Day 36 - Faster Still

I have to say, I am very surprised and delighted that I am constantly improving my time.
Today's stats: 3miles, 4.84km in 28:32, avg pace 5:54/km burned 417 cal, great run, not to fast but just comfortable. I seem to be finding a rhythm that allows me to continually improve my time without much effort. Which is probably normal since I'm at a good age to peak in the sport, I should be able to find my own gradual pace to improve but I'm worried I'll plateau at some point and I'll really need a coach beside me. If I look ahead at my training program the 20 mile run that will come up in a month or two seems very daunting at the moment. I wonder how I will feel that day of? I wonder if I should go and make some running friends? I really enjoyed the Ottawa Race Weekend experience and it may be nice to have someone to push me a little bit here and there. Well beside my good old Dad who keeps on top of me to guide me on my training from a distance. I'm doing ok now but I"m just anticipating the future 'really long run days' will I be able to push myself?

Day 35 - Born to run

As I'm sure many people were taking in the festivities of the Ottawa Race Marathon downtown today. I was lacing up my sneakers to tackle my long run of the week.
Todays Stats: 6miles, 9.68km in 57:17, avg pace 5:55/km burned 879 cal, I felt really good today. Just went at it as if it was second nature. I was born to run, lovin' every minute of it.
I find it interesting to look at my split time as I usually only run the first 5km in 30mins and seem to make up time on the back half. I do get slow starts in the morning and don't really get loosened up till well into the first mile. That raises the question of how much do I need to warm up before this marathon. Do running do a 1/2 mile warm up before starting the race? I wonder what the ideal is. I know my muscles are pretty cold, stiff and tight at the beginning of my run. And also protecting my muscles from the cold. I remember back in 2004 at the beginning of the PEI marathon way out by the water, the wind and cool air would be just enough to freeze you up before a race. I'll have to plan wardrobe stations just keep be fit before, during and after the race. Or am I looking into this to much?

Day 34 - Ottawa Race Weekend

It's great to be a running at the end of May in Ottawa as it's Race Weekend here. The Ottawa Race Weekend is an amazing event that bring people together from all over the world. Today was a fun day as I got to run the 5km with a friend of mine Carrie Irvine. We have a great time running in the crowd of over 9000 runners, dodging the kids weaving in and out around all the runners to get to the front, bumping elbow with the runners beside us. What a great event to take part in and share with friends and family.

SAT May 29 5:00 pm

Temp 24

Wind

N 22

Humidity 36

Today's Stats: 3miles, 5.14km in 31:06, avg pace 6:03/km burned 1010 cal, avg heart rate of 164bpm, what I liked about this run is I was surrounded with like minded people, the buzz was energetic, I got to share the experience with my girlfriend and felt like I was coasting the whole time. I initially set my time to beat was 29 mins but I'm happy with what I did as there was tonnes of traffic to dodge and running with someone else is not the norm for me. My avg pace was really great and an improvement for sure. Couldn't of asked for a better experience. Thanks to Carrie for sharing Ottawa Race Weekend with me and Dad I wish you as much fun and success as I just had. I really love this running thing!

Day 33 - TGIF

Awesome run today. Ran like clock work. The only little challenge I had was a charlie horse in my right calf muscle. I think I worked out most of it out during my run and did lots of stretching afterward to make sure it not come back.

FRI May 28th 08:00am

Temp 15

Wind

E 7

Humidity 72

Today's Stats: 3 miles, 6.46km in 40:26, avg pace 6:15/km burned 586 cal
It was nice to have some wind in my face this morning running along the river after the last few days of hot hot weather.
I see from my avg pace that I didn't really improve my time much. I wonder if  should be pushing a little harder to get my time down? In the training program is says easy, and so that is what I've been doing. Running easy! Not much extra effort or push. I guess I can save that for tomorrow as I have my 5km race to do at the Ottawa Race Weekend. Like Dad, I don't much like 5km distance races as I'll have to push really hard to beat my time. I can remember one race I did when I was a younger and there was a speed walker who almost beat me in my 5km race time. I was not impressed. I guess looking back at my 3mile times over the last few weeks, I should shoot for a just under 29mins. That would be a full 1min off my regular time. Still doesn't seem that fast, but I guess I was never really good at speed work. So, I'll under promise and over deliver!!
I also want to wish Dad and he's team good luck at the Cabot Trail Relay this weekend. Have fun guys!!
The Cabot Trail Relay Race is a 185 mile/276.33 km, 17 stage relay race throught some of the most beautiful scenery in the world...beginning in Baddeck, Cape Breton, over steep mountains in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park, through many small communities around the famous Cabot Trail, to the gently rolling Margaree Valley.

Day 32 - A way of life

So I've adopted running as a way of life now! I don't even realize it but I'm like on automatic mode when I get up in the morning and I just go through the process of getting up out of bed and get ready to go running right away. I don't even think about doing it or not doing it, I just do it. I've reach a point in the training program now that I'm comfortable with the distances I have to run on a daily basis, I'm able to increase my mileage weekly on a gradual basis and my muscles and ligaments are adjusting well to the workouts and stretching. I have less pain and if any pain does happen it's the good type of pain. Pain of muscles building! :)
Today on my run I found myself thinking about more than just running: am I running correctly, fast enough, in rhythm, was I breathing in my nose and out of my mouth, running with the ideal posture, checking the time, the distance and my heart rate, I found myself thinking about all the amazing positive things I've learned or experiences since I started training a mere 32 days ago. Below is a list of things I came up with during my 40 min run this morning:
-I get to enjoy nature daily
-breath fresh air
-getting daily exercise
-shedding weight
-building muscle
-learning disapline
-developing my writing skills
-daily reflections
-time to myself
-learning a new sport
-developing new habits
-becoming more healthy
-learning to listen to my body
-healing myself from the inside out
-daily stretching
-time to brainstorm the day ahead of me
-setting up systems and processes in time management
-good example for my family to stay in shape
-daily encounters with animals (rabbits, dogs, ducks, turtles, birds, squirrels etc.)
-working towards an amazing goal to run a marathon with my 67 year old DAD

I could go on and on with benefits of running daily but overall, I found that this running thing really isn't about running at all...it's about living life. So all I can say is if you are looking for that connection with yourself, a time to relax, an opportunity to grow from within, give yourself an hour a day and exercise in someway. We all owe ourselves at least that, an hour!

THU May 27  08:00am

Temp 19

Wind

E 20 Humidity

56

Today's stats: 4miles, 6.48km in 39:02, avg pace 6:02/km burned 585 cal, felt great today, not to hot, wind was great to feel on my face, I would say the only annoying thing was I had a little rock stuck in the treads of my shoe today that wouldn't come out but I guess that is the price you have to pay for running on gravel trails.

Day 31 - Hot stuff!

Have you ever ran in a sauna? Well, that's what if felt like running this morning! During the first half of my run it wasn't that bad. I did find it a bit hard to breath as the air was very thick and warm. But as the run went on, it was almost unbearable. By the time I got home it was 27 degrees outside and all I could do was make it inside as fast as I could to drink a glass of water. I couldn't even do my stretching right after my run, I was drenched with sweat and needed a shower ASAP.

WED May 26th 09:00am

Temp 25

Wind

W 15 Humidity

65

Today's Stats: 4 miles, 6.44km in 40:32, avg pace of 6:18/km burned 556 cal, over all a good run but way way to hot. I'm going to have to start running at 6am to avoid this hot weather. I guess that means earlier bed time for me. I should probably drink an extra glass of water too before leaving for my run. I'm not bringing water with me at the moment as I'm only running short distances but once I get up near the 12 mile mark I'll carry water with me. Goal is to wake up early tomorrow to get my run in before is get's to hot!

Day 30 - Pavement vs Gravel

Dan said something really interesting this morning. 'You know Laura if you keep running the same route all the time you will not be giving yourself a full range of training your body will need to run the marathon.' Meaning if I keep running on gravel and running the same route I will get to comfortable and not be ready for what the marathon will throw at me. He said 'it's just like skiing, you can't just ski on nicely groomed trails all season and expect to improve your skiing, you need diversify and ski a variety of conditions like powder, ice etc. to build up your endurance.'
Gravel vs Pavement hmmmmmm gravel gets stuck in the bottom of my running shoes and sometimes little pieces of gravel end up inside my shoe but I can definitely see a difference on the pounding of my joints. It's a bit softer than the pavement. Running on pavement is much more stable than the crushed rock but I don't like the traffic!! So what did I do this morning, I decided to run a different route and to run on pavement instead of the crushed rock. Besides almost getting run over by a O.C. Transit bus, my run was good. I actually found it allot easier running on pavement as I didn't have to brace myself as much and I didn't have to be careful not to twist an ankle.

Tues May 25 08:00am

Temp 22

Wind

W12

Humidity 58

Today's Stats: 5miles, 8.06km in 51:24, avg pace 6:23/km burned 744 cal, avg heart rate of 154 bpm, I felt pretty good, the first half of the run was on pavement so that went pretty smooth but I took the trail on the way back found it a lot harder. Meaning I had to concentrate more, stabilize my footing on the gravel and not to mention the trail has lots of up and down elevations to deal with, so I was a bit slower on the second half of the run. But over all a good run. Didn't push myself to hard today either as I'm trying to keep my runs withing the parameters of the training program that says '5 miles easy'. My time is a bit slow looking at my avg pace but it's within the range of what I've been running that last few weeks, so all is good.

Day 29 - All joy no pain!

What a run, it was so much fun to run today it felt so natural! I loved every step I took. After running 6 miles yesterday I was feeling good leaving the house this morning only having to run 3 miles. And boy was it fun! It was hot, really hot out but running today took no effort. I ran at an even pace, didn't try and over work myself. I had nothing but the feeling of love for the sport of running! I guess my lungs and muscles have reached a new level of performance.

Mon May 24 09:00am

Temperature 20 Wind

W 10  Humidity

58

Today's stats: 3miles, 4.85km in 30:28, avg pace 6:17/km burned 429 cal, avg heart rate of 162 bpm
Not sure what else to say, besides that it felt so good to have a day of running that was all joy and no pain or heavy breathing. This will be enough of a pick me up to keep me going for another month :)

Day 28 - Floating on the Clouds

Great run today! I was up early, well early for a Sunday, I wanted to get my run in early as it was going to be a hot day. I started my run it was 18 degrees and it was 20 degrees by 9am when I finished. I was some glad to have started when I did. I was glad I got to go out first and when I got back Dan went for his bike ride. He says the heat doesn't bother him as he gets lots of cooling off from riding so fast! :)
So the weather details were:

SUN, May 23 08:00am

Temp 18

Wind E 7

Humidity 77

Running stats: 6 miles, 9.65km in 57:30, avg pace 5:57/km, burned 876 cal, avg heart rate 156 bpm,
Everything about the run was great, I felt good the whole run, usually it takes a couple of miles to get into it but today it was like I was floating on the clouds today. I sailed my way from one mile to the next, not to mention at the end of my run, I came across 3 different groups of  about 12 runners. Probably groups from the Running Room who were just starting their run for the day. I flew past them and it felt great. Gave me a little extra boost of energy to know other people were around. Looking forward to my race next weekend. Even though I'm only running the 5km, I think it will be alot of fun. I hope I can bring Sophie with me, I think she would enjoy all the action of the race weekend.
I read on Pete Egoscue's twitter page that if you only breath through your nose during a run or walk that you can rapidly increase your fitness. What do people think about this? I tried this for a bit on my run today but I found it hard to get the amount of oxygen I needed to run properly. I guess this type of exercise would be good for developing your lungs and to help you control your breathing. Anyone else have an opinion on this?
So every two weeks I give you an update on my physique.
Here it is:
                 PreTraining        End of Week 2     End of Week 4
Weight          156lbs                  154lbs                  152lbs
Neck              13"                      12 3/4"                 12 3/4"
Breasts           38"                        37"                     36 1/2"
Waist              32"                       31"                      30 1/2"
Above Hips    37"                        36 1/2"                36"
Hips               39"                        39"                      38 1/2"
Thigh              22"                        22"                      21 3/4"
Calfs              14 1/2"                  14"                       14"
Ankles             8 1/2"                    8 1/2"                8 1/2"
Arm               12 3/4"                  12 3/4"                11 3/4"
Wrist              6 1/4"                    6 1/4"                   6 1/4"


Not bad for 4 weeks of training, as my mom would say 'slice cheese' :)

Anyway, I'm excited about my run today, how I felt and pleased with my time. My 4 milers don't seem to daunting anymore after such a great run today. Have a great long weekend!

Day 27 - Rollin' Rollin' down the highway!

Well rollin' down the trail at least. This morning after suffering through a night of hay-fever I crawled out of bed and forced myself to go running. I kept saying to myself
'you gotta do it now or you won't do it later'...Dan had gone to work so I decided to take Sophie out in the Chariot. She loved it. She was singing and taking in all the action on the trail with people walking their dogs, people biking, running and walking. She even rescued a little bug that somehow landed inside her stroller. Lots of excitement this morning. It was interesting for me to maneuver the stroller on the trail too as the slight incline in the trail was very apparent. Sophie loved the part when I had no choice but to run at top speed down the hill and force my way back up the other side. I however, didn't particularly like that part and found myself almost at walking speed during the push uphill. Overall the run was pretty easy, especially knowing that I only had to run 3 miles today as today is my relax day getting ready for the long run tomorrow morning.

SAT May 22 at 09:00am

Temp15

Wind

NE 4 Humidity

55

Today's stats: 3 miles, 4.83km, 33.05, avg pace 6:51/km, burned 430 cal, not bad considering I was pushing about 50lbs of extra weight, the weather was just OK, overcast and just under the humidity level so it didn't bother me to much. Next Saturday is my 5km race for Ottawa Race Weekend I will be running at 5pm in the afternoon, that will be a switch for me. Looking forward to it.

Day 26 - Pain Pain go away, come back...

Never! My biggest wish is to have this internal pain go away and never come back. I have to say, I do feel better, healthier and much more toned since I started running. It's just this chronic back and left hip and leg pain that never seems to go away. I know most people would say 'oh I see Laura all the time I would never think she was in pain' or 'she must not be in that much pain, she training to run a marathon...' but the fact of the matter is it's a pain I have lived with for over 11 years now. It's always there and I have just learned how to go about my day and try not to have it affect me. The real bad and most painful time for me is early in the morning, when I'm just waking up. It takes me a good 10 mins to get my joints in moving so I can get out of bed. But I know that once I start moving I won't feel as bad. I guess always staying mobile and moving is the best way to fend off this arthritis. As that is what the doctors say I have arthritis of my sacrum. So anyway, as I was getting ready for my run all I could think about was the song Pain, Pain go away come back another day....except I hope it never comes back. I know if I keep trying hard, running everyday, stretching and staying mobile I will win in the end.
Pain and all I shuffled out the door and took baby steps as I headed down the street. As wouldn't you know it after a bit my muscles loosened up and I was on my way.

FRI, May 21 08:00am		temperature 13		Wind	E 15     humidity	41

Today's stats: ran 4 miles, 6.45km in 41:46, avg pace 6:29/km, burned 588 cal, 158 lbs, run was slow starting but pretty neutral after 1 mile in,knees, shins and calve muscles hurt today, I can feel the muscles building, easy run today and tomorrow to get ready for long run on Sunday.

Day 25 - new route new records

So I decided in stead of writing something random each day. I thought I would pick out something from my run and write about that and also do some research around the particular topic and share with you what I've found and as for your advice. So if any of you followers out there have suggestions on anything I write about please feel free to make suggestions.
The topic I was thinking about today was journaling. I'm having alot of fun keeping track of my progress and I think it is a real factor in my success so far so I wanted to know if other professional running keep records. I did some research and found that keeping a training dairy is very common and is one of the most important aspects of a successful runner. It allows the athlete to gauge progress, assess improvements and failures to avoid injury and helps keep momentum from one training season to the next. In one of the running book I referenced they suggested keeping the following info each day:
1. Date and day of the week
2. Distance or time run; the course or place running occurred
3. overall evaluation of the run: weather, type of effort (eg., hard, moderate, easy), feelings, comments (eg. felt sluggish on up hills), training partner or group
4. Pulse - resting (taken in the morning while still in bed), training pulse, when and where relevant or of interest of you.
5. weight, measured before run
6. list of planned upcoming races
7. Long and short term goals, chart up to one year

So here I go:
Thursday May 20th, 2010, ran 4 miles, 6.44km in 39:34, avg pace 6:09/km burned 569 cal, avg heart rate 165 bpm, resting heart rate 120 bpm, 154 lbs,

THU 07:00

Temp 14

Dew 10

Wind

W 6 Humidity

77

For me I found it really hot at 7am this morning, humidity was high, glad I ran as early as I did. Felt good, calf muscles a bit tight but I took a different route so I didn't have to do any hills today and I hope this will help. The route I took today was really flat compared to my usual path I take. My time is still hovering around 39 mins so I think I will start beating that by next week as a 4 miler will become the basis of my training.
The Ottawa Race weekend is coming up on the 29th and 30th so since the 10 km and half marathon are sold out I think I will run the 5 km for fun. Maybe I'll take Sophie with me if I'm allow to bring a stroller. This will be my first race during my training. It will be fun to shake things up a bit. TGIF tomorrow.

Day 24 - my running rollercoaster

How come when I start my runs I have such a hard time getting going? I start running and I can't seem to get any momentum until about 2 miles into my run. I do admit I'm a bit tiered some mornings when I start running but I don't think it would take 10 mins of stretching and 2 miles to get going. Then I run the next 2 miles pretty easy and with an extra pep in my step. Of course when I'm nearing the end of my run it seems a bit hard again as it's the mental thing that pops up when you know you are almost done your run and just want to get there. Not to mention the last part of my run everyday is up a hill, so I have to keep the momentum and speed running up hill is not always an easy task.
So I wonder, how will my endurance stand up in a 26 mile run? I'm sure I'll have some parts that will be easy and some hard, some when I'm ready to just fly and other times when I just want to give up! I wonder what my marathon rollercoaster will be like? I know I will never really know what to expect on D-day but all I can do is make sure I train everyday, stick to my training plan and hopefully the 6 months of hard work leading up to the marathon carry me through the day.
Today's stats: 4 miles, 6.44km in 38:37, avg pace 5:60/km burned 571 cal - oh look at that, I beat my time again!! woo hoo!! - I guess there is something positive that comes out from it being that TIME of the month! :) Ladies you know what I mean!

Day 23 - must blog...

Today's stats: 4 miles, 6.47km in 39:30mins, avg pace 6:06km burned 567 cal, I'm just writing this update now at 10pm this evening because I can't go to bed without blogging everyday about my run. I had a crazy day today and didn't get to the computer to make my blog post BUT I did my run and just wanted you all to know :) Running again in 8 hours and since I didn't get much sleep last night I'm off to bed to get some shut eye. I'll dream and/or visualize me running the marathon with my dad as I fall asleep

Day 22 - Wedgie

So I'm glad I have all these small 3 mile runs to test out equipment, cause let me tell you. I don't think I could of gone another mile wearing the shorts I wore this morning!! Normally when I run I wear spandex shorts, I find they are comfy, cover my thighs, make for less wind resistance and never ride up! I should of known better but all my spandex shorts were in the wash so I grabbed a pair of what I would call more traditional running shorts, low cut shorts that matched one of my running tops. Big mistake, the shorts kept riding up in between my legs and my thighs were sticking together - it was so uncomfortable not to mention I probably looked like a retard picking my shorts out of my crotch every 30 feet. So the moral of this running lesson is go buy more spandex running shorts so that I never have to go running with out them again.
Now that I think of it, I'm pretty picky when it comes to what I wear running. I hate t-shirts, I hate anything on my arms restricting my movement back and forth! I always wear a tank top and if it's cold I'll put a light running coat over that but that's about it. My socks have to fit just right in my running shoes or I have to take them off and put my shoe back on again or get another pair of socks. I don't like wearing hats but I do where a visor if I have to. I have a sweatband I wear if it's really hot out cause I don't like the sweat in my eyes.
Oh my, I never realized how many things you have to take into consideration to have a good run.
All though I just thought 'I'll run a marathon!' why not, can't be that hard...it's week four I'm having lots of fun and love experiencing a new adventure each day, lots more to learn I'm sure.
Today's stats: 3 miles, 4.83km in 30:26, avg pace 6:18/km burned 428 cal, avg heart rate 161 bpm

Day 21 - Officially a habit

As the saying goes 'Do something for 21 days in a row and it becomes a habit'. Today was my 21st time I ran in a row. Which officially means running is now ingrained as a habit for me. I don't really have to push myself out the door anymore in the morning. I just automatically start the steps in my morning routine and I'm off running before I know it. Have you ever tried to start something new or change a bad habit? It's not an easy thing to do but as long as you are strong willed, determined and persevere I believe we can achieve anything.
I was thinking about all the Olympians I watched at the Olympics this winter when I finished my run this morning. My personal goal I set for myself was to do my 6.2km run this morning in under 1 hour. A very obtainable goal seeing that it was just an easy 6 miler I had to do this morning. I have to say, I felt the heart ache I'm sure many Olympians felt when they miss their target by 1 sec or less. As you can see my time for 6.20miles, 9.98km was 1:00:01 just a second over my desired goal. The avg pace was 6:01/km, burned 1346 cal and avg heart rate of 165 bpm. I learned two things from this run today, 1. if you set a goal, track your progress, their is no reason I couldn't of beat my desired run time, I just didn't track my speed through out the run. And 2. Maybe I need to start bringing water with me on my longer runs? I always drink 1 to 2 glasses of water before leaving the house but as my runs get longer I'm going have to bring water along the way to stay hydrated. So I wonder what the maximum amount I should run before I should start bringing water with me is?
All in all it's a great feeling. Being able to fall asleep at night, no tossing and turning just solid sleep and then awake fresh and ready to run. It's been along time since I've slept through the night due to the chronic back pain which I've suffered for the last 11 years. But now that I'm in a routine of exercising and doing three rounds of stretching daily the pain has seemed to have subsided. It's not 100% gone but I can definitely feel an improvement.
So I've reached my first milestone in my time-line for achieving a completed marathon with my dad, it was to 'run 21 days in a row to solidify habit'! DONE, Achieved, checked off...now what? My next question is should I run in the Ottawa Race Weekend 5km next weekend? I'm suppose to run a 3 miler that day anyway. How do races impact the training schedule?
Lots of questions for all you running experts out there, I can't believe how many questions pop up from day to day when writing this blog. I thought for sure I would run out of things to talk about but as usual there is no loss of words for Laura. Love the advice, support and encouragement from all my family, friends and followers. Keep it comin'!

Day 20 - Nothing like a new pair of shoes!

Lucky girl, just got a new pair of shoes! So, how important are running shoes really? Let me just tell you when I decided to start training for this marathon I didn't think about whether or not I had the right equipment or not. I just got up in the morning, got dressed, put my running shoes from 2006 on my feet and started training. It's only after about 2 weeks I started feeling the pounding of the ground in my heels, calves and knees. Finally I realized that I'd better get a new pair of running shoes as these ones have had their day. You can see from the pictures below that the treads are pretty much gone and there was absolutely no bounce left in these ones.

They was just nothing left in them.








I"m lucky to have my support team out there looking after me. My thoughtful mother, called me the other day and said she saw a sale on Saucony Running Shoes at Sports Check. As the loving mother she is, she sent me some egg money, so I could treat myself to a new pair of shoes. Thanks MOM you are the best. I will think of you every morning and every step of my marathon.

And let me tell you they were needed








You wouldn't believe the difference in the bounce in my step. I actually felt like I was getting a foot massage during my run it was so soft and comfy! Not to mention they look really cool and match my company brand!
I like Saucony brand because of the mess the shoes has over the toe area. You can see it in the photo, it's almost as if you don't have anything covering your toes when you have the shoes on allowing them to breath and expand if needed.
These are the specs official specs:
The Saucony Progrid™ Triumph 6 shoe provides a plush, flexible ride for the neutral runner. The synthetic and breathable mesh upper of this women's running shoe offers durable protection, while the HRC strobel board increases cushioning and step-in support. The SSL EVA maximizes rebound while minimizing weight; the shock-absorbing SRC Impact Zone sets the foot up for a smooth transition. The XT-900™ carbon rubber outsole of the Saucony Progrid™ Triumph 6 shoe offers exceptional traction on a variety of terrain.
Weight: 9.6 ounces in size 8
So my question is...what is the normal or maximum amount of weight that a pair of running shoes should be for a marathon? I don't want to have extra weight to carry on this long journey.
Today was a good day to test out the new shoes, it was an easy 3 miles, 4.90km in 31:34, avg pace 6:27/km and burned 458 cals. I got a chance to break them in easy. Long run tomorrow, ready for anything now!

Day 19 - Trotting

Do you know what I mean when I say totem animal?
'An Animal Totem is an important symbolic object used by a person to get in touch with specific qualities found within an animal which the person needs, connects with, or feels a deep affinity toward. ' Read More 
Well I have many encounters with one of my totem animals a 'stallion/horse' in the last few years and I have to say today was no exception!
Dad told me I had to have an easy run today, let my body rest and just enjoy the scenery so I decided to think of this as more of a trot than a run...so I trotted out the front door and left for my daily jont.
The training was pretty low key today, the only real excitement was a cute little bunny that hopped across the path in front of me, for a wild animal it had the most fluffiest white tail I have ever seen.
It's so great to connect with nature each day, it relaxes you, relieves any stress, opens your eyes to beautiful world around us and gives you a great start to the day. I would highly recommend you find a sport or set a goal for yourself that you have only wished you could do. Think back when you were a child and think of what made you excited, fulfilled and happy. I know the next sport I'm getting back into is Dancing once I've reached this marathon goal. Whether you are trotting, biking, skiing, swimming or playing golf get outside and enjoy the fresh air. You won't be disappointed.
Overall today ended with a 3 mile, 4.89 km in 31:26, avg pace 6:26/km burned 422 cal, avg heart rate of 165 bpm Excited I get to trot again tomorrow!

Day 18 - Where did that come from?

Today was a normal day, didn't feel good or bad just knew I had to go do my run quickly and get home so Dan could take the girls to school! Today is Isabelle's birthday so she was excited to go to school. I felt pretty good today on my run, really pushed a little to hard in a few areas thinking if I could just push through the pain, soon I'd feel ok again. During my run, I noticed alot more about the elevation. Today it seemed as though I was constantly going up a hill, I could feel every change in elevation. I found this weird as I had never noticed it in that light before. I'm guessing it was more apparent because I had increase my speed slightly and was noticing any little challenges I came across. Kind of like when I got chased by a barking poodle this morning on the trail. Most days my runs are calm and uneventful. If I do run into people walking on the trail with their dogs they have been very nice and never really bother me. The dogs are always suppose to be on a leash but no one ever walk their dog on a leash because it's their fun time to be outside. I don't mind as I love dogs and totally understand where they are coming from. However this morning the dog owner was walking with a cane and couldn't keep her dog in check so it ended up following me down the trail barking at my ankles. The dog tiered early and returned to it's owner.
After the dog incident, I noticed another a change in my performance. I was tiered and off my pace. I guess I had exerted much energy trying not to step on the dog which then slowed me down. I did get back on track after a few 100 feet but those elevations were coming out of no where again!
I'm guessing this is what I will be feeling like when we hit the last 6 km of the marathon. Dad is telling me that it's all a mind game by that point in the race and your legs and lungs just want to give up and you just need to keep telling yourself you are almost there.
Well, between you and me...I've been giving myself that speech every day out on my run, 'ok, your at 1mile, only 3 more to go, ok half way done, the worst is over yet, really only 1 mile left and your almost back home...' does anyone else talk to themselves like this when they are running. Or am I the only one   :)
Oh ya, today I ran 4.20 miles, 6.81km in 38:24 avg pace 5:38/km, burned 574 cal and tracked my heart rate today for the first time, the avg heart rate was 165 bpm.
Two easy days comin' up...oh how I long for the 3mile runs  :)

Day 17 - She's Like the Wind...

NOT! I'm more like an elephant trotting in the woods with it's ears and trunk swingin'! I try really really hard to be light on my feet and have a consistent rhythm while running but it's not always the case. Between, breathing hard, telling my muscles what to do and watching where I'm going, 'elegance' doesn't come into play at the beginning stages of learning how to become a runner. I guess this is what you need to experience to gain endurance. Like in skiing, Dan would say one needs to move from initiation then to acquisition then to consolidation and finally to refinement stage before perfecting the sport.
I remember Dad telling us when we were younger, that 'your arms are just as important as your legs while running'. Keeping your arms in sync with your feet, moving back and forth at a consistent pace and using your hands to cup the air as you run.  I"m not as graceful as I'd like to be and I'm definately not 'Like the Wind', more like 'blowing wind'!
I did however improve my time, today I ran 3 miles, 4.86km in 29:56, avg pace 6:10 /km burned 414 cal, I did my easy run this morning, the one I should of done on Monday because I had to be back home early for a full day of meetings. It worked out well as I needed a short run today.
What is your definition of an 'elegant' runner? Can we be unconventional while running and still be effective and improve? What are the different stages in the sport of 'running'? I guess you can see I'm no longer looking at running as 'an action' that we can all do as humans to one degree or another. I"m really starting to analyze running as a sport. How to do the best training. How to make sure I"m using the best equipment. And how do I get from the starting line to the finish line the fastest.
I guess you can call me a serious runner now! Well once I hit 21 days I think I will officially be a 'runner', at least running every morning will be ingrained as a habit by then. Hopefully all you'll be seeing of me, is my 'Tail Wind'!!

Day 16 - no sleep and I still ran

For all you ladies out there that have a snoring husbands, your not alone. I think I must of gotten a total of 2 hours sleep last night. And of course all I could think about was my run in the morning being dead tiered. I did however pro vale and actually I surprised myself and improved my time again this morning. I ran 4:01miles, 6.45 km in 39:30, avg pace 6:08/km and burned 552 cal. I love beating my time to get it under the next even number. I know I will only get stronger and improve my time and for fun I decided to check out qualifying time for the Boston Marathon as these are the times to strive for. See below:

Age	Men	Women
18-34	3:10	3:40
35-39	3:15	3:45
40-44	3:20	3:50
45-49	3:30	4:00
50-54	3:35	4:05
55-59	3:45	4:15
60-64	4:00	4:30
65-69	4:15	4:45
70-74	4:30	5:00
75-79	4:45	5:15
80+	5:00	5:30

So looking at these times I know that being 31 years old I would have to run a marathon in 3hrs and 40mins. So then I wanted to know what pace I have to run at and compare it to what I'm running now. I found this great calculater that you can input your age and # of miles you are running a week and it will tell you the pace you will need to run at. Needless to say I have a ways to go.

How Much Speed Do I Need To Hit a Boston Qualifying Time?

Your Age:

Your Gender: Please Select M F

I run: miles a week

The slowest you can run and still qualify for the Boston Marathon is 3:40:59. This is a 8:25 per mile pace. If you train at 27 miles per week, you need to run a 5 K in 21:21 which is 6:52 per mile pace.


My #1 goal in training for this marathon is to run it and complete it with my Dad. Then goal #2 would be run it in under 4:15 so Dad can qualify for Boston one more time. I think that will be the ideal situation.

Anyway, I"m having fun learning about this sport of running that I thought I knew so much about. Like any sport should it be skiing, running or golf...we always have more to learn.

Day 15 - Wrapped up

That'll teach me...I ran 4miles today and on the running schedule I only had to run 3miles. But I forgot to double check what I was suppose to run today before leaving the house and a mile into the run I started questioning myself as to how far I had to go. I thought that since I ran 6 miles yesterday for sure they would only want me to run 3 miles today as a easy down day. But, I wasn't sure and I didn't want to ruin my training program by running a mile short so I ran 4 miles today just to make sure. My time was not bad either considering I was very tiered from my run the day before. The results of my run were 4 miles, 6.45km in 41:06, avg pace 6:23/km burned 578 cal.
Before leaving the house this morning I did do something different. I wrapped up my left thigh. I found a wrap in the medicine cabinet and thought it would be a good idea to wrap that muscle to keep it warm and together. I've tried everything else...hot, cold, stretch, yoga, rolling, hitting it but that muscle does not want to let go. I'm very flexible as in I can touch my toes, head on my knees but it's not those hamstring muscles that hurt it's the little ones in behind or around the main hamstring muscle that connect to my ass muscle. I do the pigeon stretch and that seems to reach those muscles I need to stretch but still no improvement. I've also been rotating my hip joints a lot to keep that area agile and I'm taking glucosamine with my protein powder...anyone else out there have other suggestions? Not sure if wrapping the leg was a good idea or not but it didn't seem to hurt. What are the expert opinions out there?

Day 14 - Blown away!

Today was the long run for the week 6.2 miles, 9.98 km in 1:03:53, avg pace of 6:24/km burned 915 cal, I was pretty disappointed with the outcome as I wanted to come in under 1hr but I guess I took it to easy and didn't factor in the amount of wind out there this morning. The wind was blowing so hard across the Ottawa River, I had to force just to stand up straight. Hat and mitts were worn and despite all efforts to stay warm I could hardly fell my hands when I arrived home after the run. With NW winds of up to 33km/h it feels like -3 outside. Not the ideal weather to run in but I guess I would take that over a 30 degree hot summer day! If I'm going to be a marathon runner there is no fair weather training, it has to be done everyday rain or shine, cold or hot, no matter what holiday it happens to be.
As for body toning and weight I've been keeping track of that too. It will be fun to compare the before and after results. So today here's where I stand.
                   PreTraining      End of Week2
Weight          156lbs                  154lbs
Neck              13"                      12 3/4"
Breasts           38"                        37"
Waist              32"                       31"
Above Hips    37"                        36 1/2"
Hips               39"                        39"
Thigh              22"                        22"
Calfs              14 1/2"                  14"
Ankles             8 1/2"                    8 1/2"
Arm               12 3/4"                  12 3/4"
Wrist              6 1/4"                    6 1/4"

The only real goal I have re body toning is to get Above Hips area to be within 1" of waist and arms to be strong, toned and as thin as possible. I'm guessing all this cardio will play a big roll in helping do that but I still do my push ups and core toning exercises daily.
Well off to enjoy Mother's Day...have a good one.
P.S. Mr. Charlie is still there hanging out in a big way!

Day 13 - early, cold, painful and fast

Today was an early rising...I was attending a CAPS meeting at 8:30am this morning so I had to run with the birds again. Is was very cold, windy and hamstring didn't like the conditions it had to endure however everything else was strong and lively which made for a pretty good run 3miles, 4.83km in 30:00, avg pace of 6:13/km and burned 402 cal. (still need to get time down) I think the rule of thumb is 2 weeks to develop strong running lungs or is that your lungs will keep their efficiency up for 2 weeks after you stopping to run? I'm sure one of the running experts reading this blog will enlighten us on the issue! Whatever the case, I can feel my body getting stronger. I yearn for my run in the morning and know that the morning is my time to run, because if I don't get it done before I start my day it will never get done. So I've found my formula, get up, get dress, stretch, water and run...no matter what I have on the go that day or no matter how busy I will be. #1 is get the run done and out of the way.
I started thinking about what the conditions will be like on marathon day. As you know I train along the Ottawa river and some mornings it's quit windy and cold. The running conditions actually reminds me a lot of the PEI Marathon route and the weather along the Gulf of St. Lawrence. I'm not one for the cold but I'm sure I'll learn how to layer my clothing and prepare for a marathon in varied weather. The more I think about running a marathon the more I realize I need to research my facts and consult good old Dad for advice in all areas. All I know is I keep envisioning me hand in hand with my Dad, as we cross the finish line...Dad hope you are training as hard as I am. Love you! Long run tomorrow :)

Day 12 - Hey Mr. Charlie go away!

Today was a short 3miler, 4.85 km in 31:19, avg pace 6:27/km burned 956 cal. Now that is what the watch said but I don't think I really burned 956 calories. That's double what it usually says so maybe today the watch was off a bit.
Lots of stretching before running this morning. 'Mr. Charlie' was in my left hamstring all night which made it really hard to sleep but at the normal 6:45am wake up I was up and getting ready for the run. I did two rounds of stretches, rolled and used the electric muscle massage machine to loosen it up my hamstring. I did as much as I could before going out. Once out on the trail it didn't really affect me or my performance in my run. Actually I improved my time by 2 mins...still need to get that time under 30mins for sure.
So who has some suggestions for additional exercises I could do to stretch out that hamstring? I find all the muscles on the back of my body, lower back, buttoxs, hamstrings and hipflexers are all really tight. All you runners out there what does your stretching routine include? Looking forward to a rainy weekend...

Day 11 - I've got the support I need but not the kind your thinking of!

After such a long day yesterday, up early to run and didn't get home till 10pm last night. I slept in this morning till 8am!! It was awesome, but put me a bit behind in my schedule today hence I did not writing my blog post till 8pm tonight. However, I couldn't go a day without reporting...and I have some goods news for you all! This morning I ran 4miles, 6.45km in 41:37, avg pace 6:28/km burning 573 cal.............isn't that awesome? I beat my 4 mile time by 3 minutes. Now I have a few theories for the great run this morning.
Theory #1 - I wore my famous Oprah Enell sports bra after Dan mentioned I should have some more support while running so I went and my sports bra and wore it for the first time in a long time and it was really different. It changed my whole posture and the way I felt when I was running. I'm guessing posture and basic body position is pretty important in maximizing performance as it is in any sport. Sometimes you forget that their are techniques to any sport and training with the optimal equipment is important. So, for any of you lady runners out their I highly recommend this Enell bra, it was on Oprah a while back and I bought it at my girlfriends' shop in PEI called Just Us Girls, but I'm sure you can find it online.
Theory #2 - The EVOLV Water I drank yesterday had to play a part in my performance today. Yesterday I had 2 or 3 bottles of this water and this morning I had more energy, felt more fit and stronger. Who knows what played the part in the success of my run today but it felt good to knock down my time by a 3 whole minutes. Now let's see if I can keep it up, it would be great if I could run the marathon in under 4 hours. I'll be calling up my EVOLV girlfriends for more water that's for sure! Talk to you in a few hours...

Day 10 - up with the sun this morning

Big day today, flat out till 10pm as I have my eWomenNetwork event tonight. I was up with the sun this morning ran 3miles, 4.83km in 33:27 avg pace 6:55/km burned 422cal. got to see the sun rise and met some ducks on the trail. Quick fast run this morning, now off to get ready for the long day. More tomorrow.

Day 9 - Need new playlist

Bounced out of bed this morning! Not sure if it's because I'm excited to go running or excited to get the run over with! :) Today I decided to bring my iPod on the run with me. I usually never run with music, I guess I come from the old school of listening to your body and enjoying nature while outdoors. So, the experience I had was mixed. The idea of being entertained by music while I run interested me because it can get boring out on the trail especially running the same route all the time. However, when I listen to music I am emotionally effected by it, as I'm sure many of us are. But when I listened to the music I have on my iPod I found it very hard to run to. Between, Celine Dion, Metallica, Classical and my audio books I was more annoyed than pleased to have music on my run. So I'm guessing I need a 'Running Playlist', something to get me warmed up, pumped up and safely to the finish line. Any runners out there have a favorite song you like to run to? If so, I'd love to know about it. I will build a new playlist and try this running with music thing again. But not until I think I have the right music to run to.
Today I ran 4miles, 6.43km in 44:26mins at an avg pace of 6:55/km and burned 527cal. broke the 45minute mark. I can feel that my muscles and joints are getting strong each and everyday. Still some hip joint pain and 'Mr. Charlie' is still there off and on in my left ham string but over all body parts are working great, body is toning up and I'm shedding the winter coat! Running has always been a great way for me to loose weight fast and it's a great way to kick start the spring season. I just might entertain a bikini this summer!
Oh and before I sign off, I want to say a big THANK YOU to all my supporters out there! I love all the little messages on Facebook, emails of encouragement and pats on the back. If it wasn't for you all I would of given up by now...just kidding! Dad I won't let you down! :) Reverse psychology has always driven me to succeed...see you at the starting line.

Day 8 - I'm singing in the rain, I'm running in the rain

Humid and wet this morning! At first glance outside this morning I saw wet grass and the remainder of the rain dripping from the eavesthrough . I got all dressed and ready to go, I couldn't find my running shell so I grabbed my rain coat and left for my run. Big mistake it was so warm I had to hook my coat on a branch on the trail at the beginning of my run and pick it up on my way back. The rain was actually a blessing, it kept me cool and it was actually really nice to have the rain on my face this morning. What's the saying 'one with nature'!
The beginning of week 2, I ran 3miles, 4.85km in 32.57, avg pace 6.48/km burned 384 cal. I remember when I could run 5k in 27 mins...not looking to acheive that right now. Slow and steady wins the Marathon.
I will need new shoes soon. The ones I have are pretty much dead as in no bounce left. I can't remember the number of miles you should run on a pair of sneakers but I definitely don't want to be breaking in a new pair of shoes the week before the marathon. My Saucony shoes have been treating me pretty good but I'm sure there is new technology out their for marathon running shoes. Any suggestions on a great woman's running shoe? Till tomorrow...

Day 7 - 1 week down 25 to go

Sunday is the long run! Today I ran 5miles, 8.06 km in 53.16, Avg pace 6:37/km burned 711 cal. for a total of 25 miles this week. It was a good run today, nothing out of the ordinary. I'm finding this a total metal thing, I felt really good running today but as soon as I knew I was getting close to finishing my run it's like my body said 'ok your tiered time to stop' I had to really push it the last 200 feet. I usually finish my runs with a sprint at the end, not sure why, maybe because Dad always use to get us to run our hearts out at the end of a race when we where young. So I always find some stored energy at the end of the race to pull me across the finish line, but today I rally had to go deep to find that extra energy.
This morning, I was the first one out on the trail. I can't remember the last time on a Sunday morning I was willing and able to get out of bed before 7am, must be the running fueling me with extra energy in the mornings. As my family would attest I'm not much of a morning person!
Running alone along the trail this morning got me thinking about safety. Safety for myself if I was ever to get injured out on the trail or if ever unwanted company came around. I'm going to start carrying my cell phone and of course brush up on my self defense skills! I need to cross train in another sport anyway. I make sure to do my ankle exercises every morning to avoid injury out on the trail. I have to be careful when running because even though the trail is cleared, it still has spots where the gravel gathers and it's easy to loose your footing. So all in all 1 week down and 25 to go...

Day 6 - just another day on the trail

Saturday morning and I think everyone had the same idea this morning because there was tonnes of people on the trail this morning, cyclist, runners, walkers with their dogs and 100s of birds signing a morning tune. Even though today was an easy 3 miler, all I could think about was that I have to run 5 miles tomorrow. Funny what we think about when we run. I don't run with music but I think I will do up a playlist of favorite tunes for tomorrow's run so I don't get bored. Today I ran 3.04miles, 4.89km in 32:54, Avg Pace 6.44km and burned 398 cal. I dedicated a good 20mins before and after my run to stretch. Now I feel great! I'll spend the rest of day mentally preparing for my long run tomorrow.