I Like to Stop a Lot and Take Pictures

Happy Friday, fellow runners!

I feel like I've been writing a lot about the sunshine and beautiful weather - but I'm going to do so again today because I caught some great stuff on yesterday's 12k run. Running in Vancouver is so incredible it is REDONKULOUS.

Inukshuk at English Bay

Stamps Landing

Fluffy little goslings! I literally stopped in my tracks and said "awwww!" right out loud. 

ADORBS. Am I right?

Artwork at Science World entitled: Choice.
What choices did you make today? What choices will you make tomorrow?

For all those running in BMO Vancouver Marathon events this weekend, have fun! and don't forget your water bottles and sunscreen 'cuz it's gonna be gorgeous out there. I'm volunteering at package pick-up tonight and tomorrow, so make sure to drop by and say hi. I'll also be on medal duty at the finish line. Hope to see you there!

What I Like Best About/Announcement: Number 4

What I Like Best About...

Not Working
This time between the end of term and before starting my summer co-op work assignments for my graduate program has been nothing short of glorious. The weather has been sunny and warm. And despite a penchant for being home-bound, I've been remarkably productive this entire week: the laundry is done, the dishes are clean, the bunnies' supplies are well-stocked. 

But obviously, the thing I like best about not working is being able to run whenever I want. I ran to complete errands. I ran because it was beautiful. I ran because I was bored. I ran simply just to run. And it was totally rad.

Running in the Spring
The weather has been perfect: not too hot, not too cold. As Goldilocks would say, "It was just right." 

Not Having Too Much Time Off
As I said in my last post, I could get used to this beautiful weather and having loads of time off. (Boy, could I ever!) But I start my first co-op assignment on Monday. I'll be back to the grind, and having to fit runs into a less-than-strenuous-than-during-the-school-year schedule. Not having too much time off really will be a good thing, however, as I won't get too comfortable where I am right now. I'm thankful for the break, but a little responsibility is not such a bad thing.

Running Outside
On today's run, I came across a cyclist wielding stereo speakers and playing some old school R&B. While still in motion, I had a five second conversation with volunteers for the NDP election campaign. I smiled at seeing a man wearing a pair of seriously tight pants. I watched dragon boaters on the creek as they worked on their form. And if I chose to run indoors, I would never have experienced these things today. Running outdoors is a special joy that cannot be replaced by elliptical machines and treadmills.

The Lingo
Running lingo just cracks me up. It's a special vocabulary. For example: fartleks, intervals, split times, race pace ... these terms I know. But I came across a few more this week that I'd never heard of before, and wanted to share because I thought they were cool!

Example of a tangent line!
Image © runninginspired.wordpress.com

Turkey or Bandit: an unregistered runner, trying to race for free.

Running the tangents: shortest distance between two points, usually referring to running the shortest line in the curves/corners.

Event Shirts
Every time a runner participates in a race, he or she is likely to get a T-shirt from the event. Many people wear these shirts while training - partly because most are technical shirts and are of good quality for running, but also out of pride i.e. I ran this race and want to share that with everyone I see on today's run! 

I was wearing my Marathon by the Sea tech shirt on today's run and thought I was kind of "all that" for showing off an east coast race. But I saw a runner today wearing a shirt from the 2010 Chicago Marathon - and that was pretty cool. Runners participate in races all over the world; it's neat to see where they've been and to know they've achieved those goals for themselves.


Announcement: Number 4

At the end of January, I blogged about the races I was considering for marathon #4. But after looking into them a bit more closely, I eventually decided I didn't want to run any of them. 

So which marathon am I running, you ask? Well, it's a British Columbia marathon (bringing 'er back home) and it's early in the fall ... it's the Surrey International World Music Marathon on September 29!

© Surrey International World Music Marathon

Surrey is a suburb of the Lower Mainland and, while it doesn't have the greatest reputation, I think the event will be great. For one, it's close to home. And even though this is only the second year that Surrey is hosting this event, I'm really excited at the prospect of seeing the neighbourhoods on foot and adding to my local medal count. 

Now ... to get back into shape! I'm currently working on building my base mileage and hope to be in good form by the time I start to properly train at the end of May. It's kind of nice to have a definitive running goal, once again. Yippee!

Have a great weekend, everybody. Happy running!

I Could Get Used To This

Springtime in Vancouver doesn't always mean dry weather but the last few days have been all about sunglasses, shorts and sunscreen. I built a run into some of the errands I had to complete yesterday, and went out for an hour-long run again today. Being off from school is a wondrous thing. 

The Support of Volunteers: Reflecting on Boston

I've been struggling with trying to express how the Boston Marathon bombings affected me. Every time I've tried, it's seemed so trite and trivial - I wasn't there. My husband wasn't in the crowd. No one I knew was hurt or killed in the incident. 

But as part of the running community, I know many of us have had great difficulty in coming to terms with what happened on Monday. I think we can relate the experience to our own, having run so many races ourselves and having that familiarity of what it's like to be involved in a running event. I, for one, have watched the video footage, imagining what it would have been like to be running that final stretch, on extremely tired legs, and in anticipation of crossing the finish line. I've imagined seeing my husband on the sidelines, waving his arms and snapping photos. Then to imagine a bomb going off where he stood and seeing fellow runners being knocked over by the blast ... it's just too difficult to even think about. 

But I can imagine it. I have imagined it. And I cry every time.

Of course, there have been many inspiring stories that have emerged in the aftermath - stories of hope, courage, and the bravery of those to help others who are in need. As my husband says, "Sometimes the worst brings out the best in us." There were so many ordinary (extraordinary) people who offered assistance that day to people hurt, stranded, or in shock, but my mind immediately goes to the volunteers at Boston. These are people who had already given of themselves - their time, their efforts. Volunteers make running events tick; they are the ones who hand out the bibs, who check the bags, and who inspire the tired runners to go that extra bit further. There were stories about the volunteers at Boston who cleared the finish area after the bombs went off to help emergency vehicles get through, and of those who came back the next day, without hesitation and with no questions asked, to help reunite runners with their bags and belongings. 

I've always admired the volunteers who have been involved in the races I've run. They are a crucial element to every running event. I'd long considered volunteering at a running event and, since I'd planned to not run any races this spring, a few months ago I signed up to volunteer at the BMO Vancouver Marathon, which happens in 17 days. I was so excited when I chose my shifts; here was my chance! to give back to the running community which has done so much for me these past four years. 

When I'm helping out this year, I think it will be even more poignant. I'm looking forward to doing my part, being involved - and providing assistance to my fellow runners at a time when all of us could use a little extra support. 

This video is about volunteering at the BMO Vancouver Marathon. If you'd like to be involved, they are still looking for volunteers. Sign up today!

© BMO Vancouver Marathon

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.

Light Bulb

John Stanton from the Running Room always has such great insight. This was his quote on Facebook a couple of days ago:

One of the best ways to stay injury free … keep your training consistent and don’t let yourself get out of shape. 

Oops. 

A Reminder for the Newbies

If you're new to running, I want you to know this: it sucks in the beginning.

As you know, it's been awhile since I've done any running at all. But having trained for three marathons in the past four years, I'm very familiar with my own fitness peaks and troughs.

Me = in a trough.

Ladies and gentlemen: we are in a trough.

I was out on a 6 km run yesterday and - let me tell you - it's like starting all over again. My muscles were creaky, my heart rate was high, my pace was all over the place ... but I'm certainly not surprised! I wasn't expecting to have the greatest run of my life after being dormant for five months. 

But it's a good lesson, and a good reminder, for new runners and old (or recently inactive) runners alike: we all have to start somewhere.

Sure, I felt better for having gone out there. And certainly, any activity is better than no activity at all. But I wouldn't describe yesterday's run as fun, by any stretch. And in some ways, it's a little torturous because I know what I'm capable of and, after yesterday's run, I am fully aware of how much work I need to do to get there.

The challenge for newbies is different, albeit similar. Anyone new to running may not be sure of how much work they need to be doing, but they know how hard it is in the beginning - and how easy it can be to let those goals go. 

I say, keep going! The only way to get better at running is to run more. So go for another run! Even if today's sucked and even if it doesn't feel so good right now. It will, soon. I promise.

And that's a promise I make to both you, new runner, and me.