What kind of people run. What kind of person am I?
There are people who run to lose weight, to have a healthier life style, to relieve stress, to clear their minds. I run because I want to fly. I want to run fast and have the feeling that I can run forever. That feeling is called "being in the zone". Most of the time, it's work. I'm tired, I'm sore, I'm playing mind games to get through the workouts.
Why do I run? It's definitely not fun...when I'm not in the zone.
When you're a kid, kids have goals. To get through Grade 1...to get through grade 2...to learn to read, to learn their multiplication tables. To get their driver's licence...etc.
At my age, after having finished school, bought a house, a car, have children..get married and divorced...you need goals to make life worth living. One of my personal goals is to run Boston. To get there, I have to train hard. HARD. It's not fun. It's a lot of work. It requires a lot of mental toughness. For example, who in their right mind would go out in -28C arctic weather with just tights, a long sleeve shirt, run jacket, trail shoes, a baseball cap and ear muffs? Someone with the big goal to qualify for Boston. That's who. Most people...meaning the non-runners would be sitting inside drinking warm cocoa or still asleep in their beds.
Why do I run? Because after giving myself to my kids as a mother...to my students as a teacher...to their parents as an advisor...I give and I give. Running is the only thing that I do that is for me. Something I do that benefits me. It is something I do that makes me a more disciplined person. A healthier person and an athlete. When people ask me how many days I run in a week...I answer with "I don't run on Sundays." Do I call myself a runner? You bet I do.
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Speed work in arctic conditions.
Tuesdays and Thursdays are usually quality workouts...speed work, tempo runs, hill training.
Today, we have myself, Coach, the Polish Prince, and 2 gals. I will call them Diva and the producer.
Workout was warmup followed by a set of 800 meters, 500s, 400, 300s, and 250s. TOUGH workout. Total came up to 12k. It was so cold my hands were cold and fingers were hurting under 3 layers of gloves. However, stars were aligned and was able to hit my times. I think I found the trick. If I only focus a few meters ahead and just concentrate on form and keeping my pace, I can hold it. As soon as I look up and see how much further I have to go, I lose it.
The Polish prince was like a race horse. He never stands still and is always zig zagging inbetween sets. The Diva, I've never seen her without mascara and eyeliner, was lagging behind and dreaming about heat and a glass of wine. The Diva forgot her glasses to block the wind. At the end of the workout, she had one eye almost frozen shut. She came up to me afterwards and asked if there was something stuck on her eye. I said, yeah! A big chunk of ice!.It was a big one!
Tomorrow's workout, an easy 12k.
Today, we have myself, Coach, the Polish Prince, and 2 gals. I will call them Diva and the producer.
Workout was warmup followed by a set of 800 meters, 500s, 400, 300s, and 250s. TOUGH workout. Total came up to 12k. It was so cold my hands were cold and fingers were hurting under 3 layers of gloves. However, stars were aligned and was able to hit my times. I think I found the trick. If I only focus a few meters ahead and just concentrate on form and keeping my pace, I can hold it. As soon as I look up and see how much further I have to go, I lose it.
The Polish prince was like a race horse. He never stands still and is always zig zagging inbetween sets. The Diva, I've never seen her without mascara and eyeliner, was lagging behind and dreaming about heat and a glass of wine. The Diva forgot her glasses to block the wind. At the end of the workout, she had one eye almost frozen shut. She came up to me afterwards and asked if there was something stuck on her eye. I said, yeah! A big chunk of ice!.It was a big one!
Tomorrow's workout, an easy 12k.
Friday, February 7, 2014
It's COLD out.
We had a record snow fall this week which made running outside a little challenging. Snowbanks on either side of the road and sidewalks were way over my head. For the last couple months, I had been running with Brooks Cascadias. They are an awesome trail running shoe that got me through snow and slush..however, I found them a little stiff and heavy. Last week, picked up a pair of Ghost 6. AWESOME SHOES!!! Love them. Ran in them all week and NO PAIN! Joints are fine, feet are fine.
Today temps were -23 with the windchill. Decided to meet the group for a morning run. Today's group included the Minister, Doctor, Dentist, Kid, Polish Prince and the Coach. Easy run scheduled. As the run went on, it got tough. It was windy, cold, and roads were still snow covered. As time went on, my watch was moving pass the hour mark and into the 75-80 min zone. Thoughts going through my mind were - "crap! We're going slow! How much farther?" and more importantly..."Can't feel my face. I hope I don't get frostbite". Eventually made it back to the car. Coach clapped me on the back and said "WELL DONE, PRINCESS!". To which I replied. "What the hell! How far was that?!?" 15.8kms.
EASY RUN!
Tomorrow, meeting the Taxi driver for a long run.
P.S. Lost the Dentist around the 12k mark and felt bad for rushing to the car at the end without waiting for the Dentist. Anyways, later this evening, I messaged the Dentist to apologize only to find out later that he had stopped and called a CAB. Talk about bailing!!!
Today temps were -23 with the windchill. Decided to meet the group for a morning run. Today's group included the Minister, Doctor, Dentist, Kid, Polish Prince and the Coach. Easy run scheduled. As the run went on, it got tough. It was windy, cold, and roads were still snow covered. As time went on, my watch was moving pass the hour mark and into the 75-80 min zone. Thoughts going through my mind were - "crap! We're going slow! How much farther?" and more importantly..."Can't feel my face. I hope I don't get frostbite". Eventually made it back to the car. Coach clapped me on the back and said "WELL DONE, PRINCESS!". To which I replied. "What the hell! How far was that?!?" 15.8kms.
EASY RUN!
Tomorrow, meeting the Taxi driver for a long run.
P.S. Lost the Dentist around the 12k mark and felt bad for rushing to the car at the end without waiting for the Dentist. Anyways, later this evening, I messaged the Dentist to apologize only to find out later that he had stopped and called a CAB. Talk about bailing!!!
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Winter that reminds me of my youth in Winterpeg.
2014 started off with a bang. The first race of the year was only a couple weeks ago, the Robbie Burns 8k. The Monday before the race, had a chance to run the course with Coach and go over my race strategy. I've never raced an 8k before. All of 2013 were 5k races. All I could say was it was a lot farther than I thought. It was a little overwhelming to hear the coach tell me when to slow down, when to speed up. He would say now at this stop sign you are going to extend your stride by a fraction. At this post you will swing your elbows back a little further. All in all, the race was great. It was -25C with windchill, snow on the ground, yet I was able to run it in 40 mins. YEAA for me.
Great start to the season.
This week, we had a huge storm. The snow drifts in my front yard are over my head. I haven't seen piles of snow like this since I was a kid, but probably because I was a bit shorter back then. Needless to say, 1 run was scrapped and today's run was on the dread mill. LOTS OF FUN!! To pass the time while running on the machine, I watched CURLING.
Goal races coming up..I have a 5k on Good Friday.
Another is the Mississauga half marathon. I was planning on running the 10k, but this race will be a big one. This will be the race that will see if a November marathon is feasible to qualify for Boston. 12 weeks to go and lots of miles to put in.
Great start to the season.
This week, we had a huge storm. The snow drifts in my front yard are over my head. I haven't seen piles of snow like this since I was a kid, but probably because I was a bit shorter back then. Needless to say, 1 run was scrapped and today's run was on the dread mill. LOTS OF FUN!! To pass the time while running on the machine, I watched CURLING.
Goal races coming up..I have a 5k on Good Friday.
Another is the Mississauga half marathon. I was planning on running the 10k, but this race will be a big one. This will be the race that will see if a November marathon is feasible to qualify for Boston. 12 weeks to go and lots of miles to put in.
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
It begins.
2013 was a great running year. I started running with a new group of runners with a new coach and new direction. After 10 years of just treading along, finally saw myself being pushed to reach my potential. Experienced a PB in the 5k from 33 mins down to 23 mins. Went from running 3 days a week to 6 days a week. Just an incredible year with new friends and goals.
2014, was going to be a continuation of last year. Planned on moving from training and racing for 5k races to 10ks and eventually a half marathon in the fall. All that has been shot to crap.
My training partner for the last year, the Minister, has a supreme goal of running Boston in 2016. To inspire and make proud for his grandson of only a year old. His goal is to give his grandson that Boston finisher's medal. I, thinking 2016 is a long ways away, in the middle of our daily training sessions, blurted out, I'll run Boston with you. A couple weeks later, not thinking much of it, Minister returns to tell me he has told his friends that his training partner, me, will be running Boston with him in 2016. That got me thinking...crap, I NEED TO QUALIFY! Registration for 2016 will open in September, 2015...which leaves me only 18 months to train for a FULL MARATHON and hit my qualifying time of 3:45. ME who has not ran a half marathon or a distance pass 18k for 3 years.
So, this blog will be my journey as I progress from a 5k racer to a full blown marathoner.
2014, was going to be a continuation of last year. Planned on moving from training and racing for 5k races to 10ks and eventually a half marathon in the fall. All that has been shot to crap.
My training partner for the last year, the Minister, has a supreme goal of running Boston in 2016. To inspire and make proud for his grandson of only a year old. His goal is to give his grandson that Boston finisher's medal. I, thinking 2016 is a long ways away, in the middle of our daily training sessions, blurted out, I'll run Boston with you. A couple weeks later, not thinking much of it, Minister returns to tell me he has told his friends that his training partner, me, will be running Boston with him in 2016. That got me thinking...crap, I NEED TO QUALIFY! Registration for 2016 will open in September, 2015...which leaves me only 18 months to train for a FULL MARATHON and hit my qualifying time of 3:45. ME who has not ran a half marathon or a distance pass 18k for 3 years.
So, this blog will be my journey as I progress from a 5k racer to a full blown marathoner.
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