2011 into 2012

After reading everyone's year-end recap, I figured I should write one of my own. But I'm going to keep this brief. 2011 was a year of firsts: first half marathon, first time in a bike club, first year taking running seriously. I did 3 half marathons - one in the pouring rain and freezing cold, another in the remnants of Hurricane Irene, and the last one (a PR) done on a whim in brand-new shoes. I also did a 20km race, a staircase challenge and a handful of triathlons. I'm extremely pleased with my mileage on the year (666 miles), despite a couple injuries.

For 2012, I want to do the following:
- do the Hamilton Around the Bay 30k
- complete my first marathon (preferably under 5 hours)
- do the Quebec City Staircase Challenge again
- participate in the Warrior Dash in my hometown
- focus more on running and less on triathlons
- do a couple half-marathons (and ideally break 2:00)
- do a few local 5ks and 10ks (since these races don't require pre-registration, I tend to succumb to my lazy side when the alarm goes off the morning of the race - don't do it!)
- get at least 1000 miles running on the year
- keep up with my calorie-counting (only 1 counting-free day per week)
- keep active 6 days/week with running and my other cross-training options (spinning/cycling, yoga, strength-training, P90x, Kinect fitness, etc)

Happy New Year!

Awesome (freezing cold) run

I almost didn't go. Almost. But after chasing Miss Mika around the neighbourhood (after she somehow got off her leash), I realized that -23*C (-10*F) wasn't so bad. So I got my lazy butt up off the couch and went out for a leisurely 3 miles around the neighbourhood. The roads have been packed down in the last few days, so it's much easier for running (aside from a few slippery patches here and there). This is what I looked like when I came back:

 I didn't bother wearing my glasses because I knew they'd just get fogged up. My hair was a mess when I took my hat and neck gaiter off! I'm glad I got out there and as a bonus, it was entirely pain-free!

Going back to Miss Mika's escape. I tracked her down by following her foot-steps through the snow (one advantage to winter, right?). In the process, however, I managed to creep some guy out, as he was watching me (from his back window) tramp through his backyard, whistling and calling the dog's name. I waved and continued on my way. I was out there in a jacket and PJ bottoms - how much of a threat could I possibly have been?

Possibly the worst run of my life

When I looked outside this morning, I saw that we had received a good 8 inches of snow overnight. There was a big pile of snow at the end of the driveway from where the plow had gone by, but other than that, there was nothing unusual. So I decided to get in my 2 miles (which I was supposed to have done yesterday, but with all the driving I was too tired by the time we got home) before things got too cold this afternoon. I should have checked the weather before I left; if I had, I would have realized that we were under a wind warning and that maybe today would have been a good treadmill day.
But no. It was -5*C/23*F with a windchill of -13*C/8*F, which at first glance doesn't seem too bad. However, the wind was blowing at 30km/h (19mph) with gusts in excess of 41km/h (26mph) coming in from the west. It was a miserable run. The streets are poorly plowed (~4 inches on the roads) so every step I took, my foot slipped a half step backwards and my average pace was close to 12min/mile as a result. I decided to take a short cut to get home a little faster and as it turned out, the path across the field wasn't plowed. By the time I realized it, I was committed to taking it, so I pushed through into the wind and ran through the 8 inches of snow. By the time I got home, I couldn't feel my face.
I got it done though - 2.13 miles in 25:19.

We're home!

After spending the last 10 or so days in Ontario, we're finally home! As always, I wish I could have stayed longer but we had to get home to our fur-babies.
Our stay in Kingston was interesting as usual. We met up with a friend and had some Curry Original for dinner. We were feeling brave so we ordered some chicken vindaloo - big mistake! Holy crap, that stuff is spicy!!! Chris thinks it must be some national joke on tourists/foreigners. I don't mind spicy food, but it wasn't even enjoyable to eat. It felt like something to get through rather than enjoy.
Our time in Barrie was mostly consumed by Christmas preparations. We had most of our stuff done, but Chris and I spent a lot of time assisting his family in buying their gifts. I did make it to the Running Room and I got some supportive insoles for my Progrid Razors, so hopefully that'll solve the knee problems and I'll still be able to use them. In between all the shopping and running around, I did find some time to meet up with old friends and get some of my to-do list done. I made sure to stop at Chapters to buy some English books. I bought the first book in the Hunger Games trilogy; I've heard some great things about it, so I'm excited to start reading it. I also bought a Classics book, Caesars' Wives, about the women of the emperors. So far it's very interesting. Yes, I am still a Latin geek at heart.
On to the Christmas gifts....I think the highlights of my year were the Classics Club jacket I got from my high school Latin teacher (and good friend too), and a personalized gym bag from my in-laws. My husband got an XBox Kinect, so I think it's safe to say that's his favourite gift. He went to Future Shop on Boxing Day to buy games for it; he got a fitness one (for me), a football game (for him) and a shooting game (apparently for us??? - not so sure about that one). I also got a foam-roller set from Chris, plus I splurged and bought myself a new pair of running shoes at the New Balance store in town. All in all, it was a pretty good Christmas and everyone seems happy with their gifts.
So, after spending 10 days speaking English and spending time with family and friends, we had to make the depressing 12-hour (we made it in 11 today!) drive back to French land aka Quebec. Sigh.

And, on the running front, I managed to squeeze in 4 runs of 2 miles each, the last couple of which were pain-free!

It's freezing!!!

I went for a PAIN-FREE 2 mile run this afternoon. At least I think it was pain-free - it was so cold it was hard to tell. It was -14*C/6*F with a -23*C/-9*F windchill, but I went out there and got 'er done. I wasn't as cold as I thought I would be, but then again, I had on a ridiculous amount of clothing. It was a fantastic run until the last 3 seconds; I took my eyes off the road for a moment to stop my Garmin and in that time, I managed to slip on a patch of ice and I went down hard. It happened right in front of my house, so I hope the neighbours didn't see. Fortunately, I only have a bruised left knee - could be worse, right?

Good news!!!

I went to the chiropractor yesterday and I think we've solved my knee problems! He found a giant knot in my right quad and as soon as he pressed on it, my knee started hurting in the exact same way as when I'm running. He did some work on it yesterday and I went back there this morning for another appointment. Things are looking good! I'm going out for a run tomorrow afternoon to see how it goes (if it's not too cold - they're calling for -15*C/5*F with a -23*C/-10*F windchill - we'll see how brave I am tomorrow).
In other news, I'm done work for 2011!!! All my classes are either finished or on Christmas break. With the exception of my private students, I won't be back at work until Jan. 9. It's a three-week (unpaid) holiday for me. Yay!

Arms....so sore!

I went to the gym yesterday with my friend V to do an upper body workout. We did our usual weights but I wanted to add in an exercise to help me improve my pull-ups (because I can do 0 at the moment). Someone suggested I try standing on a chair, then jumping up and slowly lowering myself down. Dear god! It's waaaaayyy harder than it sounds and I'm paying for it today. It hurts even to straighten my arms! I guess that's a good sign!

Christmas shopping - (basically) done!

This weekend was extremely productive on the Christmas front. Everyone whom we could buy for, we did; there are 3 gifts that will have to wait until we get to Barrie, but otherwise we're done! And, I even wrapped everything tonight. I love wrapping! When I retire, I'm totally going to volunteer at the wrapping station at the mall.
I went out for a 2 mile run tonight. It was -7*C (19*F) with a slight wind chill and moderate snowfall; most of the roads in the PMQs had not been plowed and there was about 4-6 inches of accumulation that made running a little more challenging. I stopped to walk in a few spots where it was icy and I tried to run in the car tracks wherever possible. I ran in my regular shoes (since my Razors have been banished to the closet indefinitely) but I was surprised that my feet didn't get that wet. So far my knee is holding up fairly well but I'm not in the clear yet.
This'll be my last week of work before Christmas - as of noon on Thursday, I'll be free as a bird until January 9th!

Here comes the snow!

It's pouring snow outside! It's actually quite beautiful from an inside-don't-have-to-drive-or-shovel-it perspective. We're finally starting to get some significant accumulation; it's weird because normally by December 9th, we would have a lot of snow (measured in feet, not inches). However, I'm not complaining.
I survived my 18 hours of fasting and it only took about 2 hours to get all the tests done at the hospital. Confession: I was so hungry that I stopped at McDonald's on the way home for a burger. Disgusting, I know, but I was REALLY hungry.
When I got home, it was time for my run! (after a suitable digestion period of course) It was only a mile, so it was over before I knew it. I took it nice and easy, and everything was feeling good. Weird thing though - I was thinking so much about my knee possibly hurting that I started imagining it hurting. Does that make any sense? It didn't actually hurt (thankfully) because as soon as I forced myself to think about something else it felt fine. What do they call it, psychosomatic pain? Something like that?
Tonight, we went to a Christmas party for Chris' work. It turned out to be a lot of fun and we each won a door prize (a martini shaker set, and a nice bottle of wine with two glasses). Then the karaoke started. They opened with this local classic, La rue principale by Les colocs. Basically, it's about how opening the new mall (le centre d'achat) destroyed all the local businesses, like a bomb dropping on the main drag. And you wonder why some people call this region "Redneck Quebec"....

One more sleep...

Til I can run again! It's only 1 mile but at least it's something. I'm glad my running vacation ended up being this week - it's been so busy and chaotic that I probably would have had difficulty squeezing in runs anyways. This way, I don't have to feel guilty for not running.
I have to go in to the hospital for blood tests tomorrow afternoon (just routine stuff, nothing serious). However, this means I'm not allowed to eat from 8pm tonight until the test tomorrow. Which is going to suck because I have to teach a Level A class tomorrow morning for three hours. I hope they're not too trying on my patience.....hungry Caitlyn is not happy Caitlyn (and trust me, my husband can attest to this).
Wish me luck on my run tomorrow!

Fondue in the neighbourhood

Nothing much to report. I went to a yoga class yesterday, then did an arm/core workout at the gym tonight. I fully anticipate being sore tomorrow.
However, random piece of local news about the Fromagerie Boivin. For those of you who don't know, curd cheese (aka the squeaky cheese) is a big deal in Quebec. It's a major component of poutine, of course, but it's pretty good on its own too. There are many fromageries (cheese factories) in the region, but the Boivin one is definitely the most famous. In the shop, they have a viewing area and you can actually see the cheese being made. Sadly, it burnt to the ground this afternoon. No one was hurt thankfully, but they're looking at millions of dollars in damages and it'll be a while before they're up and running again. For those of you who read French and are interested in more details, here's a link to the story.
My favourite quote from the article:
Il est déjà évident que la production du fromage qui fait squick squick sera interrompue pour une longue période.
Translation: It is already evident that the production of the cheese that goes "squeak, squeak" will be interrupted for a long period of time. Hilarious!!! (The quote, not the event obviously.)
Only three more days til I can run again!

You're grounded!

My knee is officially grounded for 1 week. That means no running privileges for you! Til Friday!

On an unrelated note, my feet are killing me this morning after wearing high heels to the Christmas party last night. Whose idea was that again?

Trying to get back into the groove

I took two full days off to rest my knee and tonight I went out for a short test run to see how it was feeling. It's  a bit better but still not great. It's definitely not where I want it to be. I shuffled along for a little under a mile and it took me over 11 minutes, but I didn't want to push it. Hopefully a few more rest days and I can start rebuilding. While I was out, I rescued a stray dog and returned him to his seemingly unconcerned owner. 

I also went to a yoga class this afternoon. Last time I went, I was pretty sore the next day so tomorrow we'll see if this class kicked my butt as well. I had a headache throughout the class so I didn't enjoy it as much as usual, but that's no reflection on the class. 

Tomorrow, I only work in the morning so I can use the afternoon to get some errands done - deposit my paycheque, pick up the replacement power cord for my laptop from Purolator, some other things I know I'm forgetting. In the evening, we have a wine and cheese at the officer's mess then Saturday night will be my work's Christmas party. It should be a fun weekend!

Sorry guys, I've got to bail

After several days of nagging knee pain, I've got to cut my streak short if I want to be able to start my marathon training in January healthy. I really wish I could continue; my mind is in, but sadly, my body says no. Good luck to the rest of the streakers! You can do it!

Streaking Day 5 complete

I did my 1 mile today to keep the streak alive. Knee hurt, nothing else to report. That's it, that's all folks.

Slow and steady doesn't fall on their face (Streaking - Day 4)

Last night and throughout the day, it was freezing rain so I waited until tonight to go for my run. According to the forecast, it was supposed to warm up a bit with some rain, so I figured that would melt some of the ice. Nope. I went out and did the bare minimum to keep the streak alive (well, actually 1.71km/1.07 miles). I finished in 12:59, an excruciatingly slow pace but it was the only way to keep from slipping and falling on my face. I tried to run in the middle of the road where the cars had broken up the ice a little bit (and I can get away with it in the PMQs because of the limited traffic). But I did it. If it hadn't been for the streak, I would have taken three steps into the driveway before going back inside, so thank you fellow streakers for keeping me motivated. My knee was still bothering me a little, so I think the slow pace helped with that.

On another note, now that I'm officially registered for this marathon, I'm reconsidering the plan I'm going to use. Originally, I planned on using Higdon's Novice 2 but now I'm starting to wonder if I should switch to Intermediate 1. My logic is this: with the maintenance program I'm following right now, I'm averaging 34km/week. The Novice 2 plan starts with 31km/week, whereas the Intermediate 1 starts with 38km/week. I also like the idea of running 5 times/week, like I'm doing now. Also, as the mileage increases, my work schedule will decrease as my courses finish up (some as early as February). It's just a thought for now; I've got til January to decide.

Streaking - Day 3 (interrupted by knee pain)

I went out for my run tonight and things were fantastic! There was little wind, I was dressed warm enough for the weather and I was enjoying just cruising along listening to my music. Then my knee started to hurt. I went from feeling like I could run forever to wondering if I would make it home. I pushed through and got in 2 miles (3.2km), but now I'm icing my knee and aggressively applying Voltaren. I hope it feels better tomorrow because I need to get in a long run.

Just registered for my first marathon....

I finally got the courage to click submit. I am now officially registered for the Ottawa Marathon on May 27, 2012. I am also registered for the Hamilton Around the Bay 30k Race in March. This is real....there's no turning back now. Training starts Jan. 16, 51 days from now. Wish me luck!

Streaking Day 2 - 4 Mile Turkey Trot

Yesterday was day 2 of the RW Streak and for my run, I did the Virtual 4 Mile Turkey Trot. Nothing too exciting to report. It was dark (left at 4pm and all the streetlights were on), so I took a picture before leaving instead. This one is with Kona (aka Miss Love), our 85lb husky-Newfoundland cross. She was jealous that Mika got her picture posted last time, so here's one of her giving me kisses before I leave.

Since this run was in honour of the American Thanksigiving, I'll give you my splits in miles instead of kilometres.

mile1 - 9:33

mile2 - 9:52

mile3 - 9:46

mile4 - 9:34

Total time: 38:46

I struggled with some knee pain through the end of mile 2 and into mile 3, so my pace dropped off a bit. Interestingly, I compared my time with my predicted time from Macmillan Running and it was only 15 seconds off their prediction. Pretty amazing!

I'm off to enjoy a nice breakfast now and I'll do day 3's run this afternoon. Happy running!

Streaking - Day 1

So I'm officially part of the Runner's World Holiday Running Streak. The criteria? Run 1 mile every day from the American Thanksgiving (aka today) to New Year's Day. Day 1 is complete with a 3.2km (2 mile) run around the PMQs. Since it wasn't part of my training schedule, I decided to take Mika (also affectionately known as Miss Muffin) on the run with me. Normally, I don't take her because, as a husky, she's not great at pacing. She just wants to go fast all the time and I usually end up getting dragged behind her. Also, she nearly dislocated my shoulder once when she spotted a marmotte (groundhog) and took off in the other direction. And with her peeing stops and sniffing stops, it's hard to keep a consistent pace, as the following splits demonstrate:
km1: 6:55
km2: 6:29
km3: 6:53
km3.2: 6:22/km (1:18 for the 0.2)
Mika had a blast and when we got home, she was pooped. She just flopped with a big husky smile on her face.

Tomorrow, if the weather is as beautiful as they're predicting, I'll be participating in a Virtual 4 Mile Turkey Trot. That'll be 2 laps of the PMQs (since it'll be dark by the time I get home from work, with the sun setting at 3:56m and all). I'm planning to count it as this week's tempo run and it'll be my first race since the QC City Half-Marathon back in August.

Running sick...

Still feeling like crap today. I stayed home all day and after a few hours of sitting on the couch, I motivated myself to go out for a run using the logic "Well, how much worse could it make you feel?" It was just 5km around the neighbourhood; I didn't keep track of the pace or anything - I just ran however I felt like it. It was cold, but not impossible, and I remembered my neck gaiter so my face didn't freeze too much. I finished in 33:52, which is an average pace of 6:46/km (over 15 seconds faster than my program has been calling for). I don't feel any better, but I don't feel worse either. I think I'm just a bit burnt-out from my heavy work schedule. How many weeks til Christmas???

Down and out....:(

Today, I got hit with a massive headache that felt like someone hit me in the head with a baseball bat. It wasn't a migraine, but it was rooted in the tension in my shoulders and neck. I spent most of the day in bed, rising only when absolutely necessary. I ended up cancelling my evening class as well - not ideal, but necessary under the circumstances. I'm feeling a fair bit better at the moment, but it looks like a run is out of the question. (It's also -14*C outside...) Here are my theories about the cause of my headache:
1. Crappy pillow. I've been saying that I need to replace my pillow for a while and I haven't gotten around to it yet.
2. Dehydration.
3. Muscle soreness and tension caused by all the push-ups I've been doing recently. I asked Chris for a massage earlier today to help with some of the discomfort and while he was able to break up some of the tension, it may have contributed to the headache.
Hopefully, I'll be back out on the roads tomorrow.

It's official.....I'm a wimp :(

I was supposed to go on a 10km speedwork run today. But......I was lazy. After meeting a friend at the gym for a lower-body workout in the morning, I stayed on the couch all day watching football and periodically napping.

By the time I finally decided to get my butt moving, it was dark. And cold. I convinced myself it wasn't that bad: -2*, 30km/h winds, -9* windchill. Not so bad, right? WRONG!!! I probably should have worn my neck gaiter to pull up over my face because I was freezing!!! Even in the middle of my interval, where I was running my heart out, I was still freezing. And because I had to run in the Qs because of the darkness, it meant I had to do ~3 laps. Which means I pass by my house. And of course, the gusts were particularly strong as I approached the house and I had a moment of weakness - I gave up. I went inside and cuddled with my puppies to warm up. I still managed to get in 3.16km - my 2km warm-up plus 1.16/1.6km of my interval (at pace, no less). I guess it's better than nothing. I'll try again tomorrow....

First snowy run + shoe review

Okay, I just have one word to describe my new shoes: awesome!!! I went for an 8km run tonight and it was my first run with snow on the ground. I wore my new waterproof Razors and I really put them to the test. Even though the roads were plowed pretty bare, I purposely ran in the snow, slush and puddles on the side of the road. The shoes felt great - no chafing plus my feet were super warm. And when I got home, my feet were completely dry. These are definitely going to be my go-to shoes this winter. It was a fantastic run tonight and I'm getting really good at layering for the weather. My only complaint: butter chicken burps - remnants from tonight's delicious dinner.

New shoes!

Tonight I went to the gym for a quick run and a workout in the weight room. I haven't run on the treadmill since April or so, and today I was reminded why I hate it. I had to test out my new Saucony Progrid Razors and they will only accept them for a return if they are in new-like condition, hence the need for the treadmill. I only had 4km to do and thank goodness for that. Things were going very well - the shoes fit great and they were very warm (too warm for inside, but they're outdoor shoes so that's ok). However, after about 3.5km, I started to have sharp pains in my right knee so I decided to stop. I think it was caused by running on the treadmill and it hasn't bothered me since I stopped so we'll see how it feels during tomorrow's run. They are beautiful shoes, if I do say so myself. Waterproof with a built-in ankle gaiter and insulated:

After my run, I met up with my friend and we went to the weight room. We did an upper-body and core workout (I didn't want to risk doing any lower-body exercises because of my knee). She's new to strength-training so I introduced her to some exercises. It was lots of fun and I expect to be quite sore tomorrow.

Post #100

A couple things to report. Yesterday I went a Power Yoga class (in English, yay!) and it was awesome. A couple weeks ago, I was lamenting on Facebook that there were no English yoga classes in the region when out of nowhere, a lady posted to let us know that she happens to offer yoga classes in English. Score! After a FB poll, we discovered that there were a lot of interested people so she decided to start offering classes in her home. It was difficult to squeeze it into my schedule yesterday, but I'm glad I did. It was a nice change of pace and I was actually sore this morning! (Side-note: as masochistic as this sounds, I actually enjoy being sore after a workout - it reminds of the hard work I did the day before!)

My back has been acting up for the past couple days, so I haven't gone running since Tuesday. Hopefully, I'll be able to get out tomorrow afternoon to get my speed workout in before going to the weight room with a friend of mine. I also signed up to do a Thankgiving-New Year's Day streak challenge - at least one mile of running every day from (American) Thanksgiving to Jan. 1. Is it sad that I had to look up when the American Thanksgiving is so I would know when the challenge started?

Winter running = lots of laundry (+marathon training plan!)

One thing I've noticed about running in the winter is that it generates a lot of laundry because of all the layers and accessories (hats, gloves, etc). I'm doing a load of running stuff every two days it seems. Maybe for Christmas, I'll ask for some more gear so I don't have to do laundry as often....
Yesterday, I did an 8km run in the afternoon. When I left the house around 3:45, it was 12*C. By the time I got home around 4:45, it was dark and I was freezing! I couldn't believe how quickly things changed after the sun went down (4:08 was sunset, I believe).
Tonight was my usual spinning class, but sadly I couldn't go - I got called at the last minute to replace a sick teacher, who was supposed to do placement tests over the phone. Unfortunately, the tests were scheduled for the exact time of my spinning class and work takes priority over fun. I did, however, go out for a 5km afterwards, just a nice easy run. My average heart rate was only 171, with the max at 187. Now I know this might sound intense for some people, but for me, that's an easy effort. According to my Garmin, the whole run was in zones 1 and 2 - a first, I believe.
This morning, while I was waiting for the technicians to do their work in the basement (stage 6 million in the epic furnace replacement saga), I finally settled on a marathon training plan. It's the Hal Higdon Novice 2 plan, with paces taken from McMillian Running. It looks much cooler in OneNote, where I have check-boxes for each of my workouts, but here it is:

Week	of	Easy	Speed	Easy	Long	Cross-Training (min. 1hr)	Weights
1	Jan. 23	5km @7:07-7:26	8km  @6:12-6:28	5km @7:07-7:26	13km  @7:07-7:45
2	Jan. 30	5km @7:07-7:26	8km  @7:07-7:26	5km @7:07-7:26	15km  @7:07-7:45
3	Feb. 6	5km @7:07-7:26	8km  @6:12-6:28	5km @7:07-7:26	10km  @7:07-7:45
4	Feb. 13	5km @7:07-7:26	10km @6:12-6:28	5km  @7:07-7:26	18km  @7:07-7:45
5	Feb. 20	5km @7:07-7:26	10km @7:07-7:26	5km @7:07-7:26	20km  @7:07-7:45
6	Feb. 27	5km @7:07-7:26	10km @6:12-6:28	5km @7:07-7:26	15km  @7:07-7:45
7	March 5	7km @7:07-7:26	11km @6:12-6:28	7km @7:07-7:26	23km  @7:07-7:45
8	March 12	7km @7:07-7:26	7km  @7:07-7:26	7km @7:07-7:26	24km  @7:07-7:45
9	March 19	7km @7:07-7:26	11km @6:12-6:28	7km @7:07-7:26	Half Marathon
10	March 26	7km @7:07-7:26	13km @6:12-6:28	7km @7:07-7:26	27km  @7:07-7:45
11	April 2	8km @7:07-7:26	13km @7:07-7:26	8km @7:07-7:26	29km  @7:07-7:45
12	April 9	8km @7:07-7:26	13km @6:12-6:28	8km @7:07-7:26	21km  @7:07-7:45
13	April 16	8km @7:07-7:26	8km  @6:12-6:28	8km @7:07-7:26	31km  @7:07-7:45
14	April 23	8km @7:07-7:26	13km @7:07-7:26	8km @7:07-7:26	20km  @7:07-7:45
15	April 30	8km @7:07-7:26	8km @6:12-6:28	8km @7:07-7:26	32km  @7:07-7:45
16	May 7	8km @7:07-7:26	7km  @6:12-6:28	8km @7:07-7:26	20km  @7:07-7:45
17	May 14	7km @7:07-7:26	5km  @7:07-7:26	7km @7:07-7:26	8km  @7:07-7:45
18	May 21	5km @7:07-7:26	3km  @7:07-7:26	3km @7:07-7:26	Ottawa Marathon

I plan on doing at least 1 cross-training workout/week as well as a strength workout. I was also looking at the Intermediate 1 plan, which adds a 5th day of running, but I wasn't sure if that'd be too much. Any thoughts?

Back home.....9km tempo run

After a 5-hour drive, we're home and it's back to the grind....sigh. As soon as I got home, I did my weekly lesson planning so I could get the copies done before Staples closed. On the way home, I picked up Mika and Kona from the pet hotel and as always, they were thrilled and excited to see me. Kona did her usual "smarling" - it's like snarling in that she shows you her teeth but she only does it when she's really happy and it looks like she's trying to smile at you. It's hard to explain, but it's really cute.
After a short nap, we went and saw Dolphin Tale at the theatre. It was lame and cheesy but I enjoyed the story. Chris has decided that dolphins are "puppies of the sea" and I think I agree with him. When we got home, I decided it was time for my 9km tempo run (after postponing it all week). My pre-run meal was not exactly the best - Coke and Smarties - and sure enough, I paid for it. My stomach cramped up something fierce throughout the first 2/3 of the run but I'm pleased with the way I pushed through the discomfort. I did a 2km warm-up, then 6km at a target pace of 6:25/km, followed by a 1km cool-down. I'm super impressed with how I nailed the splits:
km1 - 6:24
km2 - 6:22
km3 - 6:25
km4 - 6:25
km5 - 6:25
km6 - 6:23
In total, it took me 1:00:11, which is 2 seconds faster than the last time I did this run a few week ago. I'm also only 18km away from my 2011 mileage goal of 1000km. I think I can manage that by the end of the year!

Hilly 8km run

After an insanely busy workday Thursday (started at 8:30am, finished at 8:30pm), I ended up collapsing into bed without doing a run. (It also didn't help that it was freezing rain outside). Instead, my plan was to go to the gym early Friday morning (~7:30), do my 9k tempo run with my new Razors (to test them out on the treadmill so they're returnable in case of a bad fit), then go do my class from 9:30-11:30, then be on the road by 12. Did that happen? Of course not. I woke up feeling like crap after a terrible night's sleep, so when my alarm went off at 6:30, I ignored it. When it went off at 8:30 (for my class), I still felt like le crap and ended up cancelling my class with my student. When the alarm went off again at 10:30, I finally dragged myself out of bed and got packing in preparation to leave. All in all, it was not a good morning.
The reason we made the trip to visit Chris' aunt and uncle was to use the $500 gift certificate I won at the Magog triathlon back in the summer. Unfortunately, it was specifically for Specialized products and as we discovered when we got to the shop today, they only make bike products and being November, they didn't have too much available. I ended up getting new bike shoes (I still need to transfer the cleats from my old ones) as well as a jacket. I still had $150 left and it was supposed to expire at the end of 2011 but I explained my situation to the extremely helpful salesguy (ie. I live 5 hours away from the shop) and he issued me a new certificate ($150) but with no expiry date. So I'll probably come back in the spring when all the bike stuff is out.
After our shopping trip, I went on an 8km run. It was supposed to be an easy, 7:03/km run but I forgot how hilly the street is where Chris' aunt lives. It ended up being a lot more challenging than I anticipated, but I managed the following splits:
km1 - 6:55
km2 - 7:02
km3 - 6:53
km4 - 7:03
km5 - 6:52
km6 - 7:08
km7 - 7:03
km8 - 7:07
It was an out and back route, so it's pretty clear which kms had the uphills and which ones had the downhills. According to my Garmin, I covered 271m total ascent (272m total descent).
I've almost 100% made my decision to do the Ottawa marathon in May - I just need to find a training plan I'm happy with and that'll seal the deal!

The week so far...

Despite the ever-worsening weather here, I've been out running every day this week. Not a lot of kms, but I squeezed in as much as I could.
Monday
5km - target pace 7:04/km; actual pace 7:01
Tuesday
Spinning class! After two weeks of missed class, I finally had the energy to go to spinning and as usual, it was awesome. When I got home, I did a quick 4km to loosen up.
Wednesday (aka today)
I almost didn't go running tonight. I was going to go after my afternoon classes, but I decided to take a nap instead. Then after my evening class (9pm), it was cold and windy, but I managed to convince myself to get off the comfy couch and brave the elements. With all the gear I've purchased in the last few weeks, I really have no excuse not to get out there. And despite the fact that it was close to freezing with 25km/h winds, I barely even noticed. The only part of me that was cold were my hands, as usual. I put in 7km tonight, averaging 7:00/km, slightly off my target of 7:03.

Of all my new gear, I think I love my lululemon Dog Runner Pants the best. They were expensive (as always, unfortunately) but so far, they've been worth it. The pants are double-layered, a wind/water-resistant shell over top of a running tight. They are extremely comfy and quite warm so far. Even though the pants are too long (or maybe it's my being too short?), there are drawstrings at the bottom of each leg so you can tighten them around your ankle and you don't have to worry about them dragging on the ground while you run.


On another note, my new Saucony shoes arrived yesterday. After reading a recommendation online, I decided to get the Progrid Razors; they are waterproof, have a Gore-tex liner and they have a built-in zip-up ankle gaiter. (I'd post a picture, but I don't have my iPhone with me tonight.) Now all we need is some snow! Not that I actually want it to arrive, but I know it's just around the corner so it's better to be prepared.

I'm still considering doing the Ottawa marathon in the spring. My only hesitation is the time commitment the training would require, in addition to my already busy schedule. I'm still leaning more towards yes than no, but I'll keep you posted. With that in mind, how many weeks in advance should I start training? I've been perusing plans online and they vary in length from 16-26 weeks. Since this is my first one, should I opt for a longer plan? Are there any plans you would recommend? Any input would be greatly appreciated.

A crow crapped on my head....

After three days of feeling like crap, I finally got fed up of staying on the couch and I went out for a 6km run in the beautiful 10*C weather. About a kilometre and a half into my run, a crow crapped on my head. As in, a crow was sitting on a lightpost, waited for the precise second when I passed underneath and decided at that moment to defecate. ON MY HEAD. And no, I wasn't wearing a hat. Thankfully, my friend's house was only a short jog away and I was able to use some paper towels to get most of it off.
The rest of the run was extremely enjoyable and I was having a real hard time keeping to my 7:03 target pace. I think my body really missed running the last couple days and I ended up with a 6:46/km average. I still don't understand why the Smart Coach program has the training paces so slow, but then the race paces so fast. I'm trying to follow the program but I'm worried that I'm losing some of the speed I gained this year.
And finally, I watched some of the NYC marathon this morning (part of the reason for my getting off the couch to go run). And I've been thinking - do I want to do a marathon? I've done 3 half-marathons plus a 20km race, so the challenge of completing the distance isn't really a challenge anymore. I'm not a speedster by any means, so cutting my times doesn't really interest me. I'm more of an endurance person anyways. I checked out the Ottawa Marathon at the end of May as a potential candidate. Any thoughts?

Sick...

So no runs the last couple days. Hopefully I'll be feeling well enough tomorrow to squeeze in a quick run in the afternoon.

I think I'm getting sick :(

It's been another whirlwind week....I won't bore you with work details, but let me tell you, I'm looking forward to the weekend. Here are my runs for the past few days:
Monday (Halloween)
- 8km (target pace 7:04/km; actual pace 7:01/km)
Tuesday
- 7km (target pace 7:03/km; actual pace 6:59/km)
Wednesday (in the rain)
- 6km (target pace 7:03/km; actual pace 7:00/km)

Monday night was Halloween and I had to teach at the community centre in the evening, but I did get to see some of the trick-or-treating before I left. Kona loved all the attention she got from the kids. Every time someone knocked, she ran to the door and of course the kids thought she was so cute and gave her lots of love. She did steal a chocolate bar out of the bowl and when confronted, she hung her head and pretended not to have it. It was pretty funny but she finally dropped it (she got a biscuit instead).
Tuesday night I was supposed to go to spinning but I made the mistake of taking a nap after my run. Of course, when the alarm went off, I had absolutely no motivation to get up, hence the skipped class. I'm going to have to make an effort to go next week because this is the second class in a row I have missed.
After dealing with our stupid furnace replacement Wednesday, I was desperate to go on my run. This whole furnace situation left me so frustrated that I needed to go blow off some steam. To summarize the situation, the housing agency is replacing our (working) furnace and it's going to take approximately 2 weeks to complete the project (or so they say). They delivered the new furnace in August (yes, August) but only arrived yesterday to do anything about it. They removed the old one and dug up the concrete in our basement, in addition to disconnecting our dryer and moving it halfway across the basement. Now, folks, it's early November in northern Quebec and we have no working furnace (the new one is just sitting in the basement, not installed yet).  Whose genius idea was this??? Not only that, but they expect you to be home for the arrivals of all the various contractors (6, I think), spread out over a couple weeks. I'm not pleased.

Lazy weekend

I must confess - this weekend, I did absolutely zero running (plus I broke into the Halloween candy...). I did, however, do a very refreshing 4km run on Friday afternoon. It was quite cold but since I was only out there a short time, I wasn't freezing by the time I got home.
Saturday was jam-packed from the time I woke up (at, ahem, 9:30am) until I went to bed around 2am. I spent the entire morning cleaning and unfortunately, our vacuum broke. As in, I lifted it up to start using it and a piece fell off the bottom. After trying to fix it, I ended up sending Chris out to get a new one. He came home with this alien-looking machine. It's impossible to describe so here's a picture:

It works really well though and it has a cool attachment for doing the stairs too. I managed to get the house presentable by the time my friend came over in the afternoon. We hung out and chatted for a couple hours before the start of the ND game. We only got to watch the first half before we had to go, but things were looking good.
Saturday night we went to Chris' boss' retirement party at a local hotel. It was 6 hours long! We arrived at 6, cocktails til 7, then we spent the next 5 hours at the dinner table. We got our first course at 8, 2nd at 9, 3rd 10 and dessert at 11. It was a little boring for me, since I really didn't know anybody and almost all the conversations were in French and about planes and flying. The food wasn't even that good. Aside from being really long, it was an okay evening and I really enjoyed hearing the honouree's stories from his career. Unfortunately, we didn't get out of there until past midnight so it was quite late by the time we got home and into bed. As a result, today ended up being a lazy Sunday.

It's freezing!!!

Despite the cold weather, I've managed to get in some good workouts this week.
Tuesday - rest day. My legs were still really sore from Sunday's speed workout, plus I was feeling really exhausted so I decided to make it a complete rest day. I even skipped spinning.
Wednesday - 5km night run. I purposely went at night to check on the status of Operation: Streetlight. I'm pleased to see that the city has come and replaced all 17 burnt-out streetlight bulbs in the PMQs. I'm actually quite impressed with how quickly they responded to the complaint. Because I was running at night, it was extra-cold out and unfortunately I was under-dressed, but that gave me the extra motivation to run faster (10 seconds faster than my target pace).
Thursday - 9km tempo run (2km warm-up, 6km @6:26, 1km cool-down). Again, freezing!!! I was a little better dressed this time (long-sleeved shirt under my jacket instead of a short-sleeved one), but my hands got so cold even with my gloves on. I think it's time to bust out the mittens. However, I did manage to get my target pace exactly without killing myself, so despite the cold it was a good run.

Monday...

Nothing to exciting to report - just a long, long day. The weather was beautiful after my class on the base so I went for an 8km run before my evening class. My calves were sore today from my speed workout yesterday, so I was looking forward to the opportunity to run easy and loosen them up. Unfortunately, it didn't really work and they're still sore, probably because I was having difficulty running slow. My target pace was 7:05/km and these were my splits:
km1 - 6:55
km2 - 6:51
km3 - 6:49
km4 - 7:01
km5 - 7:01
km6 - 6:52
km7 - 6:48
km8 - 6:35

So, not even close to 7:05. My average pace over the whole run was 6:52/km and I just couldn't make myself slow down. I've got a short run planned for tomorrow, so I'll try to take it easy then.

On an unrelated note, I'm making Indian food for dinner tonight! Chicken madras with basmati rice and man, does it smell good!

Busy week, busy weekend

So I managed to survive my Thursday and Friday with minimal pain and suffering. Because of the fatigue accumulated throughout the week, I didn't do any runs on those days (the gloomy, cold, rainy weather didn't help my motivation either). Friday night, Chris was at an away game in Quebec City with his football team, so I had the house to myself! How did I spend my evening alone? It was pretty lame, actually. Dishes, laundry, vacuuming, cheesy chick flick (it was god-awful) and cookies.
Even though it was supposed to rain all day Saturday, I managed to squeeze in a run between showers. I did an easy 8km with a 7:05/km target pace. I managed to get all my splits in under 7:05 and it was a great run! After such a hectic week, it was so nice to have an hour to myself - it was so relaxing. I never thought I would say this, but I'm actually enjoying running in the cool weather. In the evening, I went to a friend's house for a potluck and probably ate back all the calories I burned off during my run, but it was fun so I don't care.
Sunday morning at 6:15am, I had the privilege of driving Chris to meet the bus for his other away game this weekend. Yay....not. I came home and went straight back to bed. When I finally got up, I spent a few hours lesson planning and writing tests for three of my classes this week. Creating tests takes so long....
In the afternoon, I went for my speed run, 3x1600@9:13. After a 2km warm-up, I did the 3 intervals at 8:56, 9:03 and 9:07, with 800m recovery after each. I normally don't enjoy doing long intervals, but today wasn't too bad. The temperature was around 5*C (41*F) and I'm glad I invested in some winter gear to make it more comfortable.
Tonight, Chris and I took the dogs for a walk so I could write down the locations of all the burnt-out street lights. In total, we found 17 lights that were out and considering the PMQs only have about 4km of roads, that's a pretty ridiculous ratio. We're going to send the list to the city tomorrow, so hopefully they'll get changed soon - it'll make my night runs a little less treacherous.

It's only Wednesday???

My goodness, how long will this week go on for? And you're telling me there are still 2 days left???
Despite constantly running from one thing to the next, I have managed to squeeze in a real run every day so far this week. Monday was a nice relaxing 8km run, even though it was a bit cold. I averaged a pace that was 4 seconds faster than my target, so that was a nice bonus. In the evening, I discovered that my dog Kona, who loves to carry around shoes, had relocated my left shoe (always the left one) upstairs. Not only that, but she untied the shoelaces, which are usually kept in a double knot. How and why she did this, I'll never know.
On Tuesday, one of my afternoon phone classes was cancelled so I managed to squeeze in a 5km run over lunch. Unfortunately, it was really cold and rainy, so it was not my most enjoyable run and I spent the rest of the afternoon freezing! Tuesday evening was my usual spin class and as always, it was a great class. I managed to do the middle-of-the-class 90sec wall-sit without blinking, which is a serious improvement for me. Unfortunately, I had to race home after the class because I had to teach a course myself 45 minutes later. The spinning class finished at 8:15 in Chicoutimi, I drove home, showered and made it to La Baie for 9:00. Quite impressive, even if teaching until 10:00pm is not exactly my cup of tea.
Today at work, I had a surprise visit from my boss (she works in Quebec City, 2 hours away). It wasn't a formal teaching evaluation but it always makes me a bit nervous when my supervisor sits in on my classes. I really had no reason to stress about it but I can't help it. Anyways, it turned out to be a nice visit and we chatted over lunch. She also offered some interesting ideas during class discussions and my students were their fantastic selves.
After work, I was planning to take a nap but as usual, that never seems to happen. I did my 4km run immediately after I got home; unfortunately, it was not very enjoyable due to stomach issues and the fact that I hadn't dressed warmly enough. I had a few work tasks to get done and before I knew it, it was time to go to the movie with my English class. With the courses at the community centre, we're allowed to take our groups to the English theatre on base once per session. This week, the movie playing was Colombiana and that's the one they chose to go see. For me, the movie was only so-so; Chris, however, loved it - from a guy's perspective, what more could you want than a sexy lady, guns and explosions?

Busy Week

Despite being a short week because of Monday's holiday, this week seemed to go on forever! I was on the go from 6:30 every morning until past midnight every night. I started teaching two new civilian classes on the base, one on Thursday afternoons (intermediate level) and the other Friday mornings (absolute beginners), which means my week is now booked solid - I have something every single weekday morning, afternoon and evening. No wonder I'm exhausted by the end!

Here's a run-down of this week's workouts:
Monday - easy 3km
Tuesday - spinning at the CEGEP (This week's class was really hard! I don't know if it was because I was tired from the long weekend or because he made us do a wall-sit in the middle of the class, but I was hurting by the end.)
Wednesday - easy 4km
Thursday - 9km with 6km tempo (Throughout the tempo portion of the run, I was really struggling to keep my target pace, especially because of the wind and cold. But when I got home and uploaded my run, it turns out I actually hit the pace exactly - 6:27/km.)
Friday - rest
Saturday - easy 8km (Even though it looked gloomy outside, the weather was perfect for a run!)

Last night (Saturday) at the officer's mess on base, they had an Autumn Ball. Chris had two dates for the evening, me and my friend M. It was a black-tie affair, so we got all dressed up in our fancy dresses and M did my hair for me. The dinner was a 5 course meal - salad, soup, entrée, dessert, port/cheese. The food was really good (even though it was mess food) and they had a singer and pianist there for entertainment. Afterwards, the local regimental band was there but we decided to go home because they weren't really playing "dancing music". All in all, it was a fun way to spend a Saturday night!

Back in Canada

After a whirlwind weekend, we are back in the Saguenay. We spent last night in Montreal, got back around 3 this afternoon and went straight to get our puppies. As much as they love going to the "pet hotel", they are always super excited to go home.
The trip itself was fantastic. The weather could not have been better, sunny with temperatures in the mid-20s C. I wore shorts and a T-shirt and I was actually hot. I didn't dare complain, though, considering there was frost on the windshield Thursday morning. The game was Saturday afternoon and Notre Dame rolled over Air Force, with a final score of 59-33. It was an enjoyable game to watch since there was never any real question that we would win. Thank goodness for that because if we had lost, it would have been a long 20 hours home with Chris sulking the whole way. Aside from getting lost in Benton Harbour (again - same spot as last year), everything went according to plan. However, I will say one thing: boys are disgusting. I shared a hotel room with Chris, his brother T and his cousin CB, and oh man - I'm glad I never roomed with any guys. Everything stank and the fart/poop talk abounded. I'll leave it at that, but man was it gross!
Tonight I went for a quick 3km run around the neighbourhood. Last week, I mentioned to the base that there were many burnt out streetlights, but they told me I would have to report them to the city instead. While I was running, I counted exactly how many weren't working; 12 were completely out and 3 were sometimes on, sometimes off. I'll have to write down their specific locations at another time, but 12 in 3km is a little ridiculous. There's one section where there are 3 out in a row and when it's dark in the PMQs, it's really dark. I always have to be extremely careful with my footing. It was an enjoyable run and it felt great after not running for a few days. Even though it was nice to eat in restaurants and whatnot during our trip, I feel really gross now. That'll definitely help me get back in the swing of things this coming week.

Indiana

Just a quick update. We arrived in Michigan last night at 3am. The drive was relatively uneventful, except for some construction around London that delayed us about a half hour. We were up and on the road by 11am today and we spent the day on the Notre Dame campus. As always, we paid a visit to the bookstore to expand our collection of ND merchandise. We got a bunch of cheap T-shirts, a decal for the car and Chris bought a pair of pants.
In the evening, we went to the pep rally. Honestly, I was a little bit disappointed - it was really lame and it lacked energy. I miss the old leprechaun - the new guy just doesn't have the same charisma. After we got back to the hotel, we went out to dinner at Applebee's. I've been to the States several times, but every time the portion sizes amaze me. For $20, Chris and I got an appetizer to share plus an entrée each. I barely touched my pasta because I was so stuffed from the app!
Tomorrow, we'll spend the day on the ND campus again, tailgating until kick-off at 3:30. Let's hope the game goes well!

Blah week

Workout wise, this past week has been awful. On Monday, I got in a quick 4km before I had to teach in the evening. Since then, though, I have been really tired and feeling like crap. Both my stomach and my back are acting up, so the motivation to run definitely wasn't there. I didn't even go to spinning on Tuesday, which as you know is the highlight of my week. I've basically written this week off and I'll start fresh come Monday. 

This weekend, we're off to South Bend, Indiana to see a college football game. We leave tomorrow morning to embark on 20 (yes, 20) hours of driving. By this time tomorrow, we should be in the United States. I expect this weekend will be jam-packed so I doubt I'll have any time to run (another factor contributing to my writing off this week). I'll probably get in a lot of walking around the university campus so at least that's better than nothing.

On a more positive note, we got an iPhone this week! Chris and I share a cell and we had had our old one forever (and it was 3rd hand by the time it got to us). Finally, after getting frustrated with the old phone's inability to text (among other things), Chris decided it was time to get new one. I sent him to the store by himself because I knew I would be the perfect victim for a salesperson as he showed me all the cool things the phones can do. In the end, he came home with an iPhone and we've been playing with it ever since. It's so cool! I can't believe all the things this little phone can do. I was able to upload my Outlook calendar and have my emails sent to the phone, plus we can use the Google Earth app as a GPS and we can listen to all our music in the car - the list goes on and on. I'm sure the novelty will wear off soon enough, but for the time being, it's so much fun!

Chilly 13km run

I went for a 13km run this afternoon. I tried to go when the temperature would be at its peak because we are in the middle of a sudden cold snap (at least I'm hoping it's temporary). When I left the temperature was at 10*C (50*F), so I wore 3/4 length crops, a T-shirt, a jacket with thumb-holes and a toque. After an hour and a half outside running, I was freezing! I definitely need to buy some gloves or mittens for my fingers. I tried really hard to stay on my target pace (7:03/km), especially at the beginning. I haven't been doing a lot of long runs lately, so I didn't want to burn out too quickly. Here are my km times:
1km - 6:55
2km - 6:58
3km - 7:05
4km - 7:05
5km - 7:03
6km - 7:04
7km - 6:59
8km - 6:54
9km - 6:59
10km - 6:57
11km - 6:52
12km - 6:54
13km - 6:37
Average: 6:57
As you can see, my times got a fair bit faster towards the end (especially the last one). I was so cold that I wanted to get home as quickly as possible.
On another note, I don't know what the technical term for this condition is, but I call it "burny-lung" and it's my main obstacle to running outside in the winter. According to my definition, it's a burning sensation in the back of the throat and into the lungs, usually resulting from running in cold temperatures. This sensation may persist for several hours after the actual run is over and is often accompanied by unexplained coughing fits. Any thoughts?

Brrrr!!! (+ rant)

The weather here has taken a sudden turn for the cold. Most of the day, the temperature has been hovering around 6*C (~43*F for American folks) and they're expecting it to drop below 0*C (32*F) overnight. I did a quick 3km around the PMQs this afternoon. I tried to keep to the suggested pace (7:03/km) but it was difficult because of the cold; I kept running faster, both to warm up and to get the run over with quicker. I was definitely glad I wore a sweater and not a short-sleeved shirt because it was chilly. Thankfully, I didn't experience any burning-lung, as I often do when I run in the cold. I imagine by the time January rolls around, 6* will feel like summer and I'll be out there in shorts.
The next few weekends are looking promising. Next weekend, we're off to South Bend, Indiana to watch the Notre Dame Fighting Irish take on the U.S. Air Force Academy (college football, in case you're wondering). The weekend after that, we have the Winter Ball at the Officer's Mess on base (aka getting dressed up and eating fancy food - there'll even be a 22-piece orchestra!). After that, I have the year-end dinner for my bike club. October is shaping up to be a good month.
On a random note, Mika has started doing something funny. Sometimes, when she is playing with Kona, Kona will decide she's had enough and walk away. However, Mika decides that she's not done and she'll bite Kona's tail and won't let her get away. It's hard to describe but it's really funny!
On another unrelated note, I am peeved with Glee at the moment. They have introduced a new character who claims she has Asperger's and uses it as an excuse for her inappropriate comments. For those of you who may not know, Asperger's is a complex social disorder that's actually a form of Autism. My brother has this condition so I'm well aware of how it affects his everyday life. One of the symptoms is an inability to pick up on social cues (ie. body language, tone of voice) and they're often not able to see the potential effects their words and actions might have on someone. If you don't know that someone has this condition, they often come across as a jerk. Anyways, this character will say something offensive, then immediately apologize by saying "oops, Asperger's". My beef with this is that someone who truly has Asperger's would not be aware that their comment is offensive. By apologizing, this character acknowledges her comment was inappropriate and therefore it's not Asperger's. For all the effort that Glee puts in to preaching about bullying and the fair treatment of gay people and handicapped people, for them to turn around and mock a legitimate mental illness - it's unacceptable in my books. Mental illness is never a joke.