Look Out For Those Darn Bunnies!

March 3 I did the Chili Half Marathon in Burlington, On.  It was very chilly at -5 with a windchill that made it feel like -15.  Race starts are always exciting but this one started along the lake and I thought - this is flippin cold!  Despite that there were a few runners wearing shorts! 

I eventually warmed up but can't really say I had a great race.  I didnt train really hard for this race and was a bit worried about my time.  But this race was not supposed to be a fast one but a goal to keep me running through the lovely, toasty months of January and February.  

I ran into a friend at the start of the race and he said he was just using this race as a practice run for his next race.  I saw him at the halfway point of the race and he was smiling ear to ear.  He was obviously enjoying himself and taking it all in.

I usually do that but not this time.  I kept watching people faster than me and thought - dang it why are they faster than me?  I stared at their feet and tried to copy their stride.  Quicker, lighter steps.  No, lift your feet higher.  I got frustrated with myself.  Enough already stop obsessing and enjoy the race and admire the beautiful houses in Burlington.  I did for a bit but then found myself staring at feet again.  Ugh! 

A sign someone was holding stressed me out even more.  "Pain is temporary but internet results are forever."  Yikes....get moving!  My ego can't take a bad half marathon time forever! 

Ottawa Pace Bunny

The problem was I started out with a faster pace bunny than I should have.  I know,  I've made this mistake before. I should have ran with the 1:55 bunny but my eyes got too big for my feet and I moved up to the 1:50 spot.  Well the result was I struggled through the whole thing, people were constantly passing me and the 1:55 bunny passed me with only 2 kilometers to go. 

There's nothing more discouraging than a bunny passing you.  You feel defeated and you suddenly feel heavier and move in slow motion.   Darn you bunny!  I'll get you!  But I couldn't catch the little bugger.

I managed to squeak in with a chip time of 1:55:57.  Take that bunny! I was happy, it sounds sooo much better than 1:56.  My stats were pretty good too coming in 29th in my age category of 201 women 50-54.

But I didn't run my own race.  I was trying to run everyone else's race.  I do that a lot.  Instead of being happy and proud of my own accomplishments I look at everyone else's.  I need to take a chill pill, do the prep work, be confident and just do my best.  Enjoy the race,  my own race.

Now I really need to go and do some fartleks, tempo runs and speedwork.  Next time I'll get that bunny!

Happy Valentine's Day!

As I was driving home Monday I was thinking about my "Winter Blah Plan".  I thought it was such a great plan but why was I still feeling the Winter Blahs??  I'm still struggling and miss the sunshine.  Then a light went off in my head.  I forgot to do the most important thing in order to make the plan work.  Of course.... its so obvious. I had forgotten to ask God for help with MY plan.  I suddenly felt my load lighter.  Why do I always forget to ask for help?

When I got home my son came in dripping wet from walking the dog.  He saw me in my running clothes and said "Its hailing out there you know?"  Doubt crept in.  It would be totally understandable to skip today's run.  I really needed God's helping hand to push me out the door.  If I didnt run today I know I'd be feeling the Winter Blahs bad. 

I got outside and yeah it was raining and hailing but it was plesantly mild.  It felt quite refreshing actually.  After a few kilometers I could see "Dan the Beer Can Man" in the distance limping with his grocery cart full of empties.  Of course.  It seems everytime I'm feeling down on myself Dan appears on my running path to lift my spirits.  Dan is homeless but a survivor, an entrepreneur and always happy with interesting stories or a joke. 

I stopped and took out my earbuds.  "Hi Dan".  I asked him if he'd been outside all winter because I had seen him walking around one really cold night.  He said of course.  "Survival of the fittest".  The problem is he's not very fit.  He has a bum hip but refuses to see a doctor.  "Im not going to the hospital.  If you go in there you always come out in a box". He told me about his igloo in the woods and how the snow storm on Friday really helped it.  He said he keeps a hibachi with coals in there and it keeps him warm all night, along with his pet coyotes. (What?!) Yep he has 2 pet coyotes named Mutt and Jeff. Their mother was killed on the train tracks 2 years ago.  Dan doesn't get the Winter Blahs and he lives in it!

I said bye and started running off.  He yelled back to me "Hey incase I dont see you, Happy Valentine's Day!"  (Thanks Dan).  I couldnt stop smiling.  I dont know why that made me smile so much but it just made me feel great.  Then the band on my MP3 player sang "Thats how I love you".

No one knows me better than my Maker.  God knows my personality so well and knows what warms the cockles of my heart.  It was a perfect little gift that made me smile and He is the perfect Valentine. 

My Winter Blah Plan

The January blahs are still clinging to me even though I've been trying to shake them off.  Its so cold and its so hard to get myself out the door.  So Im doing a few things to combat the winter blues.

1.  Get my eating on track.  Today I decided I was going to kick my eating into gear by doing the Cooler Plan #1 from the "Eat Clean Diet" book by Tosca Reno.  You should only do this plan for 1 - 2 weeks because its hardcore.  It gives your diet a boost and then your ready to work at Eating Clean. I think I can handle it for 1 week....well Im going to try.   

• 6 meals a day, the last meal at 6, eat every 2-3 hours.
• 1 apple
• Chicken, tuna, egg whites, turkey, bison, elk, non-oily fish - five x 5 oz servings
• Raw veggies: cucumbers, radishes, tomatoes, lettuce, asparagus, green beans, sprouts, celery - five x 1 1/2 cup servings
• Yams and/or sweet potatoes - 1 over the course of a day
• Oatmeal cooked with water - 1 cup cooked
• Distilled water or fresh water with no sodium - 1 gallon
• No juice
• No bread
• No salad dressings, only lemon juice.

2. Sign up for a race.  I've signed up for the Chilli-Half Marathon March 3.  I need a realistic goal to work towards. I ran 14K last Saturday because I knew I had to start upping my mileage again if I want to be ready by March.  Also I paid $96 for the registration, Im too Dutch to waste that!

Here's the jacket I get for registering, bonus!

3. Read an inspirational book.  Last winter I read 2 inspirational running books called "Run to Overcome" and "Unthinkable".  They really got me in the mood for training and working hard at my goals. This winter I've started reading a book written by my pastor Peter Slofstra called "In Tandem a Sea to Sea Cycling Odyssey".  Its about a bike tour across Canada called Sea to Sea that he and his wife did on a tandem bike.  I look forward to reading my book after my workout and Im all showered and rested.

4.  Be more disciplined with my devotions.  I have the verse 1Timothy 4:8 written on my blog but do I really mean it?  I realize that many times I put physical training before spiritual training  Doing my devotions is a must if I want to get rid of the winter blahs. 

Thats my winter blah plan and Im starting to feel them leave already : )

Taking The First Step to a Happy New Year

I usually have a break from training in December.  There is extra shopping and tasks to do for Christmas and I find it hard to fit running in.  So I just give myself a break and try to run whenever I can and just enjoy it.  The problem with that is I eat alot more at Christmas.  There is a constant, glorious flow of chocolate and Bailey's Irish Cream which I just cant resist.  I'm not proud of this but my daughter and I show each other our Christmas food baby bellies.  Well I need to give birth to this baby!

I usually put on 10 lbs which is an annual event I need to put a stop to.  By the time January comes I'm ready to get serious about running and working out again.  This January I had a hard time getting started.
Maybe it was because I didn't have a huge goal to work towards like last years turning 50.  I needed a new goal to get myself pumped up and excited about. 

Then I had a great idea.  I had a friend who had talked about doing a 5K.  I wrote out a walk-to-run schedule for her and told her I would do the race with her at the end of the training. What a great idea ! I'm so awesome!  I got all excited about whipping my friend's butt into shape but turns out she didn't want her butt whipped.  Oh well, guess its just me and my ole butt for 2013.  I picked some races for the year and told myself I was excited.

The day I was supposed to get back at it was really windy and cold.  I had just come home from a bunch of frustrating errands and felt very frazzled.  I knew I had to run or I would feel even worse.  I had to get this year into gear.  I just decided to go and not think about it.  I put my running clothes on as fast as I could like I was in a hurry.  I looked rather silly but I didn't think about the weather or how long I was going to go.  I just pushed myself out the door as quick as I could.

It was cold at first but as always I had a great run.  Whats so great about running is that you have this quiet time to really think about things.  I was thinking about my ho hum start to my 2013 goals and I think my problem was that I needed it to be big and amazing to be worthwhile.  But maybe it didn't need to be so big?

Maybe....... its just enough that I started. 
Maybe...... if I just took the first step in my goals, God would take care of the rest and turn it into something big and amazing!
Maybe...... when I feel God nudging me to do something I should just do it quickly before I talk myself out of it and just push myself out the door.

You always end up having a good run.  Wow running is so deep! 

The Crazy Running Lady Has Marathon Fever

Well I didn't qualify for Boston in fact I only shaved off 4 minutes but boy did I work hard for those 4 minutes!  Four months of training, speed work, tempo runs and fartleks for 4 minutes! I guess I have to train 10 more months to shave off the next 10 minutes.  Yikes! 

The last 10 K were so hard!  I had to really concentrate just to keep a descent pace and not stop.  I tried to concentrate on the lyrics of my music to distract me from the pain but the last kilometer felt like it lasted an eternity! 

I was pretty much on track the first 30K but couldnt keep it up for the last 10.  I ran out of steam.  I just could not go any faster.  Maybe if I had stayed with the 3:55 bunny from the start I would have been more consistent.  I couldnt find my bunny and the race was starting so I just followed the bunny that was closest to me and that was the 3:45 bunny.  I was too excited and went out too fast. Which is advise I tell everyone else NOT to do.

I had said that if I didnt qualify for Boston I would be done with marathons. Marathon training is so time consuming! But I've kind of got marathon fever.  My husband said: "No you dont!"  I figure if I can keep up the 20K long runs on the weekends then I'll just have to build up my mileage a couple months before the marathon.  Im looking at doing my next one in the spring.  My brother-in-law inspires me because he never gives up.  He says he'll never give up trying to qualify for Boston as long as he's running.  It may take us till we're 65 but someday we"ll qualify!

This marathon was tough but it had its great moments too.  One was at the 30ish K mark.  I was having a hard time.  I was feeling very slow and discouraged when my marathon theme song came on my MP3 player.  "Here In My Life" by Hillsongs.  As the song started my spirit started to lift, I started to get that feeling.  That feeling that Jesus is with me and running right alongside me. But when I get that feeling I raise my hands worshipping while Im runninng.  Its kind of embarrasing but I cant help it.  Its happened running in my neighbourhood before but it cant happen here.  Not at the marathon.  Especially since there are alot of runners going the opposite direction and they will all see me.   But the music is starting to build...the drummer is going wild....oh no...its happening!  She sings -  "You are my freedom, Jesus you're the reason".....nooo not here!  Its too late.  It happened.  My hands are reaching to the sky, my eyes are fixed on Him and the tears are falling, my speed is building faster and faster... and I am soaring! I feel total joy, freedom and strength.  I dont notice the other runners but Im flying and I dont really care. 

I didnt qualify but I've got something better.  Marathon fever!

Unthinkable?!

3 days, 19 hours and 4 minutes till the marathon!  Im excited and I feel ready besides some annoying shin splints but no major problems.  Two Saturdays ago the tapering began.  My long run was 25K and I did speed work all that week.  This Saturday my long run was 12 K.  Tuesday I did weight training and 1/2 hr bike, today I did a fast 6K and tommorrow I will probably do a fast 10K and then that will be it till the marathon. Yikes! 

Last week I was reading a book called "Unthinkable" by Scott Rigsby, the first double amputee to finish the Hawian Ironman Triathlon.  It has been very inspiring and has really helped me to get mentally ready and pumped for the race.  If I think qualifying for Boston is "Unthinkable"  what about a double amputee doing an Ironman!?   Its crazy the obstacles that he had to overcome.  He had no money, no bike, didnt know how to swim, was overweight and his father said it was ridiculous and didnt speak to him, oh yeah and he didnt have any legs!  It makes running a marathon look like a cake walk.

He said the hardest part of a triathlon for him is the biking portion.  First of all he didn't have a bike so he had to borrow one.  It was 4 sizes too small so he just had his legs made shorter.  The 100 K Hawian Ironman bike portion is known to be especially hard because of the extreme wind and heat. But strangely during the race Scott didnt feel hot.  He couldnt understand it and even said outloud, "Why am I not hot?"  Then he heard not in an audible voice but God saying to him - because you are under the shadow of my love and said he could actually see wings.  He says to the reader I know you are probably thinking I was hullicinating from the heat but I knew it was real and I felt such peace.  He ran into a lot of hurdles during the race but God carried him through to the end.  To be named an Ironman every participant no matter how many legs you have must finish within 17 hours.  Scott finished just before midnight in 16 hrs and 42 mins.  He is an Ironman.

When I was reading about his "God experience"  it reminded me of my experience in the Ottawa marathon.  I also remember thinking Why do I feel so good? I've never felt that good during a long run before and I went over all the reasons in my head why I felt so good; training with the Running Free Ironmen? my Lance Armstrong waffers?  my Lululemon socks that have a secret 'Run Fast' message in them?  I had my family there? Maybe its just simply because I was under the shadow of his love.  On His wings I can sore like an eagle.

Im ready!....I think. 

Is It Really Worth It?!

One more 30+K run to do before the marathon!  Im so happy!  Those 30+ runs are not my favourite.  I have to run my 10k loop 3 times and then add more kilometers every week.  Two weeks ago I had to do 32K, last week 34 and then this Saturday 36. 

Last week I was 10K into my run when it started to pour.  I was soaked all the way down to my socks!  But there was no way that I was going to stop.  I was done one lap and I wasnt going to start all over again!  So I kept running in the pouring rain.  People were looking at me like I was nuts.  Am I nuts?  Is this really worth it?

A woman I was speaking to a few weeks ago was asking me about my running.  I love to talk about my running which I dont do unless people ask me first.  Some people are annoyed by runners.   Imagine that?! So when someone starts asking questions Im excited.  But one question she asked me got me thinking for a long time later.  She said "Don't you miss out on alot?"

What would I miss out on?  I was taken back by the question so I gave some lame answer.  I just didnt get the question.  I mean it only takes me an hour to go for a 10K run.  Thats the same time as a TV show.  So what? Im missing a TV show.  Maybe she just never has time to exercise and there are always better things to do in her mind than run.  Maybe she thinks it takes time away with friends and family.  Maybe she thinks I could be using my time more wisely like volunteering. I dont know.  This question bugged me for awhile.  Am I missing out on more important things?
Then something else happened that really bugged me.  A good friend of mine, not yet 50 years old had a stroke.  I was shocked and couldnt understand it.  She is in good shape.  She watches her diet and loves to workout.  She is so active how could this happen? Whats the point.  Maybe she was missing out on things too by going to the gym.

So I pondered long and hard about this, while running of course.  And this is what I came up with.

Important Things That I Would Miss Out On If I Didn't Run:

• Feeling of Peace
• Stress Relief
• Prayer / Jesus Time
• Quiet time to actually listen to music and be inspired by the lyrics
• Feeling free
• Pure joy
• Sense of accomplishment
• Feeling of confidence & pride in myself
• Feeling of strength & beauty
• Appreciation for God's creation
• Enjoying the outdoors
• A connection to my community
• Setting and acheiving goals
• Improved relationships because of all of the above
• Pondering on life and family and how I can make a difference in the world and all that stuff
• Talks with Dan the Beer can collecting Man
• Being an example to my children
• A fun healthy hobby with my hubby
• Improved mental, spiritual and physical health
• I could go on & on

I came to the conclusion that I can afford to miss out on a few things by running because I'm gaining so much more.  No pun intended.  Running and staying fit brings so much to the qualityof my life. It is truly worth it. Not just so I will live longer and chase the aging monster but to enjoy and live my best life now.