Long may you Run!!

For a song that has such a cool title, the actual song (which can be listed to here) isn't all that inspiring as far as motivational running songs, but it seemed like a fitting title as I take you on a recap of how marathon training (and fundraising) has been progressing as I hit the 7 week mark.

Long run goodies

I have covered over over 350 kilometers, and consumed dozens of Gels, GUs and Stingers along the way - I have been humbled by the generosity of family and friends and am getting to know my running partners better than ever.

If I had to rate my compliance with my training program to date I think I would be around an 8 out of 10.  I certainly have missed some sessions, and have had a couple stinkers in their too, but overall I am happy with how things are progressing. 

I often get asked what a typical training week for a marathon looks like, so I thought I would give you a little snapshot of my program. For the first time in all my years of running I have actually hired a coach to help customize a plan for me, and it looks something like this...

Sunday: Long Run (anywhere between 90mins to 3hrs +)

Monday: Yoga

Tuesday: Group work-out (approx 9-10km)

Wednesday: Gym + Easy 30-45min run

Thursday: Hills/Tempo (approx 13-15km)

Friday: Gym

Saturday: Trail Run (approx 8-12km)

Average weekly mileage: 50-65km

The dark days of winter certainly aren't the most inspiring to train in. And on the south end of Vancouver Island wind has been the flavour of this season.  My running partner, Jani and I took on a wild wind storm two weeks ago, where we were literally 'smacked around' for 25km. We had rocks in our eyes, leaves in our hair and were ducking under fallen power lines.  I can honestly say that was a first. Jani was a super trooper and together we managed to keep each other from being blown into traffic.  

Amazingly, I caught some live footage of the storm on my phone which you can watch below (you'll notice we weren't the only ones out running that day!!)

My training highlight to date, without question was my long run last week. Jani, Kat and I ran from Victoria to Sydney for my longest run in 7 years!  After 2 hours and 47 minutes we arrived at the Roost for breakfast and between the three of us has piled on 96km!! It was one of those runs that just felt...GOOD! The odd little nagging knee pain - but overall I was super happy with the result. Eggs Benny followed by an Epsom salt bath were all this chick had planned for the remainder of the day.  Oh...also of note is the purchase of my new compression socks!!  Loved every step in them. :-)

 

On the fundraising front, things have been steadily increasing, along with the size of my 'pack'. Together we have raised over $3000 and are now a team of 8.  I am blown away by their dedication and commitment to their own goals. I will write more about these fabulous ladies soon, but my goal for the coming month is to get out and run with each of them. They all have varying running aspirations...all impressive and all meaningful.

We made it!! Eggs Benny tasted soooo good. 

There you have it...an update in a nutshell. Planning has begun for my main fundraiser, which I think will be an 'urban scavenger' hunt in April, so get your game face on and plan to be there! Entries will be limited, so stay tuned for details.

Long may you run!!

xo

H

If you haven't had a chance to sponsor the LaceUp4Lupus  team yet and would like to do so, please follow this link to our team page and donate today.

Hot to Trot...NOT

I felt that after a couple ‘seriously deep’ posts it was time to lighten it up a bit with an inside peak into some of the dirty little secrets of long distance running!  I have been pondering this post for a while, wondering how much I am comfortable divulging…But in the end this blog is about getting to know me a bit better and the somewhat kooky world I live in.  So here goes.

Distance running is NOT, I repeat is NOT a glamorous sport. Last week I was watching the Australian Open and on numerous occasions I thought to myself…”Self, these are some damn fine lookin’ ladies!”  And I am certain that I have never looked like this or this at any point in time during a run.  How come?!”  I still haven’t arrived at an answer, and I am pretty sure I never will - Just an observation really.

This was reinforced on Sunday as I arrived home from my long run.  My girlfriend, Kat and I headed out for a tough 25km on Sunday morning and as we cruised back to my place I headed to the bathroom for a quick splash of water and caught a fleeting glance of myself in the mirror…OMG…is that what I look like?  DOH…Poor Kat has had to run beside this glowing salt lick for the past two hours.  People must have thought I had lost a bet or something, or that I was on some crazy reality TV show where they punish you with wild physical challenges.  If only they knew...

Now that you have a visual of what I look like at the end of a run (add tangled and matted hair to that glowing salt lick and top it all off with some neon pink sunglasses), lets chat a bit about the prep for a long run because it is a pretty funny thing too.  I always have to laugh when I am ‘gearing’ up for a long run.

-       Gooey sticky gel stuff that I will be consuming periodically – CHECK

-       Electrolyte replacement fluid (because apparently I am loosing all my sodium through my sweat) - CHECK

-       Good layer of ‘Body Glide’ to prevent chaffing in the most uncomfortable of places

     CHECK! This one is worth a double check!!

With all my necessities checked off I am ready to hit the road.  I am so grateful that my dear running partners tolerate my ridiculous style and sweaty self. Thanks girls!  Can't wait for our 3 hour adventure this weekend.

Happy trails to all!

I recently saw a hilarious Youtube video that summarized this all perfectly...

 

"First you feel like dying. 

Then you feel reborn." 

Asics

FUNDRAISING UPDATE:

LU4L is the top fundraising team in the country!

Raised over $2500 to date

'Pack' is 8 members strong...and growing

CLICK HERE TO SPONSOR THE TEAM TODAY

Goals aren't measured in miles

This might sounds like an odd thing to say coming from someone who is gearing up for a big goal, one that is indeed measured in miles (42 to be exact), so let me explain...Often when I talk to people about my plan to get back to marathon distance they immediately shy away from sharing their own goals, feeling that because their distance isn't as great their goal by extension isn't as great.  What I have come to learn is that no matter how long the race, what matters most is that it matters to you!

Goals coming in all shapes and sizes (from 150km ultra marathons through Death Valley to local 5km races).  I was asked last week who inspires me to run - who inspires me to run in the rain, wind and snow? Through the dark days of winter when all I want to do is stay in my warm bed wrapped in puppy love. I was caught off guard that I didn't instantly pop off some amazing world record holder, or famous Canadian hero (and we all know we have plenty...think Terry Fox or Rick Hansen. Nope, what inspires me hands down is the simple, amazing accomplishments that everyday people do everyday.  

Let me give you an example. 

My dad has just started running - At 64 years of age and after admitting to me it has been close to 50 years since the last time he 'pounded the pavement'.  We chatted a bit about this over the holidays and got him all set up with a great beginners clinic that will ensure he makes it to his goal injury free. His goal is a St. Patrick's Day 5km, which I wouldn't miss for the world. There are so many things about this that inspire me.

Hanging with dad in sunny Victoria

1) At a point in time when most people are just content doing what they've always done, dad has decided to take on something new and challenging.

2) Not only is he taking part in the clinic, he now informs me he is actually leading his group most nights!

3) One of my fondest memories of starting to run is remembering a time when every long run was my longest. Watching and hearing my dad experience this, selfishly reminds me of what it felt like to meet a goal every single week.

On Sunday we got to share our first run together. There are few things I love more than time spent with those closest to me on a run. It was early and wet...but there we were, sharing in the quiet pounding of pavement underfoot. I have warned him..."Be careful dad. This running thing has the ability to grab hold of you and never let go!"

I can't say it enough, no matter what your goal, be proud that you are doing something that matters to you. You never know who's inspiration your may be, so hold your head high friends!

P.S. Speaking of goals, this past week our Laceup4Lupus team reached 30% of our fundraising goal. If you would like to sponsor us just follow the link below.

DONATE NOW 

And....Action!

I had an email from a close friend the other day that caught me totally off guard. The title of the email was simply..."Inspirational Runner Story". I found a couple minutes in my busy afternoon to open what I thought was gonna be one of those amazing stories or videos of people who have committed their lived to do amazing things.  What I found instead was a short note asking simply if I would be interested in being featured in a Running Magazing for the LaceUp4Lupus project!

  

The string of emails back and forth went something like this...

Me: "Are you sure you meant to send this email to me, friend?"

Friend: "Ah yeah...pretty sure."

Me: "But, I haven't done anything yet...Aren't these stories usually reserved for folks who have already raised millions of dollars or pushed their disabled child across the finish line of Iron Man or something along those lines?"

Friend: "This is a great opportunity to showcase what you are about to do! I have faith in you that you will do something great."

Me: ...speechless

 

So, we headed off into the snow drifts for a quick photo shoot!  It is somewhat unnerving having someone point a giant 'mother' of a lens right at you, but in the end it was all fun and all for a good cause. Running in the snow (even just for show) is one of my most favourite things!  I feel like a kid who can't wipe the smile of their face (see proof above!)

I am hopeful the article will come out in the Spring and will give the Project a good boost!

Up and Running

OK...So here we go! 

It is funny how things go from nothing to something in the blink of an eye. What was in one moment a concept has quickly been shaped into this fundraising project for Lupus Canada and I am so happy to have you along for the ride.

The weird thing about starting a blog, is that in the beginning, you don't have a whole lot to share...Mostly just a broad vision, some goals and a little bit of background information, but what I have come to realize is that a blog is about the JOURNEY - And this Journey started close to ten years ago when I was first diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).

Fast forward ten years (I promise to fill in these gaps as we become better acquainted!) and here I am, gearing up for my return to the Marathon (a distance that has plagued me for years) and a fundraising project that has me pretty jazzed about the whole thing.  These days, most of my Journeys start and end at a trail head, or a long winding road with my running shoes on and a partner beside me. It is my passion for running and healthy living that drives LaceUp4Lupus. My vision is to create a team of like-minded individuals, (passionate about living well) together to raise funds and awareness for a disease that has been in the dark far too long.

There are many ways you can be involved in supporting my goal of raising $4200 ($100 per/km) for Lupus Canada and ultimately raising the profile of this disease - A disease that affect 1:1000 Canadians! Whether you choose to donate, "Join the Pack" or simply help spread the word. Everyone can feel like they are contributing. And in the end you will be doing something positive for yourself too! How's that for a WIN-WIN?

So...Welcome, friends, family and soon to be 'Pack Members'. I am so looking forward to our Journey together.

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.  ~T.S. Eliot