Wow - I can't believe it's been so long since my last post!
A lot has happened since then. For one thing, I trained for and completed my first half marathon (a couple of months ago in October), and I'll soon start training for an even longer race that'll be coming up in March.
I can't spend too much time right now on writing a post, but I promise I'll write more details soon.
Happy running,
Sarah :)
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Race day is coming soon!
This latest clinic has gone by so quickly - it's hard to believe it's almost over!
We've been training for the Harry's Spring Run-Off 8k race, which is coming up in a week. On Saturday, April 2nd, I'll be out there with the aim of having fun and hopefully a decent finishing time. My main goal, though, will be to enjoy the experience.
I'll need to pay close attention to stretching properly - that means a dynamic warm-up before and some good solid static stretching afterwards. With the knee, IT band, and muscle stiffness issues I've had on and off over the past month, this will be key.
In other news, spring has decided to wait to arrive - when I left my apartment this morning, it was around -9 (and it felt like -15 with the windchill). On the other hand, it was nice and sunny.
I'm going to try to see if I can figure out a way to transfer photos from my phone to my computer - I took some nice shots of High Park on Wednesday evening's run. The snowstorm had just cleared, and it was beautiful - if cold - in the park. I'll post those pictures if I can figure out a way to transfer them here.
Happy running,
Sarah :)
We've been training for the Harry's Spring Run-Off 8k race, which is coming up in a week. On Saturday, April 2nd, I'll be out there with the aim of having fun and hopefully a decent finishing time. My main goal, though, will be to enjoy the experience.
I'll need to pay close attention to stretching properly - that means a dynamic warm-up before and some good solid static stretching afterwards. With the knee, IT band, and muscle stiffness issues I've had on and off over the past month, this will be key.
In other news, spring has decided to wait to arrive - when I left my apartment this morning, it was around -9 (and it felt like -15 with the windchill). On the other hand, it was nice and sunny.
I'm going to try to see if I can figure out a way to transfer photos from my phone to my computer - I took some nice shots of High Park on Wednesday evening's run. The snowstorm had just cleared, and it was beautiful - if cold - in the park. I'll post those pictures if I can figure out a way to transfer them here.
Happy running,
Sarah :)
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Clear weather - hooray!
So this morning, we finally ran the route for the Harry's Spring Run-Off race, and we also tagged on a couple of extra kilometres to get our needed mileage in for the long slow distance run.
I like that we now have an idea of what the route feels like, and that we can do it. It's a tough 8k, and it finishes on an uphill on Spring Road, but it's doable.
And my group did so well!! We kept a strong, steady pace throughout the run through High Park, and for those extra kilometres at the end. In total, we did 11k, and we had a really good run.
I'm also happy to report that I had no knee issues at all.
And the weather cooperated - no snow or rain at all. A little overcast, but it was nice out there; it hovered around freezing, which is ideal. Spring Road was a little icy, but the rest of the route was pretty clear.
No one wiped out - yay!
It's hard to believe that the race is coming up so soon (April 2nd).
Happy Running,
Sarah :)
I like that we now have an idea of what the route feels like, and that we can do it. It's a tough 8k, and it finishes on an uphill on Spring Road, but it's doable.
And my group did so well!! We kept a strong, steady pace throughout the run through High Park, and for those extra kilometres at the end. In total, we did 11k, and we had a really good run.
I'm also happy to report that I had no knee issues at all.
And the weather cooperated - no snow or rain at all. A little overcast, but it was nice out there; it hovered around freezing, which is ideal. Spring Road was a little icy, but the rest of the route was pretty clear.
No one wiped out - yay!
It's hard to believe that the race is coming up so soon (April 2nd).
Happy Running,
Sarah :)
Slushy Wednesday Run
The weather on Wednesday was just gross. I mean, "ew, icky, I-just-stepped-in-a-major-puddle-and-am-soaked-to-the-bone" kind of gross.
Between the patches of half-frozen slush that were a few inches deep, to the occasional deep puddle, plus the constant rain, we all looked more like we'd been swimming than running by the time we got back to the store.
So I guess this officially makes me one of those crazy runners who will head out in any kind of weather, huh?
Happy Running,
Sarah :)
Between the patches of half-frozen slush that were a few inches deep, to the occasional deep puddle, plus the constant rain, we all looked more like we'd been swimming than running by the time we got back to the store.
So I guess this officially makes me one of those crazy runners who will head out in any kind of weather, huh?
Happy Running,
Sarah :)
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Tasty post-run snack
I made the most delicious sandwich yesterday, and since it could be modified into a good post-run snack, I thought I'd post it here:
Two slices of organic whole grain bread
1 1/2 carrots (shredded)
handful of sprouts
several leaves of organic lettuce (pile it high!)
a few slices of low-fat cheddar cheese (old, for extra flavour)
light mayo (to taste)
hummus (to taste)
If I'd had some avocado on hand, I would have thrown some slices in there.
If you wanted to add some extra protein to this sandwich, I bet some chicken would be a nice addition.
Happy running (and eating),
Sarah :)
Foam Roller
Foam roller = best investment ever.
I picked up one of those blue foam rollers a few days ago, and it's now my new favourite thing ever. I knew my hamstrings were tight, but didn't realize quite how much I needed more of a deep massage than I'd get from basic stretching alone.
I just ran a little under 10k this morning, in the snow/ice/slushiness, and I felt great. No IT band issues at all. Just goes to show how everything is connected - if one area is tight or sore, it can affect other muscles, etc.
Anyway, I'm absolutely thrilled that I haven't been sidelined by injury (yay!!)
Happy Running,
Sarah :)
I picked up one of those blue foam rollers a few days ago, and it's now my new favourite thing ever. I knew my hamstrings were tight, but didn't realize quite how much I needed more of a deep massage than I'd get from basic stretching alone.
I just ran a little under 10k this morning, in the snow/ice/slushiness, and I felt great. No IT band issues at all. Just goes to show how everything is connected - if one area is tight or sore, it can affect other muscles, etc.
Anyway, I'm absolutely thrilled that I haven't been sidelined by injury (yay!!)
Happy Running,
Sarah :)
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Stretching, stretching, stretching...
And here come the issues.
My first 10k long slow distance run went really well, and I felt great during the run itself. But apparently my muscles and joints didn't love the increase in mileage as much as the rest of me did.
After the run, I started to have some weird twinges in one knee, and then the following week I started to have issues with my IT band in the other knee. Plus, for good measure, all the major muscles used for running have been stiff for the past couple of weeks.
On Monday night's run, I started out ok, but then my IT band started to get sore, and I started to limp only 1.5k into the run. Needless to say, I had to stop running at that point and walk back to the store. Also needless to say, it was a cold walk back to the store, since I was dressed for running in the chilly weather, not for walking.
When you're in the middle of training and have spent months working towards building up a base, it's disconcerting to have your muscles and joints rebel and start to act up. After Monday night's run, I was worried that if I wasn't careful, I'd be heading towards more serious injury.
I am so grateful to Ellen for suggesting some exercises that will help with building muscle strength where I need it (thanks Ellen - you're the best!). And I'd also like to thank Victoria for being a great instructor and for making us all stretch after the clinic night runs (and for making me head back to the store on Monday night, when I might have stubbornly kept running and limping and likely injuring myself).
So. I'm working on some exercises to help strengthen my hips and legs, etc.
After Monday night's fiasco, I took it easy on Tuesday, taking the rest day to heart; I did lots of stretching, and took an Epsom Salt bath. And on Wednesday, I'm pleased to report, I was able to comfortably do a 4k steady run. I did a lot of dynamic stretching before the run, and I started off much more slowly than I normally do. I also took a lot longer than normal to get up to the max speed for the run. The rest of the group did 4 hills and I ran a separate, flat route, but I'm really glad that I did.
It was a huge relief that I had no IT band issues at all on the run, and I was able to finish strong.
If there's anything I've learned from all this, it's that I need to work even more on stretching (both dynamic stretching beforehand and static stretching afterwards). And I can't underestimate the importance of paying attention to muscle tightness. Everything's connected, and when one set of muscles is tight, it pulls on other muscles, and can lead to things being out of alignment and can lead to pain that isn't necessarily the source of the injury. I'm no expert, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if my recent knee issues have been a result of really tight hamstrings.
I also plan on getting one of those foam rollers - I didn't think I needed something like that, but after trying one out and seeing what a huge difference it made with my hamstrings, I'm sold.
I only tried it for a few minutes yesterday just to see what it was like, and today is the first day in about two weeks that my muscles (hamstrings, glutes, calves, etc) didn't feel stiff and sore.
The race I'm training for is coming up on April 2nd, and I'm still hoping to run well, to finish strong, and to cross the finish line upright and smiling. This is always my goal for training runs too - pain is bad. So is injury.
I'm going to keep working on those exercises, and on stretching, and also on taking it easy on the rest days.
The next long slow distance run is coming up on Sunday. I don't know what distance I'll be running, and I'll be running a flat route. Regardless of whatever distance I run, I'm going to be very mindful of any twinges, soreness, or tiredness. And I will run very slowly until I'm sure that I'm properly warmed up, and even then I will likely run slower than I normally do.
I love running, and I want to avoid injury so I can keep on running.
Wishing everyone a great long slow distance run this weekend, and also wishing a great run for everyone who's running the upcoming Chilly Half Marathon in Burlington (good luck you guys!)
And here's hoping for a fun and pain-free run for myself!
Happy Running,
Sarah :)
My first 10k long slow distance run went really well, and I felt great during the run itself. But apparently my muscles and joints didn't love the increase in mileage as much as the rest of me did.
After the run, I started to have some weird twinges in one knee, and then the following week I started to have issues with my IT band in the other knee. Plus, for good measure, all the major muscles used for running have been stiff for the past couple of weeks.
On Monday night's run, I started out ok, but then my IT band started to get sore, and I started to limp only 1.5k into the run. Needless to say, I had to stop running at that point and walk back to the store. Also needless to say, it was a cold walk back to the store, since I was dressed for running in the chilly weather, not for walking.
When you're in the middle of training and have spent months working towards building up a base, it's disconcerting to have your muscles and joints rebel and start to act up. After Monday night's run, I was worried that if I wasn't careful, I'd be heading towards more serious injury.
I am so grateful to Ellen for suggesting some exercises that will help with building muscle strength where I need it (thanks Ellen - you're the best!). And I'd also like to thank Victoria for being a great instructor and for making us all stretch after the clinic night runs (and for making me head back to the store on Monday night, when I might have stubbornly kept running and limping and likely injuring myself).
So. I'm working on some exercises to help strengthen my hips and legs, etc.
After Monday night's fiasco, I took it easy on Tuesday, taking the rest day to heart; I did lots of stretching, and took an Epsom Salt bath. And on Wednesday, I'm pleased to report, I was able to comfortably do a 4k steady run. I did a lot of dynamic stretching before the run, and I started off much more slowly than I normally do. I also took a lot longer than normal to get up to the max speed for the run. The rest of the group did 4 hills and I ran a separate, flat route, but I'm really glad that I did.
It was a huge relief that I had no IT band issues at all on the run, and I was able to finish strong.
If there's anything I've learned from all this, it's that I need to work even more on stretching (both dynamic stretching beforehand and static stretching afterwards). And I can't underestimate the importance of paying attention to muscle tightness. Everything's connected, and when one set of muscles is tight, it pulls on other muscles, and can lead to things being out of alignment and can lead to pain that isn't necessarily the source of the injury. I'm no expert, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if my recent knee issues have been a result of really tight hamstrings.
I also plan on getting one of those foam rollers - I didn't think I needed something like that, but after trying one out and seeing what a huge difference it made with my hamstrings, I'm sold.
I only tried it for a few minutes yesterday just to see what it was like, and today is the first day in about two weeks that my muscles (hamstrings, glutes, calves, etc) didn't feel stiff and sore.
The race I'm training for is coming up on April 2nd, and I'm still hoping to run well, to finish strong, and to cross the finish line upright and smiling. This is always my goal for training runs too - pain is bad. So is injury.
I'm going to keep working on those exercises, and on stretching, and also on taking it easy on the rest days.
The next long slow distance run is coming up on Sunday. I don't know what distance I'll be running, and I'll be running a flat route. Regardless of whatever distance I run, I'm going to be very mindful of any twinges, soreness, or tiredness. And I will run very slowly until I'm sure that I'm properly warmed up, and even then I will likely run slower than I normally do.
I love running, and I want to avoid injury so I can keep on running.
Wishing everyone a great long slow distance run this weekend, and also wishing a great run for everyone who's running the upcoming Chilly Half Marathon in Burlington (good luck you guys!)
And here's hoping for a fun and pain-free run for myself!
Happy Running,
Sarah :)
Sunday, February 20, 2011
10k - yeah!!
I ran 10k today - woohoo!!
It was a small turnout this morning (with it being a long weekend and all), but my group did really well.
The sun was out in full force, it was a beautiful morning, and a nice run through some fancy neighbourhoods.
And it was one of those great training runs where each 10-minute segment flew by. I was never looking at my Garmin to see when the next walk break was - in fact, every time my watch beeped for the walk breaks, I was surprised that it had arrived so quickly.
10k - yay!!! Ok, can you tell I'm excited about this? ;)
I feel amazing, I feel strong.
And I'm so proud of my pace group - they're doing so well!
Happy running,
Sarah :)
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Double digits!
So after several weeks of training, tomorrow we'll finally be hitting double digits on the long runs!
Yes, that's right - tomorrow morning's long run is going to be 10k.
A nice, round, even number. Something that I thought I'd never be able to do when I first started running.
Call me crazy, but I'm looking forward to it (and to having a nice big cup of coffee afterwards!)
Happy running,
Sarah :)
Yes, that's right - tomorrow morning's long run is going to be 10k.
A nice, round, even number. Something that I thought I'd never be able to do when I first started running.
Call me crazy, but I'm looking forward to it (and to having a nice big cup of coffee afterwards!)
Happy running,
Sarah :)
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Today's 8k run was brutal.
Well ok, maybe only the first half of it was. It was a low-energy kind of morning, and I had to work at keeping up a consistent pace. We were doing 10 and 1s, and each 10-minute segment felt a lot longer than last week. The temperature was nice - I think it was hovering around freezing - but with all the slushy roads and half-thawed snow, it was tough going at times. It was kind of like running in sand.
I'm not sure what changed, but around the halfway mark my energy started to pick up, and I was back to doing the 10 and 1s easily. It helps that I have a great group, and I love chatting with everyone - especially on these long slow distance Sunday mornings.
Towards the end of today's run, one member of my pace group started singing the old army tune "I don't know, but I've been told..." and then we all started ad libbing and throwing in lines of our own.
"High Park Starbucks here I come."
"Cooooffeeee."
"Moooochaaaa"
..."LATTE!"
Maybe you had to be there. I was almost doubled over laughing.
That was around the 6.5k mark, and my group finished the 8k run happy and strong.
I'm not an early riser, but mornings like this are worth it.
Always be prepared.
These days, it's sometimes hard to dress properly for a run. With the temperature fluctuating so much, you could be wearing a neck warmer, an extra pair of gloves, an extra-warm mid layer, and longjohns for your Wednesday run, and on Sunday you might end up taking out the base layer and taking off your gloves halfway through the run.
I keep a running log, and that helps for checking what's worked for me in the past for different temps and weather conditions. It's kind of like keeping a dive log - and yes, that's another scuba diving reference ;)
It's all about being prepared.
And with that, let me segue into the topic of First Aid.
I've always thought that it's a good idea for everyone to get First Aid certified. I renew my certification every year through my dive club. Of course, I didn't think I'd find myself in a situation where First Aid was needed. And I didn't know how I might react in such a situation. I guess I always figured that there would be someone else nearby who knew more.
Well, on my commute home two Thursdays ago, I was very glad for my training. I had just gotten off the bus inside the subway station, and was heading along the platform when I saw a guy who was passed out just inside one of the tiny storefronts. I went inside, followed by some other commuters. At first, it was a case of "too many cooks in the kitchen" - everyone who filed inside wanted to help, but no one had taken charge, and some people were jumping into action without thinking about what should best be done.
I'm very grateful not only for the First Aid training that I get every year, but also for the one big overriding mantra of my dive club: Stop. Think. Act.
Whenever something goes wrong, you shouldn't just jump into action. It often goes against instinct, but the best thing is to stop what you're doing. Even taking a quick moment can help you to think a lot more clearly. You assess the situation, and then decide what action to take.
Anyway, the guy lying on the ground was completely unresponsive, but between myself and a few others, we were able to establish that he had a pulse and was breathing. I stopped some of the bystanders from trying to move the guy on his side, since he had fallen, and he might have hurt his head, neck, or back. As long as his airway was free and he was breathing, the best thing to do was to keep him in his current position. I recruited one bystander to hold the door open so it wouldn't be pushing on the guy's leg, and when a small crowd started to gather inside the tiny storefront, I got them to give the guy some space. At that point, it was a very short time before the paramedics arrived, and my main concern was keeping an eye on the ABCs (Airway, Breathing, Circulation).
I took over things in that situation, but it could just as easily have been someone else. I don't know if I'd be as calm in another First Aid situation, but in this instance, I went right into "Stop, Think, Act" mode. I could see that the other bystanders were hyped up on adrenaline - and while everyone wanted to help, there needed to be someone calmly managing the situation.
Again, I'm very grateful that I didn't freak out - the rush of adrenaline and the whole "Oh-my-God-I-can't-believe-that-just-happened" came later, after the paramedics had taken the guy away in the ambulance.
So yeah, I now believe even more strongly that everyone should get First Aid certified. You never know when you might need it. It could be on your daily commute. It could be at work or at home. It could be on a group run.
When you're going out for your run, you always come prepared for potential problems, right? I always carry ID, my cell phone, my TTC pass, and either my bank card or a little bit of money on my runs.
So why not also come prepared with training that could help either yourself or your fellow runners? If someone gets injured, wouldn't it feel good to know that you can help them out?
There are lots of places you can go to for certification - St. John's Ambulance offers courses, or you can ask around at your local community centre.
You might never need to use it, but if you do you'll be glad you took the time to get trained.
I keep a running log, and that helps for checking what's worked for me in the past for different temps and weather conditions. It's kind of like keeping a dive log - and yes, that's another scuba diving reference ;)
It's all about being prepared.
And with that, let me segue into the topic of First Aid.
I've always thought that it's a good idea for everyone to get First Aid certified. I renew my certification every year through my dive club. Of course, I didn't think I'd find myself in a situation where First Aid was needed. And I didn't know how I might react in such a situation. I guess I always figured that there would be someone else nearby who knew more.
Well, on my commute home two Thursdays ago, I was very glad for my training. I had just gotten off the bus inside the subway station, and was heading along the platform when I saw a guy who was passed out just inside one of the tiny storefronts. I went inside, followed by some other commuters. At first, it was a case of "too many cooks in the kitchen" - everyone who filed inside wanted to help, but no one had taken charge, and some people were jumping into action without thinking about what should best be done.
I'm very grateful not only for the First Aid training that I get every year, but also for the one big overriding mantra of my dive club: Stop. Think. Act.
Whenever something goes wrong, you shouldn't just jump into action. It often goes against instinct, but the best thing is to stop what you're doing. Even taking a quick moment can help you to think a lot more clearly. You assess the situation, and then decide what action to take.
Anyway, the guy lying on the ground was completely unresponsive, but between myself and a few others, we were able to establish that he had a pulse and was breathing. I stopped some of the bystanders from trying to move the guy on his side, since he had fallen, and he might have hurt his head, neck, or back. As long as his airway was free and he was breathing, the best thing to do was to keep him in his current position. I recruited one bystander to hold the door open so it wouldn't be pushing on the guy's leg, and when a small crowd started to gather inside the tiny storefront, I got them to give the guy some space. At that point, it was a very short time before the paramedics arrived, and my main concern was keeping an eye on the ABCs (Airway, Breathing, Circulation).
I took over things in that situation, but it could just as easily have been someone else. I don't know if I'd be as calm in another First Aid situation, but in this instance, I went right into "Stop, Think, Act" mode. I could see that the other bystanders were hyped up on adrenaline - and while everyone wanted to help, there needed to be someone calmly managing the situation.
Again, I'm very grateful that I didn't freak out - the rush of adrenaline and the whole "Oh-my-God-I-can't-believe-that-just-happened" came later, after the paramedics had taken the guy away in the ambulance.
So yeah, I now believe even more strongly that everyone should get First Aid certified. You never know when you might need it. It could be on your daily commute. It could be at work or at home. It could be on a group run.
When you're going out for your run, you always come prepared for potential problems, right? I always carry ID, my cell phone, my TTC pass, and either my bank card or a little bit of money on my runs.
So why not also come prepared with training that could help either yourself or your fellow runners? If someone gets injured, wouldn't it feel good to know that you can help them out?
There are lots of places you can go to for certification - St. John's Ambulance offers courses, or you can ask around at your local community centre.
You might never need to use it, but if you do you'll be glad you took the time to get trained.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Still running!
The start of the New Year has been busy, but I'm still plugging away at my running - still working on increasing my mileage, improving my running form, and trying to become a better runner.
In fact, as I write, I'm getting ready to head out on a long run. Well, OK, maybe it isn't long by many standards, but it's long for me - I'm aiming for 6 or 7k today. I'll try to be good and run at a slower pace - I did my longest run ever last week (7.17k - yay!!) with an average pace of 8:05ish/km.
In other news, I'm going to start my 10k training on Monday. I've been looking forward to this for a while, so I'm pretty excited about it. Of course, the upcoming hill training will be intense, but I'm hoping to get in lots of cardio before then. To that end, I've started swimming laps again. Now I just need to make sure that I stay disciplined and keep up with the cross-training. Oh yeah, and I'm planning on taking up yoga again - whew!
I haven't had any caffeine today, so my apologies if this post is overly rambling and makes no sense ;)
Happy running,
Sarah :)
In fact, as I write, I'm getting ready to head out on a long run. Well, OK, maybe it isn't long by many standards, but it's long for me - I'm aiming for 6 or 7k today. I'll try to be good and run at a slower pace - I did my longest run ever last week (7.17k - yay!!) with an average pace of 8:05ish/km.
In other news, I'm going to start my 10k training on Monday. I've been looking forward to this for a while, so I'm pretty excited about it. Of course, the upcoming hill training will be intense, but I'm hoping to get in lots of cardio before then. To that end, I've started swimming laps again. Now I just need to make sure that I stay disciplined and keep up with the cross-training. Oh yeah, and I'm planning on taking up yoga again - whew!
I haven't had any caffeine today, so my apologies if this post is overly rambling and makes no sense ;)
Happy running,
Sarah :)
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