Category: marathon

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I Can and I Will

Training Week In Review

Monday – OFF
Tuesday – 5K (accelerations)
Wednesday – 15K easy
Thursday – 10K tempo
Friday – OFF
Saturday – 20K LSD
Sunday – 15K LSD

I think this has been my best training week so far in 2015.  Every run was good and I’m feeling healthy and strong.  Perhaps finally having some decent weather to run in has also put an extra spring in my step.  Saturday and Sunday brought snow and cold weather again, but knowing it won’t last makes it a little more tolerable.

Fundraising for the Children’s Aid Foundation is going very well.  There is a little extra bonus if you purchase a moisture wicking headband from me between March 13 and March 31, your name will automatically be entered to win this awesome mask.  mask

The mask was generously donated to me by Wasteland Artisan who created a special mask for me for an upcoming race and wanted to help me with my fundraising efforts.

Here are a few of my current favourite headbands:

rungirljustrun
Some days just get it done!
unbroken
Just keep going
Ican
Yup, do not let others bring you down
buddy
Makes me think of my coach
madhere
Thankful for all the crazies in my life!

To find out more about my fundraising efforts and to see more headband suggestions please visit: Fundraising.

Spring Freshness

Spring has finally arrived, although it’s hard to believe as the colder temperatures have returned. Knowing it cannot last helps me hang on to the spring fever I felt last week.  I’m actually feeling very good and quite happy to have survived the winter training.

Last year due to my injury my training stopped around the middle of February.   I did not get to experience the benefits of making it through winter and how it would affect my spring training efforts.  I cannot explain the sense of accomplishment that I feel.  I persevered through a minor injury that greatly impacted my confidence.   I wrestled with the fear of being injured and not knowing how to discern the severity of my aches and pains.  My injuries to date have seemingly showed up out of the blue, so how do you avoid it if you cannot see it coming?  This honestly created a very fearful mindset.

My coach had to push me past the point of where my discomfort started, both physically and mentally.  I didn’t like how I was feeling.  Looking back it felt like a slow process but it was certainly building a solid base.

I feel strong as I head into my race season.  I know I’m going to have to tap into the lessons that I learned through the winter as my mileage continues to go up.  I’m aiming to cross a number of goal races/events off my list this year and I believe my mental health is going to help me achieve these goals.

Winter training helped me learn more about myself.  It was a time to face some fears that I hadn’t realized had snuck into my life.  I realized just how tough I am mentally.  On some runs I had to deal with physical aches, mental fears and crazy winter conditions, but I laced up and did it anyways.

I’m so very thankful for what running does for me.  Each training run offers a chance to push harder, have fun, get lost in thought, run with friends or just keep putting one foot in front of the other until it’s over.  Even then, the feeling you get for getting it done is worth it.

This week is a taper week for me as I prepare for Around The Bay.  Having a coach means he makes the plan and I just follow. 🙂  I’m sure I will go a little crazy but I’ll use the time to think about what I want the upcoming season to look like.  Either that or I’ll get some serious spring cleaning done around the house!  Ha!

How about you?  Do you find that running has helped you overcome anything?  What do you love about running the most?

 

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Running Towards Something

Training Week in Review

March 9 – March 15

Monday – OFF
Tuesday – 5K easy
Took a good 3K to warm up.  Crazy tight calves.
Wednesday – 5K easy
Calves still very tight.
Thursday – 6.5K treadmill
500m 6x with 2min. recovery between sets
Friday – OFF
Saturday – 15K
Nice and steady. Felt good.
Sunday – 30K
Ran with running group, it was a good run.   Finished the last 3K on my own.

Do you have dreams?

Maybe they are not so much dreams but perhaps personal goals to one day achieve.  How do you check something off your list?  Does it just work out for you or do you need to plan it?

For myself I think it is both, often.  I like to plan for things but often things seem to fall into place.  That doesn’t mean I don’t have to work for something, but while working towards one goal, sometimes another goal just falls into place.  Or I’ve decided to jump in and go for it even when it wasn’t part of the bigger plan when I started out.

2015 seems to be like that for me.  I had some goals I was working towards, then other, bigger, goals seemed to present themselves in such a way that I didn’t want to say no to them.  Sometimes I think we are just mad. 🙂 photo (31)

So for me that means a busy race calendar.  We are all different and our personalities play a role in how we tackle our goals.  I like to plan, even when a race wasn’t part of the original plan.  I think it is important to be as prepared as possible to avoid injuries.  For myself, it might mean using a race as a training run for the bigger goal races.  Listening to my body more to understand when to pull back or perhaps to shut the mind off as I’m over thinking things.  I’m also being more proactive with acupuncture and massage.
 photo (32)

Fine tuning my nutrition is becoming more important to me to ensure that my body is getting the right fuel to handle the amount of training that is required this year.  Limiting some of my favourite things, or perhaps giving them up all together.  I’m also looking at ways to improve my training.  I’m researching more about heart rate training and running in my specific training zones.  I’m not there yet, but I’m always looking for ways to improve.

My first race of the year is coming up at the end of March and it will be the first time I go with a group of strangers on a bus trip.  I’m excited about this, as this is my first time doing this race and the whole experience will be new for me.  I’m excited about how running has challenged me not only physically, but emotionally and socially.  I keep being encouraged to get out of my comfort zone and do new things.

Spring is around the corner and with its arrival is a real sense of new adventure awaiting for me.  My bucket list continues to grow with the things I want to do.  Some of my dream goals only require additional training. Some, however, require a budget and the hope of getting into the race itself.

How about you?  What is on your bucket list?  Do you focus and work hard to achieve those things or are they a someday goal that seem to fall into place at the right time?

Never stop dreaming!

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Flipping Forward in Training

Training week in review

March 2 – March 8

Monday – OFF
Tuesday – was feeling very tired and stiff, had a busy day and finally decided to take an extra rest day…felt like I needed it.
Wednesday – 8K, added in 4 hill repeats but kept it at an easy pace.  Felt very good.  TRX Basic
Thursday – 7.5K treadmill
Friday – 30min. CORE workout
Saturday – 24K LSD, great run.  Felt great the whole way.  Ran in a different neighbourhood, and it was great to switch up the route.
Sunday – 15K LSD, feeling good, but tired.

Hello springtime!  What a beautiful welcome to some nicer weather.  Having survived winter running I cannot believe how amazing it feels to be out running with some sun shining.  The only thing I had to worry about this week while running was avoiding puddles!

As my long runs are getting longer I’m having to be a little more creative in carrying fuel, water and anything else extra I might want to have on hand.flipbelt4

I happened to come across the Flipbelt online and they graciously offered me one for an honest review.  I’ve been using it now for over a month and it’s amazing.

flipbelt7Mostly I’ve enjoyed the convenience of having my phone accessible.  February was an extremely cold month.  I use my phone with a running app and for music and there are days that the phone will actually shut off because of the extreme cold.

flipbelt8

Having the ability to just pop it into the Flipbelt was easy and allowed me to access it if I wanted to get a quick photo while out or pause my running app.  Wearing the belt around my waist and under layers kept my phone from freezing.

The Flipbelt can be worn down on your hips or around your waist.  I haven’t had any issues of the belt bouncing or moving around.  I’ve been wearing it around my waist under my jacket.  I plan to try it on my hips now that I can run without the extra layers.  With my long runs getting longer I will now be running with my hydration pack and this belt is a perfect add on to carry the extra things I need.

flipbelt5 flipbelt6

 

I love how the belt is so easy to slip on.  It has slits in the front and the back of the belt that allows you to slip in your phone, gels, fuel or basically anything you need to carry with you on your runs.   There is even a clip that secures your key.  You can either wear the Flipbelt with the slits showing for really easy access OR you can flip it to add extra security to ensure nothing slips out.  Although so far there has been no risk of losing anything.flipbelt9 flipbelt10

The Flipbelt comes in so many fun colour choices.  I chose black for my first one as it will go with everything 🙂  However, I do want to order another one and will definitely go for a fun colour.

Depending on how long you are running, the belt does absorb the sweat and therefore does need to be washed.  For me this is not an issue as I am washing a ton of running gear every week and it dries very quickly (hang dry).

flipbelt11If you are looking for a great running belt to help carry the extra things we often need on a run, I can honestly say this is a great belt that is sure to not disappoint.

Do you have a favourite running gear that you would recommend?

 

 

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Fueling the long run

Training Week in Review

Monday: Yoga/Extended Stretching
Tuesday: Steady 10K – lots of footing issues again
Wednesday:  5K EASY
Thursday:  7.25K Steady Run
Friday:  OFF
Saturday:  17.5K LSD (long slow distance)
Sunday:  15K LSD

While training for a marathon, or in my case an ultra marathon, fuelling starts to become more and more important, everyday.  I’m coming to the point in my training where I start to feel tired a little more during the week.  I go through periods of feeling starved, especially Mondays, which makes sense after running double long runs on the weekend.  This means I still have work to do in my own fuelling strategy.

I have almost eliminated milk products and wheat from my diet (still working on completely removing it), mainly because of food sensitivities.  As you can imagine, this can make fuelling a little bit more of a challenge.  I am always looking for additional ways to add protein to my diet.

Training for a race is often more about the months leading up to race day.  I continue to make changes to my diet as I discover healthier options that will either fuel my body or help in the recovery process.

HempHeartsI came across Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts at a local health food store and immediately saw the simplicity of adding this super food to my daily diet.

You can sprinkle the hemp hearts on your morning oatmeal, yogurt or any cereal of your choice.  It can easily be added to a lunchtime salad.

There are so many recipes on their site that makes it very easy to add extra protein to your diet.  Delicious recipes!

I was given the opportunity to review the Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts, so of course I said I’d love to.  This is a must staple super food that should be in your pantry.

Hemp Hearts can help reduce inflammation, improve your cholesterol ratio, and help reduce PMS symptoms.  In addition hemp can support healthy hair, nails and skin and is also a rich source of magnesium, zinc, calcium and iron.   There are many other benefits of this powerful superfood.

Adding extra protein to your diet is  very easy and Manitoba Harvest helps you select the right one for you with their Hemp Protein Comparison Chart.

Having quick healthy snack options available help when I’m in a rush or on the go.  I recently made these energy bites (I added some flaxseed).  What I loved about this recipe is that if you are already trying to eat healthy, then all the ingredients should now be found in your home.  hempbitesI doubled the recipe knowing that in my house these type of energy balls do not last long!  I was correct, and they turned out to be a hit with my whole family.

Hempmixed HempEnergyBitesThere are many energy bite recipes online, so adding the step of rolling your favourite recipe ball in the hemp hearts can be a simple way to get the added benefits of hemp seeds into your diet.

Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts has graciously offered a free bag of hemp hearts to one of my readers.  All you need to do is comment below telling me how you currently use hemp hearts in your diet or how you will add it to your diet.  Is it a favourite breakfast smoothie?  Will you add it to your oatmeal or salad?

Also, follow Manitoba Harvest on Twitter and Instagram for inspirational ways to add hemp hearts to your diet.  Would love for you to tweet about the giveaway.

Good luck, I will choose the winner on Wednesday, March 11th.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Enough with the laundry already!

Training Week in Review

This week we mixed things up again and it was a great week.

Monday: Yoga/Extended Stretching
Tuesday: Steady 10K – Urban Running (lots of fun, basically looking for all the conditions I usually avoid 😉 )
Wednesday:  5K EASY – wasn’t so easy LOL the run before with all that fun made for some tired legs.
Thursday:  7K Alternate fast/easy – practiced running at my max for a km then eased it up and repeated 3x.
Friday:  OFF
Saturday:  17.5K – the weather improved to a feels like -20ºC, light snow throughout the run.  Overall great run.
Sunday:  15K – temps even better at -10 or so.  75% of this run was messy….very greasy running conditions.  Add to it tired legs from the long run on Saturday and this was a challenging run.  Stayed consistent and felt good about it.

With all this outdoor running you can imagine the amount of laundry that builds up!  Some days I find getting out the door to be a bit of a chore.  Running indoors is so much easier.  Grab some shorts, a sports bra/tank, socks, shoes and you are good to go.  Running outside requires layers, fuel, hydration, music/phone, etc.  If I miss a midweek laundry day it’s crazy how much laundry accumulates with all my running attire.  I probably have more running clothes than regular clothes now.  (hint 😉 if you ever need to buy me something)

treadmill vs. outside
treadmill vs. outside

The above winter running photo is just one run worth of clothes, now multiply that by 5 and add a jacket or two in the mix.  My husband is amazing and is so helpful around the house.  He often will do laundry, but even he hates how much running clothes need to be washed every week.  We often negotiate who transfers the wash when it’s my running stuff as it all needs to be hung to dry 🙂

I was given the opportunity to try a Toilettree Bamboo Product for review and I immediately requested their bamboo laundry hamper.

contents of box - easy to assemble
contents of box – easy to assemble

 

I love the double compartment for sorting
I love the double compartment for sorting

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I opened the box I was relieved to see how easy it was to assemble.  The fresh smell of bamboo was amazing.  I don’t know if I’ve smelled bamboo before.  The outside structure of the hamper is very solid and there is a hinge top to keep things tidy.  The separate insert is very easy to remove if you want to wash it.  I personally love the two compartments that allow me to sort the laundry before laundry day.  It makes grabbing a quick load easy.  I would 100% recommend this product for the simplicity of assembling it, the practicality of the double compartments and of course the beauty of the product itself.  I will likely purchase a second one for the laundry room.

We recently renovated the master walk-in closet and this hamper fit in beautifully.  It holds so much laundry and really helps to keep our closet tidy.  This hamper is so clean and fresh looking.  I’ve been using it for about 8 weeks now and I know it’s just a hamper but honestly it’s so nice!

Fit perfectly in my closet - love it!
Fit perfectly in my closet – love it!

ToiletTree Products has graciously offered one of my readers the chance to win one of these hampers (Available to US and Canadian Residents Only)

Comment on this post why you would like this beautiful new hamper for yourself.

Please go and like the following facebook pages and twitter accounts:

Leanne’s Facebook

Leanne’s Twitter

Toilettree Facebook

Toilettree Twitter

The winner will be announced next Monday, March 2nd.  Good Luck!

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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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Sweaty Bands for Winter? You bet!

My Training Week In Review:

Monday – Stretch/Extended Foam Rolling
Tuesday – 6.85Km  speed work (treadmill – crazy cold again, and I have the option)
Wednesday – 10K run
Thursday – sick 🙁
Friday –  still sick
Saturday – tough call but opted out of run as I was still sick
Sunday – 12.25km outside in slushy conditions but great temperatures

photo 2As a member of Team Awesome I was thrilled when Bondiband agreed to sponsor our team and provide each member with a team hat.  I was introduced to Bondiband products last spring and quickly became a fan.  I love the way the headbands stay put for my workouts, including many km’s of running.  They have so many fun sayings to choose from and an awesome array of colour choices.  You can even create custom orders with your own design or fun saying.

 

I’ve had PiYo headbands created and they turned out fabulous!  PiYoBandIf you want to order in bulk, the company has special bulk pricing so you can order with friends or use for fundraising.  I’ve also done this when fundraising for The Children’s Aid Foundation, my charity of choice for many of my races coming up in 2015.

Check out their website and see the many great products they have available.

armbandI decided to check out their armbands this fall.   There are a few things that I particularly loved about the armband.  I love that it can be thrown on my bare arm or over long sleeves.  I appreciate the fact that it can be tossed in with my laundry and dries quickly.  They come in a ton of great fun prints and colours.  I personally like the fit snug as it can get weighed down and it’ll stay put while running.  It fits any size phone and can be used to hold keys, money, lip balm, etc. fuel for long runs and the list goes on.  It can be used all year long.   Summer it’s great as it’s moisture wicking, can easily be cleaned and helps store extra running items required during your run.   It is also great in the colder months as you can wear it over your long sleeve or under your jacket to protect your music/ear phones etc.  I also have a quick video review.

I  currently have two armbands but because of the awesome colours I’ll be ordering a few more just for fun ones.  Because they are moisture wicking they do need to be washed more frequently in the summer so a few extra wouldn’t hurt if you feel you’d use it on most of your runs 🙂  BUT could easily be hand washed and ready to go for your next run if you only wanted one. (but why, they’re practical and cute 🙂 )

Do you have a favourite running accessory?  Would love to hear about it.

 

 

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Recovery/Flexibility Tools For Training

My Week In Review:

Monday – Yoga/Stretch
Tuesday –  Over/Under Tempo 6K Run.  Road conditions were awful with tons of ice but I managed to get it done.
Wednesday – 10K easy run
Thursday – temperature was a “feels like” -35ºC so I chose the treadmill, did speed intervals and played with the incline, felt good.
Friday – PiYo (Strength and Flexibility Training at home)
Saturday – 1hr. run was scheduled BUT I did not get it in.  I was on my feet working the Health Expo most of Friday and then 14hrs. on Saturday.  I was just too exhausted.  My quads were done from the unbelievable amount of stairs that I repeatedly went up and down!
Sunday – 1hr. 10min. snowy run.  Footing was challenging at times but I enjoyed the run.

November and most of December was spent trying to figure out why I had this lingering pain in my foot.  I’ve been taking it easy and getting treated and I’m almost pain-free now.  Turns out I experienced a small tear of my peroneus longus tendon at some point leading up to or during my marathon in October.   Thankfully, I am on the mend and January is all about building my base again.  I’ll be adding to my Sunday long run and mixing up some strength training but the bulk of my weeks will look pretty much the same.

Monday and Fridays are my days off from running.  Monday will be for active recovery only and Fridays I’ll play around with some at home DVDs that will focus mostly on flexibility and mobility moves.  I might even get out on the canal for some skating.

Favourite Tools

Here are some of my favourite tools that I’m trying to use consistently.

Thermaband
Thera-Band Foot Roller

TheraBand Foot Roller is great for rolling the underside of my foot. It can help with plantar fasciitis, heel spurs and tired feet.  It helps to stretch the plantar fascia and it will help with flexibility.  The massage just feels good.  It’s also great because it can be frozen and then used to help reduce inflammation.

Foam Rolling
Foam Roller

Foam Roller is a must for anyone who is running consistently.  It will help with flexibility and recovery.  Runners World has a great article on it here: Foam Rolling Tips

The Stick
The Stick

The Stick is a great tool to help self-massage enabling you to break down knots or trigger points in your muscles.  It can help relieve pain, increase your range of motion, help with flexibility and speed up your recovery time.

Lacrosse Ball
Lacrosse Ball

This little lacrosse ball was recommended to me by my massage guy who is truly brilliant when it comes to helping athletes get back in the game.  This gets in areas that are hard to get at, like your groin or rotator cuff.  It helps get in deeper than a regular foam roller.  I’ve heard that massage therapy balls are a better choice but this works for me.

Yoga Mat
Yoga Mat

A Yoga Mat is also essential as you should be doing Yoga a minimum of once a week.  I am trying to do a little more than that but Monday is a must for Yoga.  It helps after the Sunday long runs for me and helps set me up for the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday runs.  I have a few favourite home DVDs that I choose from that help give me some variety but also I can work it into my schedule better than trying to get out to a class.

I will break up when I use these tools throughout the day or evening.  I’ll do more on a Monday and Friday as I’m not running.  I keep the lacrosse ball in my family room and will randomly pull it out and spend a few minutes hitting some sore spots.  The Stick is a great tool to ask a family member to get at your hamstrings or calves and it helps to not tire them out easily.  My kids actually take pleasure in causing me pain. 😉 So this is not a difficult task for them.

There are numerous foam roller options to choose from, so do some research. I would, however, recommend that you invest some money in a good one as the cheaper ones will not last very long and this should be a long-term investment into your running.

What kind of tools am I missing out on?  Do you have a must have favourite that you are using? I’d love to hear about your suggestions.

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Setbacks or Injuries – Do They Hold You Back?

When I’m training for something, I’m all in!  I am dedicated and focused and try my best to follow a plan.  My husband is always amazed at how committed and disciplined I can be.   That’s not to say it’s easy, however I try not to think too much and just do what is scheduled! 🙂

So when I’m injured, or taking things down a notch to allow for recovery, it’s hard for me.  It’s hard not to be “on” all the time.  I like structure and being focused.  Not being able to run drives me crazy!  I tend to fall back on nutrition, tweaking my “fuel” more and finding new ways to get good nutrition in.  I get on Pinterest more during this time!! (Are we following each other?)

Just before the marathon at the end of October I started getting a pain in my right ankle/arch area.  It became quite evident on marathon day that there was an issue there.  I took the appropriate time for recovery before getting back into my running but the arch pain has  lingered on.

I have a fantastic team around me and trust  them completely!  They have  been working on dealing with the soft tissue damage and I’ve scaled back the running to give time to heal while we figure things out.  In fact, I haven’t ran at all in the past 7 days!  Seriously, 7 days and it’s driving me crazy!  It’s such a minor issue, however being in the foot it is not one that I can ignore.  I am usually a very optimistic person, however, mentally this is a bit of a battle for me.  Having suffered from stress fractures in the past, this is now a new fear of mine, and it can kill confidence!

With such huge goals for 2015 I cannot start my year with this nagging issue going on.  I must get to the bottom of it.   We are 99% sure it is soft-tissue related and can be dealt with, but it’s funny how that 1% can over shadow things.

Today I am getting out for a run.  I will pay close attention to how I’m feeling and report back to my team.  I’m also having a scan that should confirm 100% if it is only the soft-tissue affected.

Throughout my years of running I have  been the one to make decisions about what, when and how I do things.  Choosing to trust others to make the decisions for me when it comes to my training schedule is hard but it is the decision I made when I enlisted their help!

piyoI’m not sitting around doing nothing though 🙂  I’ve started Basic Training with the TRX to build some core strength, I’m doing PiYo 2-3x/week, and I’m focusing on my diet with an emphasis on avoiding  inflammatory foods and more protein.

More than anything I need to get my head in the game, build my confidence again so I can go into January confident and strong.  Training is as much mental as it is physical.  So I am working hard to trust myself, to trust my body and believe that I will have a very successful running year in 2015!

Have you ever had to overcome fear, disappointment or a lack of confidence related to overcoming past injuries or setbacks?  Would love to hear your experience.

 

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