my runs have gotten longer so its good to know that time is getting near.

I apologize for my lack of blogging but do know that the runs have been happening. Weather has been a lot kinder the last few weeks. Running in plus temps in Feb?! Unbelievable. First week of February I went out with my friends and it was minus temps and we were layered up. Partway through it started to warm up and off went the jacket. By the end of my 26K training run I was cruising down the main strip in my tank top- yes you read that right a tank top in the beginning of Feb! The following week I headed out for a short 10K training run. It was one of those push yourself out the door minus 18 and snowing. Before the hour was up it was 0 degrees and the sun was shining. On another 10K run it was the exact opposite, I headed out the door with beautiful sunshine plus temps, part way through I started to see white stuff coming down. Looked to the sky and it was black- hail was coming! I was still about 2km's from home and kicked it up as that hail could potentially hurt. I wasn't in the house for 5 minutes when down she came. Mother Nature has definitely let me experience the weather during this training session. There is rumours that we might have a wet spring, well if Mother Nature is going to continue participating in my training runs I would say that would be a pretty safe bet- LOL!!!

The mileage itself has really ramped up the last few weeks. My first long run was horrible then the next one was amazingly easy at least until the last 2km. In my last 2 long runs I have reached a personal best for the half marathon distance while training this session. This last Saturday I ran in the Hypo Half and managed a PB for the 5,10 and half for this year! Super exciting considering I was running less than 12 hours of returning home from Mexico. No pre-race planning here :-0

With the distances overall going well I am suffering with my body not wanting to recover. The last couple runs have taken more than their usual toll on my body. Forgotten were the days of pounding back Ibuprofen and being afraid to move from your couch, oh and stairs! Before my next one I think we will need to invest in a rancher- no stairs :-)

I have decided to take a rest week this week and get myself a much needed massage! Make friends with my foam roller and tennis ball and get ready for the next big run!

Top 10 Marathons Worth Travelling For....

Forbes magazine just posted their Top 10 marathons worth travelling for and no big surprise that Big Sur is on the list!!! Funny enough this last Sunday I clicked in that I should maybe take a look at the route to see how hilly it is?! My other thought while completing this training is how I am ready for pretty much anything Mother Nature can send my way except a major rainfall but I think my years on the Island I can survive that. Well ha ha ha ha!! kick me in the ass if this is the description they post on the site

"California’s most beautiful drive is the route for this foot race. You’ll hug the coast on Highway One from Big Sur all the way down to Carmel. The hills and the headwinds are difficult, but the gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean serve as inspiration to keep going. The point-to-point course tends to sell out year after year, so if you’re looking to conquer the hilly terrain, book early."

All I can say is "seriously" - I guess I better start getting some hills in there too! LOL!!! California Headwinds have nothing on this Lethbridgian!!

http://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2012/01/23/top-10-marathons-worth-traveling-for/3/

Friendship!!

Ramp Up to Big Sur Week 14 brings to me "Friendship"

   I have been reading a lot of posts on facebook on friendship and where people currently are in their lives! Big surprise with the beginning of a new year and those who elected to take on a challenge of changing themselves are feeling the pressure. I have seen posts on friends trying to deliberate sabotage their friends successes. Friends that are falling quietly to the wayside as they do not share their "old" friends passions anymore. People worrying that they will no longer have friends but are excited about the new passion that they have found! 


   For the people out there that are making a change of life for the positive and feel like you are alone.... hold on for the ride because there is a mountain of crazy people out there just like you! Keep living your passion and you will find them and they will find you, I guarantee it!!!


There is nothing like having friends who will:

• Run in ridiculous temperatures, wind and weather with you so you can get your training distance in.
• Give up a chance for their own personal best to pace you in a race
• Stay up all weekend to participate in a crazy adventure race with you
• See a crazy climb in front of them and say "okay, lets go"
• Spot you at the gym as you push your limit
• Message you a list of songs to upload as they know you have a race coming up
• Travel to race destinations
• Encourage you do what you thought you couldn't
• Inspire you to try new things
• Be your cheerleader!!!!
• If all else fails yell at you until you push out that last rep! Then give you a high five after :-)

   I consider myself a very wealthy person when it comes to friendships! Majority of these great friends that I have made all happened when I decided to recreate myself and live a life with great adventure. I have an amazing group of cheerleaders who celebrate my crazy ideas and quite often volunteer to join me. We are all learning from each other that the limits we thought we had- well they just don't exist!  


  If your one of those people that is out there making that change.... keep your eyes open as there is an "Awesome" group of people out there participating with you that would love for you to be part of their crowd. Join in new activities that excite you and meet the people that share those interests. In a short time you will have a wealth of amazing fit, crazy friends - I promise! 




To all my friends out there..... you know who you are!! Thank you so much for what you bring into my life.... you all rock!

Ramp Up to Big Sur- Week 15

I can hardly believe- 15 weeks! With freezing cold temps that dropped in for a visit and fresh snow it is nice to think that spring is only a few weeks away. Knowing that I have a lot of mileage still to do creates a "huge" reality check- insert deep breath here!  The flights are booked, we have a cottage booked for the week, the remaining prep is all about the mileage. This is where the game gets tougher.... this was my last week of 19K and then it is up and up from here! Phew! I got this!!! I keep playing in my mind my goal for this race and more importantly my prep for this race! This time around its all about the mileage and the mental preparedness. On my long running day my "only" task that day is to get my run done. Everything else has to take a back burner. 

Running in bad weather creates character they say.... well last week brought me upwards of 60KM winds this week bring on Old Man Winter..... oh yes -18 that felt more like -23! Oh my! Now the cold was one thing now throw in wind pelting you with ice. At one point I felt like my eyeball was actually freezing. To stay away from the elements as much as possible we zigzagged through residential areas up a block over 2 back around 3. I can only imagine what my GPS map looks like. It was a tough run and each of us in the group were starting to freeze so we called it off at 12.5K. As I mentioned before it is all about the mileage so after a rewarding breakfast and a few hours to warm back up yep you guessed it .... out the door I went. This time it was -15 still feeling around -20. But this time the sun was out and the wind had relaxed. Although it was still a chilly run my mileage was completed and I enjoyed the scenery of watching the fresh snow lit up by the beautiful sunshine! It's all about the small things when you are winter running. 

My mantra for this race- "This is the place where I'm going to find out how good I can be"

Ramp Up to Big Sur- Week 17/16

Here it goes.... the mileage is amping up now and reality is sinking in! 


I live in one of the windiest cities in Canada. As we joked this week anywhere else that had up to 100K winds would be deemed "hurricane warning" we on the other hand get a "wind warning"!and "yes" I have been running in this crap! This brings to me this last weekend. Saturday was a beautiful day, the sun was shining, amazing temps especially seeing we are in our first couple weeks of January. Most importantly Mother Nature gave it a rest and we had a short reprieve from the wind. I worked on Saturday and spent the day being so excited about my run for the next day. Ha ha ha ha! joke is on me..... in the middle of the night I was repeatedly woken up as 60km plus winds kept pelting my bedroom window. First thought each time I woke up "What about my 19K run?" 8am strolled around and my phone was full of text messages. 2 of the crew did not want to take on Mother Nature. Fortunately 2 other cheerleaders were ready to go- We started out on the premise of trying 10K and seeing just how bad it was. Surprise! Surprise! staying within residential areas helped out! Randomly you would hit an open zone and poof you were pushed off the side-walk. During that first 10K all I could think about was "today is my 19, I need 19". I debated about completing the 10K and going back out for the last 9. I have been debating about joining a gym due to the crazy weather, "do I finish it off on the treadmill." As common sense is always first "I'm out here I may as well get er done". My friends headed back to complete their 10K and off I went to get in my 19! As I have explained before it appears I am a runner who enjoys adversity so Mother Nature's ass kicking wind storm definitely got my "ggrrr". Off I went.... into one of my fave parks to run through. In this park there is no shelter from the wind! Mountains approx 300km away are your shelter. That's when the upward to 60K winds found me. If you can imagine the running version of a lap pool. That was basically my run. Absolutely crazy! A few K's of that and I finally found shelter back in the residential areas. As 16K crept up to me I realized that my route was going to be a tad short. I went through options in my mind of where to go and how to get in my 19! I know you are waiting for the woo!hoo! I added to my route. No people I did not- 17.8K completed and I got home just in time to crash!!! 17.8K running while someone is basically pushing you backwards is insane. I had nothing left when I got home- I went into auto pilot and refuelled, climbed into the tub and ever so elegantly collapsed into my bed and into an hour and a half coma. Later that day and the next day my legs were sore- no surprise there! The surprise was where... once that workout was complete you could really feel how your muscles have to work differently to run in that crap. 


For all those who have never ran in crazy winds here are a few examples of the entertainment:


#103 Awesome thing about running in the wind: when you pushing so hard to get through the wind and then the gust lets up and you almost faceplant the sidewalk.


#86 Awesome thing about running in the wind: When your inside foot kicks your other leg due to the wind pushing it.


#126 Awesome thing about running in the wind: when you have to lean to the side on a 45 degree angle to keep running forward due to the side wind hitting you!


#73 Awesome thing about running in the wind: What a great core workout!!!

This is "what" that run felt like.... 

This made me laugh... obviously they have never run here! It doesn't feel fast baby it is.... ever had a Starbucks cup pass you at about 60K?! That's wind!

Will do List 2012 by Nancy Leggett

 Will do List 2012 by Nancy Leggett