Ottawa half marathon 2011

Left for Ottawa shortly before noon on Friday may 27. The drive was long in the rain and traffic but great in conversation with Carole. Barry had flown earlier that day for a meeting and was meeting us at the hotel. Les suites Ottawa - total dump and was not impressed. It was hard for me to get over it but with Carole and Barry's help I did. We went for a late dinner in By Ward Market and called it a night.

was a nice and leisurely morning, not really getting started until late morning with a stroll to the market and a yummy breakfast at Cafe 55 - bagel, egg, ham and cheese - YUM. Then off to the Race Expo - was a little disappointed but did get a new Run Girl Run hat (love their hats) and that was about it. Pretty much NOTHING in the form of swag ... the weather was great but Carole and I wandered through the Market again and then caught up with Barry to see the 10km race start and finish then we caught dinner at Milestones. Then off to bed.

Race Morning was quite relaxing as the start wasn't until 9 - the marathon started at 7 but no way we were getting up to make that. So it was cereal and coffee in the room and we left for the race around 8:15. The weather was ok, misty a bit but warm enough - no need for any extra layers at the time - Carole and my matching lululemon outfits were perfect.

we said goodbye to Barry near the start and made our way back to the 3rd corral - around the 2:15 bunny ... i thought we would do it in and around 2:30 .... we got off to a good start -it was misty-rain but warm enough - Carole did great but when we came to the first set of potty's i had to stop - that was about 6km into the race - we added about 5 minutes to our time at that stop. We got back going and the rain just got heavier and heavier - we were keeping in and around the 6:40 pace - carole did great - she would freak a little when we came to hills and as the race progressed she walked more. By the time we were coming back over the bridge into Ottawa around 15 km I could tell she was getting tired. We pushed through those last 6km with me pulling her along - and Carole wanting to walk more than anything. The last Km I was pretty tough with her getting her to run and i literally pulled her for the final 500 meters. We finished with a time of 2:44:07. I was proud to cross the finish line with my best friend - her first half marathon run!

May 24 weekend - kicking off summer training!

Tonight Barry and I got out on the Boardwalk for 6km. I had been grumpy most afternoon - Since the Toronto Goodlife Half a week ago I hadn't run at all with only one spin class all week. It felt great to get out and get some good running blood flow to my legs. it was a slow pace at 6 min plus km. The weather was quite nice with lots of fog over the lake but sunny on land. Boardwalk was quite crowded a reminder that summer is here and the boardwalk will be full of dogs, kids and their keepers. Love my new lulu summer jacket - light and just enough to take the chill off at the beginning and end of the run.

Looking forward to Ottawa Half in one week. Running the Ottawa half next to Carole will be great fun and a great kickoff to the summer season!

Toronto Half Marathon May 15, 2011

First of all, the weather wasn't as bad as expected ...and I made it to the start line with 4mins to spare with a port-o-let stop and all. Thanks Carole for getting up early and driving us up to the start line! I was thinking driving rains, wind and it feeling like 5*c. It actually was barely rain (reminecient of the rains in Leeds). The wind was only annoying on Front Street (17k) and Queens Park. Temperature was just about perfect and was happy to ditch the sleaves of my new jacket (Nike Storm-fit) with our FANS at 6km. So happy Anna and Don were able to bring Griffin, Calli Anna and Jensen out to see our race. Run down Yonge felt great with a sub 5min k and well below my targeted 5:41. Ran with Barry and felt very comfortable a few meters ahead of him knowing he would catch up at the water stations where I stop every time for a cup of water. I ate Gu chomp at 2km, 6km, 10km, 14km, and maybe 17km. Around 17km I started feeling a tighness in my left quad/groin and felt the need to slow down. At the turn up University I was feeling muscle fatigue but I pushed my body hard knowing i would be at the finsih line in less than 12 minutes. Again, running the last 2.1 km with Barry really made the race amazing. I truly hate the finishing line at this race. Coming up to Queen's Park, blind finish line, it truely makes the last 750 meters tough even with the wonderful spectators. Speaking of which, a big shout out to the Lululemon Cheer Squad outside thier store on Yonge - truely uplifting!

Happy to say - it wasn't a PB and wasn't a PW (personal worst) ... a respectable 1:54:44. What a great day for a great run. Thank you to the Goodlife Fitness Toronto Marathon for putting on a great race. Enjoyed a great massage with very little wait. Would have been nice to have some water at the fisish area but only chocolate milk was readily availibe. Need to have someone meet me at the finish with a cold red G2 and a Chocolate Peanut Butter Simply Bar - now that would have been a great treat.

treadmill = rat in a cage

Ran 15 minutes on the treadmill this morning before my power class ... I have now reached the point where I enjoying running outside much more than running inside ... felt like a hamster on a wheel! Looking forward to a fast, cold, windy 5km this afternoon OUTSIDE!

a little snowy LSD - 14km

So last week I joined up with the running group out of the Commerce Court Running rooms and yesterday was my second run with them. It was quite lovely and dare I say near enjoyable. We had a great 14km route that took us up Jarvis to Mt. Pleasant, through Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, across Younge down through Forest Hill, Yorkville and then back to downtown. Only 2 hills on the front half and pretty much all downhill on the back half - just the way I like it. It started "snowing" well really, flurries as we ran through the cemetery - it was peaceful and beautiful.

There are about 15 - 20 runners but we spit into different pace packs - for the second week in a row I ran with the same 2 ladies and I think they may be instrumental in me learning to love running.

Hills to flat

Today I had all good intentions of doing 6 hills ... but as the bell rang and I shuffled the kids into school, the pellets of snow/sleet/rain started falling. I ran 2 hills but the slippery conditions (blame it on all the fall leaves) pushed me up to Kingston Road and I finished out a total of 5km today. On a positive note - I hate hills so much that running the last few KMs flat was actually enjoyable ... a little bit! I don't want to complain about the weather after the great weather we have had - but today was the wake up call that I have a long winter of winter running ahead of me!

I don't love running

I don't love running. I don't even really like running. But I run. I used to run years ago ... when I ended the relationship with the guy that wanted me to run - I pretty much swore off running. Now don't get me wrong - I am a gym rat of sorts - I love the gym - I have had my fascinations with all sort of group fitness ... recently I love spinning and group power (lifting weights in a group setting). But I've done them all - aerobics, step, body pump, body sculpt, pilates, yoga ... pretty much everything except this new Zumba fad.

So, this past spring my husband started running and convinced me to enter my first running race - the spring sprint 5km. I had't run 5km in years - I ran it, I beat him by a minute or so. I was hooked. See, i don't love running ... but I do love races! I had already found the love of races a couple years ago - when I walked 2 half maratons (Ottawa and Toronto Waterfront) as well as a 15 km (Midsummer's Night). But running was different. I was hooked.

So now, my journey is to actually love running - and I am going to journal via this blog my training over the next little while. My next race is the Tanabalm 10km here in the Beachs in Toronto. Then the Disney Half Marathon in January and if I can find by love of running - the 30km Around the Bay in March. I ran my first half Marathon on October 17, 2010 wiht a time of 1:51:15. So from here on it's about PBs and goals. And of course, finding the love of running!