It's been a long time for me since all the pieces fell into place, since I have had that one great run.
You know, the run where you are able to get into the zone, block out all the negatives and negativity inside yourself, and just feel perfect running, like you could continue for ages. Were your legs feel as light as air, where your lungs are so expansive that you never need to stop to take a breather.
My run today was that run. I am a weather wuss (to be fair, it was -21 celcius here today!!) and decided to get my butt to the gym for a run. I have set a goal for myself this year to get to the gym 3x a week, or at least get running 3x a week. For the first few weeks of this year, I have been consistently failing at that goal. With being in Florida for Christmas, and getting back to work, I just haven't been getting it done. Come March, I will be forcing myself to do it, as I have signed up for my first Running Room clinic (more to come on that, and my annual running goals).
But for now, I am on my own. So I got to the gym, and decided to do a long slow run. For me, long was going to aim for about 4 miles right now. Pathetic, I know. I started up, at a pace of 11 minutes a mile, and felt fantastic. Normally, I am huffing and puffing within minutes, thinking of reasons to stop. But today, it was awesome. Not even the idiot running beside me with their treadmill going at 9 miles an hour, with a 10% incline, who was running by lifting most of his body weight with his arms, leaning on the treadmill the whole time, not even he could get me off my game.
I ran a wonderful 5 miles. Way longer than anything I had done recently, and it felt amazing. I could have went longer, but with sleeping late, I had other things I had to get done.
I'm so happy to have that run under my belt, because I was starting to worry that I had completely lost my game. I just realized, I was pushing way too hard, way too fast. I'm looking forward to investing the time and taking the effort to reach my goals this year...... which will be posted soon!
When was the last time you had a "perfect" run? Have you managed to have one on the dreadmill?
P.S - check out Running Diva Mom's Nuun giveaway here - http://runningdivamom.blogspot.ca/2013/01/nuun-review-giveaway.html
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Lance Armstrong
I tried to do another post to celebrate my 100th blog entry, but as I was drafting it, I realized that I can't delay my thoughts on the Lance Armstrong interview with Oprah one bit. I need to say my peace, and find out the opinions of runners regarding Lance Armstrong wanting to be able to compete again in the future.
I admit, I wasn't following this scandal as much as some people who are very interested in the cycling world; I was one of the people who knew of Lance from his achievements, the 7 tour wins, the cancer fight, dating Cheryl Crow, creating Livestrong. I thought of him as an amazing man, someone who had persevered and done amazing things in his life, and had actively taken the time to pay it forward through an amazing organization for cancer research.
When the ASADA report came out, I didn't read it, but I wasn't sure what to think. It seemed, based on what had went on for years, that people were out to get him. At this point, the historical testing of his urine samples hadn't happened, and so I kept thinking that all the facts weren't known, and that I wasn't prepared to judge one way or another.
I watched both interviews last night and today. Wow. I am torn regarding the interview, whether he was sincere, whether he truly admitted that his life was a lie, that he was a bully, a jerk. I thought he admitted some things frankly and candidly, but it certainly was not a no holds barred interview, he didn't admit how it was done, he avoided topics, and keep walking a fine line between accepting responsibility for his actions and blaming the "doping culture."
I don't think the interview was enough, or was done for altruistic reasons or for the public's benefit. This was clearly for him, and what he could do to earn money, get sympathy, rebuild his reputation, or get the ban lifted. However, I do believe there is a doping culture, and that at some level, because he was so popular and got caught, he is becoming a scapegoat, someone that is being punished more than others who had similar "crimes against sport."
I was especially struck by the conversation when it turned to his ban, and how this affected his ability to run. He got a lifetime ban, from anything sanctioned, which means many, many running races, he can never participate in. Lance Armstrong says he hopes to have that ban lifted, to run in the Chicago Marathon when he is 50. Online, there has been talk of his Boston marathon time of 2:50:58 from the 2008 race, where he came in 497th place, that it would be vacated, as if it didn't happen.
As a runner, I understand how this would be hard to accept. Races are part of what we do, what we enjoy, why we run. To run without a goal race, without something to work toward, would be very hard to accept. I have a hard enough time having motivation when I do have a race, I can't imagine having to accept to race against my own time on my own made up courses or a treadmill.
That being said, it is a consequence of his own stupid actions. He needs to understand that his actions have consequences. Cycling is his love, and he should never get the chance to race again. Period. That will be punishment for the rest of his life. But running? He is never going to place in a big race like Boston or Chicago. Should he be allowed to join a group of people to work out together, to enjoy a hobby that will never earn him money, that will never get him prize money? What happens if he gets better at running without doping? Do we ban him then?
What about triathalons? Apparently, he was having quite a good year in 2012 before he was banned, and could have had a shot at Kona: http://www.runtri.com/2012/02/lance-armstrong-results-at-ironman-703.html
If I had to say my peace on the running issue, I would lean towards letting him run a 10k, letting him join Team Diabetes or another charitable running program to make some amends. Him running probably won't make any negative impact in anyone's life. But ban him from triathalons, from the bike, because that is where he should be punished. Let him compete in running, but don't let him win. That will hurt him just as much, if not more than not letting him participate at all.
What do you think of the running ban that comes along with Lance Armstrong's ASADA punishment? As a runner, do you think he should be banned from races? Why?
I admit, I wasn't following this scandal as much as some people who are very interested in the cycling world; I was one of the people who knew of Lance from his achievements, the 7 tour wins, the cancer fight, dating Cheryl Crow, creating Livestrong. I thought of him as an amazing man, someone who had persevered and done amazing things in his life, and had actively taken the time to pay it forward through an amazing organization for cancer research.
When the ASADA report came out, I didn't read it, but I wasn't sure what to think. It seemed, based on what had went on for years, that people were out to get him. At this point, the historical testing of his urine samples hadn't happened, and so I kept thinking that all the facts weren't known, and that I wasn't prepared to judge one way or another.
I watched both interviews last night and today. Wow. I am torn regarding the interview, whether he was sincere, whether he truly admitted that his life was a lie, that he was a bully, a jerk. I thought he admitted some things frankly and candidly, but it certainly was not a no holds barred interview, he didn't admit how it was done, he avoided topics, and keep walking a fine line between accepting responsibility for his actions and blaming the "doping culture."
I don't think the interview was enough, or was done for altruistic reasons or for the public's benefit. This was clearly for him, and what he could do to earn money, get sympathy, rebuild his reputation, or get the ban lifted. However, I do believe there is a doping culture, and that at some level, because he was so popular and got caught, he is becoming a scapegoat, someone that is being punished more than others who had similar "crimes against sport."
I was especially struck by the conversation when it turned to his ban, and how this affected his ability to run. He got a lifetime ban, from anything sanctioned, which means many, many running races, he can never participate in. Lance Armstrong says he hopes to have that ban lifted, to run in the Chicago Marathon when he is 50. Online, there has been talk of his Boston marathon time of 2:50:58 from the 2008 race, where he came in 497th place, that it would be vacated, as if it didn't happen.
As a runner, I understand how this would be hard to accept. Races are part of what we do, what we enjoy, why we run. To run without a goal race, without something to work toward, would be very hard to accept. I have a hard enough time having motivation when I do have a race, I can't imagine having to accept to race against my own time on my own made up courses or a treadmill.
That being said, it is a consequence of his own stupid actions. He needs to understand that his actions have consequences. Cycling is his love, and he should never get the chance to race again. Period. That will be punishment for the rest of his life. But running? He is never going to place in a big race like Boston or Chicago. Should he be allowed to join a group of people to work out together, to enjoy a hobby that will never earn him money, that will never get him prize money? What happens if he gets better at running without doping? Do we ban him then?
What about triathalons? Apparently, he was having quite a good year in 2012 before he was banned, and could have had a shot at Kona: http://www.runtri.com/2012/02/lance-armstrong-results-at-ironman-703.html
If I had to say my peace on the running issue, I would lean towards letting him run a 10k, letting him join Team Diabetes or another charitable running program to make some amends. Him running probably won't make any negative impact in anyone's life. But ban him from triathalons, from the bike, because that is where he should be punished. Let him compete in running, but don't let him win. That will hurt him just as much, if not more than not letting him participate at all.
What do you think of the running ban that comes along with Lance Armstrong's ASADA punishment? As a runner, do you think he should be banned from races? Why?
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Back and Ambitious!!!
Hey!!!
I've came back after a very long year (nope, no baby to announce, just work and life and the ups and downs that come with it) with a new sense of renewal and dedication.
When I left the blog last year, I realized that I had the wrong focus, that I had become a person who was too obsessed with "competing" with the fast bloggers, the bloggers who ran Boston, the runners who are generally freaking amazing. I LOVE these bloggers, but it took me a heck of a long time to figure out, I'm not them. I'm not even close.
After I got back from my whirlwind Europe trip, which was awesome, my friendship with my best friend, the person whose wedding I attended last November, went off the rails. Reasons will not be discussed, but it is sad to see one of your longest friendships fall off over something so insignificant. Things were rocky, then bad, then we just stopped speaking. And I'm ok with it.
I've moved forward with life and work, finding great people in my life to "fill the void" so to speak, and expect a pretty big improvement at work very soon. More to come on that in the near future.
With respect to running, the past year has been all about running for me. I did the Resolution Run last December, and it was a great race. I made good time for me (somewhere around 33 minutes) but didn't really care. Maybe that was due to the Irish coffee I drank before the race.... ;) But it renewed my sense of being a runner, and that I could define what that meant.
Since then, I have ran in the following races: a short (5k), small prediction race in March, the Spartan Race, the Perth Kilt Race, a Race called Rattle Me Bones, and the Franktown 10k. Most of these races went very well. The 10k didn't, mostly because I undertrained, and once again focused on time expectations without putting the effort in.
In December, I turned 29. Eek!!! Most women certainly know, you hit a certain age and really have to evaluate where you are and what you want to do. I decided I am at a good place overall - great job, family, own my own home, decent-ish debt load, etc. Even with my contentment, I decided I haven't been spending enough time (or money really) on me and what I want to do. I am the person who hands over the remote to my husband, who gives my step-daughter my shoes when she forgets hers at her mothers, who lets my friends have the last slice. So this year, I have given myself a 30 under 30 (really a 30 before 31) list of things to do, and have started crossing them off.
There are several fitness related ones, including doing the May Race Weekend 10k again and beating my sucky PR for that race of 1:09:45. I actually went and signed up for a running room clinic so that I can meet new running friends who are at my pace. It excites me and makes me internally freak out all at the same time.
I am also planning to do the Spartan Trifecta, which you can read about here because I'm crazy, and frankly, there needs to be more women's names on that list.
Finally, I have a few other goals that I will share that are not running related - cooking a meal I am terrified of, eating something scary and awesome, zip lining for the first time in my life, losing some weight, reading some of the great classic books, etc.
I hope to make this new version of Running from the Law interesting to you, so if anyone comes back and reads this post, please, please tell me what you want to see. Me making an idiot of myself? Less running more life, or vice versa? Informative posts about things like research and gear??? More/less pictures? Let me know.
K, I'm out for now, but will check in soon with pictures of my newest running gear, and details of the trip I went on over Christmas. Later!
I've came back after a very long year (nope, no baby to announce, just work and life and the ups and downs that come with it) with a new sense of renewal and dedication.
When I left the blog last year, I realized that I had the wrong focus, that I had become a person who was too obsessed with "competing" with the fast bloggers, the bloggers who ran Boston, the runners who are generally freaking amazing. I LOVE these bloggers, but it took me a heck of a long time to figure out, I'm not them. I'm not even close.
After I got back from my whirlwind Europe trip, which was awesome, my friendship with my best friend, the person whose wedding I attended last November, went off the rails. Reasons will not be discussed, but it is sad to see one of your longest friendships fall off over something so insignificant. Things were rocky, then bad, then we just stopped speaking. And I'm ok with it.
I've moved forward with life and work, finding great people in my life to "fill the void" so to speak, and expect a pretty big improvement at work very soon. More to come on that in the near future.
With respect to running, the past year has been all about running for me. I did the Resolution Run last December, and it was a great race. I made good time for me (somewhere around 33 minutes) but didn't really care. Maybe that was due to the Irish coffee I drank before the race.... ;) But it renewed my sense of being a runner, and that I could define what that meant.
Since then, I have ran in the following races: a short (5k), small prediction race in March, the Spartan Race, the Perth Kilt Race, a Race called Rattle Me Bones, and the Franktown 10k. Most of these races went very well. The 10k didn't, mostly because I undertrained, and once again focused on time expectations without putting the effort in.
In December, I turned 29. Eek!!! Most women certainly know, you hit a certain age and really have to evaluate where you are and what you want to do. I decided I am at a good place overall - great job, family, own my own home, decent-ish debt load, etc. Even with my contentment, I decided I haven't been spending enough time (or money really) on me and what I want to do. I am the person who hands over the remote to my husband, who gives my step-daughter my shoes when she forgets hers at her mothers, who lets my friends have the last slice. So this year, I have given myself a 30 under 30 (really a 30 before 31) list of things to do, and have started crossing them off.
There are several fitness related ones, including doing the May Race Weekend 10k again and beating my sucky PR for that race of 1:09:45. I actually went and signed up for a running room clinic so that I can meet new running friends who are at my pace. It excites me and makes me internally freak out all at the same time.
I am also planning to do the Spartan Trifecta, which you can read about here because I'm crazy, and frankly, there needs to be more women's names on that list.
Finally, I have a few other goals that I will share that are not running related - cooking a meal I am terrified of, eating something scary and awesome, zip lining for the first time in my life, losing some weight, reading some of the great classic books, etc.
I hope to make this new version of Running from the Law interesting to you, so if anyone comes back and reads this post, please, please tell me what you want to see. Me making an idiot of myself? Less running more life, or vice versa? Informative posts about things like research and gear??? More/less pictures? Let me know.
K, I'm out for now, but will check in soon with pictures of my newest running gear, and details of the trip I went on over Christmas. Later!
Friday, November 18, 2011
Foto & Follow up Friday
I'm Alive!!!!
Yes, I know, it has been too long for me to be away. I somehow forgot to tell you all that I was going to be away for a while! My husband and I went to a wedding for a good friend in England, and decided to make a tour of France and Germany at the same time! So there was a lot of packing, travelling, eating, relaxing, and some stressing when our travel agent messed up our flight home. Since we've got back, I have been working overtime to get back on track. Why does it always seem like you have to spend two weeks catching up from a 2 week vacation?
So to make up for my absence, here are some photos for your enjoyment! More to come!!!
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Third Time Thursday
Well, this weekend I had scheduled plans to help my friend M complete her first marathon. She had signed up for a tough local race, once that had a lot of hills, and a pretty arbitrary policy of telling people to not sign up if they thought they would take more than 6 hours max. Even those who thought they might be over 5 hours had to sign up for an early start time. As a result, there were only about 200 marathon runners, and my friend was SUPER nervous.
The week before her race, I agreed to meet her about 25km into the looping course, and help her run the rest in. 12-15k was something I knew I could do just fine, so I planned where to park accordingly. The morning of the race however, everything went wrong. I couldn't get to the place I wanted to, so had to park with all the participants, and had to walk the course to the 25k mark. This meant about 5k of walking to get to the meetup point, with a bag on my back in 28 degree heat. I was worried I had missed my friend, and kept an eye out for her. I texted her, and was scared when I got no response. There was at least one marathoner I passed who collapsed at the 20k mark, and I assisted another in dropping out on my way to the meetup point.
Finally, I called my friend, and found out she was just approaching where I was. She had got to the 23 k mark, and decided that running it wasn't fun, and she wanted to cross the finish line with a smile on her face, so she made the executive decision to walk the rest of the race. Somehow, I was convinced to walk with her. So, I accidentally completed my third half marathon this weekend. My friend was the last person on the course, and didn't finish in the 6 hour time limit, but thanks to some great volunteers, she had a human finish line to cross and a medal to receive when she got there.
I had great fun being a sherpa for her, even with the blisters and sore muscles the next day. I got home to my husband saying he told me so (I said I wouldn't do another half marathon again) but that was ok. It was my first time "spectating" and was completely enjoyable. If all my races were like that, I would do a half marathon anytime. There were no expectations, no pressure to complete in a certain time frame. The goal was to cross the line, and in the end, we both did.
Anyone have their own "spectating" stories where you ended up being more than just verbal support? What do you think about a race having a time limit?
The week before her race, I agreed to meet her about 25km into the looping course, and help her run the rest in. 12-15k was something I knew I could do just fine, so I planned where to park accordingly. The morning of the race however, everything went wrong. I couldn't get to the place I wanted to, so had to park with all the participants, and had to walk the course to the 25k mark. This meant about 5k of walking to get to the meetup point, with a bag on my back in 28 degree heat. I was worried I had missed my friend, and kept an eye out for her. I texted her, and was scared when I got no response. There was at least one marathoner I passed who collapsed at the 20k mark, and I assisted another in dropping out on my way to the meetup point.
Finally, I called my friend, and found out she was just approaching where I was. She had got to the 23 k mark, and decided that running it wasn't fun, and she wanted to cross the finish line with a smile on her face, so she made the executive decision to walk the rest of the race. Somehow, I was convinced to walk with her. So, I accidentally completed my third half marathon this weekend. My friend was the last person on the course, and didn't finish in the 6 hour time limit, but thanks to some great volunteers, she had a human finish line to cross and a medal to receive when she got there.
I had great fun being a sherpa for her, even with the blisters and sore muscles the next day. I got home to my husband saying he told me so (I said I wouldn't do another half marathon again) but that was ok. It was my first time "spectating" and was completely enjoyable. If all my races were like that, I would do a half marathon anytime. There were no expectations, no pressure to complete in a certain time frame. The goal was to cross the line, and in the end, we both did.
Anyone have their own "spectating" stories where you ended up being more than just verbal support? What do you think about a race having a time limit?
Monday, October 3, 2011
Spoke too soon
Every year, I get to this point (October) and think, I will run through the season. I will not be a wuss. I will put my big girl pants on and get my butt out of my warm bed and run, even though it is getting chilly.
And then the season change comes, and it hits me like a freight train, and I can barely get out of bed to get to work on time, let alone run. I have signed up for the Resolution Run in December, so I have to get back to it, but I am giving myself a little bit of breathing room for another week or two before getting back into it full force. I have a pile of other things going on, work related, life related, and sometimes, you just need to give yourself a little break.
So my last post, I mentioned that I managed to avoid the dreaded black toes that I had last year. If you weren't here, 5 of my toes turned some shade of purple or black after my first half marathon, and partially detached from the nailbeds. I managed to keep them all, but was not happy about the process. This year, some of my toes turned a strange shade of pink, but after almost two weeks, I was confident I was going to keep them all.
Fast forward to this past Saturday, I had a friend visiting from overseas and we were showing her our new house. My husband and I stepped in to hug her at the same time, and sure enough, my husband stepped on my big toe, and I immediately knew it was trouble. I looked down and the middle of my nail had already started turning purple/black from blood pooling underneath, or bruising, or something. So, I'm back to crimson nail polish!!!
FYI - don't google black toenail - some people have ugly toes!
Are you a fall runner? Do you notice any change in your running when the seasons change from warm to cold?
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
I love running...
This post has been a bit inspired by Mel over at Tall Mom - she had a negative incident with a photo caption, and clarified that you don't always have to look happy or have a smile on your face to love running. I think right now that point needs to stick in my head. I don't have to be competitive, I don't have to be fast, I don't have to run marathons or half marathons. I could, and I know that, but just because I choose not to doesn't mean I am not a worthy runner, and doesn't mean I don't love running the distances I choose to run from now on.
My husband proceeded to keep digging a hole with me today when he called me at work. After the run, he didn't ask what time I finished in, and to be honest, I didn't share because I was horribly ashamed of it. I should be able to run faster than I do. So many people I know, bloggers I see do halfs in 2 hours or less like it is no big thing, so when I have to say I did my second half in 2:48, it sucks.
I guess my husband took it upon himself to look up my time, then he called and jokingly called me a slacker. Which resulted in me bursting into tears at my desk, because I feel like it is true. I feel I failed, I am lacking, the result isn't impressive, and am terribly ashamed. I think upon hearing my reaction, which was crickets followed by a conversation on why that wasn't funny, he finally got it.
Still waiting on the photos, but my body is pretty much 100%. Toenails are a bit sore, but thankfully, I think none of them will turn black or fall off this time. Might try to get a run in tomorrow.
Has anyone ever made a really stupid comment to you they thought was "funny"? What did you do about it?
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