Yeouch!

Ok....fastest 9k to date this morning (I think).  55:44...but boy do I feel it.  I may never move again.  The thought of doing 10k in under an hour is seeming more and more unrealistic.  I'm a hurtin' unit.  Still managed to do 10 sprints after the run....but those were very tough too.  Started out particularly rough and got better however.

The next few weeks will be a challenge for me.  After Thursday, I'll have no one waiting for me at Rails to Trails to get me out of bed in the morning.  Then there is the issue of the deer (and other animals) that freak me out when I run on the trail early in the morning alone.  More incentive to run FAST perhaps??  Starting 10k runs next weekend and will do at least the first two weekends alone.  Is that good?  Bad?  Remains to be seen.

For now...I must go stretch some more before my body seizes so badly I can not actually walk.  Isn't running FUN?? 

Brrrrr....

Is it REALLY almost July?  Went for another bike ride from my house to the bridge and back (about 22 km) with Colleen....but it was a chilly ride.  Colleen gave me a good giggle when she said at one point that she thought she was getting frostbite.  Usually speeding down the hills is the best part of the bike ride...but today it was just COLD. 

Supposed to be 8 degrees in the morning so should be a nice cool run tomorrow.  We'll be good and ready for a winter half marathon at this point.

Bring on the sunshine!!  I want summer!

Awesome Day!

Whoo Hooo....I love days where I have boundless amounts of energy for some strange reason...  Ran 5k this morning, did kettlebells and sprints at lunch and now just did a 22 k bike ride.... And thanks to the combination of the freakishly weird amounts of energy and the months of hell in spin class, I made it up the never-ending hill in a gear one notch below the hardest gear.  Made it up the killer hill to my place in a harder gear too (though not as tough a gear as the long, gradual hill).  When I got up the really hard part of that hill to my place and then up the slightly less hard part, there was a crinkled up package of cigarettes lying in the road.  What a great reminder of how far I have come.  Definitely couldn't have had a day like this back when I was a smoker.  Think I'll sleep well tonight!

Beautiful day outside.  Blue sky, 26 degrees....and beautiful scenery along the way.  How can you NOT be filled with energy when you're surrounded by the beautiful scenery we're lucky enough to enjoy here in the Kootenays!?

Lucky Lucky Me

Every now and then I am reminded that despite any set-backs that may occur in life, I am a super lucky girl!  I am especially lucky to have some wonderful, supportive, encouraging and super cool friends.  Went for a great walk with Kyla today...not only was it a nice walk - but she is so freaking entertaining, you can't help but be in a good mood when you've spent time with her...

I kept talking about my running girls to her too....and she (being the awesome, supportive ultra-cool chick she is) commented on how great she thinks it is that I have these women in my life that are willing to do crazy things with me like Bloomsday, the Vegas half...and maybe, just maybe a duathlon??!!  I, of course, know how lucky I am to have them (both for the running support and for all the support in so many other ways!) but having someone else comment on it is a great reminder.

Everything else seems less important when I focus on just how lucky I really am!  Lucky lucky me!

Saw this quote today.  Totally reminded me of my friends today:  "A word of encouragement during a failure is worth more than an hour of praise after success"

Time to Reflect

Went out last night... Didn't get much sleep.  Having an introspective day today.  Don't see much happening training-wise...just some thinking time.

Three early-morning runs coming up this week as well as the last (I think) 9k weekend run.  Once July comes around I'll be going up to 10k on the weekends.  Supposed to be some decent weather days starting on Tuesday for a few days...so hopefully will get some biking in for cross-training this week too.

Sometimes You Need A Push

Great 9k today.  All three of us were finally back together....Colleen, Gerilee and I.  Yay!!  Whether intended or not, having Gerilee running beside me pushes me to do better so I was able to take another minute off of my 9k time from last week!  Getting 10k done in under an hour might just be possible some day after all.

Followed the great run with some sprints and stretching.  Think my quads might protest somewhat tomorrow.  Still enjoying the running thing so much more now, though.  Amazing what pain-free running can do for you :)

The Runs Keep on Comin'

Nothing new or exciting to report on the running front.  Did our regular 5k on Tuesday and Thursday.  Our longer 9k run is tomorrow.  Hope to get in under an hour again...but have been feeling tired and sluggish the past few days.  Didn't do much of anything today so hoping I'll have the energy I need in the morning.

Loving how much better I feel running now than I used to, though.  Even the rough days aren't nearly so rough.

Well, time to rest up for tomorrow (some more).

'Til next time....

New Goal...

Forgot to mention in my last post.... After achieving my goal of a sub-hour 9k....I now want to attempt a 10k in under an hour....By the end of July if possible.  Yikes!

The picture attached has nothing to do with running....but isn't the baby deer cute?

Great Run Day!

The sun was shining - which always inspires a better run.  I love a morning where the air still feels a little bit crisp yet the sun is shining down...it is so energizing.  Today was another 9k run.  I hoped by the end of the month to be able to complete 9k in less than an hour.  Surpassed that goal today (only half way through the month) and completed in 58:10.  Yay!  I felt really good through almost the whole run.  Had a little pain in my heel/ankle for a bit....but the groin gave me no trouble at all. 

Wore my new Nuu-Muu for the first time today.  It is ultra-comfortable.  I felt great running in it.  Might need to get more.... hmmmm....So much for running being an 'inexpensive' sport!

Now back to real life....laundry, lawn mowing and grocery shopping...uggh...

'Til next time....

Keep on Runnin'

Over-did (or properly did) kettlebells on Tuesday.  Was supposed to run Wednesday morning but was awake most of the night listening to the rain pouring down like crazy.  At four a.m. I turned on my cell phone and began praying Colleen would call and cancel!  Thankfully, she did just that.  Not so much cancelled, I guess....just postponed to after work.  Did the route through town...had to detour a little through Kinsman Park due to some pretty major flooding (damn rain!).  Just means we have to stick to the ultra-flat Rails to Trails, I guess. Oh darn!  Run was relatively good....other than the huge pain in my thighs/butt from kettlebells.  We certainly didn't make any time records...But we ran 5k...and that is what counts.

Hopefully we'll get Gerilee out running with us again soon.... Seems like FOREVER since we all last ran together :(

We all ordered some cool new running t-shirts/tanks today.  Looking forward to their arrival...We might never be the fastest in the race...but that doesn't mean we can't look the best :)

One Step Forward...and then a step back

Well, my Vegas roomie/travel mate has determined that it is not possible for her to go to Vegas after all.  This now opens up questions for me.  Do I try to find someone else to go with so I can share expenses and not end up lost wandering the streets of Vegas?  Do I try to book at the same time as one of the other couples going?  Do I really want to be the third wheel (7th wheel actually, I guess...since there will be 3 couples and me).  Or should I grow up and put on my big-girl panties and get my own self to Vegas like a real adult would?  hmmmm... 

Biking Day

Excellent cross-training day....though I prefer to just think of it as a beautiful bike ride.  Went to Marysville on Rails to Trails with Colleen, had a good lunch at the golf course and then biked home.  About 37km in all.  Felt pretty good the whole way.  Such a beautiful area...Was loving the sunshine and the views.  All-in-all it has been an awesome weekend (including the Canucks winning in OT to take a 2-0 lead in the Stanley Cup finals against Boston!).  Need to get my bike seat raised....bit hard on my knees currently.  Such a nice way to spend the morning, however...  Now it is back to reality...laundry and grocery shopping....sigh...

Six Months and Counting...

Ok....here we go!  Six months from now I will be preparing to run my first ever half marathon.  Yikes!  I've registered so there is no turning back now, right?  Right!

Days like today I feel like maybe I can actually do this.  Had a great run this morning with Colleen.  The sun was shining but it wasn't too hot (yet).  It was the type of morning that almost makes you WANT to run.  We did 9km today.  Groin started hurting around the 6k mark....but actually got better.  Especially after I drank water?  Maybe.  Must remember to keep doing that....WATER!  Very important. 

Running is going so much better now than in the past.  Partly due to the increase in water I am consuming, I'm sure and likely in part due to me working on strengthening my core.  Hopefully by the time we start ACTUALLY training for the half, my groin issues will be a thing of the past.  Got a couple of months of just running for "fun" before we have to worry about that, though. 

Looking forward to more runs in the sun :)

D.