Mud Run Fashion (Non) Sense

AKA "How to Look Your Absolute Dirtiest"

(My daughter's line. Good one!)

Happy Easter! (Last day for early bird registration for Met Con Blue Mountain Adventure Race! www.metconblue.com )

Very excited to be registered for Met Con Blue Mountain Adventure Race! Especially thrilled that my daughter has decided to try it too. What better way to celebrate high school graduation and university acceptance, right? Also thrilled to have my friends Dawn and Janate on the team. Will continue to nag more friends. Janate did it last year and she has great upper body strength, plus she's a nurse so I figure that's win-win, since she can administer CPR to us after she lifts us over the mud wall. And Dawn is an exceptionally creative and skilled clothing designer so maybe we should make race day apparel? We could call it Mudwear. Maybe a mud shop already exists, I don't know.

That got me thinking of items in my extensive running wear wardrobe that would be inappropriate for a mud run/obstacle course and stuff that might fit the bill. Because it's Easter and I'm feeling lazy after my glass of Chianti, I decided to take pictures of these items and comment on them. All for fun, yes, but being an avid shopper of sportswear, I am still curious about the market for adventure race gear. (Yet another blog post I probably should not let my better half read...ha ha).

A Newb's Guide to Inappropriate and Potentially Appropriate Clothing for a Mud Run

(AKA Why even take advice from me. Wait 'til after June 15.)

These Margarita Activewear pants would be great for post-run dancing though!
(www.margarita.co.il)  

My pink Skirt Sports running dress and new Merrells? Not a chance.
(www.skirtsports.com)

My black Skirt Sports running dress and crappy worn out shoes = a good possibility.

This aswesome Asics outfit gives the appearance of already having been in a mud run but it's actually brand new. (Got it at The Running Room in Barrie. Or check www.runningroom.com). The problem for a newbie like me, is that I will be too camoflauged from the get-go and can imagine lying in a pool of mud, undetected as my team-mates decide, in frustration, to move on without me. Bottom line though, it's brand new.

Ha Ha Ha! Still trying to find an appropriate use for these in my life. What was I thinking??

White would be good if you hated your shirt I guess, but I still like these.
BTW Summer Solstice Run in Alliston, ON (June 18, 2013 www.eventsonline.ca/events/summer_solstice/) and
Base Borden Run (Oct. 20, 2013. www.mynextrace.com/events/base-borden-run/) are great events.

This looks like the most sensible choice - black on black with old crappy shoes.

But really, what the hell is sensible about a race that involves mud, fire, ice water & barbed wire?

Which makes me think the pink dress might just be the winner.

Anyway, lots of time to quiz veteran insane adventure race types and test drive the durability of some tech wear on my exceptionally muddy country road.

Fun Fun Fun!



Just Breathe (& Sign Up for Met Con Blue)

Do you ever feel that if your brain had legs, you could run a marathon every day? Do you find you feel like that during one of those types of holidays when extended family is coming to your house for dinner? Like, say, Easter weekend? I feel like that right now. Although I must admit, I don't feel as frazzled as I have felt in the past, because our Easter family get-together is small this year. The closer the arrival time comes, the faster my brain works, spasmodically firing off signals to its owner: "Vacuum floors; clean bathrooms; clean cat litter; clean guinea pig cages due to nephews' allergies and, well, just because they SMELL; get turkey in oven by 2:30; buy coffee; buy spinach for green smoothies so children get proper veggie intake; make up spare bed; ensure enough wine for adults (plus extra); get blog post written before family arrives (I have one hour).

Added to the "To Do" list today were a couple of one-of-a-kind extras:

1) Sign up for Met Con Blue Mountain Adventure Race (with teenaged daughter! Friends, if you are reading this - early bird deadline is March 31 - THAT'S TOMORROW - for this June 15 event at Blue Mountain! www.metconblue.com)

2) Lastly - a first ever in my life, let alone on Easter weekend: pick up dead cat at emergency vet clinic. (No worries, this is how I grieve. I make sick jokes.) Yes, we decided to give said kitty a home burial instead of a communal cremation (if you didn't happen to catch yesterday's post, and are horrified to think we are picking up a dead cat in lieu of the traditional Easter turkey,  rest assured we are not. Our pet cat died yesterday.) But we need to wait for the ground to thaw. So he will remain a triple-wrapped Popsicle for the time being. Alas, I digress.

So I got to thinking, as I was rushing around Martha Stewart-like making sure all the "To Dos" on my list were done, how important it is sometimes just to breathe. Just taking nice, deep breaths when your mind is running on chaotic mode is such a great, simple thing to do. At the end of a yoga class, you just lay there and breathe. I love that. And you don't need to be at a yoga class to do it. You can deep breathe anywhere, anytime! (Especially during family get-togethers!) Like when your young niece or nephew tells you they hate pretty much everything you've cooked for Easter dinner, for example, put the rolling pin down, smile, and just breathe! When you realize you drank the last bottle of cab-sav BEFORE your guests even arrived, just breathe! (And immediately send your partner out to the liquor store. Hurry! You have about two hours if you live in Ontario!). I jest. Sort of.

What I would have loved to have done today was go for a run. What a gorgeous, crisp, sunny spring day out there in Simcoe County! I'll bet many of my friends ran, walked, cycled or perhaps caught a spin class. I did do a little cardio at the grocery store. Almost felt like I was back in last weekend's 30K event when my husband and I went to pick up a few last minute items. Parking lot was jammed, frantic shoppers everywhere doing just what we were doing (except they probably didn't have a frozen dead cat in their trunk.) As I entered the store, I found myself moving swiftly and easily around the slower paced customers, constantly looking for the smallest opening to dodge through and get ahead. I think I may have even passed a pace bunny. My husband was impressed. He says now all I have to do is learn to drive that way.

For a little inspiration for today's post, I grabbed a handy book of mine that I really should take time to actually read, called Sanity Secrets for Stressed Out Women by Sue Augustine, author and a popular international motivational speaker whom I met at a women's conference here in Simcoe County a couple of years ago. Seeing as the next thing on my To-Do list today, before guests arrive, is to sign up for Met Con Blue AND the

Summer Solstice Run in Alliston hosted by Thrive Fitness (great run, JUST DO IT. Find info at www.thrivefitness.ca.)

I thought this quote was very fitting:

"Plan Time to Play: Sometimes adults become so grown up we lose our sense of adventure and become too serious. We need to recapture our childlike senses of awe and wonder. We need to have leisure activities: fun personal times as well as time with family and friends. Schedule play dates into your weekly calendar to balance heavy matters." While the author went on to say how she treated a friend going through a difficult time in her life to a spontaneous visit to a playground, where they had a great old time howling with laughter, I think I will look forward to rolling in the mud and jumping over fire pits in June, hopefully with my daughter and friends!

Enjoy your day-before-Easter, if you are celebrating this weekend and don't forget to BREATHE!

Here's to Your Heart

The holiest of holidays are those

Kept by ourselves in silence and apart;

The secret anniversaries of the heart

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, From My Arm-Chair, 1879

In memory of our sweet old big black cat, Essa, who died this morning due to heart complications (his was too big, which is no surprise; He loved everyone and everyone loved him). When he was well, Essa loved to eat, and he loved to play. I thought I would dedicated a little post to heart health on this Good Friday.

Food for the Heart

There are numerous articles on heart health, and research is constantly being updated.In an article published in Canadian Living Magazine, written by Sarah Shroer, is a simple list of the best foods for heart health that we should be including in our every day diet. A lot of these foods were also mentioned by the medical director for our Barrie Soccer Club. They include:

Fish like salmon, herring, mackerel and trout, which have a lot of those beneficial omega-3 fatty acids. (NB: Dr. Steve Rallis, our Barrie Soccer Club's medical director, in his nutrition guidelines for young athletes, notes animal protein, including fish, are a great super-nutrient protein source and that omega-3 fats help reduce inflammation. Be careful of fish that can be laden with mercury or PCBs, like farm-raised salmon, shell-fish, tuna, swordfish, shark, king mackerel, tilefish, sea bass, Atlantic halibut and gulf coast oysters.)

Nuts - Almonds, pecans, peanuts, hazelnuts, walnuts. (Avoid salted, roasted nuts, says Dr. Rallis. Once a fat is heated, it changes its chemistry and becomes more harmful than good.)

Colourful veggies & fruits - broccoli, red peppers, carrots, tomatoes, oranges, kiwi, strawberries, beans, legumes, grapes, blueberries, cranberries, pomegranates, to name a few.

Dr. Rallis notes there are those fruits and veggies, known as "The Dirty Dozen that "consistently carry higher levels of tested pesticides" and because of that, should be purchased organic as much as possible.The list is updated every year in his nutrition guidelines for young athletes.

The Dirty Dozen this year are: celery, peaches, strawberries, apples, blueberries, nectarines, sweet bell peppers, spinach, cherries, kale/collard greens, potatoes, grapes.

Fitness for the Heart

An article at www.prevention.com/fitness called Give Your Heart a Workout by Ginny Graves suggests a workout week that starts with cardio intervals (where you alternate between high and moderate intensity activity) on the first day, strength training and stretching on day two, another day of cardio intervals, stretching on day four, strength training and stretching again on day five, cardio intervals on day six and rest on day seven. (In general the article recommends the interval training lasts between 25 and 30 minutes, and is performed three times per week.)

Personally  I really enjoy strength training in-between runs or spin classes. If you are consistent, it doesn't take long for those lean, strong muscles to develop. And as you get older and your metabolism slows down, strength training is a great way to rev it up so you can burn those calories more efficiently throughout the day. Stretching is something I don't do enough of, but whenever I do it, it feels fantastic.

Anyway, enjoy your Good Friday, eat well, and take care of your heart.

Peaceful Warriors

Blogger's Block tonight. Must have been that exhausting spin class - the first after a two-week break. (I wore my new minimalist running shoes to spin. They say you should break them in slowly...). Had lots of half-brewed ideas about what to write. Went to a great nutrition seminar last night hosted by my son's soccer club. I will write about that eventually. It was so informative I don't just want to rush into that article. Suffice to say, for now, that my family will be consuming a heck of a lot more fruits and vegetables than they currently eat. Easter Bunny may be hiding carrots this year....

So tonight I thought I'd talk about my son's other sport, tae kwon do. He's been a student for almost five years now and loves it. It is a non-competitive club; they are called "Peaceful Warriors." It's been great for his self-esteem (which is pretty much off the charts now, but not in an obnoxious way), his physical strength and his flexibility. As he says, "It's great cross-training for soccer." (His favourite sport).

Flexibility demo. I remember when I could do this, a mere 35 years ago.

I admire his sensai, Antonio, who has such control over the class and runs each session with his usual calm, non-threatening demeanour. He is not overly strict, but just enough to let the students know he expects them to be respectful towards him and their fellow classmates. Great skills for life are learned here. Older students work alongside younger ones, and they all learn from each other while gaining self-confidence. The younger ones learn that the older ones aren't "scary big kids" and the older ones learn to be patient with the younger ones, and that they are in the position to be great role models. My son has grown from being one of those little kids that looked up, wide-eyed, at the older students to being one of those role models himself, often stepping in to demonstrate how a kick or a certain move is done.

Peaceful Warriors is a little unique in that our sensai combines the traditional teachings of tae kwon do - thus allowing the student to progress towards a black belt - with the self defence tactics of Russian martial arts (inspired by Vladimir Vasiliev of the Russian Martial Arts System, based on the training of the Russian Special Forces.) It's all good to my son. He enjoys the variety and judging from the repeat business year after year, so do a lot of the kids. And the child's level of flexibility is amazing. (In fact I wince at how close he is to being able to do the splits.)

Sometimes, at the end of a class, Antonio will light a candle and have all the students sit in a circle around it. He will ask them to focus on the candle, and be absolutely still and quiet for one whole minute. What an awesome sight to see (and hear)! How many times can you count when you've seen a room full of kids sitting still and not talking for an entire minute? Beautiful. He should run day care. (Peaceful Wee Warriors?)

Positive self-image and pride, courage to overcome fear, self-discipline and respect are all taught, practised and encouraged at the school, which offers programs for families and adults as well. I love this quote from the sensai, who is big on giving students the confidence to stand up against bullying: "Fear is a natural part of life, but it can drive you to perform better if you have the courage to face it."

Below is the student creed from Peaceful Warriors. The students (from about ages five to 12 in my son's class) stand in a circle at the end of each class, and recite this, with a lot of energy and conviction. It always puts a smile on my face when I hear it. We could learn from them:

I intend to develop myself in a positive manner

And to avoid anything that will reduce my mental growth

Or my physical health.

 

I intend to develop self-discipline in order to bring out the best

In myself and others, through honesty,

respect, courage, compassion, commitment and self-sacrifice.

 

I intend to use what I learn in class constructively

And defensively in order to help myself and others

And to never be abusive or offensive.

 

We are a black belt school. We are dedicated,

We are motivated,

We are on a quest to be our best.

Laughing My Abs Off, Seriously.

At the end of our Wednesday morning "Dynamic Conditioning Circuit" workout our class leader and my friend Ann mentioned how she loved a couple of my funnier blog posts. She even recommends them to her clients (thanks Ann!). That got me to thinking about what I was going to write today (because I often fly by the seat of my compression tights when it comes to what I am going to write). Then I got one of those Oprah "Ah-Ha!" moments. How about the simple subject of laughter?

 Funny Kid! Hahaha.

 

Just for fun I Googled "Laughter as Ab Workout." WOW! Huge list of links to choose from. I chose a couple that looked like they were more serious about the subject of laughter, which sounds like an oxymoron I know, but I didn't just want to read someone else's blog post about it (ha ha, but you're reading mine now. Just don't use it for your university research paper or something.)

First site I found interesting was from "The Official Web Site of Dr. Kataria: Laughter Yoga International, Global Movement for Health Joy & World Peace (Seriously?). They printed an article, courtesy of www.goodtoknow.co.uk, entitled "10 Reasons Why Laughing is Good For You."

Another site from About.com Guide, has a published article by Elizabeth Scott, M.S., called Stress Management & Health Benefits of Laughter.

Both articles reported similar findings on the benefits of laughter. Here is a condensed version of what they said:

According to Scott, "Research shows the health benefits of laughter are far-ranging. While more studies need to be done so far they have shown it helps relieve pain, bring greater happiness, and even increase immunity. Positive psychology names the propensity for laughter and a sense of humour as one of the 24 main signature strengths one can possess, and laughter yoga clubs are springing up across the country."

Ahhhhahaha! I'm gonna snort my milk!

So Laughter Yoga International must be one of those clubs! Cool! Many of the reasons for laughter that they list in their article are backed by Scott's article. Here's what they state:

Laughter...

• Boosts the immune system
• Reduces the level of stress hormones (Can relieve the blues and depression. In my case, I find it relieves the stress of knowing that my eldest child just signed 2 rental leases for university next year, and now has to scramble to find replacement tenants for one of the leases.)
• Relieves pain (Releases those "feel good" endorphins. Should have tried this after the 30K.)
• Improves social life (Apparently people with a good sense of humour are more productive at work.)
• Boosts your relationship (Apparently men love women who laugh in their presence. I'm thinking probably not AT them, but as if they just told the funniest joke in the world.)
• Is a good ab workout (It exercises the diaphragm, contracts the abs and even works the shoulders, making all those muscles feel a little more relaxed afterwards. As in LMAO - Laughing My Abs Off! Haha.)
• Is a great distraction from feelings of anger, guilt, stress and negative emotions. (Not that I'm angry right now, but middle child just called to say she missed the bus, and can I pick her up at school. Ha ha ha. See how I laugh at these little irritating moments?)
• Has social benefits (It's contagious! And elevates the moods of those around you.)
• Helps us see certain life events that may seem threatening, in a more lighthearted way, so we see them as a challenge instead (Whether you're going through serious health issues or testing your mettle with a crazy obstacle race, humour helps us face the challenge.)
• Provides a good physical and emotional release (Makes your insides feel "cleansed." I love it when I laugh so hard that I cry. Like when my practically bald husband pays $17 for hair styling gel.)
• Protects the heart (Apparently a University of Maryland study showed those with heart disease laughed 40% less at certain situations than those without heart disease)
• Lowers blood pressure. (I don't want to brag, but my doctor always praises me for my low blood pressure. "It's like a teenager's" she says.)
• Improves breathing (Has a similar effect to deep breathing. As is "Next fall I will be paying for two children in university. Hahahahahaha. Deep breath. Deep breath.")
• Helps with weight loss ("A hearty laugh raises the heart rate and speeds up metabolism" says the Yoga International article.)

Now, as far as weight loss goes, I would imagine you'd have to be laughing non-stop if that was the only workout you were doing. But still, that's a pretty impressive list of positive benefits for something we should all be doing far more than we probably do on a daily basis. (Apparently, says Scott, children laugh 400 times per day compared to adults who manage a measly 15 times.)

Nothing like a bit of laughter before a looonnnngggg run!

OK I gotta go pick up the daughter at school now...Cheers to a great day filled with laughter! (If you're in need of a laugh, kick back and watch a favourite funny movie, laugh with your friends, or take a gander at this funny and somewhat bizarre YouTube video I found. I could link it but I don't know how. If you look up "Workout Your Abs By Doing These Laughing Exercises" you will probably find it. It's by HighCow.com, and is part of www.laughawayseries.com.)

Exercise & Mental Health: Janette's Story

During a training run a few Saturdays ago when I first began this blog on fitness, my good friend Janette, who, at age 45, has run many half and full marathons, suggested I should do an article on running and depression. Being someone who has first-hand experience with depression, I thought Janette’s idea was a very good one. Plus, she graciously agreed to share her own story about how running and a regular workout routine has helped her successfully manage her mental illness.

Saturday morning run group: George, Me, Mhairi, Janette, Ann, Ang, Wes.

For background information I did a little local online research and found a great web site called starttalking.ca. Start Talking is a Simcoe County Mental Heatlh Awareness campaign led by community members and the Canadian Mental Health Association Simcoe County Branch. Their goals are to reduce the stigma related to mental health and increase service options and the use of services for members of their community. The staff there linked me with Urbaine Lesperance, a case worker with the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Mental Health & Addiction Service, Simcoe County, who is trained as a recreational therapist and who works with people living with mental health issues. “I am their motivator – the cheerleader,” offered Lesperance.

We spoke not only about the importance of exercise and staying active, but its social benefits. “When someone is suffering with a mental health issue the number-one thing they stop doing is being around people,” Lesperance explained. Feelings of paranoia, lack of energy and a tendency to isolate oneself are the kinds of symptoms he sees in new clients. By opening up a dialogue about the kinds of activities they have enjoyed doing in the past, Lesperance helps get his clients (whose depression may be rooted in many causes, including a recent disability) active again and thus re-established into their community.

Lesperance noted that although he is the “cheerleader” offering support and direction, his clients play an integral role in their own therapy: “They have to want the change, and do the change,” he said. One success story he shared is that of a client who had gained a lot of weight as a side effect of his mental illness. After incorporating running into his exercise regime three to four times a week, he not only lost 80 pounds, he started volunteering, working and being part of society again.

“To me, it’s overall fitness, [both physical and mental] that’s important,” said Lesperance. “Even taking half an hour a day of your time [doing an activity] that you enjoy - even if it’s reading a book - it relieves that stress and those negative thoughts.”

My friend Janette would likely agree with this statement wholeheartedly. An active volunteer and leader in the community where she went to high school, Janette is constantly signing up for running events, challenging herself to push her fitness to the next level. Her enthusiasm is infectious (she was the one who motivated me to try for a marathon three years ago) and her determination to overcome obstacles is admirable. (This past Sunday, she completed the 30K Around the Bay race, one year after slipping on ice and breaking her leg during a training run.)

Here is her story. Thank you, Janette my friend, for sharing such a personal journey and for continuing to inspire me to pursue my own life goals.

Running & Depression:

An Inspirational Interview with Janette Vander Zaag

Janette ready to rock Around the Bay

Is it fair to say you have suffered from bouts of depression in your life? How have you managed it?

Yes, I was 12 when my mother was diagnosed with leukemia and I was 16 years old when she died (1984).  She was the emotional glue of the family and my father's way of dealing with her death was, in military terms, to “pull yourself up by your own bootstraps". While this may have gotten him through his grief, it didn't help me, and I felt very lonely and isolated. I developed an eating disorder (bulimia) in an attempt to stuff down my feelings. Had I been assessed at that time, I'm sure I would have been diagnosed with depression.

In 1999, I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder (manic depressive disorder) and hospitalized for two weeks. Following that, I was given medication and told that it would allow me to live a "normal life".  The medication actually put me into what I can only describe as a drug induced "zombie like" state. After six months of sleeping my life away, I changed doctors and found one that took a holistic view of mental illness, that encompassed the body, mind and spiritual aspects. Gradually I weaned myself off the meds (not recommended but in my case, it did work). My new doctor looked at nutrition and the elimination of caffeine was strongly recommended. I also knew that exercise was an important aspect of my mental health, so began swimming and then running.

I have continued to stay active and find that my moods are significantly regulated through regular and consistent exercise, especially cardiovascular.

When did you take up running and why?

I have always loved running. I ran cross country in elementary school and was on the high school track and field team for 400 and 800 m. (though I wasn't very fast and never won anything!) I have taken up running intermittently throughout the years, but it wasn't until a running clinic opened in my hometown that I started running long distances. I started with The Running Experience's five km clinic and progressed to the 10, then the half and onto the full marathon. I run because it makes me feel great. I sign up for races because it keeps me motivated to run - I need a goal to strive towards to keep me interested.

How does running (and cross training) make you feel before, during and after a session? How do you feel when you miss a few days?

I always feel better after a run, even if it's been a bad run. It just seems to clear my head and put life into perspective again. Shorter training runs that I do on my own are great for "quiet time"- just letting my mind mull over things. Sometimes it becomes a time for meditation and I pray for whatever I am dealing with at the time. Other times I just enjoy the silence and solitude of down time.

There are times when I have less energy and my legs feel like lead and it is really a stinker of a run (Author's note: I know the feeling!) but even then, there is always a finish and I can't recall ever feeling worse afterwards. I had a cold last week and skipped exercise for four days and I felt mentally low by the end of those days. On day five I went for a run and felt my mood significantly elevated.

How often during the week do you incorporate exercise?

I try to get out for exercise at least four times a week. Usually, I will cross train twice (either boot camp or cycling) and run a minimum of twice a week. As a race approaches, I will up my running to four times a week.

What do you do to keep motivated?

It's not so much what I do to keep motivated versus knowing how I will feel if I don't exercise that keeps me going. As an extrovert, I enjoy group workouts and especially having a group to run the long distance training runs with keeps me honest about getting them in. Signing up for the next race is also good incentive to keep training. Not to mention that I keep thinking how great I will look if I stay fit. But at the end of the day, it is the mental health benefits that keep me going. I have been medication free since 2001.

A case worker with Simcoe County's Mental Health and Addiction Services commented that overall fitness, both physical and mental, is important. Some of their clients are unable to participate in physical activities due to accident recovery or medication they are taking. When you broke your leg, what did you do to keep those positive endorphins flowing?

When I broke my leg, I was unable to do anything active for about six weeks. I kept my mind active reading and journaling and visiting with friends. As soon as I got the ok from the doctor, I was in the pool and swimming four times a week. I did physiotherapy both at the hospital and privately, and was very compliant with the doctor's orders so that I wouldn't risk my healing by pushing things too fast. At six months I got the ok to start running again but I took it slow, kept up with the swimming and cycling and eased into the running.

What are some of your fitness goals? (physical, mental and/or spiritual)

Fitness goals are to run the Boston Marathon before I am 50. I also want to walk the Camino de Santiago de Compostela in my 50th year and invite anyone who wants to join me, to join me!!! (I am 45).

I would also like to keep active and to lose some weight before my next marathon (as it will increase my speed). However, weight loss is my final frontier as I love (junk) food and wine and hate to give up those good things that life has to offer. I run to eat (the way I like to eat, not healthy, but yummy!)

Who inspires you?

I am inspired by my women's running group (“The Picton Group”). These are the women that keep it real, keep me going, and whom I enjoy being around. Each of these unique, strong, intelligent, beautiful women inspires me. I am inspired by (run coach/friend/Thrive Fitness, Alliston co-owner) Ann Jackson, who brought us together to run this race of life together (as well as being a Boston finisher).

What advice would you give someone who, for whatever personal reason, is hesitating about starting a fitness regime?

Go for it! It is the best gift you will ever give yourself and you will be a better person for taking that first baby step toward your goal.

For more information on Start Talking visit starttalking.ca. Their support line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can be reached locally (Simcoe County) at 705-728-5044 or 1-888-893-8333. For more information on Thrive Fitness visit www.thrivefitness.ca.

Why Are My Quads So Sore?

Seriously thought I wouldn't be able to get from sitting to standing this morning. Swung my legs out of bed and onto the floor, went to stand, and, well, couldn't. It became a task equivalent to the 30K run I did the day before. When I finally did stand up, I really felt that I deserved a medal.

I know it's normal to feel sore after a long run. But I also know that some of my running friends don't get sore legs to the extent that I do. While a non-running neighbour helpfully suggested that maybe it's because I am older than my running friends (we're talking max four years), I said, "Yeah, maybe...but I think it's because I don't hydrate enough, or perhaps eat the right foods before a race."

My friend Janate, whose legs are not sore today, agreed. She must have drank six bottles of water to my one-and-a-half the day before the race. She also drank lots of water in-between drinking her celebratory wine last night.

I decided to Google "Sore legs after running" and see what advice I could find. I landed on the livestrong.com web site, which I think is fairly reliable, with articles by various writers on health, fitness and general well-being.

Here is a condensed version of what I learned. I found it very enlightening.

Firstly, I do believe I have "DOMS" - Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, which, according to an article by Lydia Stephens (livestrong.com) "Occurs 24-48 hours after a run when you've increased the intensity, duration or frequency of running." When we put more stress on our muscles than our body is accustomed to, we create tiny tears in our muscle fibres, that lead to soreness. A little soreness is natural. Proper warming up, gradual distance increases in training and cross-training all help alleviate soreness, and apparently Vitamin E can help with muscle recovery. Further research indicates B-Complex vitamins also help. (Looks like a whole post could be written on vitamins alone.)

Possible Reasons for Sore Legs After Running:
(highlights from an article by Alex O'Meara, livestrong.com)

• Shoes are old and worn (not in my case)
• Running on surfaces that are too hard (like, perhaps, asphalt?)
• Over-training (If anything, I undertrained with the running, skipping mid-week runs and then running long on weekends, essentially increasing the duration and intensity dramatically. Not a good idea.)
• Poor hydration (Ah Ha!)
• Improper nutrition (I could use a few tips)

This article went on to state how important proper hydration is before a run, as well as enough nutrients. The advice came from a veteran marathoner who recommends drinking lots of water or your favourite sports drink or fruit juice and eat some easily digested food before a run, like fig newtons, graham crackers, toast or cereal.

Other tips to help sore legs:

Soak in an ice bath (I did this once after a long training run and it works! You just have to get past the feeling that you are succumbing to hypothermia.)

Get a deep tissue massage (YES! THANK YOU!) or use a self massaging roller (found in running stores). Deep tissue massage increases blood flow to sore muscles and removes yucky garbage like lactic acid from your muscles, opens pores in muscles and breaks up scar tissue so that the lactic acid is freed and the water and nutrients can enter the muscle cells.

RICE - Rest (take a day or two off running); Ice (in a bath or rub legs with ice cubes); Compression (I knew there was a good reason I bought those compression socks and sleeves. Apparently they send the blood that is normally pooled in your muscles thus making them sore, back towards your heart to improve circulation.); Elevation (Raise your legs above your heart to improve leg circulation and flush out waste products like lactic acid. There is a yoga pose called "Legs Up The Wall" that is a perfect match for this. You just lay on the floor with your legs raised up against the wall. Your butt should be as close to the wall as you can "scooch" it. That yoga advice comes from Christine Felstead's "Yoga For Runners" DVD.)

Speaking of yoga, I am off to a yoga workshop now hosted by Thrive Fitness. If I can get out of this chair...

Post Race Reflections

What an awesome day to run 30 K! (Not many times I wake up thinking that insane thought). But truly, the weather today was perfect for Around the Bay. As I write this, at 6:30 p.m., I am already in my jammies, have had the epsom salt bath and have downed one Corona Light. The family has ordered pizza. Perfect way to wrap up a long, challenging race.
 

 

Post-run Pride (AKA Thank GOD it's over!)

 

 

Portrait of Determination:

Our friend Janette, 30K DONE one year after breaking her leg.

  

Here are some  highlights and reflections from the last 24 hours, in no particular order since I still have post-run brain:
 
On taking the "scenic route" in order to avoid passing transport trucks on the 401, etc.: Holy $#i! Girl! Get over your fear of passing trucks! Then maybe it wouldn't take 3 hours to get to Hamilton (including U-Turn moments when the roads on the zig-zag route I mapped out refused to co-operate and forced us to take other back roads and use various GPS gadgets to get back on track. Yeah, we took the 400 series home today.)

Serenity Ranch Bed & Breakfast, where we stayed in Jerseyville, just 15 minutes outside of Hamilton, is A1 amazing. Superb service. Highly recommend it for a girls' weekend away. www.serenityranchbb.com.
 
On Parking: We lucked out big time. A handful of us runners found a parking lot super close to Copps Coliseum where the ticket machine charged the usual Sunday $2.00 rate. My other friends parked farther away and paid $20. Suckaaaaahsss!!
 
On Bathroom Lineups: Never ran into huge lineups before the race at Copps Coliseum. They moved along pretty quickly. Lineups during the race were longer...see next note.
 
On Holding it In: I knew I had to pee yet again very early on in the race. Damn! Tried very hard to ignore the call of nature but as one fellow runner said in the small (thank god) lineup at a porta potty at the 11K mark, you know you gotta stop "When it's the only thing you think about." What fun is running a race when all you're thinking about is peeing, right?
 
On beating the 3:15 pace bunny even after stopping to pee: YEAHHHH!
 
On being in a big crowd of runners for the whole 30 kilometres: I actually didn't mind it. Enough space to move, and it keeps you moving and motivated.
 
On runners' fashion - Wow, what fun variety! Saw one guy running in a kilt. Another in shorts and t-shirt even though we could see our breath (temp was about 5C). Some zany leggings and socks. At least one runner with those minimalist toe "shoes" (slippers? I don't know how they do it.). Someone running with a huge sign advertising their missing beagle, with a picture and everything.

On the motivational signs throughout the race: They were great. I wish I could have photographed them.

On the mountains of water station volunteers: AWESOME JOB!
 
On the "big hill" - I ran it! Sort of, if you can call it a run. It wasn't a walk. And it certainly was challenging. If they could just move the hill to the beginning instead of at km 26 that would be great...
 
On the people who played music to keep us pushing through at the 20K mark: LOVED the young family with the little girl who was dancing up a storm to the music. So cute!

On the family who served up stacks of bananas and orange slices at the end of their driveway around the 24K mark: So generous. Thank you.
 
Loved the church group at around the 26K mark (not long after we peaked the hill) that cheered us on in their matching robes.

Feelings at 27K mark: "So close, yet so far!" You see the big orange "C" on the Copps Coliseum building and think "Wow! I'll be done in 5 minutes!" when really it's another 20 minutes (for me, anyway).

I saw the guy who was offering free beer around the 29K mark but forgot to find him after the race. Another generous spectator!

Loved what our coach did to speed up her pace during the last few kms. She found a strong looking "gorgeous specimen" (her words) with a great pace and, unbeknownst to him, made him her personal "pace bunny" to the finish. (The result: A PB! Way to go Ann!)

Ang & Ann: Post run cuteness!

On arriving at Copps Coliseum finish line: Loved hearing my name over the loud speaker. "Booked  it" for the last 100 metres (as opposed to Coach Ann who "booked it" for the last 4 kilometres. I would vomit.) and then walked my wobbly legs over to get food and medal. Saw people lying on the floor stretching, but thought better of it. I knew if I layed down on the floor, I would most definitely NOT be able to get back up without assistance. (I could barely peel my banana for god's sake!)

Now I can officially say: "Around the Bay? Been there, done that, GOT THE T-SHIRT!" (Might to it again...my legs are too sore to think about another long run at the moment. Give 'em a week or two.)

Congratulations to my fellow run mates and everyone who ran today. YOU DID IT! And you should be proud.

OK this took me an hour to write. 4 slices of pizza and one beer DONE! All catered to me by my doting family. Thank you! Time for wine and dessert. (Where's that little service bell? Hellooo...)

What to Pack for Race Day

Just spent half an hour this morning Googling "scenic routes to Hamilton" so I can avoid driving the big highways to our event, chicken$@#! that I am. I strongly dislike having to pass transport trucks on the 400-series highways. Living in the country, I have come to prefer the long, windy, quiet roads.

Seeing as both afternoon and evening are going to get pretty busy, I had to come up with something to write this morning. How about "What to Pack in Your Bag for a Race." I remember during our first half marathon, the Island Girl in Toronto, our run coach Ann gave us a very detailed list of things to bring. Her business partner, Steve, all-round jock, boot camp master, certified kinesiologist and her fellow personal trainer, was there to give his advice too. When Ann got to the part about bringing a pre-moistened facecloth in a Ziploc bag for freshening up afterwards, Steve gave her this amused look and said something like, "Are you serious?" Meanwhile, we newbie female runners lapped up every bit of advice and likely circled the pre-moistened facecloth pointer with a  big red marker while exclaiming, "Ohhhh, that's a GREAT idea!" (It is! Especially when no showers are available.)

Having said that, here are some of the items, as best as I can remember, from Coach Ann's advice, that are handy to pack (See how I can write a post and write my to-do list at the same time? Clever girl.) Mine is an overnight bag. If you are not staying overnight, then you don't need to pack your race outfit. ("OBVI," as my teenagers would say. I probably spelled that wrong though. They are rolling their eyes now.)

What to Pack for Race Day

 

(To be packed the night before! The less stress on race day morning, the better!)

(NB: We were taught to dress for about +15 C warmer than the outside temperature, keeping wind chill in mind, of course.)

• Bib and Chip (Not a good thing to forget. No Chip, No Time!)
• Pins to attach bib (Unless you have one of those neat little bib belts or run skirts with the bib fasteners.)
• Running shoes (Hopefully not brand new. Blisters on a long run - not nice.)
• Running socks (Good ones. I have recently taken a liking to compression socks, but not necessary.)
• Running leggings or capris or shorts (At +4 C I think I'll do capris.)
• Running bra (So important!)
• Running tech shirt (Moisture wicking to keep you nice and dry. Lightweight for layering. Some people wear their event shirt they rec'd in their race kit. I like saving mine for afterwards.)
• Lightweight jacket (That you can tie around your waist if needed and it won't bother you.)
• Fuel belt (I used to run with one of these but I haven't been training with one so now I dislike wearing it. May rely on water stations this time, not sure yet.)
• Fuel - (Gu, Hammer Gel, Stingers....whatever fuel you tried on your training runs that worked for you. Do NOT try something new on race day. Indigestion is an awful thing to feel on a long run. Been there. Done that.)
• Gloves (If it's cold to start out. But not too bulky 'cause you'll likely need to stuff them in a pocket, unless they're cheap enough to throw away.)
• Garbage bag with slits for head and arms. (That you can roll up tight with elastics and put in a pocket. If it rains, you have a makeshift rain poncho.)
• Run hat or cap (Optional. I find the baseball cap style bugs me after awhile but I like the winter caps with the opening for a pony tail.)
• Hair elastics (Long hair stuck to the back of your sweaty neck feels awful.)
• Face wipes or damp facecloth in a Ziploc bag and small towel. (Feels good to clean the salt and sweat off your face afterwards.)
• Deordorant/Baby powder, brush, etc.
• Change of clothes for the drive home. (Yeah, driving for two hours in cold sweat-soaked clothing does not appeal. I may just opt for something close to pyjamas...)
• Change of shoes for the drive home.
• Money for parking.
• Change in case you need to pay for a locker or bag check.
• Your I.D. (I shove my license in a zipped pocket during the run, just in case. Health card might not be a bad idea either. Or you can just write your info on the back of your race bib. I know you can also buy handy "Run I.D" accessories. They advertise in running magazines and might even be featured at the vendor booths. I forgot to check that yesterday.)
• Debit card (If there are "shopping opps" or you need more money for whatever reason. Say, a celebration meal/glass of wine with your running mate(s) afterwards.)
• Maybe some Advil for aches and pains afterwards.
• Cell phone (And your friends' cell #s. Handy to text your whereabouts afterwards.)
• Your enthusiasm and calm, peaceful center. (OMMMM)

I think that covers it, from my nearly 50-year-old memory bank. Let me know if I've forgotten something. If you are part of tomorrow's Around the Bay, good luck to you!

2 More Sleeps...

Two more sleeps 'til Around the Bay!

Already didn't sleep well last night, but that's normal, I know. Drove to Hamilton today with my friend Janate to pick up our race kits and shop the vendors. Here are some highlights:

Love the colour of the ladies' tech shirt by New Balance!



Copps Coliseum: Calm before the Storm of Runners!
(taken with really crappy flash)

Great variety of running gear on sale and the vendor booths. We noticed only one running shoe booth, but weren't looking for shoes so may have missed another one. Lots of great sports gear and clothing from base layer all the way to the final touches, including water bottle packs and ear buds. 

Below are some of the booths we shopped/browsed (lots others we would have checked out, but ran out of time, pardon the pun. Took too much time with bra fittings!)

The Runners Shop - They have a huge collection of great quality run bras on sale. Expert staff to help you find the proper fit. I bought one (Moving Comfort label) and Janate bought two. Also got a nice yoga style tank/dress for $30.

 

Running Free - Got some compression clothing there at great sale prices (Skins top, above). Again, good advice from sales staff.  Not sure if I'm ready to don compression tights, but am going to give them a try for a couple of hours and see if I can still breathe. If not, we can return them to the nearest store. (Update: Compression tights take a while to get on, may have to set alarm half an hour earlier (!) but so far feel pretty good.)

Robena - Ladies in the race, you have to check out the Robena booth! Everything is 50% off as the owner is closing her business. Great colourful arm warmers (pictured right), cute little arm warmer shrugs called "Yarms," sleeveless run tops, tons of matching $5 head bands and more. www.robena.ca.

RunGirlRun - Really cute stuff, couldn't decide what to buy there but here's there web site: www.rungirlrun.com

One More Mile - Booth has hilarious slogans on shirts, hats, arm warmers and more. (Wish it said "One More Kilometre" for us Canadians, but can't argue with the prices.) I bought the arm warmers there, pictured above, then realized that particular slogan would make more sense on a t-shirt....(Headband: Robena booth; Compression socks: Running Free)

Also TONS of booths advertising races in Canada and U.S. Lots of hand-outs.
We could have easily spent hours there today but had to get home by 5. It may have been downright dangerous to our bank accounts if we were staying at the Sheraton next door! Anyway, if you're going, vendors are open from 9 to 5 on Saturday and that's it.

Gotta sign off now. Did my "carbo loading" at dinnertime. Lots of pasta (two nights before the race, that's when you should load up on the carbs. I remember this advice drilled into our heads by Ann, our run coach extraordinaire!) Need an epsom salt bath. Muscles felt a little tense just walking around today! Geez! I am not panicking. I am not panicking...time for a (small) glass of wine...