Finish line in sight! only two long runs left.

There are only 2 long runs left to do before the big day! one 19 mile and one 15 mile. Honestly I am ready to get out there and just give it a go. Maybe thats being arrogant that I can bypass the program but I think i'm just getting tired of the huge time constraints training brings. It is a huge life change if you think that about 10-12 hours a week are dedicated to running. Aswell I don't do as many social activities based on trying to be as fit as possible, which is tough for a 23 year old in halifax! But mostly I'm very happy about how well this endeavor has gone. I've raised more money then I thought at this point and am well on my way to my $3000 goal. Thanks to all who have contributed and to those who plan to! Staying focused now is key in these last few weeks! mind over body aches and pains! 

Stay Fit, Have Fun. Yoga break.

this morning I was encouraged by a friend of mine meg to join her for a morning Hot Yoga session at Moksha Yoga on Spring Garden.For people who aren't sure what that is, it's when they turn the room into a sahara and tell you to actively stretch for what feels like a millenium. As cynical as I was with all these new trends and fad workouts it was exactly the mental break I need right now. My ankle is causing me trouble which is frustrating and I needed a timeout. I haven't felt this sharp in the morning in awhile and it definitely wasn't my restless sleep last night I have to thank. Either way I recommend a yoga session to marathoners to release the building tension in your legs. well that's my advice today. We'll see how I feel after I wake up tomorrow!

Jazic my running bodyguard pushes through the 12 mile NB trail!

I forgot to mention who ran with me on that stunning trail I mentioned earlier! Since we all know I can't find my way to the washroom in my own house I needed someone to come make sure I didn't get lost in the backwoods of NB. Alan Jazic the assistant coach of the mens soccer team who is also a police officer took it as his duty to protect! Granted he used to run alot for his police academy training he had taken the month off. Willing to push through I can say I am honestly impressed by the human body to push through every thought, feeling, and body signal that says DON'T RUN! Bless his heart he made it all the way at a good solid pace without complaint and alot of michael jackson musical motivation. I hope he's able to walk today and he doesn't have to chase any hooligans in the next week! 

Moncton NB trail running is stunning.

I was traveling with the Dalhousie womens soccer team over the weekend to Moncton and Fredericton. I'm really proud of them for traveling on a bus for 4+ hours getting off and playing a soccer match (which they won 1-0! ) then getting on a bus and driving to Moncton for the night followed by another match the next day (which they tied 2-2 in the final minutes of the game). Either way within all this driving I had to find time for a 12 mile run, which Julie later informed me was meant to be 15 but I figure I can push out 3 miles during this week to make up for it. Turns out Moncton has a stunning run along the bogs which is breathtaking. The tall reeds a sunrise to die for and a crisp fall breeze. No traffic just birds. What else could a runner ask for? It was the change of scenary I needed. 

treadmill training has it's benefits.

I've started to do some of my training on the treadmills at the gym where I have so many fun weight lifting experiences. I'd like to say it's because it's a nice change of scenary but honestly without Julie telling me to go outside I find the brisk cold a little much for me in the mornings. Meaning I'm a huge baby when it comes to the cold and would rather drive to the grocery store (which is approximately 5 minutes walk) so I can get in my car from the inside heated garage. Enough of my whining. The treadmill has been awesome. I actually think it's good to up your pace since it's such a controlled environment. I'm certainly not able to slack off on a certain level since I'll obviously just go flying off the end instead of on the road when I can just stop. I can up the pace of a few miles and easily follow my progress. I know i'll have to go back to the road to get the pounding back into my legs, but for now my knees and back love me just a little more then last week. 

5 hour energy supplements not as sustaining as gelpacks.

First I just wanted to say how great it felt to finish 20 miles and know I could pump out another 6 to finish of the race! It was not nearly as easy (relatively) as the 19 mile we did a few weeks ago due to A) no rain to cool us off and distract us B) the sun was more dehydrating C) we didn't bring gel packs. The last was the biggest dilemma of the event. I biked over to the running room to pick up some packs before our run around 8 and the store doesn't open up until 9:30. This alone through me off wondering why on a weekend for all the group early runs it's not open at like 6am. anyway I hate biking before running because it feels like unwarranted extra working out so I skipped searching other stores and went straight to Julies. The run was going great until we stopped at the local ultramar for gel packs. Again no gel packs but me being the visual person I am same a running person on the label of the 5 hour energy shots and said "oo they look fast, lets get those". Bad idea. Within the next 40 minutes I couldn't even feel my legs. It's the oddest feeling to be moving when you think your legs have gone numb. Julie equally felt the energy seeping from her legs. We barely managed to get the 20 miles done but knowing we could push through wobbly legs was incredibly motivating. Next time we'll know replenishing our glycogen stores won't come from gimmicky advertising (or effective advertising) brand items. 

Nerves make 20 seem exponentially larger then 19 miles.

I'm sitting here eating my pre-run breakfast of oatmeal and thinking about the 20 mile excursion ahead seems slightly daunting. For some reason the round number of 20 seems like it will be significantly more challenging to push through then the previous 19. It's like when you turn 19 years old and you feel light year older then those underage 18 year old friends you still have. I should have been drinking more water . 

Scheduling conflicts cause more solo running

Now that soccer season is in full swing and Julie has a big kid job. We're both stuck trying to get in our intervals and long runs without a motivating buddy. I'm honestly in awe of people who do this alone. Maybe i'm just used to supportive team environments but I can't imagine doing the entire 3 months training without Julie. Yesterday I had to run 10 miles without a partner and im sure it was significantly slower then usual but I'm still confident I could pump out a good time come the competition. i'm really hoping it won't be solo running for the rest of the time. we still have the weekends together which will be necessary for those long runs. This weekend is the 20 mile long run and i'm shaking! it's only one more mile from two weeks ago but that feels like alot! Regardless my partner will be there making me eat my gel packs.  

Training works! 20 minutes taken off 12mile route!

Today really showed the mass improvement in our running since we started on this new endeavor. our first 12 mile run left me lying on my floor practically past out trying to stuff food in my face so I could actually recover. We ran the 12 miles in 2 hours. Not very impressive. Todays run we ran in 1 hr 41 minutes. A huge success! Not only did we kill our time I am standing strong and about to go asst. coach a Dal practice. Quite the improvement. Starting to feel like we may be achieving something here. 

5 years since my mothers struggle with cancer ended

August 31st and the days surrounding that day is always a time of remembrance for my mothers passing. I can't believe it's been 5 years since she passed away. Sometimes the time has quelled the pain of her passing while other times without warning it is as fresh and real as yesterday. I generally choose to stay busy so my mind doesn't have time to think about the past. Thankfully the dal soccer season has kept me busy and occupied on my day to day routine. Unfortunately this is not the best method and I've felt mentally drained trying to keep my mind occupied constantly. I do not recommend avoidance as a healing pattern, it simply stays with you until you're ready to face facts and then you realize you wasted your precious days up until that point in a haze. Usually I am great at celebrating and appreciating the 18 years I had with my mother but for some reason this year felt oddly uncomfortable. Probably due to the fact this is the first time I've been physically living in Halifax with all the memories surrounding me since her death. I took off two days of running. With the mental strain I don't think I wanted to add on an emotional one as well. Regardless I am feeling fresh again and happy to move forward with my running and living! My intervals today felt great to be moving again and I am happy to feel like I would be doing something my mother would be proud of.