I Ran This Town!

The person who starts the race is not the same person who finishes the race...
 ~author unknown

The Bluenose Marathon Weekend was a great success.  Record-breaking turnouts & picture perfect weather...I planned to take in all the events of the Bluenose weekend & that's exactly what I did. From the talk by John Stanton on Friday night to the Goodlife Fitness Expo on Saturday to the Molson Post-Race Party on Sunday night. 

May 20th dawned & race day was finally here.  I didn't sleep much the night before and had a very disturbing dream in which I arrived at the race in the wrong sneakers and without my orthotics!!!! Nevertheless, I was pretty excited as I got ready and put on my charity team t-shirt with my very first bib, which had my name on it :-) I ended up raising $275 for Team Love4Gambia & to be running for a good cause certainly was an added motivation throughout my training. Thanks to Gina for her donation & very encouraging words on Saturday - this really felt great going into the race :-) I was happy to see so many others wearing the same shirt and running for the same great cause! 
 

Remember...I have never even been a spectator at a race before, so everything was new and exciting :-) One of the highlights for me was lining up with 2000+ people for the 5 km race. The spectators cheering, the music pumping us up - it was incredible! Everybody around me was happy, smiling and totally excited.  A Goodlife instructor warmed us up and it was fantastic - like we were a flash mob all doing the same moves :-) The weather was absolutely perfect, but not for me :-) I don't like to exercise in the heat and my performance really suffered - I'd rather the cold, wind, rain...really anything but heat. But then I remembered how Erin ran 424 km across the Gambia last year in 40+ heat so I put my game face on and we were off.


I found the water station situation very strange - the first one was barely into the race and another just a little further along...and then nothing! I had hoped for more water, especially after running up Citadel Hill, but there was none again until the finish line. I had been told by many that I wouldn't need to take my own water because it was just 5 km.  I definitely struggled in this weather, especially after the hill and I was not able to maintain 10 & 1 cycles. The heat really did me in, but I enjoyed it as best I could and loved the view of Halifax from atop the hill.


The highlight of the day was definitely the home stretch when I spotted Erin, her sister, and Greg holding their sweet baby girl - Regan.  Erin spotted me, screamed my name and ran out for a high-5.  Suddenly I took off for the finish line, so happy to see her as she has been such an inspiration to me. Thanks Erin for getting me across the finish line!!! Crossing that is really a blur - mainly because my brain was deprived of oxygen - ha! What a thrill to get my medal - I didn't take it off and even wore it to the party that night!!! Yes, I am a newbie running nerd and proud of it :-)


I did feel bad that it was not a good run for me and that it took me so long (42:31). In retrospect I think it would have been better to have had someone to run the race with...however I had to really put those negative thoughts out of my mind and to celebrate all that I had accomplished. 

I LEARNED TO RUN!!!


I ran 5 km :D 


I RAN THIS TOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Gotta go. I'm Running Late...Literally!

Still in the Running...

The miracle isn't that I finished.  The miracle is that I had the courage to START...

~author unknown


This has been a big week and with the upcoming Bluenose Marathon it's about to become HUGE! The Learn to Run clinic ended this week with a guest speaker and run Mon. night and our final run on Wed. The topic was motivation, something that I had been struggling with lately and something I sorely needed with my first race just days away. The speaker was a woman in her late 50s and had been running for about 12 years, after a colleague of hers passed away suddenly from a massive heart attack. Her friend was about the same age & also overweight, and they both suffered from hypertension and high cholesterol. This event brought her face to face with her own mortality and was the catalyst she needed to make some big changes in her life. She described how she was in the same position that we are now. She was also an inexperienced runner who took the Learn to Run clinic, feeling anxious but determined. She started with a 5 km race and since then has completed 10 km, half-marathon, and 3 full marathons! I had goosebumps as she described this journey. She said that running completely changed her - her health, her attitude, even her outlook on life. Her talk gave me the inspiration I needed looking ahead to my own very first 5 km run. 

But it was not just a time to look ahead. It was also a time to look back and celebrate just how far I had come.  As the clinic ended I reflected back on the last ten weeks. Thirty runs, kilos of Epsom salts, the highs & the lows, the rain & the heat, ice pack after ice pack, the good runs & the bad, a bottle of Advil, sore shins, aching legs, tight calves, and lots of sweat. Thankfully, I had my family, friends, fellow runners and my running coaches for encouragement.  From run 1 minute/walk 2 minutes to run 10 minutes/walk 1 minute!!!!! I cannot believe I progressed that far. Never, ever did I think it was possible for me to run. But the impossibility has become a reality. Not only have I learned to run, but more importantly I have learned more about myself, and the strength within.  Bluenose 5 km...bring it on!!!


Success isn't how far you got, but the distance you traveled from where you started...
~author unknown


Gotta go. I'm Running Late...Literally!

Running on Empty...

It's hard to believe that we have 3 runs left in our clinic and that the Bluenose is a mere 1 week away. The past 2 weeks have been the hardest yet, as we transitioned up to 10 minutes of running, 1 minute walking. To add fuel to the fire I decided to start a 1 week detox/cleanse that meant no caffeine, sugar, salt, meat, chicken, processed food, wheat or dairy. To be fair it sounded reasonable at the time - all fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, fish, natural yogurt, etc. As a newbie runner I had NO idea the impact this would have on my running. Although I was able to eat plain oatmeal, rice cakes, etc. there simply wasn't enough fuel to keep me going and my running suffered. I had a pounding caffeine withdrawal headache that lasted 3 full days :-( On top of this I had some cold/flu like symptoms that continue to plague me (a perfect storm, if you will).

Needless to say I barely made it through my runs and was really, really winded. This was the lowest point of my running thus far, especially after my earlier successes. I really felt down and was struggling to recapture the enthusiasm and joy felt earlier. My running group and the instructors helped me through this - constantly encouraging me and dropping back to run beside me. This really made a difference and meant a great deal to me. I started to feel stronger and hope to have a great final week.

The upside? The headache went away and I have not gone back to coffee, I'm sleeping better and am heartburn free! But most of all I learned that not every run is going to be good. Sometimes the last thing in the world I want to do is run. Sometimes I am well rested, well nourished and am pain free. Sometimes this means I will run well and sometimes it means I won't. However, I know that if I persevere the good runs will return, as will my energy and enthusiasm.

Oh and I celebrated my birthday on the weekend and am no longer "Learning to Run at 45" :-D

Gotta go. I'm Running Late...Literally!

Run Like the Wind...

Go the extra mile. It's never crowded...

~Author Unknown

Well it has been a wonderful few weeks of running since I last checked in. We started the dreaded 5 minute run, 1 minute walk x 3 sets and everyone in our clinic was very nervous. How would we do? It turned out to be the best run thus far for me and for the entire group. We really supported each other and were jumping up and down when we finished - what a feeling of accomplishment! I think I finally felt "the high", whether it was the true physical runners high or just the emotional high of getting this far, I'm not sure. Either way, I'll take it! By the end of this week we added on another 5 minutes for a total of 20 minutes of running. And yours truly was the one who asked for another 5 minutes!!!! Afterwards you could not wipe the smile off my face :-D

I have discovered that the first part of my runs are awful, but there comes a point where I get past that and feel like I could run forever. This happened again the next week when we completed 6 minute run, 1 minute walk x 4 sets for a total of 24 minutes...including CITADEL HILL!!!!! Because many of us are competing in the Bluenose 5km Race and the route includes this hill, it is a necessary evil (but it wasn't really that bad).

Guess what? I'm not always at the back of the pack anymore and sometimes even in the middle :-) And remember those 20-something trim women? They never returned after week one. Just sayin...

 

Running Into Trouble...

run v. to move at a speed faster than a walk, never having both feet on the ground at the same time...

Well it's been several weeks since I last blogged and there have been lots of ups & downs since then. We are now doing 3 minute runs/1 minute walk x 6 sets! It is unbelievable to me that I am able to run for 18 minutes!!!

Not that it hasn't been without it's challenges. There have been a LOT of aches and pains. From my glutes (always sore); my chins (frequently sore) to my right hamstring and right Achilles tendon (this scared me). All of these problems resolved with rest, ice, stretching, Epsom salts, Ibuprofen, etc and with some great advice from my running instructors and Erin. My biggest fear has been getting injured and not being able to continue. I have learned in the last few weeks that my age and weight have no bearing on my ability to succeed. Staying healthy and injury free is my number one priority. Things that I've learned in the past several weeks: your breathing will take care of itself if you don't think about it; what you eat in the hours before you run is critical; and I'm not sure that talking while running is possible :-D

I am amazed at how far a positive attitude can get you. Each week in training I am surprised at what this old girl can accomplish – both mentally and physically. I have learned to shut off my mind from negative thoughts – like worrying as each week starts about how I’m going to be able run longer. I just go there and somehow manage to it and each successful run keeps me coming back for more. Not once have I allowed my inner voice to say "I just can't do this". Because I've proven, week after week, that I can.

On the Run...

Well, week one is finished and I am alive :-) Our clinic started on Monday night and with great trepidation I entered the Running Room. There are a lots of folks milling about - the first two people I see are 2 women dressed to run that appear to be in their early 20s - slim, trim - no jiggle factor there. Please let them be here shopping for $15 socks! I hone in on a women that appears to be about my age & shape and looks as nervous as I feel. We instantly connect and others join us. We are all feeling excited, but anxious. Our two instructors seem great and soon put us at ease.

I knew ahead of time that the first week would consist of run 1 minute/walk 2 minutes. This didn't scare me. I mean how hard could it be to run for one minute? After all I do some pretty intense hour-long classes at the gym...oh such foolish thoughts! :-) We go out and are told to start running. Off I go smiling, but thinking in my head: "Wait, how am I supposed to run? Aren't you going to show me how? How do I breathe and run? Is there a method for this? By the 30-second mark I am huffing and puffing like a 95 year old with asthma. This was the longest minute EVER. But wait, the 2 minute walk is here and I feel sweet relief. That is, until the pain in my calves kick in. My breathing is still labored when we are told to run again (there is no way that was 2 minutes!!!). During the 2 minute walks I am forced to stop and stretch my tight calves. I cannot believe how HARD this is. Harder than BodyPump, BodyCombat and Kettlebell combined. Hard in a totally new and different way.

But by the last 2 cycles things feel better. Dare I say - a bit easier than at the beginning. I am at the back of the pack, but wait, I am gleefully passing the two young trim women that were not buying socks. They have STOPPED running and are walking during the 1 minute run, because of cramps!!!!! And I am still running :-) By the end of week one I am very sore but nothing that ice, Epsom salts, and ibuprofen can't fix. SUCCESS!!!!

Gotta go. I'm Running Late...Literally!

Shopping Trip Run Amok!

With my Learn to Run program starting soon it was time to go shopping. This might be the least painful part of running - the clothes, shoes and accoutrements! I needed gear that would keep me warm/cool, dry, reduce the jiggle factor and shoes that would give me wings (I realize now that this was a tad optimistic!)

Number one on the list was running shoes (otherwise known as sneakers in C.B.) In this vital area I could not cheap out. After visiting the top two places in the city and having a gait assessment, my feet have been measured for...a size 9.5 !!!!! What the heck!! Even with some dependent edema, perhaps a size 9, but a 9.5???? These beauts resemble twin cruise ships on my feet - a veritable Queen Mary and Titanic (note plug for 100 year anniversary). Lets hope my feet don't suffer the same fate as the latter! Happily my vanity is appeased because the trim on my new shoes exactly matches my recently purchased half price North Face running jacket! Just putting on this gear makes me feel more like a runner! That is, until I start shopping for "the pants", then things go south quickly.

I couldn't wait to get a real pair of running pants. You know, the ones you see on the SERIOUS runners. The ones that make their legs look strong and sleek. I scan the racks searching for my usual large, but once found this size appears much, much smaller than out in my Reitman's Yoga Pants world :-/ The clerk is cheerily optimistic as I shimmy and wiggle my way in, not liking the muffin top spillage, but hey, from the front they're not too bad. Then I make the BIG MISTAKE of turning around for a rear view!!!!! Now I know why people wear those running jackets that are longer in the back than the front. Not to keep their bottom warm, but to conceal the dreaded jiggle factor!!! But, hey wait a minute, these are oh so comfortable and the fabric feels absolutely awesome on my legs. Eventually I leave the dressing room and finally the store with "the pants" in hand and the most expensive pair of socks I have ever purchased! I'm ready!!

Gotta go. I'm Running Late...Literally!

Going the Extra Mile...

Seek to do good, and you will find that happiness will run after you...
~James Clarke

Once I make up my mind to do something I like to put measures in place that will cement my commitment :-) Registering for the Bluenose 5 km event, my first ever running event, was a huge step for me, but only the beginning. It now wasn’t enough to run only for myself; to have a goal to work towards. To continue to put one foot in front of another and never miss a training run. I knew instantly where I could find the inspiration to cross that finish line on May 20. It would come from being part of a very special team, running for a very special cause - Team Love4Gambia and our team captain Erin.

Love4Gambia is an ongoing fundraising campaign to support the Nova Scotia-Gambia Association’s HIV and malaria prevention, landmine injury prevention and child rights promotion programs in The Gambia, West Africa. Erin is a fellow nurse, a seasoned runner and courageous humanitarian that took on a monumental challenge in July, 2011. She (and her supportive team) ran across an entire African country in extreme heat and humidity, all to raise money for this worthwhile charity. A total of 424 km in 17 days!!! Yes, you read correctly. The equivalent of running a half marathon every single day!!!!

All of us that followed her progress were completely inspired. So now I'm not just running for myself - to prove that I can, but for a bigger, better purpose. To make a difference in the lives and health of children and youth a world away. Please visit my personal fundraising page and support me as I run for Gambia. No donation is too small!

Gotta Go... I'm Running Late...Literally!

Make A Run For It...

I've always found that when you take on a challenge - new diet, new exercise regime, etc. the more people you share it with, the more likely you are to stick to it - the whole accountability thing :-)

Decision to run made, I found myself at our local Running Room store reading the brochure on the Learn to Run Clinic. I had heard that this program offers support, education and that it builds up your running gradually. This sounds reasonable - a veritable support group for newbie runners. I like that. As I start to look around I find this place intimidating. The racks are filled with (very small) running clothes and strange accoutrements - gels, bodyglide, nipple protectors? What kind of store is this???

I turn to go, clutching the brochure (damp now from my sweaty palm) but encounter a clerk (tall, slim - definitely a runner). I find out that the next clinic is a mere 10 days away...and I ask the dreaded question: Can I learn to run at age 45? He tells me that the oldest person to complete the Learn to Run program was a 78 year old woman…
78!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In an instant all my excuses and doubts seem ridiculous, and this nameless, faceless women (33 years my senior) instantly becomes an inspiration. So much so that when I return home I register for the Bluenose Marathon 5 km event – before I can change my mind…

Gotta go. I'm Running Late...Literally!

Running Out of Excuses...

The decision to undertake this (monumental) challenge was a difficult one. Although I love the gym and exercising, I have NEVER been a runner. EVER. In fact I used to dismiss running as being "too hard on your body". This is from the women who did hard-core, intense Kettlebell classes that left my entire forearms bruised (and I wore them proudly) and brought me to the edge of losing my lunch many, many times.

Running, in my head, has always been an unattainable goal. Something that others did - younger people, those with more physical & mental strength than I have. I think that as I saw runners run, I saw the end product - thin, athletic types, running full speed in the midday summer sun - no way, not for me, I thought. In retrospect, underneath it all, I was envious. To be able to pull on your running shoes, load up your favorite music and take off. No gym required - only the open road. When I took my graduate degree I became friends with three fabulous women who were runners. I used to listen to their stories - their tales of half marathons, running hills, and this almost global camaraderie among runners. I dismissed it as never being possible for me...

How could I possibly run with my foot problems? At that time I was about 2 years post-op fasciotomy and calcaneal spur removal & still suffered foot pain. Plantar fasciitis, extremely flat feet that pronate, and bilateral calcaneal spurs. That sums up the state of my feet...However, at the end of February, 2012 I threw caution to the wind and decided to just try it. If I did everything I could to mitigate the feet issues, then maybe, just maybe I could become a runner...better late than never...

Gotta go. I'm running late...literally!