Rehab

I've been 10 days sober. From running, of course.

Not that running is/was a drug, or an addiction - for me, anyway. But it was definitely something that took priority for the last almost-five months. This past week and a half has been different - felt different. I guess that's what happens when one no longer has a marathon to train for (not complaining).

Reflections on a dry month
Following a house party involving a lot of scotch, I threw a bit of a fit one month out from the date of number five, and vowed to stay dry until marathon day. Amazingly, I actually did this... and it was a bit of an eye opener! 

I would be out with friends, ordering water while they all ordered beer. Not surprisingly, I got bored the longer I stayed out. It's like "fun" is inversely related to "alcohol consumption". Again, not a surprise. 

And yet... I felt better about my choices. True, I wasn't having the "good time" the same way my friends were. But I knew I would certainly feel better in the morning. There wouldn't be a two-day hangover in my future. 

Don't get me wrong: I love a good drink. I drink beer, wine, scotch, vodka... you name it. I don't discriminate (well, except for fruity drinks - like, really?). But being teetotal for just over four weeks was more revelatory than expected. I had a beer the same night I'd finished number five, and have drunk plenty since - no more being dry for me - but I do think I have a different perspective on socially drinking now than I did before i.e. moderation? That's a good thing. 

Good eats
Something else in the way of "healthy living" also happened while I was training for number five. For years I was terrible at brown bagging my lunch. But somehow, with number five in the picture, I managed to create good lunch habits. I've been bringing salads for lunch most days, and even vary them up to keep things interesting - which, I realized, is actually the key with eating salad so often! I'm a huge foodie and love trying new restaurants and new dishes all the time, but at least at lunchtime I've been able to create a space where I don't have to worry about what I'm putting in my body because I know that it's food that is good for me. Hopefully, running or no, I'll be able to maintain that going forward.

Knee-d more painkillers
You may recall I had some trouble with my knee in the week leading up to number five (see blog posts here and here). Following the marathon, I thought my knee pain had miraculously disappeared! Sadly, I was totally delusional mistaken. 

I gave my body a week or so to recover and heal, but sure enough: the knee pain was still there. Not that I was particularly surprised, but I went to a physiotherapist yesterday and it looks like I'll definitely need some rehab. Bad biomechanics! You are my nemesis! But, meh - what else am I gonna do? It's not like I'm running another marathon any time soon [wink]. 

My dad 
I've been wanting to write a post about what this whole experience meant to me... running in memory of my dad, and rekindling my old goal to run five marathons because of that. Alas, I've been unable to find the words. When I locate them, I'll let y'all know.

All You Kneed Is Love, bitches! (Guess I'm not done with the knee puns just yet.) 

How to Train for and Run a Marathon: A Non-Exhaustive Shortlist

In training:

1. Stick to the training schedule.
2. Run at times of day similar to the scheduled race time to get used to what might happen on race day e.g. waking up early enough, eating breakfast, prepping gear, getting dressed, stretching and warming up, etc.
3. Run in all kinds of weather - because you never know what you're gonna get on race day.

   

   I was here... and here, and here...

4. Run on the same surface as the race to condition your body for similar impact e.g. concrete or trails versus treadmills.
5. Pay attention to your diet (nutrition is important).
6. Stay hydrated.
7. Get enough sleep.
8. Find someone who knows more than you about running and ask them lots of questions about everything you don't know - but know that not everything works the same or as well for everyone. 
9. Find a good registered massage therapist and visit him/her as often as you can.
10. Find a good physiotherapist and consult him/her as needed.
11. Give yourself lots of encouragement every day.
12. Surround yourself with people who support your goals. 
13. Ignore the "Negative Nancies" and "Downer Dougs".
14. Don't be a douchebag runner to other runners. This includes not being a "Negative Nancy" or "Downer Doug."

Specifically for race day:

1. Get enough sleep leading up to the race (tip: even a good night's sleep two nights before versus the night before the race can be enough - just try and stay well rested as race day approaches).
2. Don't try or do anything new e.g. with clothing (potential chafing), gear (unexpected issues with weight, function), breakfast, gels or other nutrition (avoiding digestive issues), etc.
3. Get to the start line with time to spare.
4. Enjoy the race! You've earned it.

Journal entry 

Today's run: 23 km and technically, the last LSD in the training schedule. Yay for tapering! Weather: overcast and partly sunny this morning, which is why I deliberately went out early (note: it's raining now but at least I'm watching the bad weather from my couch instead of being in it). Feeling: glad to have missed the rain! And looking forward to the rest of the weekend.

...and also here.

Looking Into the LSD

LSD. No, not that, or even "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds". I'm talking about the long slow distance run, like the one I did today. I've always wondered why marathon training programs typically top out at 32 km, so I looked into it. Here's what I found out.

Why 32 km?
The training program I've referenced for all of my marathons comes from the Running Room and, like many other programs, the longest distance to run in training is 32 km (20 mi). But why this distance, specifically, and not something closer to actual marathon distance of 42.2 km? According to the interwebs (Matz, 2014; Runner's World, 2014), the general theory is: anything longer can increase the risk of injury. Recovery also takes longer with any runs over 32 km. 

Hanson’s marathon training method (Humphrey, 2011) also outlines that running for more than three hours means diminishing returns for runners, doing more harm than good by damaging muscles, compromising recovery time, and depleting glycogen stores significantly (Matz, 2014).

At least I'm consistent.

Best to ignore that though, right?
The above, however, I believe does not apply to me. According to a trainer I worked with when I first ran with Diabetes Canada in 2009, the long run pace for those looking "to complete" i.e. no specific finish time goals should be "between 8:30 to 9:30 minutes per kilometer...if you are going faster you stressing [sic] your body to the point that it can not [sic] recover by the next quality workout" (email from Team Diabetes Trainer, 2009). Doing the math, this works out to what is my typical finish time for these long runs which is around four and a half hours.

So... I dunno
In summary, looking at all the information as a whole: I dunno what the right answer is. What I do know is that, until I got the above information from a trainer, I had been running too fast (for me) on my long runs and was well on my way to injury and burnout. Her advice saved me in training for my first marathon, and I successfully finished that marathon without getting hurt. And - looking at my data over the years and having finished three more marathons since then, I'd say that advice has served me well over the years.

If anyone else is slower, I sure haven't seen them
Logically, I know there are slower runners than me out there; finisher information from all of my races has told me that. But where they are? I sure as hell don't know. I don't pass anyone when I'm out there; I am definitely the one getting passed. Sometimes this bothers me, but then I remind myself of the distance I'm running and I usually get over it. 

...but then, what if they're running the same distance, only a lot faster than me? In those instances, I'm gonna guess that advice like Hanson's is for them. 

In conclusion...
With six more weeks of training to go, I'm gonna stick with what I know works. That means, slow long runs, soaking my legs in cold water, foam rolling, rest and shorter runs throughout the week. This way, I know that I can recover adequately from week to week. No pushing past what is realistic for me. No comparing myself to others and what I'm reading on the internet (even though that can be really hard to do). And - if I could - I would run this marathon tomorrow, mainly because I'm sick of training. But since that's not possible, all I can do is stay vigilant, and hope for nice weather and strong runs based on my current fitness level. 

Journal entry for today
Today's run: 32 km. Weather: started out damp, but turned out to be partly sunny (thank you, Mother Nature!). Feeling: good. Confident. Which is freaking me out, a little. Not sure if I should embrace it, or wait for the other shoe to drop. Gonna try to let it go.

No rain looks good on you, Vancouver.

Sources
Humphrey, L. (2011). Hanson’s Marathon Method: The 16 Miler. Hansons Running.
Matz, J. (2014). How long should your longest run of marathon training be? WalkJogRun.
Runner's World (2014). Forums Topic: Marathon training plans stopping at 32K.

Learning From Doing: Part 2

Hey running friends! It's February 26 and, coincidentally, today's long run was 26 km. One word to sum it up: ouch. But I had a few thoughts to keep me going which I figured I'd share with y'all here.

Garbage in, garbage out
Today's run was pretty sluggish overall, which came as a surprise since last weekend's 23 km long run felt generally okay. The only thing I could chalk it up to was having a friend in town last week, which meant eating a little worse and drinking a little more than usual over a seven day average. I'm not saying my eating habits are great anyway (this body ain't no temple, that is for certain), but after slogging through the first 16 km, and then bonking hard between 17 and 19 km this morning, I figured my poor nutritional habits from the last few days probably played at least a small part. 

Run the tangents

My GPS map from the Royal Victoria Marathon in 2009:
the longest distance I have ever run in my life. Ever.

I ran my first marathon in 2009. A marathon distance is, of course, 42.2 km. My actual distance covered in that race, based on my Garmin GPS data: 42.7 km. That's right - a whole half a km more than necessary. Ever since then, I've learned to run the tangents: the shortest distance or line in the curves/corners. Around every bend and every curve, I reevaluate and change things up to make sure I'm running the shortest distance possible for that route because - let's face it - these long runs are ass kickers and I don't want to be running any longer than absolutely necessary.

Love those hills
Okay, so maybe "love" is a strong word. But I'm a firm believer that every hill, while daunting, is a moment of fantastic opportunity - to set a new goal e.g. to jog or run the entire hill without stopping, to refocus one's position in a race e.g. to try and pass someone up ahead, or to decide what you're made of e.g. to walk or run. Next time you find yourself looking upwards at another bridge or incline, instead of thinking, "Oh holy jeebus", try thinking, "I'm gonna own you." It's an attitude adjustment, for sure, but you might just surprise yourself in how you approach that hill. If nothing else, remember: for every up, there's a down. So, there's that to look forward to. Right? Ahh, the yin and yang of running.

Today's run: 26 km long run. Weather: started out around 2°C and overcast, but warmed up to about 6°C with scattered sunshine by the time I was done (yup, I'm pretty slow). Feeling: tired but good. Looking forward to the distance backing off next week... "only" 19 km scheduled for the long run, yippee!

Old Habits, New Habits

Happy last day of November! 

I'm paying attention to the base building advice I shared with you earlier so have been trying to switch up my schedule by running one speed workout each week. 

A personal note on speed workouts: not my favourite. 

That said, fartleks - or, speed play - can be relatively fun, if you make it. For example, I've been running 30 second intervals i.e. 30 seconds at a relatively faster pace, followed by 30 seconds of walking/jogging to recover, rinse and repeat. And while doing so, I've been taking the time to notice the views around me (Vancouver is a beautiful place to run), tell myself some jokes and occasionally try and run faster than I did the previous kilometre.

I dunno. Does that sound like fun? I suppose fun is what you make it.

On my route today: Charleson Park. Pic cred: surYnorte

An old habit I noticed on today's run: breathing in for three steps and out for two, especially when the pace is faster or when running uphill. I've been running for so many years, I'm not even sure where I picked up this tip. Probably one of the books I've read that's sitting on my shelf at home.

A new habit I'm trying to form: bringing my gear to the office so I can run right at the end of the day when it's still light out. Darn you, winter! Why's it gotta be so dark by 4:30 in the afternoon? 

Today's run: 4 km fartlek. Weather: a light wind but dry (thankful for that, given it was raining buckets this morning). Feeling: okay. The run started out a little meh, but got better the longer I was out there. 

Running Round-Up: Arctic Outflow Edition

Hello friends! And merry (early) holidays to you all. My apologies for being MIA: insert usual school and end of term excuses here. Let's get to it, shall we?

Baby, It's Cold Outside
Canada is in a deep freeze right now courtesy of some cold Arctic air that's been pushing into the region. Unlike our prairie neighbours to the east, the west coast is thankfully not experiencing wind chill values below -40°C, although -14°C with wind chill is certainly much colder than us fair-weather Vancouverites are accustomed to. The one good thing about all this? Clear, sunny skies, and brisk running. Check out these gorgeous shots I captured on this morning's 5 km run (all unfiltered).

Science World and downtown Vancouver

Looking northward on the Cambie Street bridge

False Creek, downtown and mountains

Really? Really?
Whoever is writing the status updates on John Stanton's Facebook page has been a little preachy as of late when it comes to food and, quite frankly, it's getting annoying. For example:

• As a runner your food is your fuel…select your choices wisely
• Reward yourself with a run…rather than with food
• Think of your food as fuel for your performance …make your choices wisely
• As a runner you eat for performance … a non athletic person eats for pleasure …make your choices wisely

Don't get me wrong. I understand how important it is to make smart and healthy food decisions. But everything in moderation, right? Perhaps that includes reading these Facebook updates as well.

Announcement: Number 5!
I am officially registered for marathon #5 and I'm super excited! On Sunday, May 4, I will be alongside thousands of other walkers and runners at the BMO Vancouver Marathon as I endeavour to complete this "marathon" journey (ha, get it?). It's the marathon I've always wanted to run, in the best city on earth, in my own backyard. I cannot wait.

I'm planning to be on the blog more in the next few weeks, once I'm finished with everything for term. If you're in town and want to join me on a run, followed by a delicious, rewarding and satisfying meal of our own choosing (take that, Stanton), hit me up! 

Sore Feet, Soul Intact

Here's the general formula: run 32 km. Instantly feel better about yourself and life in general.

Of course, this doesn't happen every time (see Long Distance Do-Over: Update or The Yin and Yang Of Running). And more often than not, it happens when I least expect it. Here's the shakedown on what happened this weekend...

With gal pal The BB Creative in town, who I haven't seen in a very long time, we set out on the town on Friday night ready to par-tay. Which we did. And which I paid for on Saturday, which ended up being a total bust of a day. Clearly, I'm getting too old to keep up with the young'uns.

So, surprise surprise, after I slept in today, after spending all day yesterday in Hangover City trying to rehydrate and basically just keep food down, and after having neither picked a route for my long run, nor organized all my supplies the night before (as is my regular routine), I woke up less than enthused about having to run for many hours. 

© BMO Vancouver Marathon

But perhaps I was destined to have read this great article by Jeff Gaudette yesterday, in which he writes about the importance of learning how to pace properly and running by feel. Because when I set out late in the morning having no mental preparation for today's run, those tips kept going through my mind. So I told myself, "Okay. Just relax. It doesn't matter how long this run takes, so long as you don't kill yourself trying to finish." And then things turned out spectacularly! I love it when a non-plan comes together.

Today's run: 32 km. Weather: cloudy and cool, with some light, and wonderfully refreshing, intermittent showers. Feeling: sore legs and feet, but pretty darn happy.

Hello, Spring!

© insidevancouver.ca

Spring is upon us on the west coast, which means warm weather, beautiful cherry blossoms, and brilliant sunshine. Being out there this morning made me realize I'll have to soon break out my short-sleeved shirts and running shorts ... amazing! Here's a round-up of what's been on my mind lately, running-wise.

Grad school is a problem
This is true for soooo many reasons, but the one I'm thinking about in particular relates to running. March was a true bust. I tried, but deadlines and meetings and assignments are really challenging to work around. And yes, I know I sound like a broken record. All I can say is, I'm looking forward to this term being over (less than three weeks to go)!

You know you're a long distance runner when ...
... it takes, at minimum, four kilometres before really being able to settle into a run. Even though I'm out of shape, and probably a little heavier than I should be at the moment (stupid grad school!), once I got past that minimum distance on this morning's run it was like my muscle memory just took over. Really looking forward to getting back to those Sunday long runs!

Lack of tracking
I haven't written much about this, but it's my personal opinion that it's very important to track everything you do when it comes to running. This includes keeping stock of your mileage, the days you ran, how you felt, what you ate; many people keep running journals for this very purpose. This helps to show you how you've improved over time - which is always a good thing! Another benefit to knowing how much you've run is to give you an indication of when you should be switching out of your old shoes into new ones. Admittedly, I've fallen short on my tracking duties as of late but being out there today reminded me of this. Note to self: upload Garmin data and update gear tracker!

This one is more for me, than you
I've recently been telling people that I'm younger than I am - and not even on purpose! Oops. But when I realized how old I really am, it was an eye-opener that I don't have much time to complete my Five by 35. So just as a reminder (for me, mostly): I am currently 33 years old, turning 34 in October. There. Glad that's sorted.

Update: Number 4
Speaking of Five by 35, thanks to the (very few ... sad face!) people who voted on the poll regarding which marathon I should run this year. I think I've made a decision ... but I'm going to keep it under wraps for now. More on this later.

Happy Easter everyone!

Bunny nuzzle ... or alternatively, bunuzzle.

The Church of Running

I recently had an epiphany. I was getting ready to go for my first run after being off sick and, for some reason, I'd paid particular attention that day to the individual elements that go into getting ready for a run - which, for me, consist mainly of the following:

• Pick out a running outfit.  
• Find my socks.
• Find my hat.
• Make sure the watch is charged up (and hopefully I remembered to do this in advance).
• Put all my clothes on, including the heart rate monitor.
• Lace up the shoes.

There was such ease in doing all of these things which were so familiar - have been so familiar for years, I never even really thought about them before. Sure, I was only out of commission for a few weeks. But amidst a time when so much change was/is going on in my life, it's so comforting to know that these things remain the same. 

And this is what I realized: 

Running is a constant. It's my comfort. My joy. Everything else could be falling apart or crumbling all around me, but I know I can always come back to running. It won't judge me. It won't scorn me. It will always take me back, even if I've been away. Those routines will always be there; they're not going anywhere. 

So, yah. It was cathartic. And in a way I really wasn't expecting. (It was pretty rad.)

My friend Jeny once told me that running provides her with a balance in her life which she never before realized she needed. I believe that's true for many people - me included. But this was something new. Something wonderful. And a nice reminder that one can find solace in even the smallest routines.

Running? What Running?

It's been a crazy few weeks. In a nutshell, this is what I've been up to:

• I wrapped up things at work before going on my educational leave. This was a surprisingly hectic task.
• I started my graduate degree program and had a small freak-out about the volume of required reading ... so I've spent a lot of time this week with my nose in many different books. 
• I've also been suffering from an extremely stubborn and irritating cough and cold. Can't seem to shake it, either. It's super annoying.

What I have not been doing, sadly, is running. I'd try, except for this small issue of being prone to unexpected and sudden coughing fits. I'm hoping this will change soon.

Rest assured, I will get back out there once my itchy throat goes away. I'm looking forward to discovering just how my new schedule and school routine affect my ability and motivation to run (and blog!). Will I have to run first thing in the morning versus in the afternoons? Will Sundays need to be reserved for group project work instead of long runs? Will the blog accidentally creep into my life as a student? Only time will tell.

In the meantime, I'd love to hear about what you guys have been up to, as I feel this need to live vicariously through my running peeps! Did anyone do the Vancouver Triathlon last weekend? Who's running the Queen City Marathon this weekend in Regina? And what other races do you have coming up in the fall?

I go to school here. It kinda rules.
© 2008 Harbour Centre Complex Ltd.

No Run Sunday

It's been two weeks since the Marathon by the Sea. Have I run since? 

Nope!

With the end of the summer in sight, a few leaving-dos from work to attend, and the deadline for my required summer reading for school looming right around the corner, I just haven't gotten around to it. I fully intend to get back out there ... but not right now.

In lieu of a Sunday long run, and while I'm still somewhat basking in marathon finisher glory, I wanted to share a great running commercial from a few years back. In my opinion, this depicts with scary accuracy what the day after running a marathon feels like. 

Enjoy the rest of the weekend, everybody!

More than once I've caught myself staring at stairs in just this way.

Running Round-Up

Deep Thoughts, Not by Jack Handey
I don't know about you, but sometimes I think about the strangest things when I'm out on my runs, probably because I choose to run without headphones and my mind tends to wander all over the place. Here's a sample of what my brain said to me this week:

• Upon seeing a mouse (or perhaps, rat?) sprint from a pristine, manicured flowerbed, across the bike path right in front of me, to another well-landscaped flowerbed: "Guess they really are everywhere. We just don't know it most of the time."
• When the sun started to come up: "Holy mother, it's gonna get hot out here!"
• Seeing weeds along the path: "Too bad there aren't more dandelions. The bunnies love to eat those."
• Observing a runner wearing a long-sleeved zip-up jacket: "I wonder if she's training for a weather-specific event. Mainly a hot one. Why else would anyone wear such a thing on a run in the middle of summer?"
• Fur on the sidewalk: "OMG ... is that part of a dead animal??"

It's Getting Hot Out There
The weather has finally (and miraculously!) turned warm and wonderful on the west coast and it's reminded me to draw upon the plenty of ways to safely train in the summer heat. 

Some of the best tips I've picked up over the years include running in the early morning or later at night, slowing down where necessary, always carrying water, and replenishing potassium levels by drinking orange juice after every run. 

One of my favourite and most logical precautionary measures, which I admittedly struggle with, is staying regularly hydrated throughout the day. Really gotta work at getting those eight cups in!  

How do you adapt your training when it's hot outside?

Love You, John Stanton
Last but not least, I'd like to end with a quote of the day - which is, of course, from the Running Room's John Stanton.

"You know you're addicted to running when someone says Boston, New York or Chicago and you think: marathon."

Have a great weekend, everybody! Stay safe in that summer heat.

Sometimes It's Good To Not Keep Score

I started out on a 6 km run yesterday when all of a sudden ... my Garmin died.

At first I cursed myself (why didn't you make sure your watched was charged up? Geez!) but then came to the realization that it really wasn't the end of the world (chill out, girl - it's no big deal!). 

So often I have become reliant on doing what my Garmin tells me to do. Before I was injured, on long runs I would be timing myself to walk every 10 minutes; now that I'm still in recovery, I've been timing myself to walk every four minutes. I adjust my pace based on what my heart rate is doing. Each kilometer my watch is programmed to beep and indicate how long it took me to run that kilometer. It can get a bit much.

But not yesterday!

When my watch blinked off, it was a great opportunity to just run. There was no need to track my heart rate, or monitor my pace, or obligation to stop every four minutes for a walk break; I was slave to my data no more! I took it easy, sure, but it was a chance to truly listen to what my body wanted to do. If I felt like walking, I walked. If I wanted to run, I kept going. If it felt like I was speeding up, I slowed down. 

It can get so analytical, tracking so much of my running information and using those results to be prescriptive in my training. Yesterday's blip felt a bit unnatural at first, but in the end, I'm glad it happened. It was unexpected but I think, just what I needed. 

"You can't always get what you want. But if you try sometime,

you just might find you get what you need." Makes sense to me. 

A Salute To All Slow Runners

A few years ago, I saw a post on one of the Running Room Forum discussions by a woman who had just started running as a way to improve her health.  She had never run before, and was so proud that she had completed her first 5 km run in about 50 minutes.  

Instead of lauding her accomplishment - her first 5 km run ever! - some jackwipe had the nerve to comment: "That is so slow!  I can walk 5 km faster than that."

Sure.  For any runner, this is a slow time.  But ... so what?  

Runners are a proud bunch, this is true.  And we should be!  We all work really hard to achieve our goals.  I think certain runners, however, just need to shut their traps once in awhile.  This forum post has stuck with me over the years because it clearly shows just how cocky and conceited some runners can be.  

Here's another example.  I recently got into a conversation about running with a woman who had just qualified for the Boston Marathon.  For those who aren't in the know, Boston is kind of a big deal.  Amateur runners have to qualify to even request entry, which means they have to complete a marathon within a specific time (usually pretty fast!) set by age group.  

I casually mentioned to this person how I wouldn't expect to ever be fast enough to qualify and she said to me: "Well, if you're that slow maybe you shouldn't even be a runner."

Excuuuse me?  Bitch, don't even!  I will admit - I kind of had to restrain myself from slapping her right then and there.  

An FYI for the arrogant runners - this is kind of what you sound like. If you stopped with the big head, you'd be much more likeable. (See? I'm trying to do you a favour. I'm so magnanimous.)

My point of all this, is that runners really ought to support each other more.  Instead of putting other runners down, why not work to bring them up?  Running has, and always will be, a sport of individual achievement.  We should be celebrating all of our accomplishments.  Big or small, fast or slow - it shouldn't matter! 

Another great quote by John Stanton (he's coming up with some real gems on Facebook lately): "You can do it.  Don't let someone else's beliefs stop you from being your best!"

Some final words from me on the subject:

If you're a speedy runner ...
Please be kind to your fellow runners who may be not as fast as you.  Being blessed with a natural ability to run is a glorious thing; you're really lucky.  You may not realize it, but slow runners have to possess just a wee bit more self confidence than the average runner because we get passed all the time.  In fact, we get passed by people like you.  And if you're already showing encouragement to your less than speedy friends, on behalf of all slow runners everywhere: I thank you!

If you are reading this post and are disagreeing with everything ...
Well, you obviously don't get it.  You are probably just like the forum basher and the arrogant marathoner, so feel the need to put slow runners down because it makes you feel better about yourself at the expense of someone else's confidence and pride.  You know what?  As far as I'm concerned, you can shove it.

Hail to the slow runners!  
Keep at it, my peeps!  And know that at least one person (me!) appreciates how hard you have to work. 

You Know You're Serious About Running When

Here's a starter list which I will be adding to over time.  What crazy things have you done as a runner?

You know you're serious about running when ...

• You leave an awesome party because you have to run some seemingly random amount of ridiculous mileage the next day.
• You turn down a dinner date because it's the only day that week you can fit in a Zone 3 workout.
• You monitor the weather forecast to ensure your long run falls on the day it's least likely to rain.
• You get PVR so that you can watch your favourite TV shows on a rest day.
• The most hilarious quote you've seen lately is (seen on the back of a T-shirt): "If you see me collapse, please hit pause on my Garmin."  [Twitter post by @RunningQuotes]
• You book a hotel for a destination race based on its ability to ensure you can have your regular pre-race breakfast.
• You book a hotel for a destination race.  Full stop.
• You sign up for a running seminar because the speaker is Gary Reed, two-time Olympian.
• You watch marathon coverage on TV, even if the race happened last week or year.
• You either own, or have seriously considered the merit of, toe shoes.
• You've not only read Born to Run, but you've also suggested it to others and talked about it at dinner parties.

---

Here's a few more I thought of, after the fact:

• You're finally excited to watch the summer Olympics because of all the running events. 
• You hear about ultramarathoners and think they're insane ... insanely awesome, that is.
• You've sat in an ice bath to help speed up your recovery.
• You write a blog about running.

We're All Just Doing The Best We Can (Me Included)

I'm back!  I know, it's been awhile.  Here's what I've been up to ...

I toured around the South Pacific.  
My husband and I went on a big trip involving a number of different countries situated in the South Pacific.  En route to New Zealand, I was expecting to have a six-hour layover at LAX where I'd planned to blog about the challenge of staying on top of a running schedule whilst travelling.  We ran into some flight problems and spent most of the time in L.A. working to re-book our travel plans instead.  Isn't it ironic ... don't ya think? 

After a week and a half in New Zealand, we headed to Sydney and then onward to Oahu.  I ran once the whole time we were away.  

A view from my one and only run while on vacation.  This is Oriental Bay in Wellington, New Zealand.

I got sick.
Upon our return home after three weeks away, I suffered from some mega fatigue, fighting off a cold and working hard to get back into everyday life after being on holiday.  I didn't run or get to Crossfit for another two weeks.

I felt sorry for myself.
Having fallen off the workout wagon for more than five weeks, when I finally managed to get my running shoes back on, I felt like a complete train wreck.  It was like starting all over again.  I was not a happy camper.  

I got over it.
I'm back on schedule.  My long run last week was 20 km and I'm scheduled for 23 km on Sunday.  I'm still slow but at least my mileage is getting back to where I need to be.  I also registered for the half marathon at the BMO Vancouver Marathon on May 6, where I plan to gauge my race pace for June.  (NB: The marathon at this event is now sold out.  If you're planning to do the half, I'd register right away!  Otherwise, volunteering is always another great way to get involved.)  

That's my February and March, in a nutshell.  Sorry to have been away so long, but with the weather turning a little nicer and me getting back on track, I'm optimistic that I'll be back on the blog a bit more now, too.  

As Florence says, "Regrets collect like old friends.  It's hard to dance with a devil on your back, so shake him off."  Words to live by.

Crossfittin' It In

Busy schedules mean trade offs. I normally like to reserve my weekends for running but sometimes this doesn't always work out as planned.

This is the first time I've ever consciously worked to fit cross training into my schedule. As you know, I've been learning a lot from swim class (Lessons Part 1 and Lessons Part 2) and have been loving the time I've spent in the pool.

© Crossfit Westside

In October, I also decided to take up Crossfit. As described by Crossfit Westside in Vancouver, the workouts go something like this:

We take functional movements such as the squat, push up, pullup, deadlift, clean n jerk, running, rowing, skipping, and jumping, mix them up, and execute them in short intense workouts. Each workout has a different combination of exercises with varied repetitions, rounds, and time. 

I'm still relatively new to Crossfit, particularly as I'm only doing it once a week, so by no means do I feel I'm an expert on the subject. I will, however, say this: Crossfit is challenging as hell and in the best way possible. It's pushed me to try things I've never tried before, and motivated me to work harder than I've ever worked.  

But - back to trade offs.

Trying to fit in cross training is like trying to fit extra days into every week. I haven't quite figured it out but I'm determined to make it work because I'm finding it extremely valuable not just physically, but mentally as well. I suppose it's like being well read; if you read nothing but the same author or genre, you can never fully appreciate how interesting other works of writing can be. Taking up swimming and Crossfit has definitely opened me up to new and inspiring fitness challenges.

Sunday is typically the day most runners do their long runs. However, in the last month I've been caught twice leaving my once-a-week Crossfit workout to the weekend and have had to sacrifice either my long run or getting to the gym. If I'd only planned ahead and stuck to my schedule, I could have probably managed to accomplish both fairly easily instead of simply being optimistic that I'd be able to do it all and still have enough downtime to recharge from the work week.

The moral of the story: one plan that works is better than a hundred doubtful ones.  

And if I'd never read Aesop's Fables I wouldn't have known that one, either. More on planning to come.

The Joy of Running Unplugged

I am an outside runner. More than that, I am an outside runner who does not listen to music while she runs.  

This is an age-old debate. There are runners who swear by their iPods and MP3 players and those who refuse to wear earphones.  

There are many reasons I do without, and I am constantly reminded of this on every run. My primary reason is safety. I am a small female who prefers to run alone. If I'm on a trail in some park somewhere or out in the early morning hours when it's dark and barely anyone is around, I need to be able to hear if any creeps are trying to sneak up on me. Being attacked is something I would very much like to avoid.

Another reason is because I like to let my thoughts go where they like. Running can be extremely meditative. Music is a distraction. These days, I mainly think about writing ... but I've also trip planned, focused on my running form, solved work problems, and have even had pretend conversations with random people in my life (I know you've done it too and trust me - it's therapeutic). If I had noise going on in my head, I wouldn't have been able to allow these things to happen.

Because I like to run outside and without headphones, the last and most important reason for me is a big cliché but I'm going to say it anyway: I like to be in touch with nature. Blegh, right?  

Burrard Street Bridge in Vancouver by early morning moonlight. I mean, if "morning moonlight" makes any sense. And yes, of course it's a dark picture. It was dark out when I took it.

Seriously, though. Living along the coast, I think runners who plug in here are squandering the opportunity to partake in all that our wonderful city has to offer. We are very fortunate in that the beautiful landscape lends itself to wonderful sights and sounds. I've been on countless runs where I've stopped to watch boats, listen to the waves lapping against the shore, see the sun rise over the water, and observe the seals hanging around in the harbour - although, I would not have noticed the seals if I hadn't heard them first.  

The saying goes: "Stop and smell the roses." Well, I think there should be one about stopping to listen. There's plenty to appreciate if only we learn to unplug long enough.