Fall Colours for Motivation

It is so much easier to motivate yourself to run when it is cooler out and the sun is shining onto fall colours. I ran with my husband this morning and half way through we were admiring the orange leaves against the bright blue sky when a blue jay flew in and landed in one of the trees. The colours all together were amazing!

On top of that it is closing in on the end of October and we were still running in shorts and tank tops. A crisp fall breeze kept us at the perfect temperature. I love it when the universe aligns like this. Perfect running weather makes my day.

Now I just have to keep going for the rest of the week. I am trying to stay motivated and moving as we have just signed up for a race in November and I want to finish it in one piece. I am faltering a bit with my running, but I've kept up bootcamp pretty regularly so I shouldn't be in too bad a shape.

On top of that I am hoping to run my first marathon in the spring, well, a 50k actually. May as well go for broke!

Here's to continued motivation!

Fitting in a Run

It can be hard to fit in exercise in our busy lives.  It's hard when you work full-time and have three kids involved in activities, and you're trying to fit in your own activities.

On the one hand, though, it has definitely gotten easier for me in the sense that it is a clear priority now.  I find the time.  I will negotiate almost anything so that I can work out. 

I know I have to do it, because otherwise my sanity will suffer.  And that's not good for anyone.  If I don't get to boot camp or go for a run, I feel much crankier than usual!  Ummm - that didn't come out right.  I mean, I just feel cranky.

This morning, however, it seemed like an impossibility to do any kind of exercise.

I was supposed to stay at home to wait for a new dryer to be delivered.  And you know how that goes.  They say, "You must stay home, completely immobile, for the next two weeks, give or take ten days, although we can't guarantee anything."

Since we both work everyday and there are activities at night, the only time we are at home is on the weekends.  Except even those are full.

For example, this morning, two children of the three had birthday parties to be driven to and picked up from.  A third child was at a play date who needed to be picked up eventually.  My husband had to be at a hockey practice.  I was supposed to be at boot camp as well, but because of the dryer I stayed home.

Luckily they delivered the dryer only 4 hours after the first time they said they would be there.  So I could drive my daughter to her birthday party.  And just before I was leaving, I realized that the place where the party was located backed onto a nature trail, so that I could run during the entire party!

I was so happy.  I did a 12 K run in an hour and 15 minutes.  It was a beautiful day with leaves falling down on me like confetti. 

At one point in the run I saw a doe walk onto the trail.  I stood still and waited, not wanting to scare her.  I thought she looked tired, and I soon saw why. Two fawns soon ran out of the forest cover to join her.  One of them started nursing.  I've never seen that before.  It was a great moment.

I got my run in, which made me happy.  And as they say, when mom's happy, everyone's happy!

A Well-Rounded Athlete

I love to run, but I also love my boot camp classes.  I am very addicted to both.  I was wondering whether I should just focus on one, since I would like to run a marathon in my near future, but I am happy to report that I've learned that cross-training is best for me.

In fact, it is likely that it corrected my IT band problems, as they have completely disappeared.  I wasn't sure whether it was that I improved my running stance or what, but an article in the Hamilton Spectator entitled 'Variety is the Key' (August 2012) states that IT band problems can be due to a weak core.

A runner cited in the article stated that while training for a marathon he ran so much that he injured himself before he could even race.

Since I've been doing boot camp exercises that focus on strengthening the core, this is probably why I've had not a single twinge of knee pain for over a year!  Hurrah for core strengthening.  I knew those push ups and planks must be good for something.  Let's plank some more!




 

Getting it back

Well, my prediction from my last post proved true. I let a lot slide this summer. I did do some running, but not nearly my normal amount and strength training went right out the window. So here I am, starting out again, trying to get back to where I was a couple months ago.

Last night I went to a new boot camp with Jen. It was great. The exercises were similar to what I had done before but still new and different. I was happy that I managed to keep up throughout the training, as red-faced and covered in sweat as I was. And today I have a nice muscle ache in my legs reminding me I have more work to do.

Last night I regretted not keeping up with my exercise, but not so much today. It was nice to have a break over the summer and not stress about getting out in the heat.

I'm getting my motivation back after last night's class. I find that once I start exercising it leads to more exercise and better eating as well.

Now I'm off to make a salad for lunch with some swimming afterwards and maybe eventually I'll get my muscles back.

The Science of Running Until You're 100 in the RR Magazine

I love it when I get a new Running Room magazine.  And no, no one is paying me to say that.  It's true. Anything on running, I love it.  The July/August 2012 issue had an especially interesting article in it about running until you're 100.  That is one of the things I love about running; that you can excel even as you get older.  It's amazing.  It's not like many sports where, once you hit 30, you're considered 'retired'.  You can just keep running and keep reaching for new goals.  And running helps you live longer and more healthy too.  What's not to like?

http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/5c6203e7#/5c6203e7/30

I ran the other night and since it was hot, I thought, okay, let's do a nice slow run.  I put 'Death Cab for Cutie', 'Damien Rice' and 'Glen Hansard' on my iPod, and it was fabulous.  It wasn't a heart-pounding, exhilarating run like usual, but it was just right for the weather and for my mood.  And, as usual, I felt great during and after.

Guess I'll keep on running.

And This is Why I Love to Run

It was almost the run that never was.  Last night I thought idly about running early the next morning.  I'd just had boot camp, and I was tired, and I hadn't gotten to bed early, so I wasn't sure.

I used to be a morning person, but (strangely) that was before I had kids.  Now I work part-time and many of those shifts are 7 - 3, which feels terribly early.  Usually one of my main goals in life right now is to be able to sleep in (meaning until at least 7 a.m.!).  But I would have to run early before my husband went to work.  Anyway, I decided to just play it by ear.

I woke up in the morning and it seemed so bright outside that I thought I'd slept too long, but when I looked at the clock, it was only 6:15 a.m.  I was still on the fence, frankly, but when I went out to get the paper it was such a beautiful morning that I said to myself, "Right.  That's it.  I'm going for a run."

It was a nice cool morning, which was amazing after the last heat-fest I'd run in.  I felt great!  Whereas with the last run I felt like I just couldn't make my legs do what I wanted them to do, this time I felt like I couldn't stop. 

Running is never easy - well, let me rephrase that. Running is never easy on an uphill, but it can still have those 'effortless' feeling moments. I love those.  And because running is challenging, I feel a great sense of accomplishment.  I've also seen progress, which keeps me motivated to continue.

Before stepping out for the run, I had all these thoughts in my mind about what errands I was going to be able to do that day while still making sure my daughter had a fun day.  I was thinking about groceries and laundry, and what I had to do that evening at work.  But all these worries left my mind as soon as I was running.  I just noticed the fresh air and the greenery.

I love trail running because it makes me happy to be surrounded by trees and green things.  I love that being able to run means I can go far in a short time and see so many beautiful sights.

I felt like I was going a very fast pace - I didn't have a watch on but I know it was a good sub-30 5K from the clock in the house.

When I returned to the house I felt wide awake and full of energy.  I noticed how the colour of our garage door looked so nice in the bright sunlight (I know - I can't believe it either) and I noticed the colour of the pink roses against the brick.  As soon as I stepped inside my boys started complaining about each other, but I didn't yell and it didn't faze me at all.   I felt very calm.

Running is very therapeutic.  It is good for my body and my mind.  I felt very happy and content. I poured a large mug of coffee, put my favourite group on the iPod (Of Monsters and Men) and started the shower, feeling like my day had started off in the best way possible.  This is why I love to run.

Staying Cool (and a Hydrating Salad)

As Jen pointed out in her last post, it is hot here. Temperatures in the thirties and humidity do not mix well. Add in exercise and I come out looking like I'm running in slow-motion. This weather wipes me right out and leaves me feeling (and looking) like a wet rag.

I had similar experience to Jen when I ran yesterday. I went out in the morning and even though was well-rested and feeling great, I soon felt like I was running in hot soup. I tried to speed up, but the wall of air stopped me.

It is like this here for most of the summer. So unless we want to give up on running for the next four months, we have to find a way to make it through this heat.

We are lucky where we live because we have a number of waterfalls close by. Cooling off under the spray feels amazing. Last summer we planned many of our running routes according to local waterfalls.

Also, I find hydration works wonders. I’m sipping water as I write this and am already thinking of ways to make it taste better. I get bored of plain water. I also try to eat a lot of foods with high water content. A bonus is that they make me feel full longer which helps keep calories down.

Here is a recipe for a very basic salad that I made for lunch today. I saw something similar in a magazine a while back but as I didn’t keep it I am trying my hand at replicating it. I love adding fruit to main meals, which is probably why I remember seeing this recipe in the first place.





Spinach Watermelon Feta Salad

1 cup Spinach
1 slice Watermelon cut into pieces
30 g Light Feta Cheese
¼ of a Lemon
Almonds, Walnuts or Sesame Seeds

Lay a bed of spinach in a bowl and layer on the watermelon, feta and nuts. Squeeze a ¼ of a lemon over the ingredients and mix it up. Simple! And full of hydrating melon.

TIP: I like to squeeze lemon over my watermelon slices. It makes them taste a bit like sour candies.

(Note: The photo shows the salad without the nuts as I thought of them after I took the shot.)

Mommy Needs An Ice Pack for her Butt

Now that we're done the 25K, my friend and I are in training for the Iroquoia Trail Test 32K.  We went for a run today, almost 20K.  It was a route mostly through the city and it was more cement than we are used to doing.  At one point I turned to her and said, "You know, I have never iced my butt before but there's a first time for everything, and it's going to be today." 

My butt was aching.  This has never happened to me before while running.  I know what it was: boot camp. 

I do this amazing boot camp that is three times a week, and it's hard-core.  That's why I love it.  The last class was yesterday.  Obviously we worked our glutes.  I mean, we worked everything, like we always do; it's all about full-body workouts.  But I did notice that my glutes were a bit on the sore side this morning.

However, it sure got worse after running 20K.  I'm not sure why.  That's funny, isn't it?

What was funny was my friend and I doing this 20K run when we were tired and had drank wine the night before, and it was raining and our muscles were sore.  And we were talking about how runners are kind of crazy people.  And we said it with completely straight faces!  As if we're not runners.  As if we're not those people.  You know, the crazy ones.

We're the ones who talked about doing a marathon and then decided to just do the 50K race next year at Sulphur Springs.  Because that's...more than a marathon. 8K more!  And it's on trails.  Hilly trails.  Which is much harder than a road race.  So, yeah.  That's us.

Crazy.  With sore butts.  Luckily we're having fun.  See you on the trail!

The Accidental Runner

I have to admit that learning to run wasn’t my idea.

After giving birth to my first child I knew I had to start thinking about getting back in shape. But all I did was think about it. Then one day I got a phone call from my sister-in-law. She had clipped a “Learn to Run 5K in Six Weeks” program out of a magazine and wanted to know if I was interested. I said I was.

Until then, running was not my thing. In high school we used to run 1K in gym class. I was always one of the last runners back to the school, red-faced, panting and looking like I was about to pass out. Later, in my 20s, my brother used to goad me into going for a run with him. I’d make it a block or two then turn around and stumble home hearing him laugh as he sped off into the distance.

I started out with doubt in my mind. I didn’t even own running shoes and I wasn’t about to shell out the money based on a program I wasn’t sure about. So there I was, at the beginning of my running career, wearing hiking boots.

It was agony at first (the boots and the exercise). Thirty second bursts of running felt like hours. Gradually one minute of running became three minutes and so on. My running route was an old cemetery at the end of my street containing tall memorials mixed with underground crypts. I was getting up before the baby woke, putting on my shoes – yes, I did eventually buy proper footwear – and heading out to the cemetery about every second day. I even started to look forward to it.

I’m sure I ran every route possible through that cemetery. I knew many of the engravings on the gravestones by heart and they gave me comfort as I accomplished a goal I never knew I had. At the end of six weeks I ran for half-an-hour straight and that was it. The program was complete. I was a runner.

After persevering through what seemed like a grueling training program, it feels like I should have had some huge goal at the end. But I didn’t. I simply wanted to keep my weight in check. I did that by going out and running for half-an-hour at a time. I continued running for the next few years, stopping as I had two more children, then running again in bits and spurts.

Then I was asked by friends to join them in a 5K community race. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I had a great time. I wanted more. Now I’m training for my fourth race over 20K and thinking about upping the distance next year. And I still feel like I'm just getting started.

Becoming a Runner/Emerging from the Haze of New Motherhood

I distinctly remember the moment.  My youngest child was finished with diapers.  I realized that with having three young children in close succession, I had been changing diapers for eight years.  Eight years!  (Hmmm.  I don't think I'm getting paid enough.)  Since I was also done with breastfeeding, I was finally getting some sleep.
Not wonderful sleep.  I mean, I still had three young children.  Let's not get ahead of ourselves.  But I could see a light at the end of the haze of sleeplessness.  (For one brief crazy moment I felt nostalgic for the diaper era, but I quickly moved on.)  I felt like a new woman!  I felt like I had some time on my hands, and that I could finally do something just for myself.  I wanted to get fit again.

Before having children, I had always tried to keep pretty active.  I was never an elite athlete, but I would hike and walk, and go to aerobic classes with an occasional gym membership thrown in there.  But having gained weight with each child, I knew I needed to up the ante.  I wanted to start running.

You see people running down the sidewalk and it looks effortless.  It's not.  It's hard.  But the good news is that it gets easier and easier.  I started off by signing up for a 5K race.  This is very helpful because it motivates you to train.  I ran it and survived, and enjoyed the excitement and atmosphere.  It inspired me to continue training so I could get an even better time the next year.  I did the next one in under 30 minutes (I think 27 minutes).  It's so great to see progress.  I also started feeling better and having more energy.  It's important to have energy when you need to keep up with three active children.  I loved running on the trails; I found it therapeutic both emotionally and physically.  I wanted to keep going.

I vividly remember when my friend said that we would want to do 7K next, and I thought, "Whoa!  Let's just focus on getting the 5K feeling easy."  Now I'm about to do my fourth 25K race, and I'm looking forward to a 32K trail run, and okay I'll say it, a marathon.  I am the fittest now I have ever been, and at almost 41 that feels good.  I'm hooked!