Category: Goals

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Defensive Running

Training Week in Review

Monday: Yoga/Extended Stretching
Tuesday: Steady 10K
Wednesday:  Steady 10K
Thursday:  Steady 10K
Friday:  PiYo
Saturday:  15K
Sunday:  10K

Nothing new to report in my training, still some pretty cold temperatures!

Winter running adds different challenges and dangers to your run.

I enjoyed running the three different 10K routes in training this week.  It allowed me to hit 3 different areas in my community, rather than sticking a little closer to home.  When I run outside, I am very much aware of my surroundings.  I have habits that I do automatically because I’ve been doing them for so long now.  However, I cannot predict how someone else is going to behave on any given run so it’s important that I stay intentional about my safety and be proactive about being seen!

Perfectly groomed conditions
Perfectly groomed conditions

Perfectly groom conditions are rare,  usually you can find them in and around schools.  School paths need to be cleared to allow walking students to get to class!  Unfortunately, these groomed paths do not occur often and are usually only 0.5-0.75 km’s.  So unless you want to run back and forth (and I do not) then you will be dealing with cars on your run.  (however, could be a great spot for speed work 😉 )

Defensive Running

We have two motorcycles, three licensed riders and passengers within my family.   I got my bike license before my car license.  The way they teach you to drive a motorcycle is all about defensive driving.  It was the best course I could have taken to learn to ride and ultimately to drive as I’ve adopted most of my learning into my everyday driving.  I am a defensive driver.  I am also very much aware of the dangers that are out there for riders.    A lot of accidents occur because drivers are not paying attention at all.  I cannot tell you how many times someone texting, eating, or who knows what has come close to hitting someone on a bike (I know there are some riders who simply ride dangerously, but that is not what this is about).

The same is true of running.  We need to be defensive runners, like our lives depend on it, because they do.

Make eye contact

On Tuesday’s run I was running down a main street (on the sidewalk), I had the walk sign to continue but slowed to ensure that the driver turning off the busy street to the side street saw me. I cautiously began to cross, ensuring we had eye contact, however he was not focused on me at all and instead was focused on the fact that there were no oncoming cars coming so proceeded very fast to make his turn.  The shock on his face when he saw me was very evident.  He almost hit me.  Thankfully, I was watching him and was able to stop running and allow him to pass.  It had nothing to do with the fact I was running, I could have been a parent with a stroller and he still would not have seen me.  He simply wasn’t paying attention, so we need to.

The direction of your run

Now what about facing traffic while you run?  The reality is that the sidewalks are often not cleared in the winter especially if you are an early morning runner.  This means that you will likely be sharing the road on a good portion of your run.  For myself, I choose to face traffic.  I wear bright colour clothing (I rarely run when it’s dark but I still like to be noticed), I run with one earbud in and the music is not loud.  If there is a bus or truck approaching I often jump onto the side walk while they pass or will slip into a driveway, just to be safe.

Running with blindspots

blindspotcross over

If you live in an area where snow is part of your winter running then you are likely dealing with high snow banks at times.  This makes visibility difficult for you and for the driver who is taking a tight turn onto the same street you are running on.  As much as facing traffic is good, if I am approaching the end of a street I will often cross over to the right hand side of the road.

sideroad crossoverAnother area of concern when out running is running on side streets, where there are often no sidewalks.  I want that extra distance between cars turning onto the same street I’m on.

Intersections with Yield signs

photo 2 (9)

Just because you have the right away does not mean a vehicle is going to notice you and stop.  So many drivers today are in a rush or driving distracted.  I will slow way down checking to see if there are any cars coming.  If there are cars, I stop and make eye contact with someone before crossing an  intersection.  I ALWAYS wave and say thank you.  OR if traffic is clear for them to go I often motion for them to go first.  Hoping to share a message that as runners we do not think we own the road, but instead recognize we are sharing it.

Be careful with slipping

I run with my regular shoes.  Most days this is not a concern for me.  I’ve tried Gortex runners and Yaktrax, both work great in different conditions.  I still prefer to run just with my shoes.  So I take corners carefully to ensure that I do not slip.  I also do a lot of shoulder checks.  When I cross over side streets I always glance back over my shoulder to make sure there are no cars turning.  I can count a few times where I’ve had to stop abruptly because a car somehow didn’t see me???

I carry an old drivers license on me for identity and my address in case of emergency. (I keep meaning to get a road i.d. but in the meantime I have something with me.)

I know it seems like a lot of things to think about, but like I said at the beginning, most of this stuff is just how I run.  I do not think about it as much as I just do it.

This is just a few thoughts that came to mind during a run 🙂  Do you have other winter running safety tips that you incorporate into your runs?

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Groundhog says early spring! Here’s to winter running in the meantime

Training Week in Review

(Missed posting last week pretty much the same kms as this week.)

Monday: Yoga
Tuesday: “Over-Under” 6.3K crazy greasy outside (snow/slushy conditions) plus TRX training
Wednesday: “Volume Builder” 10K treadmill run (conditions still terrible outside) plus TRX training
Thursday: “Hill Tempo” 5.5K footing was a challenge still but I ran the circuit as hard as I could.
Friday: Upper Body Strength Training
Saturday: 1hr treadmill (trying out new shoes)
Sunday: “LSD” 15K lots of snow, most sidewalks not cleared but got it done and overall felt pretty strong.

Need help sticking to your winter training plan?

Know your WHY,  have a PLAN and JOIN others.

WHY did you sign up?  Do you have specific goals?  Are you supporting a charity?  Perhaps it’s a motivation to get healthier.  Understanding your why will help you on those days when you just do not feel like getting a run in.  If you want to have a successful race then you need to get your training in.  My suggestion is, make your “why” big enough to help push you to get it done.

Here are my whys:

  1. Fundraising for the Children’s Aid Foundation (my heart connects with this cause).
  2. Running my first Ultra Marathon (50K)
  3. Participating in a World Record Breaking Event in a fall race (using it to fundraise).
Moisture Wicking Headbands
Moisture Wicking Headbands $15 ea. Proceeds go to the Children’s Aid Foundation

You need to have a PLAN.  You cannot just hope it happens, or figure you’ll get it in when you can.  By putting together a schedule it will allow you to work around your life.  Plan ahead and know what distances you need to cover.  If you have an appointment or perhaps you are going on holidays, you want to be fairly consistent with your training.  I have a month planned in advance, review it, break it down for the week and then schedule it in for the day. My days do not all look the same.  Most days I run outside, but as a back-up I have my treadmill.  I try to get my run done early but some days it’s afternoon or evening.  Before I go to bed I know what distance and where/when I’m running for the next day.

JOIN others.  I was mostly a solo runner until I trained for my first marathon.  Now I try to do most of my long runs with the Running Room.  The Running Room has a great program for all race distances, including a Learn To Run one.   Aside from having a variety of personalities along for the long run, I particularly enjoy just following along.  It allows my brain to be shut off for a bit. I do not need to think about pace or directions for the most part.  It gives my brain a “rest” while enjoying conversations with others or a great song on my playlist.  If running with an organized group is logistically difficult, connecting with a friend or two for the entire run or part of the run also helps.

The online community is also an amazing way to stay motivated and connect with other runners.  Most races tend to offer a special group of runners who are passionate about running and helping others on their running journeys.  Check your race website for groups such as Digital Champions (as in The Scotiabank Waterfront Marathon) or Team Awesome (as with Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend).  Follow some of these runners on social media for support, encouragement, motivation and just plain fun in sharing the journey with others.

Last but not least, BELIEVE you can do it.

My coach and mentor Ray Zahab says this:

The challenge is believing that overcoming obstacles is 90% mental and the other 10% is all in our heads.

Going the distance means pushing beyond our perceived limits…

Leading to a discovery that we are ALL capable of achieving the extraordinary!

How about you?  Do you have suggestions to help others get their training in?  I would love to here your thoughts.

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What’s that? Things didn’t go as planned?

A day in the life of training for a race.

Last week I made a mental note to get my hill/speed work completed BEFORE my massage/acupuncture appointment.  After my appointment last week I was feeling pretty beat up and could not imagine running.  So, I made a deal with myself 🙂  Do half.  The road conditions were not great so I opted for the treadmill.  I started out with the first km and a bit feeling pretty stiff, but then things started to loosen up.  By three km’s I figured I could get it done, so I did.

I decided during that run that Thursdays I would need to get my run in early.

I woke up this Thursday, relaxed and no big plans on for the day (obviously forgetting about my “note to self” from last week).  I planned on getting some computer work done for our business, get my TRX training in, then lunch, then do my run on the warmer part of the day.  It was only when I was in shorts and about to start on the TRX that it hit me, I had an appt. at noon and I needed to run first!!  GAWD!!  Did I still have time?

Those who run outside in the cold winter months understand it’s not like throwing on running shoes and getting out the door.  You need to layer up. Like, a lot.  Everything just seems to require more time to run outside.IMG_4938

I’m usually a bit of a planner.  I like to know in advance what my training week (well, month) looks like.  I work my life around my runs to ensure I make them happen.  So for the month of January my Thursdays had been pretty relaxed and I could basically run anytime I wanted to.

Once I was all dressed and had my Garmin strapped on, the battery light showed up!  *sigh* Never a good sign.  I have a routine, and I am pretty good at charging it so this doesn’t happen (often).  But I didn’t, I guess.  I need the Garmin to help me know my pace during my speed drill portion.  I’m recording it to see improvement and to know how to push myself.  Well, today would have to be on “feel”,  I need to get my run in.

My usual routine is to run 2K for a warm up, then a 1km hilly route to run at my fastest pace, then recover, stretch and run the 1km route again at full speed, then repeat.  Then easy 2K’s home.  Yesterday, however, I didn’t have a lot of time.  I ran at a good pace to get to the hilly part.  Then I didn’t do very much recovery time between hill sets.  Then ran quickly home.

When I realized I had to get out for my run and the available excuses came my way (including compromising to find 2 layers of pants), I didn’t have time to entertain them.  I just had to run!

How about you?  Do you have those training days, where it is easier to give up or say the signs are saying stay home today??  How do you handle them?

 

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2015 Book Club: January’s Book Review

In an attempt to read more this year I decided to participated in an online book club. Every month we have a book theme and will link to others’ book reviews in hopes to give our readers a quick highlight of what we hope to be great book suggestions.  January’s theme was a motivational book.

DSC_0001For my motivational book I chose “The Compound Effect“, by Darren Hardy

If you are looking for a motivational book to help simplify what you need to do to be successful, then this is it.  The author shares from first hand experience how he learned “the compound effect” in his own life and how he saw first hand how it led to his own success and the success for others.

Darren Hardy is the publisher of Success Magazine.  He is responsible for researching countless articles and books and he helps in choosing who will be featured in the magazine and then reviews all their material.  Everyday he sifts through an enormous amount of personal achievement information.  He is surrounded by success everyday.  He has spent a huge amount of time and money testing out different ideas and philosophies.  He has been studying success and human achievement for over 20 years.  He has trained tens of thousands of entrepreneurs.  I’d say he’s a bit of an expert when it comes to identifying successful ideas.

He recognizes that we are bombarded by every trick in the book to sell us on quick fixes and overnight success ideas.  He sheds truth to these ideas and brings us back to the basics to attain success in our lives.  He strips away all the false claims and gives it to us straight.  There is no fast and easy solution but instead we are told that it is small consistent steps that will bring huge returns for us.

Hardy shares with us how he started learning the compound effect throughout his upbringing by his dad who raised him as a single dad.

Throughout the book we are given real examples to help solidify the concept that he is trying to teach us.  The truth is, most of what he is revealing I think most of us already know to some degree.  Most of us have an idea of what we should do or should no longer do, but we lack the discipline or desire perhaps to do what needs to be done.

We are taught that there are things that we do, every single day that are either helping us achieve our goals, or sabotaging them.  There are mindless decisions that we make every single day that affect our success.  We need to learn to identify what they are and develop healthy habits that will bring about the desired outcomes we are looking for

At the end of each chapter we are given action steps to apply what is shared with us.  Included with the book is access to online assessments to help you identify areas that you need to improve on or pin pointing the specific bad habits, etc. that might be preventing you from accomplishing your goals.

I’ll admit I didn’t take the time to go through all the assessments but did walk away from reading this book with some motivation to do some small things every day to help me achieve greater success in areas on working on.  I’ll likely go back and still do the assessments at a later time.

How about you?  Have you read a good motivational book lately?  If yes, I’d love to hear your recommendation.  Also, please check out other motivational book reviews below.


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Happy 2015!

Welcome 2015.

I don’t know what it is, but I’m excited about the possibilities for this year.  Maybe it’s the beginning of something new or the uncertainty that a new year  holds.  Perhaps it’s the start of a new year with the untold stories, the adventures or the memory making experiences.  Whatever it is, there is an awareness of this gift called life. What I do with it is up to me, it comes down to choices I make.

Today I will take time to write down specific goals that I want to achieve.  Not only in my running world but in my personal life and in business.  Writing it down and keeping it in my sights gives me focus, a purpose for what I am doing, and more importantly, why I need to do it.  I will also be working on my vision board, as being reminded visually helps keep me excited about seeing the goals achieved.  When you put your board in an area that you see daily it helps you do the hard work, to gett’r done!

One of my goals is to read more.  I haven’t been reading as much lately so I’d like to get back into a healthy habit of reading.  My mother was a reader.  When my children were little she bought them books and would read to them often.  She wanted to instill in them the love for reading.  She did.  My kids all read, a lot.  The older they get the more I can see my mom’s influence in their lives.  Each one of them has a piece of her with them.  She would be so proud of who they are and continue to become.

IMG_4896
January Reading Goals

Okay, so up on my reading list over the next few weeks (in no particular order as I often have 2-3 on the go 🙂 ):

The Compound Effect
Still Alice
In a Single Bound
Relentless Forward Progress
The Runners Diet

What are you reading?

Do you write down your goals?  What about a vision board, do you create one?  I’d love to hear some of your goals or see your vision board.

May 2015 be everything you dream it can be.

 

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