I ♥ Hockey

Especially when my team wins the President's Trophy for most points overall during the regular season.  It's even better when it's the first time we've ever won it.  Playoffs are going to be awesome!  GO CANUCKS!

I get that a lot of you like your NCAA, NBA, MLB, or NFL.  Not saying that they aren't great (well, I kind of am - I'm just too non-confrontational nice to talk any smack), but they definitely aren't for me.  My favourite sports acronym has to be NHL!  But, really, what do you expect?  It makes me the perfect stereotypical Canadian.

32 Days...

Not too long until I get these!  I made up the bib with my name since the preview one said 99999/Christopher.  I can't seem to make anything special out of my bib number.  All I've come up with is 1571 minutes is 26.2hours.  Not significant just kind of randomly cool. 

* More number fun: if you add my bib number 1 + 5 + 7 + 1 = 14, 1 + 4 = 5.  Colin's bib is 914.  Added together it's 9 + 1 + 4 = 14, 1 + 4 = 5.  Yay, we're the same!  It's a stretch, I know... 

Source

Source

Yes, I'm Still Alive...

My mum pointed out to me today that it's been a while since my last post.  Yup, a week and a bit ago.  Oops!

I haven't had a lot going on lately that's exciting hence (fancy word for the day) the lack of writing. Here's a short list of stuff that's happened:

• Finally got over flu. Thank goodness. I would prefer not to deal with that again this year... Gained back the weight in a matter of hours days. Still pretty tired though.

• Learned how to NOT break in shoes: Part I: After looking at the store closest to me where I could use my discount I found out they didn't have my size in stock. Ran a very pathetic 10km on my birthday. Putting Dr. Scholl's cheapy insoles under the stock ones doesn't help if the actual foam in the sole is shot. B****ed, complained and hobbled for the last 2km due to severe knee and hip-flexor pain. I picked up my new pair of shoes last Saturday at the start of work and "broke them in" during my 8 hour shift. Walking from the front of the store to the back a few times didn't really do much I don't think.

• Learned hot to NOT break in shoes: Part II: Ran 32km on Sunday. The long run was in downtown Vancouver along a pretty good chunk of the marathon route. The Good: friends, sunshine!, adequate fueling. The Bad: worried about shoes the whole time (same series, new model). The Ugly: made use of EVERY bathroom on the route. Thankfully my friend was extremely patient and understanding. She was more than willing to run at my slow pace and stop when necessary. Bonus: she had meds! Now that's when you know your friends... we decided/reaffirmed that no topics are off-limits!

• The new shoes (Asics GT-2160) worked out really well. I went up a half a size – yippee I wear an 11 now (sarcasm) – since my store doesn’t sell 10 ½. Turns out there’s not much difference. Yes, it’s about ½ cm longer, but my toes probably need the room. When I put on my old shoes my little toes feel a tiny bit cramped. I didn’t trip over my feet at all during the long run. No blisters either! The only issue was that I had a tender spot on the top of my left foot because the laces tie in a slightly different spot. Nothing a little toughening up can’t fix...

• Lived in compression for about 12 hours after run - calf sleeves during run and socks after. My lower legs were great on Monday, but my quads were so stiff. I need a compression suit!

• Wednesday was the last day of hills for this clinic! Booyah! I actually did a happy dance at the top of the hill (5km at 1min run/2min walk intervals). Pretty sure I looked like Snoopy, but there were only a few friends around so it was okay.

• A non-running question:  If you have a 3 ½ year old do they listen to you?  Please tell me that Spud having to be told things a dozen or so times is a stage…  I have some luck with counting to 3, but I can only threaten to take things away so often.  Today was a challenge with a lot of Spud “not using his ears.”  Give me some sort of hope to grasp on to! 

Age Ain't Nothin' But A Number

HAPPY 31st BIRTHDAY TO ME! 

Yes, I am allowed to wish myself a happy birthday... it's my blog!

My birthday money is going towards a new pair of shoes.  Not because I'm running obsessed, but because my current pair blew out last night on the downhill at the end of my run.  I knew it was going to happen since I have 620km on them, but I could have done without the my-knee-and-hip-flexors-are-going-to-explode feeling.  

So pretty Asics GT-2160.  I'll ignore the fact that I'm going up another 1/2 size.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY, TOO!

Monday Musings

Is it Monday already?  What's been happening here lately?

• My last run was hills on Wednesday.  It was actually a really good run.  Continual repeats (run 1 minute/walk 2 minutes) for 4km.  The schedule called for 8 repeats, but with the intervals I did 12.  Perfect night and I was appropriately dressed for once.
• Thursday: stomach flu hit at 2am and I was pretty much useless for the next few days.  I don't remember the last time I was this sick.  The last time I spent 24 hours in bed was when I was in high school and came home from a week long missions trip to Mexico, but that was from jet lag.
• Lost somewhere between 5 and 8 lbs.  I do not recommend this diet... way too gross!  I did learn that all my "trouble spots" are just excess water though.  I'm not naïve enough to think that I'll keep it off.  Don't really want to either.   
• I have the best husband EVER!  Not only did he come home a little early on Thursday (or was it Friday?), but he brought me tulips too.
• Missed my 29km long run on Sunday.  I probably could have made it out, but, with the time change, rain, and being partly dehydrated, I figured it would just be a soul-sucking run so I stayed in bed.
• Went out to buy groceries yesterday.  Since I still haven't completely gotten my appetite back I felt like fainting once we got to the end of the second store (the Costco samples weren't enough).  Nothing like salty potato chips and Arizona fruit punch for a little pick me up.  
• I still have the best husband EVER!  Once we got home I begged off and had a nap.  I woke up 2 hours later to the smell of fresh-baked ginger molasses cookies and dinner was on the table.  

I'm really hoping that this bug is behind me/us.  Colin never did succumb to it which was a total godsend.  I'm doing nothing exercise/running wise until Wednesday.  As long as I'm feeling better I'll be getting my "9" repeats in (see first point - it'll probably be closer to 14).  And Thursday is St. Patrick's Day or, as it's known in my house, MY BIRTHDAY!  I have clinic that night (10km) and then will just spend the rest of the day with my family.  32km is up on Sunday so I'll have far more to talk about next week.

Fortunate Friday

Yesterday I spent 98% of my day in bed with the 24 hour flu.  I won the worst-mother award for having my 3 year old watch tv all day.  Said 3 year old who seemed better after his flu on Tuesday threw up 3 times (seriously, if we say that milk makes you barf, please believe us!).  And none of it matters.

I live in a place where, thankfully, that's the worst that's going on in my life.  However, others aren't so lucky.  Obviously those most in need right now are in Japan after a devastating 8.9 earthquake.  

Please donate if you can: https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/donate.aspx?EventID=66175&LangPref=en-CA&Referrer=http%3a%2f%2fwww.redcross.ca%2farticle.asp%3fid%3d38380%26tid%3d001 (Canada) or https://american.redcross.org/site/Donation2?idb=0&5052.donation=form1&df_id=5052 (United States).

If you can't donate, please pray.  

Head Meet Wall, Repeat.

I need to be more self-motivated.  I am perfectly fine to get in runs when I am able to join friends or my running group.  However, I am such a slacker when it comes to doing it on my own.  I can pretty much come up with any lame excuse to not do what's on my schedule.  It sucks and is super frustrating.  I was so convinced that I was going to put more effort into this training cycle.  I have to a certain extent, but I know I'm dropping the ball on other things (hello, core).  I have less than 2 months until race day. 

Apparently my new mantra needs to be:

Suck. It. Up. Buttercup.

Monday Musings

Weekend Recap/Ramblings:

Saturday:

• Finally got to pick up a few things at the mailbox service in Blaine, WA.  One package from BuildASign (still working out some stuff there) and one from Zensah.  Reviews to follow soon.
• Colin decided Friday night that since we were already going to the states on Saturday that we might as well take Spud to the zoo.  This was fine by me except that the zoo is in Seattle.  We told Spud we had a surprise for him, but wouldn't tell him until we got to the doughnut store (Krispy Kreme) in Burlington.  While we were waiting at the border (a surprisingly efficient US side had us through in 25 minutes) we saw an Amtrak train waiting.  Spud asked if that was his surprise which I thought was cute.  Colin ended up telling him about the zoo in Blaine and he was pretty excited.  The drive was fairly uneventful.  After getting all hopped up on sprinkles Spud crashed for over an hour!  When we got to the zoo he looked at us and said, "See?  I told you it didn't take long to get here."  
• Walking around a zoo for 4 hours (and carrying a toddler for parts of that) was probably not the best idea when there was a long run planned for the next day.
• We rushed to Costco on the way home (6pm closing = not helpful) for cheese and butter and then went to Target.  It sucks to go into those places when the dollar is at par and not have enough to buy all the fun stuff.  That said, we got what we came for.  Cherry Coke for my sister-in-law (babysitting payment on Sunday) and Cherry Coke Zero for me.  I would have gotten the regular stuff, but the store only had one box of each.  Not sure how that happens in a store that big...
• If you haven't had a Five Guys burger you should.  Now, I don't eat many burgers - it's kind of a running joke with my family - but these were fabulous.  Unfortunately I try to avoid beef before a long run so, when Colin came back with my cheeseburger, I opened the foil wrapper, realized what I'd asked for, and burst into tears.  I hedged my bets and ate it anyways.  
• Canada Border Services is so unhelpful.  I get that it takes awhile to ask everyone the standard "where are you from, where did you go, how long were you gone, what's the value of your purchases..."  But it took us an hour to cross the border.  The distance from where we started to the window was 1/2 mile.  Yup, that's a 74:32/km or 120:00/mile pace.  Thankfully Spud was asleep. 

Sunday:

• Long run!  It was a beautiful day - sunny and cool.  Since I'd picked up my Zensah calf sleeves on Saturday I wore them with shorts.  I was surprisingly comfortable.
• Our schedule called for 29km/18mi.  It was an out-and-back-ish route that was fairly familiar however, there was a little bit of trail at the turn around point that was rolly hills.  Thank goodness for hill training!  
• The two friends I was keeping pace with were great company and we definitely had to lean on each other for this run.  Not only did we have to deal with hills, but none of us were totally loving the run.  It was hard physically (hello HUGE hill at 22km/14mi) and mentally (it was just a long way to run).  Upset stomachs (and other things) and one fall kind of rounded it out.  We were slower than usual, but got it done.
• I still need to work on fueling.  The gels were fine, but I was super hungry by the end.  I've been using dates and my friend uses arrowroot cookies so I think I'll stock up on those before next week.
• Running for 4 hours really takes a chunk out of your day.  By the time we finished, went home and had showers and got back to Spud it was almost 2pm.  Thank goodness that we were staying at Colin's brother's place for dinner.  It was great to be able to just sit and visit.

Monday Musings:

• Call it superstitious, anal-retentive, OCD, crazy or just a weird quirk of runners, but I could not just leave my watch at the final distance.  Since I hit 29km a couple blocks from the store I kept running.  When I hit the last traffic light my watch said I was at 29-1/2ish km.  Did I stop there?  Of course not! I ran in circles like an idiot until my watch hit 30km.  I didn't need to go an extra kilometre.  But I wanted my watch to hit that one last lap.  I know I'm not the only one out there (Colin did it too...) - what would you call this behavior?  

What To Do On A Boring Friday Night...

Colin's out working for a friend (yay extra money!) and Spud's in bed.  TV has a craptastic selection and Netflix in Canada is great if you are a kid or you're up for a slightly lame older movie.  So what's a girl to do when it's far too early for bed?

Apparently explore this:

It's amazing what random crap blogs come up!  I get all sorts and I'm not sure how it's decided by Blogger.  It doesn't distinguish between active blogs and ones that were abandoned over a year ago.  I understand the ones that have some sort of fitness theme, be it running or multisport.  However, I don't get why it got stuck going between 3 woodworking blogs...

I can't possibly be the only person who has been bored enough to click that link.  So what weird blogs does yours connect to?

Three Things Thursday

1.  I finally get to go down to the states on Saturday and pick up a few things that I won/got for review.  I have to pay about $30 to ransom them from the mailbox service, but since I didn't pay anything in the first place that's okay.  I'll post next week about my loot!  This will also serve as a cherry coke run.  The powers-that-be in Canada didn't think enough of us like it up here so I have to cross a border to get my fix.  I may be convinced by Colin to buy the cherry coke zero, but I really seem to like my HFCS.

2.  Darren, if you're reading this please skip this point.  I'm actually enjoying hill training.  They suck and make me hurt (sore abs last night), but I feel so much better for doing them.  Yesterday we did intervals rather than repeats and it was great to mix it up a little.  The schedule said 7 x 600m repeats, but instead we ran 1min/walked 2 min for +/- 4km.  I ended up doing about 10 repeats.  It helped that I had my iPod with me and listened to My Chemical Romance the whole time.  Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na) is extremely catchy.  Thankfully the weather was perfect.  The downhill hurt the back of my leg/ankle a little, but I think it was from my shoe hitting it when I was trying to slow myself down.  

3.  I am so thankful for family and friends who are willing to support our running.  I know that marathon training takes a lot personally, but when you have kids it's just that little bit harder.  Since Colin and I both train for the same events it's necessary for us to farm Spud out every Sunday.  We are extremely blessed to have people who will watch him for ridiculous amounts of time.  You know who you are and you are greatly appreciated!

February By The Sub-Par Numbers

I blame it on the short month.*  I finally took a good look at my printed schedule and was kind of shocked to see all the red x's marking the work-outs that I didn't do.  I've had bad weeks before during training, but I think this is the first time I've had a bad month.  I will be very happy when Daylight Savings Time starts so that there's more light!  

Total Kilometres/Miles: 144.96/90.07

Long Runs: 4 (every Sunday; lengths ranging from 14.5km to 26km)

Runs Missed: 7 (3 of those I consider optional runs, but the other 4 really should have gotten done.  Ugh.)

Core/Strength/Stretch Planned/Completed: 16/5 (31% - geez that's horrible!  Guess what I'm focusing on this month?)

Push Ups: 230 real.  Proud of myself, but at the same time should have been 568 (see above).

Time Spent Running: 17.35 hours.

Here's why March is going to be so much better:  

• I finally figured out how to get to group run on Wednesday nights which means that I'll be getting all of my hill training and speed work in this time around.  
• I need to get back up to 4 days/week so that I'll have a remote chance at making my mileage goal for the year.
• My birthday is on St. Patrick's Day!  And I get to celebrate it with a 10km run since it's clinic night. ☺
• I don't want to have a post like this at the end of next month... 60 days until marathon #2 so I'd better get my butt in gear.

*I know full well that I had an off month.  Probably best to admit that it was laziness brought on by a lack of desire to go out in the rain, dark, or with Spud.  Apparently I can talk myself out of ANYTHING!