and so it begins ...

[ceileigh]

I have been pretty lazy for the past couple of months. The odd run here and there but not a lot. My last half - army half - was slow but strong and I had decided to try for my first full next spring so ... this week marks the beginning of spring training! I can not see myself adding 10K onto a long run even in a race so I picked a training program that goes closer to the 42.2K and is longer and slower. A full six months of slow building. Hopefully by going slow all will go well and I will make it across the finish line six months from now.

Now it is just to stick to it!!!!!

[drghfx]

Good luck! Slow and steady wins the race!

[ceileigh]

Well I got week one in. I used the treadmill one day --- 42kph winds and sheets of rain just don't appeal much to me I am thinking of trying to tie this run in with some fund raising. I am training for Ottawa Race Weekend but am thinking of fundraising for Sick Kids in Toronto or more specifically their cardiovascular research. My nephew was treated through them for seventeen years before he passed (at age 17). Curt is still a huge inspiration for me. I know Ottawa raises funds for the Ottawa hospital so will have to think about it.

I got a pair of Newton shoes to try out. First 5K in them today. Very light compared to the other stability shoes I run in. I like the feeling of having something under the ball of my foot as that is where I really need the cushioning. As I go to longer runs it will be interesting to see if they are stable enough or not ...

[Kelodie]

Keep it up! You're doing well.

[ceileigh]

I think I am turning this into my own accountability thread!

I so did not want to run today. Fighting a cold or something and just dragging. But my secret santa kindly sent me some new running socks and I figured I just had to try them out. So I put them on and did a short 20 minute run on the treadmill. Yeah outside would be better but the first snow left the roads all icy and miserable early this morning so treadmill it was. Not the greatest for time run or distance run but hey ... I did something. And actually I had a good run! Must have been the socks

[Lazagna]

I've been using my gallbladder issues to not run lately, but I think I need to just suck it up and run.. oh and since we're in Calgary and it's -27 (without the windchill) I'll run on the treadmill too tonight...

thanks for that little boost, if one person can run, so can I.

[ceileigh]

I recognize that name and one good boost deserves another!!!!!

Actually today has been the parcel day ... secret santa socks to start the day ... chocolate at our last obedience class with my pup ... home to my olympic store Christmas shopping parcel ... then purolator delivered a parcel the Canada post delivered two more AND I got my runner's world magazine to boot!

So much to unwrap I think I need a nap now ...

[Lazagna]

WOW, quite the haul.. we got 3 Christmas cards yesterday in the mail, that was the beginning. I'm not expecting too many gifts, but if all goes well I'll get 5k in tonight if it kills me. (and it just might).

[turd ferguson]

WOW, quite the haul.. we got 3 Christmas cards yesterday in the mail, that was the beginning. I'm not expecting too many gifts, but if all goes well I'll get 5k in tonight if it kills me. (and it just might).

Meet us at the Y at 5. Mandatory.

[kimbyd]

Hope you are going to be wearing more than your avatar.... ewwwwww!

[Lazagna]

WOW, quite the haul.. we got 3 Christmas cards yesterday in the mail, that was the beginning. I'm not expecting too many gifts, but if all goes well I'll get 5k in tonight if it kills me. (and it just might).

Meet us at the Y at 5. Mandatory.

I would, but I have plans that I can't get out of for the run.

But, I will run this evening for sure, just not that early.

[ceileigh]

another week in. All on the treadmill due to the weather. Thought I'd be outside today but the roads and sidewalks are total ice. Can't say I did a lot this week but at least I got something in. 6.5K this morning and, of course, another 300 m later tonight! So far I am liking the Newton shoes but they are very ... uh ... breezy. So i don't think I will wear them to carry the torch. Have to confess to running on the treadmill carrying my sigg like a torch to practice!

[Kelodie]

Have fun tonight!

[ceileigh]

Another week ... I skipped a run this week but ... overall I doing ok. Coming of my torch relay run I was tired out. Too much excitement I think. That caused the missed run. But I got i 2 runs including a LSR of 8K. I sure am slow. Sometimes I wonder if I will ever speed up. I've been the same speed for 2 years no matter how much speed work, hill work etc. I do. This year I am concentrating on running injury free and building very slowly to the full marathon amount. So ... I will just have to accept slow!

Now to get through Christmas without losing too much!!!!! My company are also runners but they are young'uns and fast!

[ceileigh]

Post Christmas ... house full then empty ... days of snow and cold ... bad case of the sniffles followed by fever and chills ... uh-oh ... I REFUSE to get sick!!!

Once again I missed one run. Just too worn out and not feeling great. Today did 11K on the treadmill. Rough going. Still really dragging. Was going to bail around 6K and started playing with cadence trying for the magic 90 foot strikes. I had 78 so shortened my stride. Didn't like the feel of that. So went back to my regular stride and started to increase the speed until I had a speed where my usual stride produced the right cadence. It was 3kph faster then my usual speed. Unfortunately my knee was hurting. It started when I shortened my stride so I am not sure if the change in stride set something off or the increased speed or both. however I was now just under the 10K so I went back to slow and finished off. When I slowed the pain gradually eased off. Think i'll fool a bit with cadence some more but carefully. The object with taking so long to do this training is NOT to get injured! Still it feels good to have gotten it in and the run was only a few seconds longer then my 10K of last week! That's encouraging!!!

[ceileigh]

After dragging for a few weeks I am starting to feel more energetic. I actually did 2 runs outside this week One of them I kept to a short 3K and took my 7 month old sheltie with me. She did great! Mind you as a slow runner she was just gaiting along and not actually running but that's ok. I don't want to over do with her. My Saturday LSD got bumped to today as a result of 27 kph winds with gusts to 45kph added to the fact I had to be done by 8AM in order to head out of town for a luncheon meeting. Then today it was still pretty crappy out so ended up doing my LSR on the dreadmill. Not fun but I got 15k taking about 35 minutes for each 5K block. That's actually pretty good for me. I did the last KM in bare feet just for fun. interesting how much more I felt my posture and foot landing in bare feet.

I am still going at this really slow but still determined to do my best to get my first marathon in. I have a brita and am considering signing up for the RR online training even though I don't do 10:1. Have to decide in the next few days though because they started this past Friday!

[ceileigh]

Finally got a LSR in outside ... well most of it. I bailed 2.85 K from the finish because I needed a potty break never had to do that before but sometimes ... 16K the slow way, just over 2 hours At this rate I might have to hitch a ride on the clean up guy's vehicle at the end of the marathon but I saw Ray Zahab on Regional Contact last night and I am still motivated and determined so pushing on. Actually it was a slow run but felt really good! I was tiring some by the end (especially the last 2.85 which I did on my tm) but was steady for most of the run. So onward and forward!

[ceileigh]

Ok this was a week to seriously wonder if I would ever get to a full! Monday I worked 14 hours ... straight! One job 7 - 2:30 then home to a meeting (at my house) which ended by getting in the car and driving to another job until 9PM. Long day! Result was Tuesday I was so tired I dumped my run. I was worn out (and it was my b'day and I figured I owed myself some spoiling). Wednesday I did run 5 in 30:05 Closest ever to to a thirty minute 5K. THursday and Friday I just walked. Mind you I walked 5K on Friday but still ... not my best week. Today was a 10K only. Thank heavens. I got it done outside in 1:23 Real slow! But it was icy and I did it! So on it goes. Only one week left of cheap rates for ORW So do I register for the full or not? I am into Feb and running without injury or major pain. I am stronger then before ... hmmmmm..

Oh yeah ... I am loving the Newtons and despite their air conditioned look find them quite warm with icebreaker socks for winter, even today in -23 windchill. I like that I can tie them lose and wear thick socks or tighter for lighter socks (tm vs. outside) and they still fit! I usually have to switch shoes in winter for winter running to accommodate the heavy socks. Might just have found a shoe for me!!

[Kelodie]

Do you think this week was just a blip and that your life's conditions will be better in the coming months? Maybe you just needed a cutback week and you'll be ready to bounce back this coming week. If I were you, I would wait a few weeks to register for NCM if you're not sure. Yes, the fee will increase after February 15, but if you're not sure, you don't want to end up paying the marathon fee to do a 10K or a Half.

My 2 cents...

[ceileigh]

The one thing I find is that my mindset is different from other years. Use to be I'd go out for a 10K and it would feel long. Last weeks' 19K took a while but it was just a training run. I enjoyed the distance and being out there. (I don't enjoy it so much on the tm though) When I use to train for a half that 18K run felt like a huge monster to battle! It was '6K one third in ... I can do it ... 9K half way .... yeah!!!" Now it is 'oh, I'm at 10, wow I'm halfway there already ... sigh ... it will be another hour + for me at my pace but that's ok ... can't believe I've done 10 already cool ..." Most times I don't look at my garmin until I am trying to figure out if heading towards home is a good idea or if I need to go out a bit further to get more distance in. My mindset just seems different. That and the fact that I am not fighting any injury is encouraging. This week did seem like a blip. I am working 8 contracts at present and Monday was brutal. It is hard to find time to train with so much going on but one contract ends in 3 weeks and another in 7 ... and my ED on two are going away for weeks and weeks so that will take a load off. I wondered why they were both suddenly dumping work on me ... now I know ... they are heading out!

I am going to wait until after the 22K training run next Saturday and see how I feel and how this week goes. Might wait to register ... might commit.

What does NOT help is when my neice posts on FB how it was so nice to go out for a run and 10K in feel all the stress go away and 20K later (30K total) feel like gold (and this was her first run longer then 5K in over a YEAR!!!!). Must be nice to be young!

[Jo-Jo]

What does NOT help is when my neice posts on FB how it was so nice to go out for a run and 10K in feel all the stress go away and 20K later (30K total) feel like gold (and this was her first run longer then 5K in over a YEAR!!!!). Must be nice to be young!

If I thought about age...I'd never run another kilometre or post another post on RM.
I'm on the verge of turning 57.

All of you...with little exception are "kids" to me


Run on....

[ceileigh]

ah the weekly update ... here is an unheard of event

This was a GREAT WEEK! I am doing this low key using the Galloway method where you run 3 X a week. Goal is to finish smiling and injury free. However mondays I work 7 - 3 and 4 - 9. Translation is that most Tuesdays that last thing I want to do is run. This week I ran ... outside ... and went for 35 minutes including some whopper hills. The plan is 30 - 45 but I often find it hard to find even 30 in me on a Tuesday. AND I felt good. i walked Wednesday. Then Thursday I did 35 again reversing Tuesdays route. I stayed up late last night watching the olympics and overall the whole day was emotional. I finally got my torch run from VHS to DVD so was re living it, FB'ing my torch host, watching it all unfold all day. I was not prepared for the emotions. So 6:30AM today came awfully early. I got up, -12C with 7K winds, dressed and had a light breakfast. I look outside. It's snowing ... at an angle. The winds are now 25K and a windchill of -25. Sigh I am not so brave as to go out for 3 hours in that cold A shorter run ok but .... so I change and hit the treadmill. I pause and put the dogs out ... go back and realize I did not hit pause on the treadmill and 'ran' 2+K without any effort at all So in the end I clocked 25K on the treadmill which I think was around 22.5 actual KM took me just under 3 hours. My feet were starting to complain but it was just a tired ache. Best of all I felt like I could KEEP GOING!!!

So I think I'm going to do it ... register for the full and push myself to go for it! $85 is a lot of money especially if I do drop down to the half but ... if I can run 22 now ... why not be optimistic ...

maybe I have olympic fever

now it is off to NY City tomorrow. This should muck up my training for this week but its just one week!

[Kelodie]

yay! I'm glad to read this positive update.

I like your TM method... let it run on its own. Maybe I should try that and get to 10K quicker than I thought!

[ceileigh]

Now to remember to register ... i forgot yesterday and am currently connect via free wireless in the Albany NY Amtrak station en route to New York City. Hopefully will have a chance to register from the hotel tonight. Don't want to do it here ...

[ceileigh]

Well this week was a bust and that's just fine. Sunday was 11 hours on the train to NY City. Went for a walk when we got there. The next few days we were out of the hotel at 7AM and not back until after midnight! We did walk the 15 blocks from our hotel to the Gardens (and back) each day but that was it. By Wednesday I was starting to feel like I was getting a cold. Home Thursday with a sore throat and totally exhausted. Bailed on my run yesterday and today (Sunday) I finally have a 'day off' so here I am approaching 11 just waking up and still lazing in bed! I also forgot to register for ORW!!! So i'll have to pay the extra bucks but that's ok. All in all it's early enough not to panic over a week that did not work for running especially since it was due to very unique, once in a lifetime circumstances (attending the Westminster Dog Show). So though I am down and out I am still upbeat and on track imo. Today I rest, finish off getting rid of my cold. Tomorrow I work from 7AM to 9PM and then Tuesday it is back to training proper! My only regret is we are suppose to get 10cm of snow Tuesday and another 15 on Wednesday so looks like a treadmill week!