Scotia Bank Half-Marathon Race Report!

"The goal you set must be challenging. At the same time, it should be realistic and attainable, not impossible to reach. It should be challenging enough to make you stretch, but not so far that you break."

Rick Hansen

We're off! :)

The things I could control, I did, the things I could not, well, they couldn't have gone any better. The weather was amazing, a sunny 65­F with a nice light breeze, just perfect. I was lucky enough to not be injured through this whole training cycle and on race day! The course was relatively flat and we ran next to the Olympic bassin, on trails, and on the F1 circuit...very cool. Only little blip is that my Garmin died on me, but luckily I wasn't alone. 

The most wonderful part of this whole race was being with my daughter. Just having her by my side was a huge boost. 

The first 10km truly flew by and we crossed the 10k mat in 1h01m53s, practically a 10k PR! It continued to go smoothly for another 3km, but by 14k, I was starting to find it more difficult to maintain my pace. I noticed that km 15 and 16 were my two slowest. As we neared km 17, I asked my  daughter how long we'd been going: Jess, "1h44m" - Me, "I don't think I'll make it" - Jess, "We'll make it mom, let's go" as she took my hand. When we crossed the 17K mark, she said, "We've got this mom, even if we go 7min/km we've got this." This was exactly what I needed to hear, and so I just took off again. All I kept thinking was, "It's all mental now, until the end, it's all mental." At this point, I realized that my daughter wasn't next to me. I knew that her knees were hurting her and that this was causing her grief, but she had made me promise to go for it if she had to slow down. She wanted this for me as much as I wanted it for myself and I knew I couldn't give in now. 

I didn't have my Garmin, so I didn't know how I was doing, but I knew I was pushing it as much as I could at this point. When I crossed the finish line, I knew I had done it, but I didn't know by how much. I waited for my daughter, who arrived a few minutes after me. She was under the 2:15 mark and she was so excited for me, even though she was hyperventilating a bit! 

My official time is 2h12m37s!!! A 5 minute 20 second PR!! 

I am so proud of my daughter for running her first half-marathon with me and for being there when I truly needed her. I love you so much Jess! Myself, I'm really proud of the fact that I followed through. I did the intensive training and achieved my goal...and because of my training, I have hardly any post-race pain, which is pretty cool!

Congrats to our whole group and thanks to my brother for being the official photographer!!

I love you all :)

Next up is a 9km trail race in June with Uber H! Then, at the end of June begins marathon training for Philly, which is in November. We will be celebrating my Super SIL's 50th birthday (she's second from the right on the photo). Another exciting event!

Thanks for your encouragement everyone!

Cheers!

Full on taper!

"Ability is what you are capable of doing.
Motivation determines what you do.
Attitude determines how well you do it."
Lou Holtz

Interestingly, my taper started last Sunday with a 24K long run...?! It was at an easy running pace, but still, it didn't seem like much of a taper. I did it and I was fine! It helped that Uber H joined me for the first 5K and then at the 10K mark, my brother P and my niece joined me for 10K. It was nice to have company as I've done most of my long runs alone.

The rest of the week was a little smoother, although Wednesday included some intervals. Today was a 12K long run with 10 minutes at race pace. Again I had company, as Uber H joined me and it went well. 

The rest of the week is relatively relaxed, although Wednesday includes five minutes at 5K pace and Thursday, which is only 20 minutes, includes 6 - 8 x 100 meter strides. Friday rest, Saturday 20 - 30 minute "jog" to loosen up and Sunday is the big day!

I've got the ability to run a half-marathon. My training program included nine long runs of 20K to 28K and I've officially run at least six. So I know I can do it.

I've definitely got the motivation and I've been lucky enough to remain quite motivated throughout my 23-week training program. Before I started this program, I was a bit worried that it would be too much, but I also felt that it was time to believe in my strength. Well, I did it, I completed this whole training cycle injury-free (so far) and I learned to trust my body. So I want to do well. 

All that's left is to make sure I have the right Attitude on race day. I want to push harder than I've ever pushed before in a race...I will run for all the Boston runners who were unable to finish their race, for the families who lost loved ones and for the injured. I tend to give in to my fears near the 18k mark, but this time, I want to find my inner STRONG and push it to the finish! I can do this!

On a totally different topic...I finally figured out how to get rid of calluses on my feet! I was worried that if I removed the calluses, I would then get blisters again. However, the calluses had gotten so thick that I was feeling pain on the outsides of my big toes. I figured it was best to try and do something about it. I found a tool that is like a wooden spatula with sand-paper on both sides (rough and smooth-ish). I soak my feet for about 10 minutes, then I rub the rough side on my callus, followed by the smoother side, and then I put foot cream on the callus followed by socks for the night to let my skin absorb the cream. It works really well and although I still have calluses (considering how thick they were) they are smaller. So, I am not worried about getting blisters, but I have no more pain on long runs. I know many of you probably already knew this, but I never read about it anywhere and I was really wondering if it was a good idea to do this...it was :)

Time for bed! It's harder to get to bed at a reasonable time as I'm less tired...taper madness has set in somewhat. I keep worrying that maybe my lungs are not doing so well and should I or shouldn't I take prednisone...and maybe it's a mild cold...or maybe it's my candida that's back in my throat...and I'm eating too much for the amount of exercise I'm doing...and am I resting enough...etc. It's not too bad though...I know these issues are mostly in my head! 

Cheers! 

Yes! Let me catch you up!

"He who has a why to live can bear almost any how." Friedrich Nietzsche

Here I am only two weeks away from my goal race...it's hard to believe that over the last 21 weeks I have missed only two long runs (which were replaced by shorter runs but not missed completely). I've attended yoga usually once a week and as soon as I joined the gym at the end of December I added a weekly spin class and a strength workout (again I was lucky enough to miss only a handful of these sessions). You have no idea how amazed I am! Only a year ago, I was afraid that this intensive program would be too much for me. But, at this point, I can say that I did it! The last two long runs included 8K and 10K at race pace...and I nailed them! 

I don't know what will happen on race day...I mean it's snowing like crazy outside again today and more is expected tomorrow! Spring! What's that?! So, who knows what the weather will be like and how I'll feel on race day. But, a little bloom of confidence has been growing within me over the last two weeks and it's made me realize that until very recently I didn't really believe I could reach my goal of running a sub-2:15 half. Somehow, that little bloom is changing my perceptions and I have started to believe that I can do this! OMG it terrifies me to say that...but if I'm being honest, well the truth is, I feel strong, I feel ready and I know I can do this. I have to not be afraid to hurt a little...I have to trust my training and my body! 

This Sunday is my last real long run - 24km (15 miles)...rain, snow or shine, I'll get it done and then it's full on taper time! Of course, I hope that all goes well over the next two weeks and that I feel great on race day...but we all know that we never know. No matter what, I am excited about starting marathon training in July and seeing where it all takes me in Philadelphia!

An exciting thing that occurred last week is that I received my copies of this book in the mail :)

I am so proud to be part of this great book for first time marathoners!

Written by: Melinda Hinson Neely and available on Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.

I feel so lucky to have had this opportunity to encourage others struggling with asthma.

I hope we all have good long runs this weekend!

Cheers everyone! 

Back on track...and a marathon in my future!

"You have to forget your last marathon before you try another. Your mind can't know what's coming."

Frank Shorter

I don't think I'll ever forget my first marathon...here I am at km 38!

But I must have forgotten certain parts, because...

Anne is officially registered for the Philadelphia marathon!

Woohoo!!!!!

Okay, back to the upcoming half-marathon. After last week's post...I got a comment that spoke to me. Thanks Marv.

 Marv said...

What a week ! hope this one is better. When I see a crowd of participants lined up to start an event, I often wonder what all they had to go through to get there.

So true...

This week was a good one...I rested like it was my job, I got all my runs in and Sunday's long run, which included 8km at race pace, went really well! Except for a side pain... 

Yeah, as I mentioned last week, I saw a nutritionist, who told me I don't eat enough protein and I need more calories. Okay. The problem is that she also wanted me to add more whole grains. Fine. Uh not fine. Talk about cramping and side pains...I'm taking that a little slower. I had to take an extra walk break during my race pace segment due to a side pain (nice that it didn't affect my pace :)). Next Sunday includes 10km at race pace...hopefully, no side pain!

I am now in the sharpening and tapering phase of my kick-ass program...hope the stars align and it leads to a kick-ass race in four weeks :)

Cheers!

Not an easy week...

"If you're in a bad situation, don't worry it'll change. If you're in a good situation, don't worry it'll change." 

John A. Simone, Sr.

It was the type of week that will be easiest described in point form...so here goes:

1. Tuesday evening, Uber H was sent by the clinic to the ER to make sure the ache in his temple was not something serious. It wasn't. But he got home at 2:30 am, and of course, he called me to keep me posted and I didn't sleep so well until he got home. So Wednesday I was a little tired.
2. Wednesday evening, we decided to eat out. I had a chicken brochette, which unfortunately was dry as wood, and seem to have little splinters. At one point, one of those little "splinters" got stuck in the back of my throat...ouch. After some water, the worst seemed to have passed, but something still felt stuck deep in my throat and it hurt when I swallowed. When I got home, I called info-health and they told me to go to the ER. Of course! So I did. However, after the nurse told me that if whatever was stuck there seemed to move I was to come see her immediately, I was then put on the not-so-urgent list. I guess as long as it stayed there it wasn't dangerous, but I couldn't go home either, in case. So yes, health-care is free in Canada, but unless you're a serious emergency, ER is LOOOOONG. I saw the nurse at 9:30pm and saw the doctor at 3:45am! I was going crazy! So they did an x-ray and there was no bone. Then she froze my throat and using a metal thingie went to look down there (Gag). She didn't see anything stuck there, just a lesion. But, even though she was pretty sure the lesion was causing the pain when I swallowed, just to be sure, I was to see the ENT later that morning. 
3. Thursday: Cancelled my morning clients, really not as simple as that sounds, but I'll spare you the details. Saw the ENT later in the morning, he once again froze my throat, went through my nose, down into my throat. Yup. Fun. So, he confirmed, there was swelling and a lesion, but no dry chicken. So basically a whole night awake, but all is healing well. 
4. Thursday PM: Off to see a nutritionist for an appointment that was scheduled three weeks ago. I'll tell you more about that soon...some great advice, and I'm not eating enough...especially not enough protein!
5. Tired...tired...tired. 
6. Friday: I had my appointment with my trainer at the gym (another one of those scheduled weeks ago), so I had to go through my strength program (nausea)...then I had my clients, who were rescheduled. Plus a show to attend in the early evening.
7. Saturday: I ran 40 minutes...then went door to door as I had agreed to volunteer to collect funds for Heart and Cardiovascular disease. A dinner and evening out to go to the restaurant (an hour away) where my godson plays the piano (this was scheduled a month ago)!
8. Tired...tired...tired. I am so 54 years old :) 
9. Sunday: Long run...too tired in the am. Rest...have lunch...and then around 1pm, I head out. The program said 20Km, my plan was to try for 18Km...it included 30 minutes at half-marathon pace (6m15/km). I managed to include the 30 minutes...but I was finding it very difficult. When I reached 14.65km, I just stopped my watch and for the first time ever, called my husband to come and get me. He did...I just couldn't go any further without risking spending another week recuperating. 
10. Rest...rest...eat...rest...eat...rest...rest.

So yeah, that was my week. The good news is that both Uber H and I could have stayed home and slept and avoided ER in the end. I much prefer that we went for nothing and that all is good! 

Tomorrow starts a new week :)

Cheers!

Flexibility...where have you gone?

"Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true" 

Anonymous

When it comes to mental flexibility, I have no problem...I adapt well and do not have a rigid personality. However, when it comes to physical flexibility, that's a whole other story. In fact, the stronger I feel when I run, the less flexible I become. During my yoga class last Friday, we had to stand facing the wall, raise our leg at a 90 degree angle and place it against the wall. Then, if we "could" we had to reach forward and touch our toes on the foot that was against the wall. I had to use the strap to hold my foot up, because I was unable to raise my leg more than about a foot off the ground, and it wouldn't stay up by itself. I looked around the room and noticed that EVERYONE else could do it...even the few, not so flexible men in our group! I've been doing yoga once a week, almost continuously, for the past four years, and when I do my strength workout, I end it with some stretching. But, that's it and it doesn't seem to be enough. I left yoga Friday determined to improve my flexibility!

Yesterday evening, as I'm stretching on my bed, I am reading a book on running for women (it's in French, from Québec, and it came out last week - so all information is recent). So, I'm reading this book and I come across a section that answers different questions, one of which is, "Should I stretch before or after running?" The answer was "No." Warming up is encouraged, but not stretching, even after a run. According to Guy Thibault (expert), "We recently learned that when we stretch a muscle, it even slightly loses some of its strength." However, they suggest stretching when coming back to running after an injury. Now I'm confused! Intuitively, I still feel that working on my stretching will be a good thing (I mean I'm not an elite runner, the difference in my strength is surely not going to show)...but I'll do it carefully and not excessively (I don't have that much time anyways)! 

What's your take on runners and flexibility?!

As for the rest of my weekend, yesterday I ran 6 X 600m hill repeats and I was quite pleased with myself. It's funny how going uphill, I was telling myself that "maybe I should do just 4, that would be enough" and then going downhill, I'd be like, "it's not so bad, I can probably do 6" and I did this every. single. time. :) Well, I did 6 of course, because when I set out to do something, I usually do it.

Then today, I had 22km (13.67 miles) on the program and as I was approaching 21K, I looked at my watch and realized that I was really close to a half-marathon PR, so km 21 was my fastest and I ended up with a 45 second PR. Then I remembered that every half-marathon race I've run, I ended up going longer than 21.1, so when I compare this time to my last race, where I went 21.28, it's about the same. BUT, when I look at my last training 21.1, it's a PR :) Regardless, it went well today and I'm really pleased with how I'm feeling.

Six weeks to go before the big day! 

Cheers!

Why life is good - and a training PR!

"The day you decide to do, is your lucky day."  Japanese Proverb

"The best luck of all is the luck you make for yourself." Douglas MacArthur

The first week of March was the school break over here and since my husband is a teacher, I also took the week off. That week, if I count the kilometers I spent snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, I completed a grand total of 82km (that's 51 miles). If you count only the running, I completed a total of 65km (or 40.3 miles). Yay! Then last Sunday, I ended the week with the longest long run of my program, which was 28km (17.4 miles). I'm really proud of myself. 

I'm glad that I didn't listen to the inner voice that often tried to keep me home to "rest" because I was feeling tired and even mildly nauseous on some mornings (it's a women thing). The voice that told me I was perhaps trying to do too much. The thing is, almost every time I got out there, I felt good and thoroughly enjoyed myself.

On Wednesday, I celebrated my birthday with some intervals on the treadmill and I felt great! I actually thought to myself, "How amazing it is to feel this strong at 54". Then Thursday morning I was meeting one of my close friends for some cc skiing on Mont St-Bruno and then a nice lunch. Again, once I got there, it was beautiful being out there and I felt so lucky! On Friday, Uber H and I were  going to Mont Orford with some family. He was going cc skiing and I was going snowshoeing with my SIL. Once again, an extremely amazing day...with perfect weather. We did 11km with a total elevation of 1,196 meters...and I loved every minute.

Beautiful day on Mont Orford!

Breathtaking views!

We carried our lunch in a backpack and ate up on the mountain in a small wood cabin that had a fireplace going...truly a wonderful day. I then did my one-hour run on Saturday, once again on Mont St-Bruno, on the trails! Then, I concluded my week with a 28km run on Sunday. The weather was quite nice, though cloudy and a bit windy, but I did it, completing the run in 3h08m49s, and I felt strong. I now use a 14/1 ratio, which is working really well for me.

So, the point of my quotes is that although I could just say that I'm so lucky to have these opportunities...I know that it's a question of getting out there and taking these opportunities. It's getting everything ready and then driving to the mountain and planning and organizing...but it is so worth it! 

I'm also thrilled because yesterday, the plan was to include 4km at 10K pace in my workout. However, it was going well and so I decided to try and beat my 5K PR...and I did it, completing in 28m56s! I was excited to break the 29-minute barrier :) 

And so it continues, I cross-train with spinning and a strength workout on Tuesdays and yoga on Fridays...along with lots of running. We all know, that we never know what can happen on race day...so I'm glad that I am enjoying the journey!

Of course, there's a little bit of luck in the fact that I am not sick, like Caroline, or injured or banged up from a pothole, like ajh...but you know what I mean :)

Cheers!

Get out there and make your luck! St. Patrick's day is coming up :)