Four for Friday..the running, running edition

1.  I have been doing a different kind of speed work the last couple of weeks – 30 second all out bursts with 1 min rest.  It’s fun though I totally feel like I am Phoebe-running.  Tuesday I have a mini-victory where one of the repeats was 3:59/km. Never thought I would see a “3” on my Garmin as far as pace goes …ever….

2.  Last night was round #2 of hill repeats.  We busted out 4 repeats and once again…it was awesome. I am hoping to eat the hills up during the Around the Bay race in March.

3.  Another fun addition to last night’s hill repeats were these puppies: 

Knuckle Lights...way better than having a headlamp on for me.  They are seriously bright.  Another friend has these so you can bet we were doing some Jazz Hands when we passed each other.  We be cool like that.

4.  This morning’s run came complete with soaking wet feet from the tons of puddles and a facial from the ice pellets that appeared during the last 3km of the run.  Of course now, it isn’t raining, ice pelletting and no wind.  Figures.

Happy weekend all!  I am ready for it…

A whole bunch of randoms

Oh dear… I was tagged by a few of you for the 11 randomness…I couldn’t do 33 randoms…so you get this. 

1. The hubs left Monday for work meetings in Las Vegas.  I’m kind of glad as I keep walking around saying: “Vegas Baby!” 10 times a day. 
2. I am secretly hoping said hubs took me seriously when I said:  “Nike Lunarglides, size 8.5, please and thanks” as he was leaving.
3. Though only gone for 2 days, I have already had some spectacular conversations with the cats.  They miss him even more.
4. I always put my right sock on first. 
5. Nickleback makes me want to cut my ears off so I don’t have to listen to them.  Or, you know, just turn the radio off.
6. Tim Hortons’ just introduce a new size cup in Canada and revamped their sizes to include a trough size:
7. The drive thru line up this week when this first took effect was unreal.  I think there are a lot of over caffeinated Canucks out there…
8. I am horrible at Geography.  I would probably have trouble finding my own country on a globe..if I ever bothered to do so.
9. I love love love Big Bang Theory.
10. I really hate it when I can’t do something right.  I will do everything I can to try to do it..my mom said I would spend hrs as a kid trying to learn how to skip.  I learned and was a jump rope queen (in my mind) in public school.
11. I think Simon Pegg is hilarious. 
12. Outside of Canada/US I have travelled to:  Australia (X2), Thailand, Malta, Spain, France, Italy, Monaco, Aruba and the Bahamas.
13. I’d like to go to England next. 
14. I love Mondays as they are my rest day.  Not going to lie…I get a bit irritated when people brush off the rest days as part of training. To me, rest is part of training.
15. I will at all costs avoid going to the dentist. But go I do…

An even further random-ization is a compilation of the questions Lindsay, Aneta and Lisa asked:

1. Brad Pitt or George Clooney? Clooney.
2. What is the last movie that you saw in the theatres? Haywire.
3. running, biking or swimming? Running for sure 
4. Sunrise or Sunset?  Sunset
5.  Breakfast or Dinner?  Dinner
6. Beach or Mountains? hmm…the beach I guess…except that whole wearing a bathing suit thing.
7. Early Morning or Late Night?  Late night.  I am NOT a morning person at all.
8. last text message you sent?  Good night msg to the hubs in Vegas
9. do you prefer dusting or vacuuming? (and when are you coming to do my house?) I prefer the hubs to do this…but that’s a dream…
10. what something you love about where you live?  I LOVE our kitchen.
11. something you don't love about where you live?  our bathtub is too small. I want a huge tub that I can fully stretch out in.  Ours is great if you are 4ft tall…
    

Vega Sports Line – Perform Because of Your Diet

As much as I am Capt Planner, the hubs has full reign on being Capt Researcher.  When we decided to move towards more of a plant based diet, he went the further step to looking into our training ‘food’.   We started with Brendan Brazier’s Thrive book which led us to the Vega Sports Line.  Vega actually contacted me after we had been using the products for awhile so giving them some love was easy.

Our Staples:

Prepare:  Pre-Workout Energizer

I love this stuff.  I truly find it makes a difference in my workouts..kind of like a pre-workout kick in the butt.  I take it in with whatever my pre-workout fuel or snack is.  At 70 calories, it isn’t filling but truly packs a punch.

Sustain:  Electrolyte Hydrator and Endurance Gels

I sweat  like no one’s business.  I had yet to find something that worked for me – I tried tabs (gross and just didn’t work), other sports drinks just made me ill and really did nothing for me so I was dubious about the hydrator but it totally works for me.  I thought it was too sweet when I first tried it so I use a bit more water so it ‘fits’ perfectly in my Nathan handheld which is 10oz.

Gels are a necessary evil in marathon training for me.  I need them but really don’t like the taste of them. (unless there is a sweet potato fries flavour out there…) The Vega gels I like.  My only complaint is they are kind of big to carry around.  I need to come up with a solution to cart them around for my upcoming long runs.  (Sherpa anyone?)

Recover:  “Recharge and Repair so you can do it all again, sooner.”

Performance Protein (YES to the chocolate in our house!), Recovery Accelerator

I have always been a believer in recovery and how it aids performance so this was just a nice add-in to our training. 

The great thing with this line now is that I am finding it in more and more places so we can easily pick it up instead of just being able to get it online. Our local grocery store is carrying parts of the line.  Sweet…

So thanks hubs for your incessant need for research.  However, if you come home with one of these, there may be a divorce.

So…what say you?  What are your go to products? 

“How do you get ready for your work outs, keep energy up during and recover after?”

Four for Friday – the crazy weather edition

1.  Sunday’s –20ish run changed to the plus temps for Tuesday’s speed work run.  Mama Nature wouldn’t allow us to let our guard down so she added gale force winds into the mix.  I lost my hat 3 times on the run and was at one point literally standing still when I was trying to run.   Luckily…I did find this funny.  (probably because I was on the cool down part of the run)

2.  Last night was our first night of hills…and with it came more plunging temps, snow and yes…more wind.  Our hill repeats are an ~ 2.7km out and back involving 2 ups/downs.  One side was totally clear, the other snow covered and windy.  We killed the 3 repeats though.  Take that Around the Bay route!

3.  Post run, I stuck around to help spot the rest of our group  that came out to do repeats as it is pretty dark along the route.  (it is virtually closed to traffic so no plowing and little in the way of street lights) When you aren’t running…the cold was brutal.  I had on a hat, ear warmers, 2 sets of gloves, 2 thermal tops, jacket, tights, jeans, socks and boots and Hot Shots in various places on my person.  And.was.still.cold.  The best part was trying to change into all of the above in the tiny stall of the local Tim Hortons.  You had to be Nadia Comaneci to get it done.

4.  I did try to get some pics but my fingers were prohibited by the cold and my many layers of gloves.  I did snap this beauty when I got home:

 

C’mon…you want to be my friend… you know you do.

Do you hill train?  If so…how?  (short repeats? gradual inclines?)

The Laundry of a Cold Long Run

Yesterday’s long run was cold.  Not chilly, not brisk, not nippy but F’ing COLD.  With the wind chill it was –20C or –4F .  There’s no way I was going to run 20km on the treadmill and it was supposed to be a sunny day so deal with it hearty Canadian. 

I dressed for the full wind chill as we were running near the lake and it was a good thing I did.  While I wasn’t freezing, I also didn’t want to pull layers off so I knew I was dressed appropriately.  

Post run laundry:

in the layering was:

• 2 pairs of gloves.  Of late my hands have been really cold so 2 layers it was and I was fine
• 1 base layer on the bottom and my Sugoi Firewall run tights
• 3 layers on the top:  base warm layer, hooded top and my old trusty Adidas run jacket that rocks as it has a million pockets for my gel, phone, music and the billion kleenex I carried for my nose that ran faster than me. 
• Neck warmer and hat.  My neck warmer is a love/hate thing.  I use it to try to keep my face warm but can’t run with it over my mouth as I can’t breathe.  Hmmm…

Look like a lot of clothing?  Yes…it was.  It was a Stay Puft Marshmallow kind of run but it ended up being a good one.  My coach came out to meet me about 8km into the run and we did some tempo pick ups.  It was hard to get the legs moving but felt awesome.  I am thankful to have both my friend as company and the pick ups to change the run up a bit as it was really tough to get into a groove.  I could not slow down which you might think isn’t a bad thing but I have to keep my training at the right zones.  It’s a marathon after all, not a sprint.

Did you run in the cold this weekend?  How many layers did you have?

Four for Friday

1.  I was all set for my easy (very early) 10km run this morning..until I woke up to howling winds and snow.  I actually did start to head out until I slid down the driveway because of the ice.  An icy easy run wasn’t worth it so I grabbed my gear and did the run at the gym on the toasty warm treadmill.  Not going to lie…I initially felt wussy but it was the right call.  Had I headed out, I probably would have been calling the hubs to come get me as the weather just got worse.

Post run leaving the gym…glad to done:

2.  Winter is finally here.  I.am.not.happy.

3.  My friend is the Half Marathon instructor at our local Running Room.  She asked me to do a talk last night to her clinic on goal setting, specifically on why you should assess your goals and make them truly your own.  It was a huge group and I got pretty nervous when I saw them all there but I think I did a pretty good job.  (I hope…I am all rambly when I get nervous)

4.  I do spin twice a week with our run group.   I love it but the music was unlove-y so I volunteered to put together playlists.  It has been fun but harder than I thought.  If you spin…hit me up with some songs…I need some help as they are now starting to all sound the same.  (Dance Party Central!)

Do you re-asses your goals?  Do you like Winter?

Keep on Keepin’ On

2012 has been a ‘win’ thus far.  I feel really strong and my workouts have been awesome.  Of course…we are only 10 days into 2012 but you gotta stick to the positives right?

Sunday’s long run was a blast.  It was 18km..the longest one in almost 2 months so it is easy to let it psych you out a bit.  It was chilly but sun filled so there are no complaints from me.  Since the Around the Bay race is quickly coming up, there was a zillion runners out pounding the route.  Not going to lie..I love seeing so many people out running, walking etc.  I don’t care how fast or ‘deliberate’ you go, just GO.  This so called winter we are having is a win in my books as well. Some cold temps, a small amount of snow that is all gone and more sun that I remember in awhile. 

Post long run:  Foggy BB pic with bright shoes, no snow and SUN:

Today I am in our office that is an hr+ commute for me in meetings from 9am-4pm…which enough break to shovel some food in my gob.  Tuesday’s are usually a double workout day of circuit training and a speed work run.  I knew that getting a run in post crazy work day might be a challenge..so I just sucked it up and worked out for 95min starting at 4:30 this morning.  Early? Yes but it was awesome.  How can you not like having a facility like this all to yourself for a good part of your workout?

Now I just need to stay awake for my meetings and drive home. 

COFFEE please!

Four for Friday – the goals and meatless purse edition

1.  Goals for 2012:

• Ensure I help out with the house cleaning as having just one person do it isn’t a lot of fun
• Don’t leave piles of stuff everywhere..and putting things into piles is not cleaning up
• Put dishes into the dishwasher not just beside it
• Chill the “F” out more

Whoops..those are the goals I secretly want for the hubs.  Let’s get back to me…

2.  From a fitness/well being perspective 2012 is MY year.

1. The marathon is the May goal.  Period..no compromises
2. Keep up the changes I have made towards more of a plant based diet.  I have never felt better and like knowing what is in my food.
3. Stick with the plan – following the run training my coaches have set (including keeping the easy runs – EASY – no matter how slow they are). 
4. Keep up the weight training I have started doing again.  It makes me feel badass. 
5. Worry less and be happy more.  I have a tendency to not let myself get too happy as I think that if I do..something ‘bad’ will happen – if not to me but to my family/friends.  I can’t control this..so be happy.
6. Get lean, mean, fast.  (TWSS)

3.  2012 Race goals:

• March:  Frosty 5km…yes a 5km race.  I am running with my coach and she has some cracked time for us to beat.
• March:  Around the Bay 30km.  Go for a PB!
• May:  Mississauga Marathon.  Go for a PB and feel good about the race.

Post marathon, I am going to see what I want to do.  Another marathon?  Maybe…

4.  My poor sister had her purse stolen just after Christmas.  She is one of the funniest people I know and tends to get …. floopy when she is flustered.  The following is the conversation she sent me when she reported the loss to the police:

Sis:  “Can I just also add that everything was in this really nice Coach wallet?  It’s value is likely more than my net worth, anyway.”  The policeman laughed and had me describe it.  Then he said:  “Well while we’re on it, let’s get a description of the purse too.  What colour was it?”

• Sis:  “Black”
• Policeman:  “Was it leather?”
• Sis:  “No”
• Policeman:  “So it was a cloth material?”
• Sis:  “No..well…OK see it’s made by this company called Mat & Nat and they’re vegan”.

The policeman paused and said “So..what are you saying the purse never ate meat?”  That was the first time I laughed all day.

What are goals?   Have you ever had your purse stolen?

All I wanted for the Holidays was…

1.  To enjoy some quality time with family/friends..and make it through the various get togethers relatively unscathed…

Dunzo.  We had some great visits with the important peeps in our life.  Not going to lie…at times it was hectic, loud, messy, full of ‘kid meltdowns’ and chaotic – all things that are way out of my element.  I also didn’t miss a scheduled training session and had some awesome runs/workouts..including a 16km run on Jan 1st..as the hubs nursed his grappa induced headache. 

2.  Get A PB.

No…not peanut butter.  But there was some peanut butter goodness for the holidays.  These puppies have a ton of calories but are soooo worth it. 

MY PB was for the Boxing Day Miler.  I had a 1:26 min PB which isn’t truly what I wanted but felt I had a good race and oh so much fun.

A free beer post race?  Yes.Please….

3.  Ring in 2012 with gusto and set some goals. 

I tend to be a plain jane – black tank dress, ‘sparkly’ top with jeans etc.  but I branched out and took advantage of sales and got a great outfit…

… ate/drank/laughed our way through dinner:

..and apparently exhibited some new talents as DJ behind the bar:

And my goal setting?  Stay tuned…

How were your holidays?