10 days!

Only 10 days left until I run the SeaWheeze in Vancouver!!!
  
I can hardly contain my excitement.  Kara and I ran for 2 hours (10s and 1s) in the river valley yesterday and accomplished it well.  Last time we ran 15k and almost died...also almost ran out of water.  But this time, almost 20k done and felt great.  We did plan to fill our water bottles strategically though, especially important running in the sun.  That great run made me feel so confident for August 10th.  I am excited to push myself during the race and hopefully beat my personal best time. 

I'm sure Nathan and I will run the sea wall before the race, so less than 10 days till that!  Going to be amazing, I know it.

Color Me Rad July 6

I haven't posted in over a month! Been busy, but I wanted to write a quick post of Color Me Rad that we ran on July 6. The very next day I was wishing to be back there covered in colors! It was so much fun. Nathan's first race, Janine's first race, and the most exciting run I've done so far. The popular runs are always more exciting though. I have no idea how fast we ran the 5k, and it didn't matter to me anyways! Having people I love there and having so much fun made it such a good day for me. 

We also got sunglasses that I actually like! I picked highlighter yellow. Will definitely run color races again. 

Running on vacation

I've come to the conclusion that running away from home is far better than here.  Maybe it's because I don't love Edmonton nearly as much as other places.  I cannot wait to run my half marathon in Vancouver (in 69 days!) and many more runs in places around Canada and the world.

I think that is my current goal with running, to run races in interesting and new places!  Cannot wait to travel more.

Saskatoon half marathon

I haven't blogged in so long!  This weekend I went to Saskatoon with Nathan, and stayed at my sisters place for free.  We went for dinner, to the mall, the driving range for my first time golfing, mini golfing, and to the zoo. It was such a great weekend.  I ran the half marathon of the Saskatchewan marathon on Sunday, May 24.  During my training I started doing 10s and 1s (run 10 min, walk 1) and found it very helpful for me.  That's exactly what I did in the race as well.  Must be what works for me!

I finished in about 2:15, which is great for me! I'm not very fast yet. While I was running across a huge bridge there and down by the river, it felt like I was in San Francisco again, just slightly muggier! The water from the river smelled and felt like salt, even Nathan noticed that. Maybe it was just the muggy weather. It threatened to rain all weekend but didn't actually rain during the race at all! Just nice warm overcast, perfect running weather to keep me cool. I couldn't have asked for a better race.

Of course, Nathan took my car and drove along to meet me at about 4 check stops along the route. It helped tremendously knowing I would see him every few kilometers after 10k (the easy first half). 

And I ate 1 pack of GU chomps and half of a gel, lots of water, and I was good to go. At the end I wasn't too dead surprisingly, even though the last 3km were difficult with a lot of walking. Yesterday, however, I could barely walk. Today is better, but every tiny piece of my legs is just so sore. 

Oh and I forgot to mention, I ran the entire race with my shorts inside out...which have built in underwear that were then tightly attached to the outside of my shorts. Lovely. Hopefully no one noticed, my tank top was long! 

Full marathon, here we come!

Looking forward to fast 5ks

On Tuesday I ran my fastest 5k yet! (With Nathan's help since he's faster) 29 minutes and something...but the point is it was under 30 min. I'm a pretty slow runner, but for short distances I should really try to pick my pace up. So I'm going to always run 5 in less than 30 min now. And 10 in less than an hour! I'm determined to increase my speed.

In search of perfect running underwear

I realize I might sound very strange, but I need to find the perfect running underwear. They need to be non cotton, full coverage, and stay in place! I tried the Under armour booty short style ones, but honestly they just slide up from one minute into my run 'till the end.

I've heard Asics and Patagonia make some good ones, I'll have to check them out when I go to the states in August! Hopefully I can find some in Canada before that for a reasonable price. Okay, I'm done writing about my underwear for this year now.

Spring?

Usually, I don't want spring to come, because that means winter (aka. snowboarding season and fun winter activities) are over. But right now I want the snow to melt so my new garden on my balcony can grow and so I can run more comfortably in the warm weather! Also, I want all my races to start already.

Oh yeah, and I also want my tax money so I can buy a new Lululemon or other running item! Maybe a bright silverescent tank top or the speed shorts I've been wanting. One day I'm going to have ten running outfits...after I graduate. Happy Spring! (hopefully)

Hill runs

Yesterday I did my first big hill run with Kristen. She took me to the Strathcona Science Park just off 17st (10 min from my place!) and there's a service road that lots of runners use for training. It's half a kilometer bottom to top. A bit long, but it's great! It killed me. We did 3 repeats to start, since she hasn't been running and since it was my first time hill training.

I plan to go back, and work my way up to about 6-7 repeats total within a month or so. I have to remember warm up and cool down next time though! Also, taking Nathan there on Saturday since he wants to start running!

It is a very boring road, but it'll do for once a week seeing as it's a perfect hill, and it's not too far away.

Half marathon

Well I have bad news.  I have just changed my marathon to a half marathon.  Am I disappointed?  Embarrassed?  Sad?  YES.  But I have thought about it and decided this will be a more realistic goal.  I have only been running for a year, and last year didn't get too serious.  I need to learn more, and get more kms under my belt before attempting a marathon.  I would love to still do it, but decided I would be happier going into a half marathon confidently, and a marathon when I feel I have trained enough and am more ready.  

I want to attempt a full marathon later in the year, but I already have too many races this year.  I will probably just wait till next year.  Here's to my half marathon!  Now I can focus on increasing my pace and other factors, as well.  54 more days!

Struggling to find trails

Trail running is so much better than running on sidewalks near streets.  The only problem?  I don't live near any.  I'm a student, so I'm usually broke.  This means I'd prefer to save gas money and not drive to trails, but I am hating sidewalk running more and more each time.  The cars, noise, dust from the road, lights, and people all annoy me.  Then again, some trails can get secluded along the way, making it unsafe for me to run on alone anyways.  

So right now I am in search of a few safe and open, beautiful trails that would be about 10 times more enjoyable than running near roads and residential areas.  Hopefully I find something not too far away...although most of the longer trails are all the way downtown in the river valley, and I run 4 days a week or so.  I guess I'll just have to suck it up and drive to my running destinations.  

And by trail running, I don't mean running in the woods, or on gravel paths.  I haven't reached that point yet, and those trails are almost always secluded.  That would be a great goal one day if I had a running partner or something, though.  I just mean nice, paved bike trails.

Wish I lived here, looks beautiful by the water.

First blisters

This morning I woke up to sore toes and a few blisters.  Terrible.  My toes are so sore and I can feel blisters starting on several toes.  Yesterday, I ran 15km, my longest run this year so far.  It was a fairly large increase but I was feeling great and wanted to do it!

I think I'll try increasing my distance a bit slower, I know there's the famous 10 percent rule to follow per week. 

So this morning I went to the Running Room and they were super helpful as always.  They showed me some rubber/plastic toe caps to prevent blisters on certain toes, or to protect blistered toes.  Everything there is expensive, so I thought if it happens again I'll go back and start using toe caps for long runs, but until then I just bought a pair of double padded running socks.  I need to buy more high quality running socks with padding in the toes!

I've already decided that I will NEVER be a runner with blisters, black and bruised toenails, or toenails falling off.  They say "it's not if, it's when" you get black toenails and blisters.  But I refuse.  If my toenail ever turns black or falls off I will cry.  That would be so embarassing and gross to wear sandals in warm weather!  So I will prevent these things before they happen. 

Aiming high!

Apparently I am aiming very high this year, as I've already signed up for 5 races this summer!  I only began running last summer, and I don't even know why.  Nathan always says, "you just decided you were going to be a runner one day!".  Last summer, I did a 10k and a 20k, but neither one did I train for very much or take very seriously. 

This year is different.  I've been running lots, and with a few friends each week too!  I've incorporated stairs and cross training, and yoga soon to come!  Any tips on yoga at home (tight budget)?

In May I will run my first full marathon in Saskatoon, the Saskatchewan Marathon.  Then in June, only 2 weeks after my marathon, is the Alberta Women's Challenge 10k with a few girls from work.  I'm aware that a race only 2 weeks after my marathon isn't smart, so I'm going to take it easy with my pace and not push myself too hard at that race.  I'm glad it's only 10k.  In July I have 2 races, the Color me Rad 5k with Janine, our boyfriends, and a few other people.  I am so excited for that one, especially to see Janine run 5k!  Then, Nathan and I will run the Moose is Loose 10k at Emily Murphy park.  I've heard this is a challenging trail race, I am going to be training him in the next few months each Wednesday when we do our stair workouts as well.  He's not a runner, and does not want to be, so after this 10k I am forcing upon him I will stop.  Unless he likes it...

August is going to be the best month of my whole year.  I can't wait.  I will be traveling to Vancouver to run the Lululemon SeaWheeze half marathon with Kara and Courtney.  It is a huge, popular event.  It appears that my $125 spent on the half marathon will be well spent--free manicures, pedicures, massages, Lululemon speed shorts, flip flops, food, an outdoor concert, and yoga by the ocean with hundreds of other runners.  Nathan is coming to Vancouver too, and we will make a 9-day ish trip of it by traveling to the Island, Seattle, and Kelowna as well. I love BC so much, we have a giant itinerary started already.

Here's to my spontaneous running year of aiming high!  I hope I am able to successfully complete all of my races and goals.

Running with friends

Running with someone is so much better than alone (at times). Even having a friend to run with once a week breaks up my routine and keeps me motivated so well.

I ran the science park hill with Kristen last week, and plan to again at the end of the month. Also, Kara and I try to run together almost every week. This week we are heading to the river valley for a nice 10k.

I hope to expand my group of running friends, but at the same time, sometimes it's just easier to go alone close to home and not have to meet up...takes more time out of my day. I'm happy Nathan has started too though, another person to add to my running friends who I see more often!

Stairs every Wednesday!

So we decided to start doing the wooden river valley stairs each Wednesday.  I have yet to find the ones closest to us (Capilano), so we just drive each week somewhere downtown to do a stair workout. 

Our first week, we followed a schedule of sprints, lunges, high knees, squats, and sets of stairs.  At the end we ran a huge, steep hill as well.  Needless to say, our calves were killing us for 2-3 days following!  This was only our second week, but it has been great working out together.  It was challenging both times and fun to do together!  This week we tried a new set of stairs, and they are much longer than the ones we did last week.  We also ran across the high level bridge and back on the blue LRT bridge (yes, Nathan ran too! 5 and 10k, here we come!), and I ran a few hills by the legislature at the end for my run training.  We decided that this set of stairs by the fancy, expensive Glenora gym and the blue LRT bridge would our "home stairs".  I looked it up, 202 stairs?!  Didn't seem quite that bad, but that would explain feeling like I was breathing through a straw and not being able to walk the whole set at once, let alone run them.  I feel incredibly out of shape suddenly.  Nathan was way better at it, I was so jealous!  Hoping to improve in weeks to come.

We were not nearly as sore this time...maybe it was the lack of small circuit training exercises?  Not sure, but I kind of liked the horrible soreness for days following, made it feel like we did something awfully good to our muscles without even realizing it at the time.  I think everyone should take an hour every week or so to incorporate stairs into their training!  I've heard this helps with my hill running abilities too.

Edmonton Canadian Derby 10k

August 18, 2012

Even though this didn't happen recently, I just want to document it for my information.  Last summer, I ran my first race ever!  Our 10k was part of the Canadian Derby weekend in Edmonton in August 2012, at Northlands and the Expo Centre.  I ran with my friend Kara from work and Margaret (walked).  My finishing time was 1:07-59. 

I consider myself a fairly slow runner, but hopefully one day, with practice, my time will improve.  After all, I only started running in the early summer of 2012, and not very seriously at that time.

My Running Journal

This is my first post.  I've decided to start this blog to keep track of my running progress, goals, and races I accomplish.  My lovely friend Janine recommended I start this!  The last time I tried blogging, I hardly even got started.  This time I'm excited to track my running journey and connect with other runners for tips and encouragement.

I'm not a marathon runner yet, but I plan to be by May 26, 2013! http://www.saskmarathon.ca/

That`s right, I am going to run my very first marathon this year!  Scary thought, seeing as I just started running seriously about a week ago.  That gives me less than 3 months less to train for it, but I will work my way up and train safely and quickly.  

I`m loving my new minimalist Asics--even though they look like a highlighter...

 Also loving my new XL comfy hoodie that Nathan bought for me last week!  I can`t wait to bundle up in it during and after runs and races (to show off).

 

More to come soon on my running progress and goals!