Boot camp fun

Tonight's class was hard because it was hot. There was this great ball of fire in the sky all day. I was afraid!!! But it warmed everything up, dried stuff off and hatched about a tra-zillion mosquitoes. Mosquitoes LURV me...I guess my blood is quite tasty. They tell all their friends. Despite spraying myself down before class, I was weak by the end of it from lack of blood! And note to the wise...do not slap at a mosquito with a 10lb weight in your hand...it will hurt!

We ran up the BA hill, across the ridge (love my minimus trail shoes for this) and back down the west side trail/stairs. Then we really got down to business. Split into groups, we all started with 15 drop-leg flies followed by 8 (each arm) plank rows. We jumped up and sprint to cone 1, lunge walk to cone 2, sprint to the benches. At the benches 15 dips, 15 incline pushups and 15 (each leg) leg drives. Sprint to the next cone, 15 squats. Return the way we came, doing all the moves back to the mats. Start over, this time to the other benches, we we did 15 curls (with bands) followed by 15 shoulder presses. Sprint to the next cone, 8 (each leg) lunges. Sprint the little bitch hill to the 2nd bend, run back down to where we did the squats. Do 15 squats, sprint back up little bitch and then return the way we came, repeating all moves. Collapse...I mean, return to mats to start over. Okay, we had a brief rest and water break, but did start over, DOUBLING EVERYTHING! And rather than out and back, we did the whole circuit as a circle. I was extremely close to losing my lunch on the hill.

Finally back at the mats, and after another quick rest, we did a funky upside down pyramid. Starting at 12, we did squat swings followed by lat raises, and then dropped to hold plank until 1 minute was up. Then up and repeat, only to 11 and so on until we hit 6. The plank holds got longer for some people, but by #8, my 10lb weights felt like 50 and I was slowing down. Did I mention it was hot outside?! Finished our hour with some ab work - Trainer Josh calls them the Transformers...we "transform" from v-sit to banana (legs and upper body off the ground...you look like a banana) to scissors. Repeat three times... I lay on the mat for a good 5 minutes afterwards, just trying to cool down.

After some stretching, I whipped into Walmart for cat litter and drove it down to Mom's. I swear I put over 300km on James this weekend, which is redonkulous for someone who walks everywhere! Gah! Quick visit with Mom, then home because I was starving. Drove past many temptations (McDonald's, Wendy's, A&W, Harveys, Sunterra, Safeway, Coop) and made a quick, tasty meal of sauteed peppers, onion and low-fat sausage, seasoned with Epicure Sweet & Spicy mustard and served over brown rice. So good my camera ate the photo...okay, I was so hungry I didn't even think to grab said camera!

All right...it's getting late, and I have to get some zzz's.

Later,

Damp Sunday run

No Zumba yesterday...not enough interest for a summer session, so hopefully it starts up again in the fall. Now I have Saturdays open...what ever will I do with my time?!

Yesterday I got up, puttered, then went and collected Mom, got some groceries, cat food and chocolates. Hauled some trash and then off to the north east end of town for my nephew and niece's house for her baby shower. I have to say I like where they are living now, rather than their last place (they are a bit of gypsies, but must settle down, since the little one will be here any day), and I feel they are a bit more settled. After meeting their friends, watching the gift opening and then noshing on some grub (hot dogs, potato salad, veggies) I came home and spent the evening watching TV.

Up and met the group at Eau Claire, for a 22km long, slow run. I made sure I had a good breakfast this week (the heart rate spiking last week unnerved me a tad), and pulled out the camel back for double the fluid. And I had my standby OJ/water mix in the bag, rather than just water like last week. The more I think of it, the more I think it may have even been the gu I had at the halfway mark that did me in. I don't normally take them, but because I didn't have OJ, it was something new and different. New and different doesn't work.

Today, we started our run in the rain. Thankfully not as heavy as Footstock a few weeks back, but it was drizzling and cool for a good part of the run. Of course, I had my windbreaker off by the time we hit our first walk break! Today we went east and south, a nice treat from our usual western routes. There were quite a few hills, but I love these ladies and their trail training...walk the hills up! Brilliant!!! After a couple of rest breaks (potty for the others...I am a camel), we finished 22km in the sunshine in just over 3 hours or an 8:16/km pace. Felt good the whole run, although my one arch is a little tender now. Not sure what's up, but I'll keep my eye on it. After a quick lunch of egg wrap (protein), fruit salad (YUM!), coffee (much needed) and chocolate milk (LOVE, LOVE, LOVE), I whipped up to the north west this time, for a food party at a friends. It's like Epicure, but less spices and more dip mixes, I think. I got there very late (it started at noon) so most everyone was gone, but I did sample and order a couple of things and had a quick visit with S.

Home, nap on the couch, dinner of baked potato topped with salsa, low-fat sour cream and shredded cheese and a piece of chicken, and now it's almost bed time. Can't believe it's the work week already. At least it's a short one, with Friday off to celebrate Canada Day. I may go for a hike with the girls on Friday, but haven't quite decided yet. We'll see how the week goes.

Later,

Dougie Fir fun

Tonight at boot camp we decided we needed to get away from the park, as every picnic area was filled with screaming children...oh, and their parental units! It was a nice Friday night and people were taking advantage of it. So off we went to run the Douglas Fir trail. This time, instead of stopping at the top, we kept going down the other side. Lots of stairs, tree roots, rocks, hills, climbs, descents, mud, puddles, trail. The storm that was blowing in blew right on buy us, and we stayed dry and cool in the deep forest that is the Douglas Fir. If you didn't know it, you would never guess that you were in the heart of a huge city, and just steps away from people's back yards! We finished our little run with a sprint down and back up a rather steep hill (the service road that leads up to Douglas Fir from the east) before returning on the trail to our mats, way back at Edworthy Park. The total run was just over 3.5km, but that could be wrong too, as Mr. Garmin doesn't really like hills all that much. Can't accurately count the distance up. Finished the class with some core work...v-sits, push-ups, planks, plank rows, drop-legs, toe touches and my personal favourite, v-sit to banana to scissors...all one move. OUCH!!!!

Stopped in at Walmart on the way home to pick up stuff for my niece's baby shower. Since the baby is still in the oven, and I don't know what they're having, I went totally neutral. Faceclothes, some sleepers, a hat/mitt/bootie set (all in Pooh motive) and a BIG box of diapers! I would have made a diaper cake, but I am so not motivated!! Tried that once, and it's harder than it looks. Well, not harder, but more fussy than I choose to be tonight! This is one I made a couple of years ago for my neighbour.

Found out Winterstart opened today, so I was among the first to get registered (41 at last count, and I know at least 15 of them). It's a 5-mile race in Banff, AB, in November at night and it is a blast! It's so cool to run along in the cool night air, watching glow sticks bopping along the road ahead of you. Okay, so there's a wicked hill you have to climb and then come back down, but it ends at the host hotel, where they turn the underground parking area into a beer garden for the racers! Beer and cookies...best way to end a run! Then, that got me looking for the Resolution 5K Run, which is on New Year's Eve: also open, so I signed up right away. Instead of a shirt, you get a winter running jacket, and this year's colour is a nice blue. I have the bright orange of last year (call it my running/hunting jacket) and yellow from 2009, so it'll be nice to switch it up I am one of 6 people currently registered! But don't be afraid...it sells out every year. Then I decided to get on it and sign up for the Alzheimer's 10k in October (Canadian Thanksgiving weekend). This one I will fund-raise for, but closer to the race date. So far it's me and one other lady registered! Could be a lonely run!! LOL!!

In case you've lost count, that's officially 19 races to the end of the year. I have run 8 to date, some good and some not so good. Some I run for fun (Winterstart, Rogue's Pirate run) and some for serious (Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto marathons). But mainly I run for me. And because I can.

Later,

I got nuthin...

Title-wise, that is. Couldn't seem to come up with anything clever anyway.

First off, let me say:
I LOVE THESE THINGS!!!!!!

They are totally comfortable, I stayed upright and had a great boot camp experience. Best part is today I have no leg pain or any of the other symptoms people talk about while switching to barefoot training.

Speaking of boot camp, it was a really good class. Hot but good. It's amazing how hot +24C feels after months and months and months of cold, dreary, wet weather. I didn't want to say it out loud, but it was almost "too hot". Shhh....don't tell Mother Nature, she'll take it all away! Back to camp...Trainer Josh and I had a heart-to-heart at the beginning of class, as he voiced what I've been struggling with for weeks...despite running, boot camp and zumba, I am not losing anything. Not an ounce, not an inch. Of course, then I have to fess up to eating my feelings, which is totally ironic because the feeling is frustration over not losing weight! Vicious circle!!! BUT I did start the eLifestyles program this week. It is a 12-week program that gives you menus, food tips, lifestyle ideas, coaching, etc, to help meet your goals. It was a WagJag coupon (or Groupon, I forget) and I thought it couldn't hurt. I'm on 1,500 calories a day, which is difficult for a 12+ year points follower, but I'm entering the food into WW etools, and so far am eating within my points, as well as using the weekly points allowance for "treats". I was down a pound today (yahoo!) and am committed to staying focused. Goal is 10 pounds...that will get me back under 200, and then I can chip away at the next goal.

Boot camp had us running up the upper-bitch (where the stairs are), where we also did squats and hops up. My quads were totally po'd though, as I ran the Crescent Heights stairs the night before. We finished with some killer band work, more sprints, weights and wicked killer ab work (full sit-up with one leg extended out to the side....OW!).

Met up with my last Epicure hostess, closed her party and met the gang at the Barley Mill. Man...it's barely summer and the place was so disorganized that we waited over an hour for our food. My medium-rare steak sandwich was well done and cool, but by that point I was chewing on the table so I ate it anyway. Hope they get it together.

Came home, and after entering said Epicure order, I finally crawled into bed about 11:30. The heat of the day combined with my own little "flashes" (I LOVE getting older...it rocks) had me tossing all night, so when the alarm went off at 6 I reset it and went into work at 8:30. It was totally weird working till 5, but I needed the sleep.

Home, where I made this awesome meal for dinner. Okay, so I cheated on the salad (kit came with black beans, grated cheese, grilled corn and a smokey ranch dressing, which I used half), but the fish tacos are tilapia sprinkled with Epicure Guacamole seasoning and baked, and then the corn tortilla is smeared with a mix of sour cream and seasoning (just realized I totally forgot to slice the avocado - d-oh!) and a sprinkling of cheese. The salsa is a tomato, pineapple. jalapeno, cilantro and lime juice.



I ate and waited for awhile, before deciding I really was hungry, so made a dessert of a slider bun, a bit of Nutella and fresh raspberries. Devine! Sorry...couldn't get the picture to come out clear.

I am going to head to bed early tonight, as I can't sleep in tomorrow. I want to get to boot camp at 5, as this will be my third time this week. And fingers crossed that there's enough of us registered for zumba to start on Saturday!

Later,

Splat Prevention

These were what I was wearing yesterday during boot camp, hence my splatastic fall. Please note no grippies!!


Today I walked 3.66km to and from Gord's Running Store and picked up a pair of these. New Balance Minumus Trail shoes. Notice the grippies! Can't wait to try them out tomorrow.

Tonight I met up with M&M (two of the ladies from Sunday's run) for another run. We started out at Eau Claire and made our way east to Centre St. Up Centre St and then up a rather steep hill (did 15:15 to get to the top), circled around to the west, ran to Crescent Heights, and because one of the ladies hips were bothering her, we ran (vague description, as I walked!!) the Crescent Height staircase, otherwise referred to as Calgary's outdoor Stairmaster! One hundred and sixty-seven steps bottom to top, and one heck of a climb! We did three laps and then aimed ourselves for home. We had planned on one final loop of Prince's Island, but the hip still ached, so we finished at Eau Claire, with 3.51km under our belt. However, we did run for about 45 minutes, and since I was a soaking wet mess (no rain tonight!) also got our workout on.

Met up with some peeps from past running clinics and enjoyed an iced mocha before heading for home. Really should be in bed, but whatever reason, I sit here typing. I really must try going to bed sometime before midnight!!

Later,

Splat!

I know that I say boot camp hurts, but usually for far different reasons!

I decided that since tonight was the start of a new 6-week session, I would start wearing my Vibrams to class. I was wearing them inside during the winter classes, but wanted to get used to wearing them and actually running in them. Tonight may not have been the best evening to start!

It rained last night...okay, stormed is more like it. That left for muddy fields, and the Vibrams, in true "barefoot" fashion don't have the best grips!! We started with a run down the pathways, which actually felt okay. I was running with someone, who was grilling me about running and stuff (that was kind of cool...) and while we weren't going fast, we were running at a good pace. The legs and feet felt great. This would be when the rain started, again, by the way.

To try and keep us "dry" (our usual shelter was being used by a group having a picnic...yeah, that's what we'll call it), Trainer Josh took us up to the spot at the base of the Bitch. I'm still getting used to walking on rocks in these things (ouch, ooo, ouch), but I still ran up the Bitch several times, and felt okay. Coming back down I was a little unsure, as I felt myself slip a few times, but always caught my balance. We did pyramid squats, ran the hill, more squats, more hill, a brick of rows, lats, kick-backs and squat press and then run the hill (repeat two more times!!!). Between the humidity (the rain finally stopped), donating blood earlier today (I was past the 6-8 hrs of no exertion...almost...) I was struggling a bit, but as usual did my best to keep up with everyone.

Then it happened...we were on our way back to our mats, with everyone walking down the road. To avoid the rocks, I thought "aha, the little hill to the grass would be perfect"...I took two steps and then WHAMMO!!!! Both feet flew out from underneath me, and I landed right on my ass! HARD!!! I was covered with mud...my Garmin was dredged in it, I'm sure it got in my hair as my hat went flying, my arms, my legs... It's a good thing I can laugh at myself, because I was ready for everyone else to burst out when I finally caught up with all of them. "Oh, Carol...you have something on your back". Hahahahahahahaha...whatever!


Finished up the hour, and then with a towel (I keep one in the truck) made it home in time to change and give the keys to my newest tenant. Then supper of crab sliders (fake crab, mayo, lite cream cheese on a slider bun) and some leftover potato salad. I finished cleaning up, and finding little wounds, and have been prone on the couch since. I should have done a load of laundry, but I'll do that tomorrow. I luckily have loads of running gear to choose from, as I am meeting up with M. for another run at 6.

My latest medal rack sums it all for me.


Later,

Sunday run and other musings

I decided to join up with some friends from previous clinics, for this mornings long, slow run. Since I'm not signing up for the next clinic, and pretty much everyone I know (and can keep up with!) were running elsewhere (Congrats to D.C. for his PB in the Winnipeg Marathon) or just enjoying one last weekend before the clinic starts, I was running with a group of wonderful ladies that I've never really run with before. While I was pacing at 5hr, or even to finish, these ladies were pacing at 4:30 or faster! I admit to being a little concerned as to how I would keep up, but I ended up setting the pace.

The forecast was for rain, although the sun was actually out. Or, at least I think it was the sun...ball of fire in the sky, but since we here in Calgary haven't seen a lot of it lately, I had to guess what it was! We took off to the west, heading to Shouldice Park, as the goal today was 20km. We were doing really well with the pace, averaging at nice 7:30 range, which is fast for me. The weather cooperated too, as it was warm and sunny, but humid. So odd for Calgary, and I do prefer it drier. Only got rained on once, for about 5 minutes, but by time, I was soaked with sweat anyway. Couldn't get much wetter, and the cooler temps were most welcome by this point. At least for hot little me!

I felt really good, until about the 16-17k mark. Not sure if it was my actual monitor, or me, but suddenly my heart-rate red-lined at 180-185. Decided to walk for awhile to try and bring the rate down, before running at a slower pace. Some ladies thought it was dehydration, and I think my nutrition could have been better (I didn't have any OJ to mix with my water this morning - took a gel though). Finished 20.4 at 2 hrs, 41 mins (12 minutes faster than the Half I did last week) but I knew I needed some food, FAST. After some stretching, I enjoyed chocolate milk (best recovery food, EVER), a bowl of fresh fruit salad and an egg wrap (eggs, cheese, bacon and green pepper in a wrap). Felt more human as soon as I got the milk in me. Rounded out the meal with a cup of coffee.

The ladies and I then sat and discussed future trail runs. They are all training for a 100km race in September...that's just crazy talk, if you ask me! But the trail runs make sense, and will most definitely shake things up for me. Can't wait to try out a few with them, schedule permitting.

Came home, showered and had some more water. Can't decide what to do (slight headache - I hate wearing hats) although I'm thinking a nap would be outstanding.

Happy Father's Day to all father's out there. Hug your Dad, if you can. I do miss mine today.

Later,

Asthma update

Not sure if I've ever discussed this, but I have asthma. I have had it since I was 4 years old, and unlike most children, my symptoms worsened with age, rather than improved. Then again, it was a hundred or so years ago, and attitude about asthma was much different.

First off, it was all in our heads. If we just "relaxed" we'd be fine. I refused to go to sleep during bad attacks, as I was convinced I'd never wake back up again...oh, so relaxing, kneeling in a ball on my bed, willing myself to breathe!!

Most of the fast acting inhalers and meds gave such bad tremors, it was almost better wheezing! I didn't shiver when I was cold, I convulsed.

Don't do ANYTHING to provoke an attack. That meant no running, jumping, playing outside in the spring/summer/fall/winter for me! Good times.

I am allergic to everything I inhale...fur/feather bearing creatures (yes, I have cats...there has been a cat (or two) and/or dog in my life EVERY.SINGLE.DAY since I was born - I know no other lifestyle, and I won't have it any other way), smoke, exhaust, carpet dust, upholstery dust, dust dust, trees, flowers, grass...it's a large list and incredibly difficult/frustrating to avoid. Could I be allergic to chocolate or pie?! No... The allergist suggested that at the tender age of 17 I move out of my parent's home into someplace made of steel and glass (I can only assume), but when pressed for how I would pay rent, he clammed right up. Three years of weekly allergy shots later, and I am exactly as I was.

So, I grew up afraid to do anything, with the shakes and growing larger and larger by the day. I used to go through a Ventolin inhaler in TWO weeks. An entire inhaler! My mom thought I was addicted to it...I said I was addicted to breathing! Once I got into my 30's, I resigned myself that I was asthmatic. I saw a specialist briefly, before he moved to Toronto, and his replacement was an utter ass. I'd rather wheeze, thank you very much.

I wasn't a slug, but I wasn't exactly active either. But I felt I had a handle on this whole asthma thing, and lived my life. Then one day I saw an ad for a study group, to test a new asthma med. I thought "hey, I'm a bad asthmatic, in the sense that I need to give back to our community...I should volunteer for this". Off to the hospital I went, to the research centre. Met with the nurse at the clinic, and after answering some questions, we got down to the Pulmonary Function Test, or PFT. If you've never had one, do try it one day. After plugging your nose, you are handed a mouth piece attached to a gizmo and a computer. With your lips wrapped around the tube, you take a very deep breath in, and then blast it out as fast as you can, and then keep breathing out until you see stars and are about to black out!!! While I'm sure it's only for 10-15 seconds, it feels like an hour and I envision my lungs collapsing in on themselves while I run out of air! Anyway, PFT completed, and the nurse looks at me and asks "how are you feeling?". Um, other than a little light-headed right now, fine. "Really???" Um, yes...why do you ask and why are you reaching for the code blue button!? Turns out what I thought was "fine" was 1.28L of air in my lungs...or 1/3 of what a normal person breathes with. ONE THIRD! Yikes!!! I did not get in the study, but I did get referred to my current specialist, who is Da Man!! Mixed up my meds, got me on a solid program and voila. That was about 14 years ago now, and today my PFT had me at 2.43L, or in the high 80% range. I will never be 100%, and by the sounds of things, I may never reach the 90's either, as years of ignoring or not treating properly have resulted in permanent damage to my lungs. However, I run marathons. I do boot camps and sometimes even keep up with the "youngins", and I live my life, my way, every single day. Oh, and the inhalers??? I now have to take expired ones back to the pharmacist, as I basically only use them pre-runs. Can't remember the last time I had to stop and use the rescue inhaler for an actual attack.

Take that, asthma!

Later,

Sunday recovery

Of course, the rain stopped last night and today dawned beautiful. I've had fellow runners remind me that I "picked the wrong race" as a bunch ran Betty's Run for ALS in sunshine and warmth! Betcha they didn't get shot at by someone with a pellet gun like we did though...that's gotta be a plus, right?! Oh, and I'm not kidding here...the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) were called out, as someone was actually hit and injured. Not sure when or where it happened, but I guess someone really doesn't like runners. Maybe it's the fact that we're healthy, or running on the pathway that in no way blocks traffic or maybe it was all the shuffling sound on the shale. That would have sent personally me over the edge!! Still not a reason to grab a gun. People are just weird.

Slept in this morning, and after coffee, reading blogs, a load of laundry and breakfast of eggs and slider buns (the only thing I had to dip with), I ran some errands. My usual Sunday visit with Mom, hauled her garbage out, tried to figure out what to do with her gardens, grabbed her some groceries and then home myself. Also picked up my last Epicure order, which I have to unpack and sort, and then deliver this week. Another order should be in Tuesday or Wednesday and then I've got another party on Friday. Wow...think I've done more this month than I did last year! LOL!

That's about it for me...the weekend is over and it's back to work in the morning. So I should get ready for bed...soon.

Later,

A little touch of rain

I've been so beat all week, that I haven't had the energy to blog. Wow...so, what have I been up to? Work, boot camp, work, boot camp...not so sure why I'm tired, but I am.

Good killer class on Wednesday, took Thursday to recover, followed by Tabata-Friday. After a little jaunt up Douglas Fir and back. Almost made it to the top (front runners "swept" all of us stragglers back) this time too...baby steps of improvement!

After class last night, I drove out to the small town of Cochrane, just outside Calgary, to pick up race package #9. I was running the Footstock Half today. It's actually a whole weekend of races, from a Tri for the kids (very encouraging to get the kids out and exercising) to he Half, 10k and a Duathlon...explained the very fit dudes running back with me when I returned! No way I beat them at all!!!!

Driving out, I hit rain storm #1. It was sunny in Calgary, then I hit the edge of the edge of the city and rain, rain, rain. Stopped in the town site, at the Expo (and where the start/finish was today). Whew... Went through the "Expo" - all 6 booths and picked up the cotton shirt (what the?!?!) and chip for your shoe. I've almost forgotten how to put those on, as so many races now use the chipped bibs but old school it is. Drove home, through yet another rain storm, which stopped in town.

Woke up this morning, donned my white cap and light coloured top (I was so not getting sunstroke again this race), slathered up with sunscreen (again, avoid a burn) and went out to the truck at 6:30am for the drive to Cochrane (38.9km door to door, in case you were wondering). Hmmmmm...it's dry, but those clouds to the west (over Cochrane) don't look so nice. Leave the city limits and the rain starts. And it was rain...not a mist, not a drizzle...sheets and sheets and sheets of rain!!! Good thing I keep a jacket in the truck for boot camp, because I was not dressed appropriately. Got to the rec centered and at 8am began what can only be described as the wettest run I have ever done!!! Two weekends ago I got sunstroke...today, hypothermia was more likely. It was a pretty, but interesting route...for starters we ran through a field. Not a path through a field, but a FIELD filled with knee high grasses, bushes, and mud. We then connected to the pathway system, which is lovely and extensive, but is red shale. There is something I hate...it is the sound of people who drag their feet. Makes me crazy...almost went insane in Hawaii listening to thousands of flip-flops shuffling along the sand covered sidewalks in Waikiki!! But I digress...there is only one sound I can make on red shale...shuffle, shuffle. ARGH! Okay, breathe... It switched up to paved asphalt at some points, but for the most part it was shale. And water...lots and lots of water! Half the time we were up in the side-brush, trying to avoid the ankle deep puddles everywhere. We ultimately ran through one of the neighbourhoods and then up the hill. Over 4km of hill...granted, it wasn't all up, but it was LONG. It lead us out of town, along the Morley reservation on a country dirt road. Want to know what a country dirt road is when it's been raining hard for the past 12+ hours?!?! It's mud...soft and muddy. But I pushed on, looking for the harder parts to run on (thankfully, very little traffic to deal with) and turned around and enjoyed the big run down! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE running downhill. Too bad it was only 4km worth! As an out and back, we returned the same way, but the puddles had grown and some you just couldn't avoid anymore. Okay...I'm already wet, my shoes are already squishing and are full of mud and rocks and such, so what the heck. I'm sure Caitlin, coming out of the lake portion of her triathlon today was dryer than I was!!!! I'm sure pictures would have been nice, as it was a pretty route, but there was no way I was risking my phone or camera in the rain. Lost an iPod that way...

Luckily we didn't have to cross the field again on the way back, and I tried to finish strong, but I was cold and wet and grumpy! 2:52 and change...thought I had made up time with the hill, but whatever. I finished. I always finish.

Finally came home (there were pancakes, but I munched on my cookies instead), where the rain STOPPED IN TOWN, about 5km from home....OMG, I almost burst into tears!! Stripped (my gear probably weighed 20lbs on it's own) and jumped in a HOT shower. Then into my warmest fleece and on the bed for a nap with the kids. Nothing like two purring, cuddly heaters to warm you to the bone again. Looks like the rain finally rolled it's way into Calgary, so guess I can't complain anymore.

Now I'm trying to decide what to eat for supper (don't want to get crazy, even though I did burn over 1800 calories this morning) and then I'm going to be a slug the rest of the evening.

Happy weekend, one and all.

Later,

Tuesday blah...

Normally I would be running tonight, but clinic is over and marathons are run. So, Tuesday is now a night off. I have really not moved from the couch since getting home, and it just feels...wrong.

I am still figuring out my new summer schedule, but I think it's going to look like this:
Monday - boot camp
Tuesday - a tempo run, probably after work, before I walk home. Means taking gear to the office. I could run from home, but I don't like the route as much - too much sidewalk running, meaning too many driveways and uneven pavement. I'll debate this with myself.
Wednesday - boot camp (but more importantly, meeting up with everyone afterwards at the pub!)
Thursday - off, but if Goodlife has drop in, maybe the occasional Zumba (Veronica teaches Thursday nights)
Friday - boot camp
Saturday - Zumba
Sunday - long, slow run or race, which is booked for the day.

I am focusing more on the boot camp this summer, as I need to get stronger and leaner to get faster. Fact of life...packing around 204.4 pounds for 42.2km is just plain hard work! There...I said it. That's what I weigh. I think the combination of the weights and cardio of boot camp is going to do far more for my weight loss efforts than just running. So amping it up. And I've already challenged Trainer Josh, who's ready for it. I believe his direct quote was "bring it"! It's on!

Still have the headache from Sunday, although slightly less intense today. I just wish if the weather were going to rain, it would rain already. This cloudy, hanging over greyness is wrecking havoc on my head and I need it to stop. It's painkiller time, and then off to bed.

Hoping everyone's day has been good. And a shout out to Amy for keeping it real.

Later,

Long day

I at least got to sleep in a little, as Mom's appointment wasn't till 9. Still, up at 7:30, to Mom's, to hospital, appointment for 90 minutes (they'll actually use the word dementia now, but not in a diagnosis...I swear it'd be faster if I quit work, went back to medical school and got my own doctorate!), drop her off and onwards to work by 11am. I did have to swing into a Starbucks though...yesterday's headache started to make a comeback when it realized I had gone way too many hours without the blessed caffeine. Yes, I am addicted. Six shots in my latte, thank you very much...not for amateurs!

Worked till 5pm and rushed home (I parked at the office) to change and get to boot camp just before the 6pm class. I knew I was in trouble with I. said something about feeling ill during the circuit...I. usually does 6-8 classes A.WEEK and is uber-fit!! This did not bode well!! I should have listened to my gut and backed away slowly. Instead, I warmed up with the rest by going up the B.A. hill, cross to the goat trail/stairs and back to the start. It was muddy but doable. Then we started new circuit...15's.
- Leg-drives and dips at the benches.
- drop-leg flies and push-ups at the mats.
- shoulder press, overhead extensions and curls at the bands.
- lunges and squats at the next station
- sprints up the "bitch", TWICE - wee, little hill that can slay even the hardiest of men!!!!
- return to start and resume count to 14. Repeat! Luckily, I was on my 6th pass of the bitch before Josh called us all back to the mats and water. We ended the hour with some solid abs work, with my new favourite (ask me tomorrow) of full sit up while laying with legs crossed . Ouch!

Picked up H-woman and the two of us headed to Vietnam Fortune for restorative pho and shrimp salad rolls. Oh, so good!!!

Now home, and trying to keep eyes open. Should hit the sack, since the alarm will be going off much earlier in the am than today. Sad.

Later,

Where'd the weekend go?

One minute it was Thursday and then it's Sunday night...yikes.

Friday boot camp - yes, I made it three times this week and three times in a row. We didn't manage to do either the hill or Douglas Fir, due to the rain that arrived every evening about the same time. So after a quick 10 minute warm-up run, it was a tabata-thon (2.5 minute sessions of 20 seconds on/10 seconds off)! Upper body (curls, lats, dips, then cardio of ladder/push-ups), legs (1-legged squats (OMG - so hard!), swing lunges (same leg forward then back), squats & squat hold, cardio of hurdles and step-ups) and abs (overhead drop legs, toe touches, full body bike, cardio of bird-dog plank (lift opposite arm/leg while in plank) and sprints. That took up most of the hour, so we finished, in the rain, doing negatives. It was all I could do to walk to the car afterwards.

I spent most of Saturday in bed (glorious) or on the couch (also glorious). Yes, I could have done lots, but I didn't. Instead I enjoyed a lazy, lounging day, reading magazines and sipping coffee. Then I got dressed up and went to a friend's housewarming, south of Calgary, just outside Okotoks. Gorgeous house in the country set on 5 acres...view of the mountains, so quiet you could hear the frogs. Saw a deer, went for a walk with friends, met some new ones, and headed for home around 11:30. So, as a good girl, I only had a couple of beers over the course of the evening, knowing I had to get me and James home in one piece.

Set the alarm, intent on going on a slow run this morning, but my head had other ideas. Seriously looked for the axe sticking out of it, as that could be the only explanation for the pain!! Shut the alarm off and went back to sleep for a few more hours. Didn't work, so then shifted to the caffeine/Advil plan. Still hanging on even now, which is very annoying. Will take more Advil before I go back to bed and hopefully will shake this thing by tomorrow. I have to take Mom to the doctors again (follow-up appointment), but at least they listened when I asked for early morning. Okay, so technically I start work at 7 and their first appointment of the day is 9, but we're getting closer to actually meeting my schedule!

I did manage to get outside today, with a trip to Rona to pick up supplies for the building, and then to Mom's to haul garbage and take her for groceries. The maids were there on Friday, but I guess we all let things slide a little too far, as they have to come back another day to clean the main level...spent all day Friday upstairs, it seems. But it's getting clean and that's all the matters.

That's it for me...listening to Les Miserables on PBS, but the 20th Anniversary addition from London, which is not nearly as good the 10th Anniversary Dream Cast version. I mean, Nick Jonas as Marius?!?! Seriously, what were they thinking?! He just looks scared throughout the whole thing.

Later,

Please Sir, may I have more?

Yes, I returned to boot camp tonight, after pushing myself through the hour last night. What was I thinking??

I was totally limp free today, so all the marathon kinks have been worked out. So, when we ran Douglas Fir (whimper) I was ready...okay, but I did manage to sort of keep up with all the youngen's who didn't run a marathon on the weekend!! That's gotta count for something, right?? After running the Fir, we set up for circuit from hell. Which is odd, because I thought that's what we did yesterday!

We broke into two groups, and started at the same spot. On the mats, with drop-leg overheads and then squat press. Fifteen count for everything, by the way. Group A (mine) then ran to the benches and with the bands did curls and lat pulls. Run to the next cone and lunges, then run up the hill (the wee bitch of a hill), next cone, squats, run back up the hill and then return back to the start (lunges, curls, lats, drop-legs and squats). Now switch with group B - after said drops/squats, run to next cone and do push-ups. Then lunge walk to benches, where we do leg-lifts, dips and incline push-ups. Jump rope to count of 50, then squats. Repeat backwards. Die on mat!! But wait, there's more! Then we did one.complete.circle.of.everything...doubled!!! I pay for this, right?!

And how hard core are we? The wind, rain and hail blew in, soaked us all to the skin, and not one of us stopped what we were doing and sought shelter! Just kept working through it. In fact the rain felt kind of nice!! Finished the class with some mat work (on very wet mats) before calling it a night. Can't wait for tomorrow night.

Home, rented my last suite (to the young lady who looked at it yesterday) and had some dinner of alpha-getties. I know...don't judge. I was hungry, and they are fast and delicious. I had loads of veggies at lunch...oh, and the new Mocha Coconut Frappuccino thingy from Starbucks. That may have been a mistake! I can ignore it...really I can. At least, I think I can.

Later,

Recovery

It's been 3 days now since the marathon, and while the sunburn will be with me for a while, the body has actually recovered quite nicely. Quads and calves were intensely sore on Monday...walking down the stairs from my 3 floor walk-up to work in the morning was a sight to behold, as I gingerly went down one step at a time, but I made it! No boot camp for me Monday night, or yesterday even. By yesterday, the quads were much better, but my right calf was one giant knot. I finally figured out that it was from running on slanted roads (to let the water run off) for 42.2km, and the right leg was always the one taking all the pressure. D'er! Dr. Jay worked his magic (aka - made me cry like a little girl!) and managed to work out most of the knot yesterday. Today I was walking almost like a normal person. Some pain, but at least it was almost limp free. So I decided it was time to return to boot camp!

We went up the BA hill, which really helped stretch the calves (I swear it's a 50+ degree grade) and along the ridge to the west side, where the "stairs" are. Again, it's a trail begun years ago by goats, mountain goats to boot, that someone then came along and put slats of wood in at various places, some 6" rise, some 10" rise, 2' step, 3' step, and called them a staircase. We ran up and down it a few times, doing squats at each step, jumping from stair to stair (I was exempt from this activity) and doing all we could to not hurl all over each other. The humidity was building as a thunder storm was approaching, but we lucked out. Made our way back to the tables, and did a circuit of bicep curls, weighted burpees, step-ups, back to burpees and back to curls, adding each time. Add lat raises, plank rows, dips, sumo squats...back and forth, forth and back. Finally, we did a real torture circuit where we started with shoulder press to sumo squats to hold plank till 1 minute is up. However, we were counting down on the exercises, which made the plank hold that much longer each time! Oh, the pain!!! We did that for a total of 8 minutes (longest 8 minutes of my life) before ending with some v-sits to 45 degrees, sit-ups but with your legs spread wide (holy obliques!) and then good old negatives. Finished just as the skies opened up, so we all ran to our cars, chuckling at the poor souls that had shown up for the 6pm class.

After showing the apartment to a couple of prospects (one renter signed up, so only one suite to go), I met up with the gang at the Barley Mill for a post race victory beer. We had some first timers who did great, and some of us who took away a lesson for the next race! However, as fate would have it, the president of the Calgary marathon was there having dinner, noticed all the shirts and medals and asked for honest feedback about the race. He has no idea what he's in for! But I've talked to him before at another event, and he seems genuinely interested in making this an awesome race that everyone will want to come and run. Bring it, I say!

After only 1 pint, and a great visit with everyone, I am home and once again should be in bed, but am not. I must work on this sleep thing, so that I get more than 6 hours a night. Oh, one fix at a time, I guess.

Later,