running – Page 2 – Live, Laugh and Laces

May 1, 2016May 1, 2016

When the going gets tough….you just gotta keep going

When you set goals, do you count the cost before making the commitment? Do you consider the sacrifices you are going to need to make? What about the kind of support that you will need? Are you willing to put the hard work in to make your goal a reality?

It doesn’t matter what kind of goal you set, these should be questions you ask yourself. When the idea of doing Grand to Grand came about I felt very strongly that I needed to do this. It was outside of my comfort zone, it was beyond what I was currently trained to do. I seriously thought that suggesting this to my husband and coach would get an immediate response of, “you’re just not ready”. I think often its a good idea to bounce ideas off friends and family members, but in this case it only mattered to me what my family and coach thought. To my surprise, my husbands response was simple “you can do it”, not as given me permission 😉 but he believed if I made the commitment to make this run happen then it would happen. Equally surprising was my coaches response, his only question was why I wanted to do it. As I shared with him my desire to encourage people, particularly young people, to look past their current situations and dream big for their lives, it became very clear that it was extremely similar to the vision he has for i2P. I laughed out loud when this occurred to me.

Have you ever met someone whom you just know there is a reason why your paths crossed. That is how I feel about my coach. We connected “by chance”, kept in touch and eventually he became my running coach.

So why inspire young people? Or really anyone who might be limiting themselves to dream big or see a different life for themselves? I was raised by a single mom (with my father in jail), with little extras in life. I grew up in neighbourhoods where patters were repeated, generation after generation. My mom wanted more for us, she wanted to break the cycle. I see young people, especially today, that have many challenges to overcome. Many kids today do not have the kind of support that says to them, “Believe in yourself”! I want to send a message to people to not focus on why you cannot accomplish something but instead start to look at what they would need to do in order to accomplish what they really want.

I knew the message I wanted to say but did not know how to tangibly demonstrate that message. How could I show people, that with a goal and hard work, the seemingly impossible could be accomplished.

Grand to Grand Ultra came across my newsfeed on facebook one day. I remember seeing it and thinking, wow, maybe one day. I had been running for a number of years now and loved training for marathons but this was beyond my current level of running. Then it hit me, wasn’t that the point. If I made a decision to chase this goal, to commit to the training and to work hard, wasn’t it possible to accomplish this. It terrified me but I felt that this was the kind of “out of my comfort zone” goal needed to encourage others to start dreaming beyond their own comfort zones.

To my surprise my coach was immediately on board. Once I shared my reasons for wanting to do it, he said, “okay, lets do this”. He then went on to say how much he believed I could and would get me ready to do it.

I have been doing back to back long runs for a while now. Running 20km Saturday/Sunday, then 23km on both days the following weekend, and even 29km back to back. All of it has been road running as I had sprained my ankle snowshoeing and couldn’t handle the instability of the trails/snow. It’s been good and I’ve been building up consistency. I had been running at least one of these long runs with the Running Room group for company as well.

About a month ago, my coach wanted to add hill training into the mix. Both my long runs were now going to be up in Gatineau Park, still mostly on the road but with lots of hills mixed in. To get comfortable with the hills, my coach had me start with 10km both days, increase to 20km (both) the following weekend and last weekend he had me do 30km back to back. I have also been running these runs alone. I’m learning a lot about myself during these training runs.

What I learned this past weekend:

I enjoy the solitude that running alone gives me
I am no longer intimidated when seeing a huge hill
throwing an extra layer in the car “just in case” is a very good idea
figure out what you need to do BEFORE you set out for your run in order to get it done and not quit (ie., avoid going back to car in between loops)
use positive self-talk while running and recognize how well you are doing
avoid sitting on the “evil” chair (as a friend put it) when doing loops for your long run 🙂

Preparing for these double long runs is requiring a bit more planning. I am now needing post run snack for the drive home and figuring out fuel for during the run. So far Nuun Active and Nuun Plus has been keeping me hydrated well. The weather has also been making it tricky to know just what to wear starting out as it warms up by up to 10degrees by the end of my run. Oh, and of course I’m training with my pack now so am carrying an extra 11lbs on my back!

Getting a recovery week and then training starts back in the trails!

Do you have dreams or goals that you’ve been putting off? What’s holding you back?

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 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 26, 2015October 26, 2015

Fall Into Fitness Exchange

I was recently invited to participate in a fall fitness exchange with Canadians. As a Canadian Sweat Pink Ambassador I thought this was a great way to connect with other Canadian Bloggers. Also, I love the idea of connecting with new people and if they love running/fitness as well, bonus! Besides, who doesn’t like giving and receiving gifts. 😉

A fellow Sweat Pink Sister from Ottawa, Brittany, came up with the exchange idea. Brittany and I recently met as we were making plans to launch an Ontario Sweat Pink Chapter. You can follow Brittany over at My Momma Journey.

There were some general rules to the exchange. Share a favourite fitness dvd or book that you love (even if it is gently used), favourite recipe or two, a motivational note and an item of our choice.

Our names were exchanged and we were paired up with our exchange buddies. I ended up getting Rebecca, who crazy enough also lives in my neighbourhood, like what are the chances of that!! I was able to do up a gift bag and drop it off at her door!! What’s also cool, is Rebecca and I are both Team Awesome Members for the Ottawa Race Weekend 2016! If you would like to see what I sent her, check out her blog: Running.Food.Baby

My other exchange buddy, who had my name, lives in Calgary. Tina and I first met online through Bondiband, as we are both Ambassadors! She connected with me, asked some questions and came up with some pretty meaningful gifts.

Now before I unveil them, I’d like to share a few things. First, I love hearts, always have. After being diagnosed with a heart condition that seemed inevitable that one day I would require surgery, I was determined to not let a diagnosis define me. Nor did I want to go on long-term medication if I could avoid it. I was not being stupid, nor do I recommend for you to ignore your doctors advice, however, my doctor and I came up with a plan. I continue to show improvements (which is a small miracle in itself) therefore I remain off medication.

The symbol of the heart is one of hope, strength and of course love.

I got this tattoo as a symbol of the intense love I have for my family. My husband and I (the larger hearts) are intertwined, the three smaller hearts represent my three children and the small pink heart inside my heart is in memory of my mom. The heart also represents the hope and strength I have to live and be healthy.

Now for the butterfly. A few years ago there was a series of events that took place that in of themselves, each one would have been heartbreaking, combine them over a fairly short period and it was almost too much for me to work through. During this time the butterfly became a symbol of hope. As I was working through life, the idea that “sometimes the struggle is part of the plan” came to me. Like the caterpillar there is a time in the cocoon (we won’t go into the gruesome details), and in the perfect moment the butterfly emerges. A complete transformation has taken place. It’s like pain with a purpose or a struggle with a plan. There was a purpose for the caterpillar to enter the cocoon. Just like I believed there was or could be a greater purpose for what I was going through (as well as my whole family).

So yes, another tattoo 😉

Of course I did not share this with my buddy, I mean gosh we just met. 🙂 I did however share things like favourite colour, number, workouts and that I do like the butterfly symbol.

Here is what she put together for me:

Amazing gloves, cute bird paperclips, really cool race bib clips (wore them for my marathon last weekend – amazing!!), a bondiband headband (hearts and butterflies), a buff (more hearts) and a beautiful card…oh and inside the card was this (a magnet – now on my fridge)

The past two years or so this has been a thought of mine, and yes, I’ve said it out loud. Live Out Loud! Be, Do and Say who you are. Live authentically with intention. Be free to be who you were created to be, unapologetically.

It was a true blessing to open this gift with all the reminders of what is important to me and also to continue to “live out loud” proudly!

Thank you so much Tina!

Have you ever participated in an exchange similar to this?

Check out the others who participated in this exchange.

An InLinkz Link-up

October 26, 2015October 27, 2015

Favourite Running Clothes and #STWM Marathon

Getting ready to run my third Toronto Waterfront Marathon was very different than the two previous years. Perhaps it’s because I still had the Ottawa Mec Race to come, and that is the race that I’m ~~nervous~~ excited about. It also may have had to do with the fact that I trained differently this time around. September was a busy month for me and I was travelling and racing more. I managed to get three 32km training runs in but they were a tad earlier than I would have liked. I had also started training in Gatineau Park for my long runs, running on rolling hills for 22+ km’s.

After returning from Halifax, mid-September, I kind of lost my drive to run. I was getting in the minimum but it was a struggle getting out the door some days.

The week leading up to the race I wasn’t feeling very confident in my training, I knew I would complete it but wasn’t satisfied with the last 6 weeks. I also knew that if I reviewed my training I would be surprised and reassured that I didn’t do all that bad. However, at this point it would be what would be and I needed to get my head in the game. So, I refocused, did a head check and made the decision to do my best, regardless of how I felt.

I enjoyed girl time with a friend as we drove up to Toronto the night before the race. We started discussing racing options for next fall. Neither of us were convinced we would return to Toronto again the following year. It’s an amazing race and if it was my home city I’d do it every year but there are so many races/cities that we want to experience. We settled on a tentative game plan. 🙂

We hit the expo immediately when we arrived and I was able to pick up some Run Happy arm warmers! (I actually got a different pair as well because they are so soft and I love sleeves!)

I wanted to have them as a friend of mine, Jean-Paul Bedard, was running the marathon 3x to raise awareness and support for sexual abuse.

He is sponsored by Brooks and had shared a post wearing the sleeves. I figured it was a fun way to run happy and think of him during my race. I would highly recommend that you follow Jean-Paul as he will continue to be an outstanding influencer.

You can read about his adventure running 126.2km’s on his recap of the race.

Okay, so the start line. After going back and forth as to whether we should wear shorts or pants, we settled on pants. It was a very cold start to the morning but it looked like it might get up to 5°C. 😉

I had been approached by MEC to do an honest review of their brand of clothing. I had been given a few items to test out during my training runs. I seriously loved every piece and have since only purchased MEC running clothes as I am that impressed with them.

I wore the MEC Agility Tights. Here’s what I loved about them. The tights do not skimp on length and I suspect even if you are taller (which I am not) you would be pleased with the length. They are incredibly comfortable, providing complete freedom of movement without feeling restricted anywhere. The flexibility, breathability and moisture wicking features allowed me to almost forget I was wearing them. They have a mesh backing behind the knees that allow for venting. This feature was helpful in my decision to wear them instead of shorts. There is a rear zippered pocket and a front smaller pocket that provided extra storage for gels, etc. On top of this, they are a fantastic price. I purchased the Agility Capris after trying out the tights and I highly recommend them.

I also wore the MEC Vitality Short-Sleeved Tee. This shirt is fantastic! I was given the tank to try in the summer and it became my favourite tank to run in. After testing the tank out I purchased a few more, including the t-shirt. I love the length of the shirt. Often I find I’m having to pull down t-shirts when I run and I do not at all with this one. The shirt is highly breathable and light-weight. It is made with flat seams to help prevent chaffing, and the colours are fun! It also features some reflective elements to help you be seen when running in the dark.

Alright, back to the race. My girlfriend and I started out together but got separated when I ran into Jean-Paul around 10-12km’s in. I walked and listened to how he was doing at that point. He would have been approaching 96km’s or so (having already ran 2 loops of the marathon route). I could tell he was exhausted, you could see it in his eyes. After a quick hug I was back running. In hindsight, I kinda wish I had stayed with him for the duration.

I felt pretty good until about 25km’s where my right arch was giving me some pain. By 27km’s my right outside knee and right hip were also giving me grief. I continued to run with the right side of my leg causing pain for the remainder of the race. I’m not sure what was going on as I had not had any pain going into the marathon. At around 26km’s I made myself sit down and loosen my laces as I felt like they were tight and cutting off circulation. Either that or my feet were swelling and they became too tight? Not really sure. It seemed to help, but by the time I adjusted the laces, I think the damage was done. Around 32Km’s, I began having a serious discussing with myself about NOT running the MEC Marathon but instead running the half. I told myself, to remember this moment and be smart moving forward. I wanted to start 2016 healthy and ready for a great winter/spring training season.

The spectators were great! I enjoyed the cheer stations along the route. They helped keep me going when I felt like I wanted to just walk. I felt like I was pushing myself to keep a decent pace, like I couldn’t possibly be holding the pace I needed. Then I’d look at my watch and be like, okay I’m doing good, this is okay. My legs felt tired early on but somehow I just kept running. I know we all earn the reward of every race, but I felt like I had to dig deep for this one. It felt physically harder, both in the pain I was feeling but also in the effort I had to put out (or felt like). Of course this plays with your head and you end up battling through your thoughts!! I did terrible again at tangents and ended up running 44.2 km’s. In the end, I’m happy with my results. Another successful marathon in the books.

We drove home after a quick shower. A little stiff on the ride home and the next day but by Tuesday I was feeling great again. Of course by Monday I was already debating whether I should just go for it and run the marathon 🙂 I was out for a little jog on Tuesday and felt good, more reason to run, yes? I decided to leave it up to my coach. He agreed and we decided to stick with the half. I was able to get out for a trail run on Saturday.

Next up is the Ottawa MEC Race and the week after the Cookie Run with an awesome fun medal!

Do you have a race coming up? What about a favourite fall clothing pieces you love?

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?

Category: running

When the going gets tough….you just gotta keep going

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