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.
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?
Monday – Stretch/Extended Foam Rolling Tuesday – 6K (roads were not great) Wednesday – 10.25K (good run) Thursday – 6.4K treadmill (note to self always run before ART session) also added TRX Training Friday – OFF Saturday – 1hr. 10min. (snowshoe run/walk, beautiful day) Sunday – 13K (-26ºC – cold but the sun was out)
Introducing snowshoe running into my training
I participated in a winter running clinic last winter and was given the opportunity to try snowshoe running. I was blown away at the cardio workout it gave me. I was very much a beginner and honestly was not able to run much without being completed winded. The majority of the people at the clinic had Dion Snowshoes. Some people had recently “upgraded” their snowshoes and brought their older ones for people to use. I have no clue the brand that I was using but they were not Dion ones for sure.
The instructor personally used the Dion brand and highly recommended them for their size and durability. She said once you owned them you would not want to go back to anything else. I walked away enjoying the experience, but feeling like my cardio was really bad.
My running coach suggested that I consider including snowshoe running in my training program this winter. He also highly recommended that I purchase Dion ones. I started to compare prices and do online reviews and realized that I shouldn’t take a chance on something else. I decided to just invest in Dion snowshoes knowing that they come so highly recommended by people that I respect.
So I received my snowshoes for Christmas.
My first impression when the box came in was, “How is it even possible that the snowshoes are in that box”, then “Do I have to put them all together?”.
BUT, once I opened the box, I was very surprised to see that in fact the snowshoes are that small! Now, it’s important to note that these are not for hiking, but instead for running and racing (although hiking ones are available).
The cool thing about Dion snowshoes is that they have options. There are three types of snowshoes, three cleats you can choose from, and two different types of bindings. So you can create the perfect snowshoe for the conditions that you require them for.
I went for the 121’s (racing/running); the standard cleat and the quick fit bindings.
The only thing I needed to do when I opened the box was change my binding straps as they came with the large already in place. The bindings come in a pack from xs – large sizing so you can adjust the binding to fit you perfectly and not have extra straps in your way while running, this is brilliant!
Okay, so here’s where the fun started. Usually we have way more snow by now in Ottawa, so my first time out didn’t happen until this weekend. The weather was perfect at -1ºC and sun shining.
My girlfriend ordered a pair at the same time I did as we wanted to get out together for snowshoe running. We strapped on the snowshoes fairly easily and I expected we would both be winded quickly (from my first experience mentioned above). We figured we’d run 1min. and walk 1min. I was surprised at how good it felt. They are so light weight (2lb.4oz. for the pair). It was quite easy to run in them. Although I felt like we could have ran more, my girlfriend was coming off an injury so we took it easy and just had fun.
I am so thankful that I trusted my gut and listened to the advice of my coach and ordered the Dion snowshoes. They are better then I could have imagined and I’m only beginning my journey with incorporating them into my training. I didn’t think I’d actually do snowshoe racing but now I really can’t think of any reason why I wouldn’t! It was a blast and a great workout with very little impact, as your running on snow with a wider base than just a shoe.
If you are considering snowshoes, then I recommend these completely. I ordered mine from Spafford Health and Adventure and had emailed Derek (the owner) back and forth prior to my purchase. He is a Canadian distributor for Dion Snowshoes. He’s very knowledgeable of the sport, very helpful and was quick to respond to my questions.
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.
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 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 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
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
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.
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!
I’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.
This time of the year excites me! I love looking back and evaluating how the year went. Often, the year didn’t go quite the way I planned. Through every experience, highs and lows, personal bests and setbacks or injuries, there is always an opportunity to learn and discover more about myself and, if I’m lucky, about others. This year was no different and through my injury I was connected to my now running coach and a ton of other great people.
2014 Year in Review:
Around The Bay and Ottawa Marathon were misses due to injury. My planned marathon for Calgary was downgraded to the 5K just so I could experience the race 🙂 My daughter and I volunteered and loved it, as usual, and I dressed up for the first time ever in a race to celebrate running through the decades. I started training for the Toronto Marathon as soon as my boot came off, and had a PB on race day. I ran my very first trail run, a 23K with the I2P run in Gatineau, QC, dressed up for the Ghost Run and ran one of my favourites, in the pouring rain, the Army Run!
Some Highlights of 2014Ottawa Foam Fest
My husband and daughter participated in their very first races this year (Strides for Ethan and Ottawa Foam Fest), it was amazing to do these with them. A few other smaller races and to top the year off I hired a running coach. Lots of firsts this year!
Setting Goals for 2015
Dream Big
This is also a time that I am looking ahead. I’m planning new race goals, distances, training schedules, and making arrangements for out of town events. Some events are still under wraps but staying true to myself, I am setting goals that take me beyond my comfort zone.
One of my goal races this year is The Ottawa Race Weekend Marathon. I originally planned on running my first marathon in Ottawa (and second) but due to injuries was side-lined from accomplishing this. I ended up running my first and second out of town. I am determined that 2015 is my year to run the Marathon in the city I call home.
I am so thrilled to have been invited to join The Ottawa Race Weekend’s Team Awesome. This is such an incredible honour for me. To share my love for running, encourage others to set race goals and connect with other runners throughout our journey to race day is something I’m already so passionate about – being able to do all of this as part of Team Awesome is a forever memory in the making!!
You can follow the entire Team Awesome on a variety of social media sites. We will be using #TORW2015 to connect and chat with all of you. We all have different strengths, personalities, interests and experiences so you’ll likely relate to more than one of us. Meet Team Awesome
If you’ve ran the Ottawa Race Weekend before then you know it’s a fantastic race and an incredible way to see the city. If you have not experienced this race for yourself, it’s a must and you should seriously register. Register Here
Night Race Kit Pickup
I also love volunteering for race kit pick up every year for Ottawa Race Weekend, as this is something my daughter and I do for numerous races in Ottawa. We even convinced my son to come with us for one event. This is such a great way for your kids to be inspired by others, share something with you that you love to do, and in their words, get cool free stuff! You’ll see me at Race Pick Up again this year – say hi if you see me!
The Toronto Marathon did not disappoint!! What an incredible experience. Compared to last year’s adventure (read about it here), this race was everything I had hoped for. My goals for 2014 did not include having 2 stress fractures (same time, same foot), wearing a boot for 8 weeks, no running for 12 weeks and therefore not sure if running a second marathon was going to be possible.
If I was to run another one, I hoped to run again in Toronto to see if, with training and the right gear, I could do better. When I was invited to join the STWM Digital Champions I jumped in and fully committed to doing my best. This incredible opportunity gave me the extra motivation I needed to train hard and believe for a good race. My boot came off mid-May (official training started mid June). I did not have a solid base because of the injury and tried to ease back into running. My injury caused me to miss Around The Bay, Ottawa Race Weekend and Calgary Marathon. The boot came off in time to run Calgary, but with no training for the full, I ran the 5K just to experience it. I even dressed up in an 80’s running costume, something I never do as it’s way out of my comfort zone. But I thought, so what?! Participate, have fun and let loose. 🙂 What a beautiful way to see the city! I’m hoping to still experience the Calgary Marathon in 2015 – but we’ll see.
So after an adventure filled summer of training runs and races, the day finally arrived for the marathon but so did feelings of doubt and anxiety. I fell on a trail run just 2 weeks before the marathon which caused a slight injury in my groin. I couldn’t run for a solid week because of the pain it caused. I got out for a shake out run a few days before and felt okay but not solid.
My goals the morning of the race were to enjoy it, take more in, and be more aware of the people and my surroundings. My time goal obviously was to beat last year’s time. I didn’t know if I could get under 4hr. 45min., as I didn’t feel I was trained up enough. My, “I’m going to cry, can’t believe I did it goal,” was under 4:30 but I honestly had no expectations of that going in. The mental battle of self-doubt was strong and I wasn’t even sure I could complete the second half. I even gave myself permission that if I was in pain at 19K, near the split, I’d make the decision to end the race early and come in for the half-marathon instead.
I had hoped to meet up with the other DCs before the race, but got lost and ended up missing them. I coincidently bumped in to a few of them near the start corals, said a quick hello, grabbed a quick photo and then we were off to line up.
Christine, myself and Susan
Once in the corals with over 25,000+ other people Susan from my running club – who I had no plans to meet up with – happened to find me! This, I believe, was no coincidence! We ended up running the first half together, pacing really well! I ran my first ever continuous 1/2 marathon and pb’d it. I had loosely planned on walking at water stations but because I really wasn’t sure how much pain I’d be in due to the injury I was open to do 10/1s or whatever I had to do to get it done. I hadn’t expected to feel so good. My biggest concerns during the first half was if I was overdoing it, was my pace too fast, should I pull back? What if I tank for the 2nd half? BUT Susan and I talked most of the time and I didn’t feel like I was pushing too hard. Even when I suggested we pull back a bit, within moments we were back running the same pace, feeling good.
For the 2nd half I decided maybe I should switch to 10/1s to be safe–still concerned that maybe I’d tank after the 32K mark, knowing what was ahead still. I had seen Laura (also from my running club) earlier and she was focused, had a plan and was doing her 10/1s. I saw her ahead of me and kept her in my sight. When she walked, I walked, when she ran, I ran. I did this for awhile (I hadn’t set up my app for 10/1’s so this was just logical to me).
At around the 30K mark I was feeling a lot of pain in my right foot. My foot pronates inward and I had been transitioning into newer shoes trying to solve my issues. Add the groin injury on the same side and I think I was overcompensating a bit. I had to push through quite a bit of pain the last 3-4K. BUT I still felt overall pretty good. I was smiling at the camera whenever I saw it, I was enjoying the cheering stations and the people along the route and I even took time to pull alongside fellow DC – JP, aka Batman, to introduce myself in person as we had only been connecting online up to this point. JP is doing amazing things to raise awareness and support for Sick Kids Toronto (you can see more here: Batman Runs For Sick Kids Toronto).
There was a moment when a 4:30 was in my reach, but at around 39K I realized I was going to miss that so I allowed myself to ease up a bit as my foot was killing me. BUT, not too much as I could still come under 4:35. As we rounded the corner entering the final 500m run to the finish line I was hurting a lot! I was considering walking it in when I saw two guys ahead of me, and something in me decided I was not coming in behind them. So I pushed a little bit harder picking up speed for the final 300m passing them both and coming in strong!
When I kicked it up and passed them, the announcer called my name and Christine (pictured above) who had ran the half marathon started yelling my name from up above me somehow….and then it was over. It was amazing and I knew immediately I would do this race again!
Do you set goals? Are you always looking ahead at what is coming up or do you take time to reflect on where you have come from?
How often do we take the time to just enjoy the moment or take in the day of a particular event or race.
I always have another goal or race coming up. It’s how I get up the next day and keep going. There is not a finish in sight for me but just moments and events to check off one at a time.
Having hired a running coach I am no longer “in control” of my running schedule and have submitted myself entirely to his plans and schedule for me. Part of my fall race plans included the Army Run. My coach suggested I run it hard. Now this can be up for debate with people as I’m training for a fall marathon (just 4 weeks away from the Army Half). Some choose to run it as such, a training run, slow and steady and others will race it. The difference when it falls into your training and is not your goal race is that you do not taper for it, you just run it. Tapering allows your body to recover before the race, and of course you’d take time to recover after as well.
After being told to race it, I had a time goal in mind. To beat last years time. I was short 18 sec. to accomplishing this and a tad disappointed when I realized how close I came. When sending in my weekly report to my coach, I reflected on my week in review. I quickly remembered that it was only 4 short months ago that I was removing a cast that I had on for 3 months! I had come back from a serious stress fracture (including a secondary minor one). I built my running back up quickly and most importantly I remained injury free!
So in fact, my race really was a victory for me. I had been training differently, focusing on building strength and using different muscles for only 3 short weeks. I went into the race after a hard training week, including a long run the day before, and I experienced some special challenges the morning of the race, and yet I still came in ONLY 18sec. short of my time last year.
My disappointment very quickly turned around and I was proud of how I ran. Proud that I have worked hard at correcting my running technique to run more efficiently and injury free and the Army run wasn’t my goal race. 🙂
Next up is my second marathon in Toronto. I hope to beat last year’s time, but again I have to celebrate the fact that after an injury I am going to be back running a full marathon and therefore need to be proud of that accomplishment regardless of my time. Getting a “personal best” is the bonus I hope to experience, however the real win has been the journey of getting to the race. The countless hours and kilometres that I’ve invested to achieve this goal.
I’ve had an exceptional training season, new friends, new connections, being part of special groups including the opportunity to be a Digital Champion for my goal marathon and being given the incredible opportunity to test out new running gear and become an ambassador for some of the gear I’ve tested out and loved.
So my question to you: Have you taken a moment to celebrate where you are today? The personal development or steps that you’ve taken to achieve a goal you have. Again, it doesn’t have to be running related. Are you still moving in the direction of the goals you’ve set for yourself? Are you better today than you were say, even one month ago? Remember why you are doing what you are doing and celebrate what you have already accomplished.
Adapting to change was evident in this past weeks training. Although I felt good with my cardio my legs were tired. It was all I could do to complete an “easy” 5K on Wednesday! My mind kept trying to convince my legs to go faster, my legs were just not capable, but I pushed and got it done in probably the worst 5K time ever.
It’s funny when you switch up what you’re doing how quickly your body reacts to the change. I combined two training runs into one on Friday which started off slow but ended up feeling fantastic and strong. By Sundays run I felt like I was back, feeling strong and marathon ready! Sunday was a 29K run and I was back running with my running group for a change, it was awesome! Weather was a cool 3 degrees and didn’t rise much more than 9 I think. This is my kind of weather!
I have been using Pro Compression Socks for my recovery after my long runs and love how amazing they feel! On Friday (15K) I decided to try them running for the first time and could not believe how much support I felt with them. I believe that is why my run started off with tired legs but within the first 4K or so I literally had a bounce to my step, I felt strong and could have easily ran further.
Recovery after long run
My routine after a long run is to put compression socks on for recovery immediately after my shower, as it helps with muscle soreness and blood flow (circulation).
The pro compression socks are so light weight and comfortable I will now be using them for most of my runs for additional support and to help circulation during my long runs. They have the added bonus of keeping me warmer as we move into fall training. Not to mention they have the most amazing fun colours to choose from.
So here are the reasons I think you should try them:
PRO Compression helps increase blood flow which relieves discomfort and assists in recovery.
Super comfortable to be worn during and/or after your runs. Try them and see for yourself just how comfortable they are!
FUN cool colours to choose from.
Variety of styles to choose from (my favourite is the marathon sock).
Would you like a chance to win a pair of Pro Compression Socks?
Simply share with me what you do to stay active and your name will be entered to win. You can comment below, facebook me or send me a tweet 🙂 (deadline is Sunday, Sept. 21st)
You might also want to sign up for the Sock Of The Month Email List for special deals and new product announcements (scroll to bottom of homepage).
You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter to stay informed.
I now realize that I want a few more pairs, as colour choices are just too fun not to have a few, plus I can’t keep up with the wash. 😉
Don’t forget to message me and get your name in for the draw! Good Luck!
As a Digital Champion for the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon I’ve had the amazing privilege of connecting with so many wonderful people online. Many training for their first marathons but a number of ultramarathoners as well. Interacting with so many runners motivates and inspires me daily!
August was a busier than usual month for me in regards to races and boy did I have fun! It’s hard to pick my favourite one however the Ottawa Foam Fest focused on FUNCORE. This is a quick video of what I experienced with my husband and daughter running their first official races Ottawa Foam Fest Video.
23K Trail Run – Halfway and still smiling!
Equally as awesome was my first ever trail run. I absolutely love Ray Zahab’s passion and vision for Impossible2Possible. So when I found out there was an organized trail run with distances ranging from 10K – 100K I wanted to be a part of it. All proceeds went to support the youth ambassadors with I2P. With a little encouragement I signed up for the 23K. Thank goodness two friends decided to run as well, as it would have been a completely different race experience without them! I think I’m pretty much hooked and am now including more trail running in my training.
My training has been going very well, I’m actually enjoying my progress and am having more fun! Long runs are getting long, like really long – today I will be running 32K. I still feel really good and cannot believe we are 6 weeks out from my goal marathon for the fall.
Oh and I have new shoes! I’ve finally made the transition (okay, making the transition slowly) to a lower profile shoe to encourage a more natural running form. So far so good, I still have happy feet!
Fun, right?!
Most recently (but certainly in my thoughts for 6 months or more) I’ve decided to get a running coach. I realize that there are so many amazing athletes who have expertise beyond my own experience in running. Running is not just recreational for me. I do run for fun, for therapy, and for the challenge and overall feel-good feeling I get by getting outside and running. However, I want to be challenged more and accomplish more than I think I can accomplish. I want to achieve some really awesome running goals and for that I will need someone who is more knowledgeable than me to help me achieve the goals I have.
I’ve decided to go all in (well, because that’s what I do! LOL) My training schedule has changed and I’m trusting in the plan and of course my coach. Week 1 of my new training schedule is now in the books and I accomplished everything I was told to do. Nothing more and nothing less. Okay, maybe a wee tiny bit more BUT I’m learning to do a little less for now 🙂 AND I’m happy to be dragging a few running friends along for the ride, making memories, having fun and simply getting out and running!
Up next for me is the Army Run. Not sure if I’ll be racing it or using it as a training run at this point but I know that it’ll be amazing and I’m looking forward to it.
How is your training going? What was your summer highlights? Would love for you to share.
When I chose to sign up for my very first marathon I had no idea the challenges that our family were about to face. I could have chosen to wait and run another time but I had already made the mental commitment to run, I had already psyched myself into doing all that was required to run a marathon. Running during that time became very therapeutic for me, almost necessary. It became a place for me to process my thoughts and feelings, by talking it out with a new running friend, or being lost in my own thoughts and feelings on a long run. I believe training for the marathon saved me in many ways.
So what happened when I discovered every runners worst nightmare and forgot all my gear in another city the eve of my run?
New Running Gear
Read about it here on the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon where they posted my experience in their blog. Honey, I Forgot My Marathon Bag!
