Goals – Page 2 – Live, Laugh and Laces

April 21, 2016April 22, 2016

Bags and Hills

So thankful to see the temperature rising!

Making the decision to tackle a huge stage race, completely out of my comfort zone, was for a reason. If I wanted to inspire others to dream big, then I had to believe I could accomplish a big goal for myself. Read my previous blog on Bringing Together My Two Loves for One Grand Adventure for more information on who I am running for.

Wishing does not accomplish much, you need to commit to working hard for your goals/dreams. Training for Grand to Grand Ultra (G2G) is so very much more than the event itself (although I’m sure it will change me forever), its about the journey getting there.

Once your application is accepted for G2G you are invited to join a private facebook group. The members of the group are either previous G2G participants or current participants training for the race coming up. Grand to Grand Ultra 2016 will be the events 5th year and as a way to celebrate, many past participants have been invited back to run it again. It’s hard not to feel intimidated knowing that there will be very experienced runners way ahead of you on the course. However, I can imagine that these faster runners will be great cheerleaders for the middle and back of the pack runners, on the course hours longer ever day. Just as intimating is knowing that, like previous years, there will be some who will not complete the race. For some it might be lack of training, but I think for most, there are things that can happen outside of our control. Regardless of why, anyone who does not finish would likely be devastated. There are months and months of training required and sacrifices that need to be made to put long runs in week after week. There is also the cost involved, registration, flights, hotels, etc.

I could not imagine tackling this kind of race without a running coach. I had no idea when I first met my coach that I would be even considering anything like this. My goal when I hired Ray was to have an experienced coach take my running to another level. I’m pretty sure neither one of us could have thought that I’d be training for G2G just 16 months later. Less than a year ago the thought of an 80K was on my radar, although just barely and that for me is a challenging goal. The way this race came together was bigger then ourselves, and I knew I had to go for it!

Okay, so update to my training! Ray agreed to the big goal of G2G if I made the commitment to run a local stage race coming up the beginning of August. Bad Beaver Ultra will introduce me to stage racing and Ray’s goal for me is to build my confidence for G2G. This is the first year for this race and he happens to be one of the organizers. Currently our focus is getting prepared for this 3-day stage race covering 150km in Gatineau Park.

Another focus, is figuring out the right back pack, this has been a wee bit of a challenge. It appears Ottawa is limited in trail running packs, so I’ve had to order online. Obviously this is not ideal as you cannot test it out beforehand. As a Canadian runner participating in an International event I was really hoping to find and use a red pack, I know silly but hey why not. The Inov-8 is a great pack and met that silly ideal, however it only comes in one size/unisex.

I’m only 5’3.5″ and do not have a very long torso so playing with the pack and figuring out just how it can fit right is challenging, although likely can be custom fit if required by making some adjustments to the pack and the straps.

I recently tried an Osprey Hornet 32 and it worked pretty good, but again seems a bit large and I have most of the adjustments on the smallest setting. My coach and I were searching for a women’s specific fit to try out and think that it might be worth trying the Osprey Rev 24. Most of the packs recommended to me can only be purchased online, so tracking a Rev 24 here in Ottawa was amazing! I managed to get the very last one and put it on hold so I can go retrieve it.

My favourite spot on the loop I'm running. — My favourite spot on the loop I’m running.

Training now includes a lot more hills to help build up strength and no doubt mental toughness! We’ve changed my double long run dates, giving me Sundays off completely. I’m loving this! It gives me a day off to relax and enjoy before a new training week and work week commences. Mondays and Wednesdays are now easy runs (for now),Tuesdays are all about hills and Thursdays are off. Friday and Saturday are back to back long runs with hills throughout the run, increasing the distance on both days every weekend. I’ve only completed two weeks of this and am amazed at how encouraged I am. I feel like I have nothing left at the end of my runs and then I get up and do it again the next day. I’m also encouraged in the improvement I’m seeing in my ability to tackle hills. Hills that used to be daunting to me no longer affect me the same. It’s not that they are no longer tough, but I view them, or go at them with a different mindset.

I am now entering a stage in training that is new for me. Like when I was training for my first marathon, every weekend promises new challenges but with it new reward.

What about you? Are you experiencing anything new in your training? Are you continuing to challenge yourself with your goals?

March 18, 2016

Spring has Sprung!

Washing Away Winter

With spring comes warmer temperatures but also rain! What I love about spring rain is how it washes away the snow, cleans up the streets and prepares us for summer. Running is more enjoyable again, instead of enduring some days. We’ve turned our clocks forward so we are getting more daylight and generally people just seem happier. We’ve made it through yet another winter. At least that is how I feel 🙂 Some people love winter, I do not hate it but it is the least favourite of the four seasons for me.

Sick and Tired

I cannot remember the last time I was sick, like at all, but it has been years. I was hit with what seems to be a cold almost 2 weeks ago now. Started with a severe headache but seems to be mainly a dry cough and heavy/congested chest. It makes running a wee bit more challenging. I was so sick last week and not sleeping well, that I was not able to run at all. It was a challenge just breathing so running was not wise. I felt better for my long runs on the weekend so on Saturday I tackled 23K with a friend. It was good. The weather was beautiful, the sun was out and overall we did great. By that evening, I was coughing up a storm and struggling to sleep. I had decided to skip Sunday’s long run as we need to be wise when we are sick, sometimes the body needs the recovery time more. I woke up, after a few hours sleep, feeling pretty good so I decided to get out for my run while I could. Another 23K was completed, and it wasn’t pretty. The first 10Km’s were pretty good, the in between was becoming a struggle and the last 5km’s were down right challenging. My legs were tired!

Training and Learning

Sundays run was difficult but was a fantastic training run because I learned a few things:

I’m mentally tough – I whine in my head but I get it done.
I figured out what genuine tired legs felt like and it’s okay to push on tired legs.
Tapping into why you run or why you are training for long distance really helps when it gets tough.
It’s great to save music for when you really need to zone out or be motivated by a good beat.
I recovered better and faster than I usually do, which means I am getting stronger.

Life is busier than ever and going to get even busier for the next 2 months or so. Figuring out how to cross-train is going to be even tougher as the weeks progress.

My goals for the next few weeks are to include yoga and strength training into my weekly training.

I’m also working on a few fundraising ideas for April and May. My coach has just returned from his own amazing epic adventure so we will be kicking up my training even more in the weeks to come.

It’s an adventure 🙂

How do you fit it in? What kind of cross-training do you include with your running?

March 4, 2016March 4, 2016

I Will Rise – Knocked Down But Not Forever

My life has been far from easy. In fact, it’s been a challenge since my birth. I have a friend who often will comment about my life, either to me or to others, in how I could have given up, or used my circumstances to not even try in life. I never did though, give up, it’s just not who I am. Why am I who I am though? I grew up without a father, he was absent before I was born. My mom did her best to raise me and my two brothers, however there were a lot of challenges. Looking back I feel like somehow I was in a love bubble, or that’s how I have to try and explain it. I feel like for some reason I was protected from all the rejection and pain, or at least in part.

Truth is I have very little memory of my childhood. I never doubted my moms love, however, she was busy working to make ends meet. We moved every year (or more) meaning there was no consistency in our lives. Relationships with others, in school, in the neighbourhood, etc. didn’t happen, we were never there long enough. It’s hard to build memories I guess when life is always changing.

The longest we ever stayed anywhere was when my mom remarried. We moved into a house (my first) and I entered Grade 5. We stayed in that home through Grade 9, or part way through, until we moved again. So for just over 4 years I experienced a little bit of consistency in my life. I was part of groups at school, I was a cheerleading for the community football team and I made friends. Two of those friendships that I’m proud to say we are still in relationship today.

My “parents” had started going to church and dragged me along with them. It was around this time I met my future husband in Sunday school (we were teenagers). We didn’t date, but we noticed each other 😉 Unfortunately, my parents split up and with that came yet another move. I ended up moving out on my own when I was just 17 (or so). Life’s challenges did not stop there. In fact it was during one of those challenging times, I was re-introduced to my future husband, Kevin, but this time we started dating 🙂

After we were married and expecting our first child, we began questioning what we believed, what our role as parents were supposed to be. All of a sudden we were about to be responsible for another human life, what did this mean? I grew up with a very limited understanding of God or faith. Sure my mom made me go to church but I certainly did not embrace it. Was there really a God? If so, what did that mean? Why would He care about me? Where was He when I was growing up? These were questions I began to ask myself.

My husband and I have been on a faith-filled journey ever since. Thankfully, we do not need to have all the answers. We’ve overcome a lot together, through all of the difficult times I never wavered in my faith, not for long anyways.

So what was different three years ago? Was it all too much at one time? Was it the magnitude of the experience? Was it because the pain was so intense and great to the ones I loved the most? I really do not know why, but I broke. I still believed in God, I believed He loved me but that was it….the rest crumbled. My understanding of my faith shattered, I was lost.

This is when running really took on a whole new meaning for me. I began focusing on distance and training for marathons. It was extremely therapeutic for me. I met some wonderful people through running and was able to share my heart on some long runs. It was what I needed for that season in my life.

In 2015, I knew I needed to work on getting healed up. I needed to let God begin to heal some wounds. I began to make small steps to building that relationship back up. They were baby steps, sometimes forwards, and lots of times backwards, but I was moving again.

I have always loved to learn and am a student at heart. I had received my Ministerial Diploma probably 15 years ago (a 3 year program). I found out that the school was offering a fourth year starting in September, only available to graduates. I knew I needed to sign up, it was to be part of my journey, but I was extremely anxious about doing so. I was still very lost, my confidence in who God was and what the word really said was extremely low. I decided not to let fear stop me, but to allow myself to be vulnerable.

It was also around this time that I wanted to do more with my running. To inspire others to not give up. Little did I know it would lead me to the Grand to Grand Ultra, I’ll continue sharing about that journey in future posts.

It’s been less than a year of intentionally moving forward, I’m amazed at how much has changed and yet I’m still working through “issues”. The negative “feelings” (anguish, despair, loneliness, helplessness, etc.) are no longer at the forefront, instead I’m feeling stronger, hopeful, and encouraged again.

I was recently invited to join an online group called Faithful Finish Lines. It’s a 7 week program where you are encouraged to achieve a goal, whether it be physical or spiritual. I accepted the invitation more for the spiritual. I wanted to surround myself with others on a similar journey, and I ~~wanted~~ needed accountability.

One of the members recently suggested a weekly prayer chain, we are invited to share a prayer request and each of us commit to pray for one another. I took each prayer request and wrote them on a posted-note.

When the weather is bad I hop on my treadmill for a run and pray for these precious needs. Just one week in and I’m already thrilled with my decision to join.

How about you? Are you on a faith journey? Life can be hard but we do not need to do it alone.

February 25, 2016March 4, 2016

Building Up / Testing Out

Let the training begin…..or not

So my official training for Grand to Grand started on January 9th. A few km’s into my run I started experiencing pain in my left ankle, by 9km’s I was very uncomfortable and needed to walk more than run. I had no choice but to run/walk back to my car, limping. What happened, why so much pain?

The previous week I had been out snowshoeing, and remembered rolling my ankle and thinking how lucky I was to have not been injured, could this be related? There did not seem to be any other explanation. The Wednesday and Thursday following the snowshoeing I did have some mild discomfort but very minor. So 6 days later could this be related to that initial ankle roll?

Continue reading “Building Up / Testing Out”

February 14, 2016March 4, 2016

Bringing Together My Two Loves For One Grand Adventure

I did not go into 2015 with the intention of running so many races. I knew that I would do a spring and fall marathon but all the in betweens just kind of happened. Running can be an individual sport but also very social. Given an opportunity to travel with running friends and run my first Ultra was too good to pass up! AND I have no regrets in doing so. I found out that my mental strength was quite strong. This of course boosted my confidence for bigger goals.

I remember just prior to running my Ultra I thought I was going to take it easy in 2016. Allow myself to recover fully and give my body a rest. If I could just get through running this race then I would likely slow down for a bit. Ummmm, so that didn’t happen!

Continue reading “Bringing Together My Two Loves For One Grand Adventure”

February 4, 2016March 4, 2016

Why You Should Volunteer At Your Local Running Event(s)

Volunteering – Is It For You?

Is volunteering for you? Personally, I think volunteering can be for everyone!

Having worked behind the scenes at a number of different events in our city, I know the work involved in making an event successful. For months and months, sometimes close to a year, there are people working to make the event a success for everyone involved.

Races are no different. Whether it is a smaller local race or the city’s main race of the year, there is much work to do. As a runner, I so appreciate the races available to me in my city. As a way to give back I try to volunteer for a number of them. My kids have even come out to help when they can. Races depend on their volunteers to help in a variety of roles, from race kit pick ups, water stations, safety/first-aid, bag check, the list goes on.

Continue reading “Why You Should Volunteer At Your Local Running Event(s)”

November 28, 2015November 28, 2015

Running Adventures with Friends

Depending on where you live, this past week may have brought some snow! Not everyone is an all season runner, but for myself it’s no longer up for debate. My goals keep getting bigger and therefore my running season continues to expand.

My training in 2015 started pretty much in January, leading up to some early spring races, one of which was Around the Bay. It only continued to grow from there! Before I knew it I was booked with races in May, June, August, September, October and into the first weekend of November. Not all marathons, but regardless I seemed to be racing most weekends. I have one race left to go on New Years Eve.

The race I think I was most looking forward to this Fall was the Ottawa MEC Race. I wasn’t originally going to run it because it was 2 weeks after running the Toronto Marathon. After having a conversation with Chris Chapman, the race director, I decided I wanted to see how I’d do in what is quickly becoming known as one of Canada’s toughest races. Besides how many races offer poutine at the end! I had seriously considered running the marathon, however, after running Toronto I had a minor lower leg issue surfacing and did not want to risk an injury.

The morning of the race was beautiful. I woke up excited and nervous. I had gone up to Gatineau Park a few times for training but really did not know what to expect of the hills for race day. I happened to run into a friend of mine before the race started. She was already running with a friend of hers but invited me to join them if I wanted. So I did, at least I figured starting out it would be nice to be accompanied by others.

The race start line is approximately a km from the finish line. So it required a light jog or walk down the approximately 1km hill (the race is set up to require a km climb at the finish, brutal)!

By the time we made it to the start line we had about 30sec. to get organized and then we were off! I believe the first 4 km’s or so were relatively flat with minimal climbs. Then the hills began!

The views throughout the race were spectacular, but this one was worth stopping for.

At the top of the longest stretch of an incline someone yelled out in victory and I think those of us within earshot celebrated with them! The best part was the 4-6km decline towards the end of the race, followed up of course by the last km climb to the finish line.

Allyson, Kristina and myself managed to keep each other in our sights for most of the race. During some of the more difficult climbs Allyson came up with a 10sec. run/10 sec. walk chant to get it done! We used this near the finish line as well. You can do anything for 10sec., right?!

This was the first time I met Kristina. What an experience to share. We ended up with a very respectable time considering we were only wanting to complete it! I loved the company and would seriously consider doing the marathon in the future.

The week after this race I ran the Cookie Run. I decided early on in 2015 that I was going to participate in more local runs. This was the 2nd last race of the year for me. The weather was perfect, the course was fantastic with a 5K loop, that we did twice.

What I love about the running community is the friendships you can make. Your life can be completely different from one another and yet running can bring you together.

That’s how I met Agnes. We are huge supporters of I2P and through mutual online friends we connected. There was an event where Ray Zahab (founder of Impossible2Possible and adventure runner) and Christopher McDougall (author of Born to Run and Natural Born Heroes) were speaking in order to raise support and awareness for I2P. Agnes was coming up to Ottawa for the event so she figured she might as well run the Cookie Run in the morning. 🙂

We made arrangements for coffee the day before to meet in person for the first time and then decided to run together the next morning. It was a blast!! We ran very well and talked throughout most of the race. So fun!

I’m currently enjoying my down time from formal training. I am continuing to get out for runs and doing back to back longer runs in the trails on the weekends, no pace in mind just a length of time on my feet.

2016 goals are now set and I’m working on the details. I cannot wait to announce my BIG race goals! This year will be more about training and much less racing!

How about you? Do you have your 2016 goals set yet?

October 11, 2015October 11, 2015

Help! Tips On Fitting in Fitness/Running

There are so many reasons why “life can get in the way” of our own fitness/running goals. Have you heard these comments, or perhaps even said them yourself?

I’m too busy, I just do not have time
My kids are to young, it’s difficult with them around
I can’t afford a gym membership
my spouse/partner is not supportive of my goals
I’m a single parent and do not have any support

As mentioned in my previous post, we all have 24hrs in a day. However, we all live very different lives mostly. So how can we balance our lives in order to achieve our goals. First up, know what your goal is. Do you want to workout 3x/week? Do you want to learn to run? Run a goal race? Know your goal and then write it down.

For myself, I tend to look at seasons and I’m about to enter a slightly more relaxed season but I do not want to lose my consistency with running, my base. However, I will be adding in home workouts for variety and strength training. I highlight any races coming up with purple, my running days get highlighted in orange and the rest just get marked on the calendar. This is my “plan”, but if I have to adjust I just change it on the calendar 🙂 We cannot always control our lives, but making “appointments” for ourselves helps us to intend to get them done!

As you can see, I have 3 races in October and two marathons! So I’m actually slowing down with my running to get ready for those bigger races. However, I still want to be working out, more yoga/piyo and some running.

There are a number of challenges we are faced with as mentioned above. I’ve chatted with a number of people about this topic. Some ride/run to work, others get it done over their lunch hour, or hit the gym on the way home from work. Some single parents put their heavy workout schedule on the week their ex has the children. The challenges are real, here are few more tips:

Ray shares: (Adventure Runner; both parents running long distances)

It’s about recognizing that you both have goals. Respecting each other and stepping in where you need to, in order to make it happen. Getting the runs in where ever they fit in for that day. Sometimes that means an exceptionally early run, running when the girls are at school or one parent prepping dinner, hanging with the girls while the other gets a run in. Whatever works! Working together as a team!

Find our more about Ray and follow his blog.

Noel writes: (new dad)

What I find tough is finding time to run and trying to adjust to à new way of life.

So far I have switched to running at lunch and after work (run home) so when I arrive at home I am ready for daddy duties. On the weekends I now run when I can, not always when I want to lol. Now that Morgane is 4-months old I have just started running with her in the stroller and this allows me to run with my daughter but also give mom à break at the same time.

As an uber new dad, I have been able to train and got quite fit but dad duties, family stress with new baby and adapting to everything made races almost impossible. I ran one 5k and had to bail on planned fall marathon. BUT happy, have great family and still running.

I think there is always a way to find time to run, but its about being flexible, adapting to à new lifestyle and defining your priorities and determining your goals and what is important to you.

Find out more about Noel and follow his blog

Brent writes: (Brent and his wife are new runners)

Having two boys 5 and 7 it’s a bit more of a challenge for us but a good jogging stroller and two tablets keep them happy for an hour or so. Most of the time my wife goes for a run at 6pm when I get home from work and I go at 9pm when the kids are asleep. We have had the luxury of my mother in law being available to watch the kids for us to do full day events.

Laurie Ann writes: (Author, Mom and Outdoor Adventurer)

Parenting and fitness is a tag-team, juggling event in our household. During the weekdays I am often like a single Mom with Bryan’s travel schedule. I have Fridays off so during the school year I am able to hit the gym with a friend and now that my son is old enough he can watch my daughter from time to time. Bryan and I also take turns plus we do fit things that include the kids. After all, they need to keep moving too. When my daughter was little we used the running stroller and a bike trailer. When our son was 11 or 12 he’d cycle back and forth on the trail while I ran or he’d run with one of us. When he wasn’t old enough to babysit on his own he’d watch a movie with my daughter in the same room as my treadmill and I’d run with them in view. When Bryan and I would run at the track I’d start my run and then he’d show up later with the kids. They’d run with us for a bit and then we’d walk while Bry finished his run.

Oh and with the stroller… a MEC Newt Suit is indispensable. Kaia would sit in her stroller and even in the worst weather that one piece rain suit would keep her toasty dry.

Find out more about Laurie and follow her blog

Liette writes: (both parents running)

Challenges? Getting homework done is my number one (why so much, whyyyy??!!). My number 2 would be getting the laundry, groceries and any other household task done that I can’t accomplish during the week. Especially when the Sunday distances are long. Sometimes, it’s 2 o’clock by the time I’m cleaned up and fed. That reduces my weekends to just under 1.5 days.

So how do we manage? Barely. LOL! I do the bulk of my running during the lunch hour. He runs after work while I get dinner on the table. He cleans up my mess while I do homework with the little one and make sure the teenager is on top of his workload. We tag team the chores on the weekend. And meal planning is key! If I’m lucky, I can get a pot of soup, sauce or chill on the go Sunday afternoon so weeknight dinners are easier.

Jennifer writes: (mom and business owner)

It is super hard to make time for fitness as a mom of little ones. I only started when my youngest was 2yrs old, prior to that I just couldn’t get it together! But once my little one was in daycare it gave me much more time freedom. As soon as I started I became happier and much more productive in all areas of life. I realized that fitness/running/being outdoors gave me time to be alone, focus on my dreams and goals and in turn be a better mom and wife. It really changed my life.

In terms of time management, I only work out Monday to Friday so that my weekends are free to spend time with the kids. School/daycare are my saviors!

Find out more about Jennifer and follower her blog.

Cathy writes: (mom of fur babies)

My hubby and I don’t have kids, but we are joint owners of a small business and our needy 3 dogs (one very senior, 2 rescues with separation anxiety). For me, I have a very understanding husband who knows how important running is to me. He is willing to ‘hold down the fort’ for my long run on Saturday. I do the same on Sunday but for him it is so he can work. During the week, I combine my run, walk or cycle with my commute to work. So I do arrive to work later than he does (he drives and brings the doggies) but again, he is very understanding and the amount of time for this varies depending on the season/closeness to a race.

Find out more about Cathy and follow her blog.

So as you can see, regardless of who you are, what challenges you have, what you do for a living or the goals you set for yourself, if you want something bad enough you’ll figure out a way to make it work. It’s often not easy, sacrifices often need to be made but you can figure out what can work for you. The key is to know what you want to accomplish, set a goal and then work towards achieving that goal.

my daughter keeping me company on the bike path

Getting fit can also be done with your family. Planned hikes, workouts at the park, kids riding alongside you as you run. Be creative, have fun and find what you love to do!

Lastly, for those that find that they cannot afford a gym membership or that they struggle with getting to the gym at the times available for group classes, here are a few of my favourite home workouts.

PiYo (great for body strength exercises and a fantastic workout compliment workout for runners).

21 Day Fix (focuses on portion control with your diet and has a great mix of workouts to jump start anyone looking for a great workout).

I have a ton of dvd’s I rotate through but I seem to come back to these two often.

Do you have a tip on how you fit in your workouts/running with a busy life? I’d love to hear about it!

October 8, 2015

When Life Gets Busy

Hitting a Busy Season

Suddenly my life is feeling crazy busy! I’m so glad I’m entering a taper period just to try and catch up. Does anyone else feel like this, at least occasionally? Here’s the thing, most of us will put ourselves last when life gets busy. If you have a family, are working outside the home and/or have other commitments that keep you busy, you understand what I’m talking about. I’m in a season of finding a new normal, I think.

Putting running or fitness as a priority in your life can be hard. I have been struggling lately with getting out for my runs, period. I’ve been training consistently for over a year and a half. I think mixing things up and creating a schedule again will help me re-commit to what honestly is very important to me, running. 🙂

So what’s my plan? Well, that’s just it, I need to create a plan and set some new goals for the rest of the year. My two big races are coming up this month and then I have two months to play. So I’m looking at mixing up my workouts, working on some core/strength exercises and keeping a running base. Come January I’ll be back to training, but in the meantime I feel like mixing up my fitness goals. In the end, it’ll benefit my running.

Last week I ran the CIBC Run for the Cure. The weather was perfect! I love witnessing the variety of runners/walkers who participate in this run. Most, if not all, have in some way been touched by cancer. My mother passed away after a 7 year long battle with breast cancer, my mother-in-law beat breast cancer and most recently my sister-in-law has just completed her treatment for a rare form of breast cancer. Raising awareness and support especially for those who are battling this disease is close to my heart. Our team raised over $1,700!

You’ve Got 24hrs!

How do you spend your 24hrs? Let’s face it, many of us live very different lives. BUT in the end, we all have 24hrs, correct? So, what fills your time? What is important to you? Are you giving time to the things you “say” are important? If not, how come?

Sometimes we need to look at how we spend our day and weeks and see if they line up with our overall goals. Are there hours that are wasted online or watching random tv shows that we could instead use to achieve some of our goals? Can we find even 30min. extra in a day to do something for our health?

I know I can! I can use time online and television as “down-time” that I tend to relax with. It’s a mindless activity and quite frankly I enjoy it 😉 However, if I am complaining I’m running out of time, I think I can re-prioritize some extra time for working out. I have a number of home workout DVDs that I LOVE. I find trying to get to the gym and working a fitness class into my already busy schedule is difficult, so working out at home lets me control the time I do it.

So I’m re-focusing some of my goals to what is important to me. I’ll be making a plan, writing it out on a calendar (I still use a paper calendar 🙂 ) and staying accountable with a few friends online.

Do you have a plan written out that you follow? OR do you pretty much wing it when it comes to getting a workout/run in? Do you prefer to workout at a gym? Or does working out at home benefit you most?

October 3, 2015October 4, 2015

Run, Race and Run Some More

Training, Racing and Tapering

I’m someone who thrives on a schedule, knowing what is coming up and working backwards helps me to have focus. This year has been a completely different experience for me. I still have a schedule, but I have added races to my schedule more on a whim than part of a bigger plan. I don’t know if that’s particularly good or bad thing, but I’ve been having a lot of fun! However, I’ve been less focused on what I want to accomplish with my running.

I still have a number of races coming up and am looking forward to them all, however, putting some focus back in 2016 will be good for me.

This past weekend I participated in the first ever Girls Run Ottawa, hosted by Run Ottawa. It was amazing to chat with other runners who were running their very first race. There were a lot of teen girls running and many women of all shapes, sizes, and ages. There was a sense of celebration. Some women were walking it and when the last walkers came in many stuck around to cheer them on. The course started out at the Terry Fox Facility and ran along Mooney’s Bay, to return to the facility for a second loop. If you are in Ottawa and a woman you should have this on your list for next year!

Up Next

This Sunday I’ll be running the CIBC Run for the Cure in memory of my mother and in honour of my sister-in-law who has just completed her treatments. This was the very first race I ever participated in (2008), I’m looking forward to sharing this day with so many people who have their own stories and reasons for choosing to participate in this event. If you would like to donate to the cause please visit my fundraising page.

The Toronto Marathon is also coming up (Oct. 18th) but I’ve been training more for the MEC Race two weeks after Toronto. This will be my third year running the Toronto Marathon and I’m hoping for a PB. However, this is my first year running the MEC Race and anything new or unfamiliar makes me want to get ahead of it somehow. Last week I went out and ran up Gatineau Parkway – 8.5km and then turned around for a total of 16.5km road. I veered off the parkway and hopped on the trails for another 6.5kms before returning to my car.

Trails have been an important part of my training this past summer and has enabled me to be injury free finally! I’m trying to still get a few kms of trails in every week.

This week I went the other direction on the Gatineau Parkway and got confused 4kms in 🙂 Usually I’m a planner, as I’ve mentioned, but this year I’ve been so much less “rigid” and more just flowing with it. This is an example of that. I should have looked at a map before heading out but just assumed that the parkway would be a loop and I’d just follow it until I returned to my car. Well, that appears to not be the case! I mistakenly ran up Dunlop (1km climb) to Camp Fortune. Then ran back down as it was a dead end. I ran into some cyclists and asked for some clarity.

I was wearing my I2P patch and one of the guys saw it and said, “I see you are connected with I2P, you must be doing crazy a$$ sh*t”! Ha, I responded with “well, I’m learning to do crazy a$$ sh*t!”

My coach reminds me often the achievements that I accomplish in my running/training. I don’t always recognize it, I’m just doing my thing and getting the training done. Maybe it’s because I am surrounded by so many amazing runners that I look up to. I appreciate when he tells me though, it’s a good reminder. 😉

After getting some directions I ran up Fortune Parkway and headed towards the Champlain Lookout (this would add on extra kms). As I was still unfamiliar with the route and had limited time, I returned the way I came from for an out and back. Besides, after running up Fortune I felt it was my reward to run back down! I now know what the route should be, so likely next week I’ll head back for an easy go at it. Total kms was 22km on a very hilly route. Worth mentioning, 2kms into my run, 3 small black bears ran across the road in front of me (off in the distance but I saw them)!

Time to Taper

Just over two weeks to go before the marathon. I’ll start to taper now but likely will do one more decent run in Gatineau in preparation for the MEC Race over what I need for Toronto. Then I’ll take some time to go stir crazy, ummm I mean time for the body to recovery and get prepared for the race.

Fall is by far my favourite running season and one of those reasons is when the leaves start to change. The next few weeks will be such a colourful reward while running. Just a little motivation to go up to Gatineau.

What are you training for? How is your training going? Do you have a favourite season?

Category: Goals

Bags and Hills

Like this: