...where did you go? why did you leave me here alone?

Right. Too much Chantal Kreviazuk, not enough training. Especially over the Christmas holidays. Between turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and mom's amazing Korean food, I was annihilated.

Back on track:

I crossed off everything on that previous "upcoming events" list and finished all in a reasonable amount of time. I was hit with an annoying bout of ITBS but between stretching and using the ITB strap, I'm officially at a "0" pain rating. 

I now have two half marathons under my belt. My first clocked in at 1:59. My second at 2:15 (due to the ITBS). I didn't feel demolished afterwards and felt sun-shiny and mellow the next day. 

I have not been training with my pack. What I have been training with is -10 to -17 degree Celsius weather (plus something we Canadians call "windchill", which makes things feel colder than they really are and makes us question why we live in this country) and 10 lbs. of extra clothing.

My gear is coming together (slowly, but surely, like a leaky faucet filling a clogged sink). There are a few things I'm scrambling for and worried about, a hydration system being at the top of the list. Everywhere I've been is sold out of the bottle-straps for my Salomon pack. I may have to bust out my super-amazing sewing skills. And by "super-amazing", I mean I've managed to get a button sewn back on my shirt.

I've enjoyed the food tasting. Gu Chomps rock my socks and the freeze dried veg lasagna is the shiz. Next: electrolytes.

I have one more half marathon left on Feb. 21st- the Winterman. I expect to take it slow and steady and hopefully finish under 2.

Training routine:

Monday: cardio / yoga

Tuesday: climbing

Wednesday: muay thai

Thursday: yoga / weights (climbing option; cardio option)

Friday: cardio / yoga

Saturday: (yoga / weights or cardio) OR (cross country ski) 

Sunday: (yoga / weights or cardio) OR (snowboarding)

A lot of fun while training... but reading others' blogs makes me feel woefully outclassed and awed. I'm going to be surrounded to by super athletes. It is humbling and has forced a re-evaluation of my goal. Before, I wanted to finish the race well. Now, I just want to finish the race. It may be ugly, odiferous, vomitous and marked with a vicious amount of pain, but I am going to finish.

HA HA!

As a side note, being busy has had an adverse side effect on my fundraising efforts. My efforts have been ass-like to say the least. I now face an 11th hour "please give if you can; if you can't, thanks for your encouragement and cheers" moment. I am so lame. But I suppose it's better than giving up altogether.

4 weeks 'til I blow this popsicle stand and head for the BBQ down south!

Pack:

Salomon Raid Revo 30- love it so far! We don’t have OMM here so I couldn’t try it even if I wanted to. Will be putting the Salomon through its paces and will see how it holds up.

Shoes:

Montrail Mountain Masochists, GTX- great! I’m currently training in my natural size. I will be getting a pair that’s a size and a half bigger and start breaking them in in ~1-2 months. I’ll have to get something for my gnarly high arch on my left foot, but they fit amazingly well out of the box. I’m looking for gaiters- suggestions would be appreciated.

Food:

Gross, gross and sort of OK. Again, suggestions would be great!

Training:

Yoga: 1 hour, 1-2 days/week 
Muay thai: 1.5 hours, 1 day/week 
Rock climbing (indoor): 3-4 hours, 1 day/week 
Running: 1 – 2.5 hours, 2-3 days/week 
Gym: 0.5 – 1.5 hours, 1-2 days/week 
Upcoming activities: Hockley Valley Sprint (24K, 4 hours); Brock University to Brock Memorial (26K, paced); Hockley Valley Loops (26K, paced); Egg Nog Run (10.8K, trail); ChillyWilly Run (10K or 21K, haven’t chosen yet); Urban Conditioning Evening (hill circuit, 2 hours)

Having a LOT of fun, I don’t hurt (knock on wood), feet feel good, and I’m not exhausted (which is shocking considering that I’m working a full-time + + job around all of the above!). I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I will continue to feel well and that hope that everything I’m doing is enough.

On a sad note, the little boy who inspired me to fundraise for charity with this race passed away early this morning.

When I was shopping for a charity, Tracie immediately suggested Sick Kids Hospital because of all the amazing things they’ve done for her and Gavin during his illness.

Gavin- also fondly known as Superhero Gavin- fought Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH) and, later, Hemophagocytic Lymphophagocytosis (HLH) starting at the ripe old age of one.

He and his family fought through numerous blood transfusions, rounds of chemotherapy, and steroids.

He took it like a Superhero.

On the morning of November 13, 2009, at the age of 5, Gavin finally put down his sword, grew his wings, and flew away.

I don’t care about how much money I raise (although that would be a lovely side benefit for the Hospital and all the families that will have to battle LCH and HLH in the years to come).

I am now doing this because I can and I must. Because I got to grow up. Because I had this, amongst many, choices. Because doing this is probably easier than anything Gavin went through. Because I am reminded that we are so very fragile and I will never, ever take for-granted the events, the people, and the opportunities that life and whatever powers above have blessed me with. I do this to thank and appreciate life- every blister, injury, triumph; every moment of fatigue, gasp of awe, tear of pain, and struggle for breath will remind me that I am alive in this beautiful world. I do this because I love.

Hardship and grief are blessings at their core depending on whose eyes I am looking through. Thank you, Gavin, for teaching me this.

 

Fly high, Superhero!

 

Spent a wee bit of time reading previous blogs and googling others's stories about this race to get some bata. I read the words "dropping out", "projectile vomit", and "debilitating injury" and an appropriate sense of terror filled me.

Getting some amazing advice from other long-distance runners I know- THANK YOU. I'd be far more screwed without you

Yesterday: 12K, 58 minutes, rain, wind, and rain. No weight. Felt smooth. Not sore at all today. I'll take that as a good sign.

Today: muy thai. Excellent stress release, strengthening and conditioning... plus I get to kick some butt. There's no going wrong there!

Researching backpacks. There are a ton out there. I'm going to find some time to go out, try some on, and bounce around. I've watched many a trekker struggle and argue with camelbacks and bladders. I'm nixing those and sticking with what I know best- the water bottle. My current thought is to get a smaller pack and a waist belt for water and weight balance. The only way to know is to buy and try!

Full day of work + 3 km  + 10 lbs + 1 hour of yoga. The 3 km was done in 18 minutes. No pain, only slightly winded, barely felt the 10 lbs, and didn't feel tired after. I used my wee MEC pack full of big, fat hardcover books by the Marquis de Sade. The best part? Arriving home and having my bag explode open on the sidewalk. I think I'm going to upgrade from my ghetto-stylin' ways.

I'm not sure what to do about food intake. Future taste test sessions are in order for the freeze-dried and gel goop stuff. Currently, though, I haven't really changed my current diet other than to up my protein intake a touch. I feel fine, not losing weight, not gaining weight, so I figure it's fine. I wonder if I should be doing anything differently.

Look at me, all shiny and registered!

Between work and the 10, 000 activities I have on the go (so that I feel "rounded"), fitting in training time is hard.

I did my first 10K in just under an hour at what felt like a relaxed pace. I didn't end up on my back on the ground. In fact, I felt pretty good and could've done another five... but notedly did not.

I have to confess, I'm regular folk. I'm not particularly ambitious or successful and have a fondness for carbohydrates and things full of preservatives, sugar, and/or chocolate.

But I am in shape. And I do have a raging sense of curiousity, a will to look back and think "damn, I've lived a really awesome life!", and a fear that I will inevitably age... and I would really like to age well. I'm not sure if those are good driving forces or not.

Reading some of the other blogs, I realize I have get my butt in gear and up my training game. I'm up for the challenge, though, and will mark my successes or dismal bouts of laziness on here.

Here's to not just finishing, but finishing in a decent time!