I did it!! 10km in less than an hour!!

So, I've been hoping to complete a 10km race in under an hour. I mean, it's been a goal of mine for quite some time now. I'm not sure what it is about being an under an hour that seemed important to me, but I know that it's a milestone I wanted to, and needed to reach. I tried in August, but it was just not to be. I was disappointed, yet it didn't surprise me. Yesterday, when I did the Melissa's 10km though, I was truly amazed at myself. In part, because Melissa's is a race that has a huge hill in it. When I say huge, I mean huge. It's part way up a mountain for goodness sakes. So, here's my recap...

We arrived with lots of time to spare, parked in the parkade where I nursed Sullivan. We set up the Chariot and headed to the washrooms. Of course the lineup was huge for the flush toilets so we elected to cross over the river and try the porta potties. Well, by the time we get there, the lineups for them were huge, but no choice. Waited about 15 minutes and by the time I was through, it was only about 15 minutes until the race. Then, Sebastian had to pee, so we got someone to let us in the front of the line at the porta potties. Now why didn't I think of that earlier, haha...

Anyhow, got my good luck kisses from my boys and headed to the starting line. It's a fairly big race (with 2959 people running the 10km), so I tried to seed myself in and around the 10 minute mile sign. I found my work friend Cathy and wished her luck. Then, it was time to start. This of course is always a nonevent since you don't actually get to run right away but rather walk to the start line (took over 3 and a half minutes to get there). I started my watch just as I was crossing over the mat that checks your chip at the starting line.

I spent the first kilometre weaving in and out of people. Passed the drummers and headed over the bridge. As I hit the 1km mark, I was just around 6 minutes. Headed down Banff Avenue, turned the corner and began the very long hill. It was long and by the time I got the water station, I was ready for a break. I had a drink of water and then continued on running. By 2 and 3km I was behind my pace (darn hill!!) by almost two minutes. I gained some time back on the way down the hill. I continued to run at a pretty decent pace, still behind my goal of finishing in under an hour. The route changed this year and rather than crossing the bridge again right when we got back to it, we continued to run along the river with that beautiful turquoise colour and the trees and mountains as a backdrop. I was breathtaking to say the least. At the 7km mark, I was at about 43 and a half minutes, still too slow. Then one of my favourite songs came on "Sandstorm" by Darude. Well, that got me moving a little faster and I kept listening to that song for the last two and a half kilometres. At 8km I was at about 49:15 and at 9km, I was at about 54:30. If I was going to get under an hour, I had to keep a fast (for me anyhow) pace for the rest of the race. And a funny thing happened... I did!! I ran my little heart out. I didn't stop, I just kept going, passing people all over the place. I saw my boys about 100 metres before the finish, smiled, waved, but didn't slow down for one second. I looked at my watch and had about 25 seconds to go, so I kept it up and ran as fast as I could across the finish. I stopped my watch just after crossing and was rewarded with my first ever 10km under an hour 59:56 according to my watch (later I would see the official results and my chip time was 59:53). My closest before this was 1:01:45 (in August at Ronald McDonald House Rock the House Run), and the fastest I have ever done Melissa's before is 1:06:32. So really, this was a huge!! Granted the change in the course helped a bit (no hill coming out of Cave and Basin that's over congested and hard to get around people), but still, Tunnel Mountain was still there and not only did it not beat me, it helped me I think. I ended up with a slower first half and a faster second half (quite the opposite for the Ronald McDonald House, where I was under 30 minutes for the first five kilometres and then slowed down).

So, I believe that negative splits are a beautiful thing. I also believe that all the training I put in paid off. I mean, I always train, but this time around, I have been more consistent than almost ever before. I have to thank my husband for that. He was great in encouraging me to go out and run, follow my chart (which is nearly all filled in as I actually did almost all the runs I planned to do!!) and watched the boys anytime I did. Not to mention even came along on a couple of runs. I also have to thank Cindy. She got me all inspired to run a half this fall, and it's been great getting in long runs with her to get ready for that (less than two weeks for that race!!). Tamara has also been an awesome running buddy. We've been going out once a week now for about 6 weeks and I think we get faster and faster every time. And my boys. I do this for you guys. I want you to always be active and have a love for that. I feel like I crossed some kind of invisible barrier on Saturday and now I look forward to planning more races and training for not only runs, but a few more triathlons too. But next up it's time for the Ambulance Chasers, and then the Okanagan Half

The last long run...

So yesterday, we went out for the last of our long runs before the Okanagan Half Marathon. We had to do it a week early because next weekend we are doing the Melissa's 10km in Banff. Things didn't start out too smooth though. We decided to cancel after it was pouring rain at 7:30am. Then, we reconsidered and went out again around 10 and on the way to the start, it started pouring again. And, it was still raining when we started (and windy and cold and sort of all around yucky). Well, lucky for us we never gave in and kept plugging along and after about fifteen minutes, the weather smartened up and we were on our way.

The run was set around the Glenmore Reservoir and it was beautiful with the leaves changing colour, the water, the mountains in the background, and I loved it. There's even a huge hill thrown in that we made it to the top of without stopping!! A bit of a mistake in navigation had us go a little further than originally planned (19kms instead of 18kms), but all in all the run was great. I loved it. I haven't run that far in over a year!! Of course my knees were a little tired after and my heel is a bit sore, but that's what building distance will do for you!! Now, though, we're ready for the race, no more long runs for us!

And, to top it off, we got to have a Starbucks at the end. Let me tell you, that Extra Hot Raspberry Mocha hit the spot!! It amazes me sometimes how much better things taste after some serious work, and that Mocha was a shining example. Mmmmmmm....

Now, it's time to taper, however, the tapering will take the form of racing, since I have two more races coming up before the big race in three weeks...

Intervals, or how to improve your overall speed

As training progresses, it's important to add different elements to your runs. Things like hills and intervals. It's easy to go out and knock off a few kilometres, but if you always go out and run about the same pace, your body will get used to this pace and that will be all that your body will want to do on race day. Now, if that's your whole goal, that's fine, but if you want to have a little extra "oomph" in your engine, then your body needs to know what that "oomph" should feel like.

What exactly is "oomph"? Why, it's that bit of speed that you find to sprint towards the finish. Or the bit of speed you find to pass someone. Or it's the bit of speed you find when you see a bear and know that you need to get out of where you are really really quickly. Or it's the bit of speed you find when you've just soaked your husband with the hose and know he's about to come after you. Basically, it's the speed you don't usually find yourself running on a day to day basis.

So, how does one practice this extra bit of speed? Why, through intervals of course. If it's your first time doing intervals, it's important that you have been running for a few weeks. You want to have a good base so that you know your muscles and joints can handle the speed. Speed is hard work and puts lots of stress on the body, so you want to know your body is in a condition to take it. Best thing to do is warm up a bit, about five or ten minutes of walking, slower running etc. Then, you begin some sort of regimen of repeats. What this means is that you will be running fast for a short amount of time or short amount of distance. Some programs go in seconds and minutes while others are in metres and yards. It's up to you really. At first you might do 5 sets of running one minute, recovering two minutes (so you would run harder than you usually do for one minute and then spend the next two minutes walking or running at a slower pace to recover). Then, you do this again until you've done it five times, then make sure you warm down at the end. If you prefer to do this in distance, you could run at a track, or mark out a run ahead of time, and run 200 meters, then walk 200 meters and do 5 laps. It doesn't really matter what you base your intervals on, just that the running portion makes you work harder than you normally do. By the end of the running portion, you want to be going hard enough that even though you could talk, you probably wouldn't want to. Then, use your recovery time to bring your heartrate back down.

By practicing speed, you will be ready for the moments in the race when you feel like going faster. They won't tire you out completely, because your body has done them before. And, a surprising thing might happen, you just might end up running faster overall!!

Run with a friend...

So, the last few days I have felt completely unmotivated when it comes to my running. Not really sure why or what's up that way. However, my saving grace has been having someone to run with. On Sunday, we went to cheer on a friend doing a race, and ended up doing the kids 1km with our son (who finished very last... he didn't want to run and kept asking me to carry him... however, once he was near the finish and heard all these people cheering for him, he started running again!!). It was fun, but I knew I needed to run 10km that day. So, later in the afternoon, I suggested to my husband that we should go running as a family and take the boys to a playground. Well, after several grumbles about not wanting to go, a few reminders about how he really does want to be active, and out the door we went. I kept asking him how far he wanted to go, him knowing that I really wanted to do 10km, and me knowing he really didn't. Well, we went 6km, then stopped at a playground, while I proceeded to get in a few extra kilometres. Then, we went and bought some groceries, and then we headed home. So, not only did we run, we also got in some play time and chores... score one for being an active family!!

Then, today, I was totally unmotivated. I was at home with a sick baby who was all clingy and burning up with a fever. Again, no desire to run, yet Tuesday nights I am running with another mom friend from the neighbourhood, and I showed up just like we planned, and she showed up, and we both said we wouldn't have run if we weren't meeting up to run. So, another day of exercise complete, thanks to the plan of running with someone.

So, running with a friend really can make a huge difference. In my case, I probably wouldn't have run at all this week if I wasn't running with people. So much for the solitude of running... having running buddies was actually what got me out the door!!

Do normal people do ironman?

My mind is racing. I was watching some motivational little clips from Ironman Canada and I was wondering if there are any normal people out there that do ironman events. I mean, how elite do you have to be? I get that it's a lot of work, but take backpacking for example. As in camping in the mountains with your food, clothes and shelter on your back. There are a lot of hard core backpackers out there that are out every weekend. But there are also people who only get out a couple times of year and do big scary trails and still do fine. Does the same sort of thing apply to ironman? From what I can gather, it will take about 5 months of some pretty serious training. I am not sure what the minimum time per week would be. But could I do it? Or is this a goal that I should just shelf for another decade? Or does it just get harder to do the older you get? My mind is racing at the mere possibility of it... and hey, you only live once, if it's something I want to do, why not get to it?? Like I said, my mind is racing...

I will sing about it on the mountain top...

Ever wonder where you find the will to keep going when you really don't feel like getting out there and exercising? Just post about it. Change your facebook status. Tweet about it. Doesn't matter how, just let the people in your life know what you are doing, and an amazing thing will happen. You will inspire those around you. And, by doing so, it keeps you going. Friends and family are, generally speaking, very supportive. Because of this, when you tell someone you are going to do a race, they will cheer you on and make you feel that what you are doing is inspiring. And, you might even get them going too. Then, next time you are at a race, you will know someone and that will keep you both going!!

So go ahead, shout it from the rooftop, let everyone know exactly what you are doing. Then, you have lots of people who will want to hear about your successes!!

Oh, and Cindy, all the best for your 10km on Sunday. You are going to rock!!

My first tri...

So, the time has come and gone and I can now say that I have completed a sprint triathlon. It was an awesome experience and I look forward to learning more and doing more triathlons in the future. It was fantastic. I completed the triathlon in Leduc and was one of 174 people to finish. I finished 117th overall. I was 122nd in the swim, 134th in the bike and 86th in the run. So, running was definitely my strongest area, and surprisingly biking was my worst!!

My favourite part of the day was body marking. They draw your number on your arm and leg so you are numbered in the water. I have seen all the ironman athletes all marked up and getting drawn on gave me a glimpse into what it might be like to be an ironman. Not now, but someday...


Anyhow, so I was wearing my outfit for the day: a tank top, a sports bra and tri shorts. I swam in this outfit, biked in this outfit and ran in this outfit. It was weird but it felt right. I was in the first heat of swimmers (the slowest swimmers). I was the fastest in my lane and actually got to pass people. It's funny because if you want to pass someone, you touch their toes, so they know they are going to be passed. I swam my thirty laps and was grateful to the lap counters because I lost track early on. As I was swimming, I was amazed that I was actually doing this. I remember thinking that it was unbelievable that I was actually part of a triathlon and swimming against the clock. I got out of the water and crossed the timing mat in 18:51.



Next up, I headed into transition where my bike and shoes and stuff were waiting for me. I took off my swim cap and goggles and proceeded to dry my feet, put on my socks, shoes, and a cycling jersey (it was cold and I'm a bit of a wimp), oh and my bike helmet. Then, I unracked my bike and headed for the mount line where I was allowed to get onto my bike. The bike was two loops of an out and back route. My bike is a mountain bike, and I made the decision two days before the race that I should probably change out the tires to at least bald tires so it would be a little easier. It was a good experience because I had to actually change both tires on my bike so I can now say that I am capable of changing a tire on my bike (front and rear). Only problem I ran into on the bike was I could hear my front brake rubbing a little, so obviously giving me a bit more resistance than I really needed. The way out out was soooooo strong of a head wind. That made it tough and I am convinced I need to learn more about the gears on my bike because I really had no clue what gear I should be riding in. Coming back was great with a tail wind and all. But then you had to repeat the whole thing. I drank my gatorade as I went. On the way back into transition when the bike was over, I was able to stop and get a hug from Sebastian and that was so fantastic!! He was such a sweetheart saying I was doing so good. Then in transition, I changed my helmet and sunglasses for a cap and almost forgot to take off the cycling jersey (actually went back to do that). Then, I was across the next timing mat and the run was on. I finished the biking portion (including both transitions), in 54:51. I'm sure I have work to do on the transitions but I know for sure I need to improve my biking!!

The run felt really heavy at the beginning. My arms were so heavy as were my quads. However, after a bit, that feeling passed and I got into my groove. I didn't have a Garmin with me, or any watch for that matter, so I really had no clue how I was doing. I just ran. I got passed by a couple people, but I also got to do a bit of passing, so that was nice!! The run was also an out and back that had to be repeated twice. I got to see my boys again and Sebastian wanted so desperately to run with me and was not too impressed with Jeremy for not letting him!! I got another hug and high five from my little guy on both loops, and then it was into the finish. I sprinted just a bit toward the end and finishing felt wonderful. I was so amazed at myself that I had actually just completed a triathlon. I have been meaning to "tri" one for several years, and only just now could I say I finally did. The shock for me came when I learned my running time for the 5km was 29:25. I was absolutely blown away that I finished under thirty minutes after swimming and biking beforehand. Only one other time have I ever finished a 5km race in under 30 minutes. So, that sure did make me happy!!


My overall time was 1:43:06. In my age category, I finished 44th out of 66 (although, in my age category, someone ahead of me was disqualified for ipod use so really that would be 43rd I guess!!). And, overall, I was 117th, but with two DQs ahead of me, it was more like 115th!!

So, it was a fun race and I'm so glad I've tried a triathlon. As soon as I finished, my mind was already racing trying to figure out what's next. Where would I do my first triathlon in open water? When would I do my first Olympic distance? Was my husband going to "try a tri" next year? Should I put my name in for Escape from Alcatraz since it's chosen by lottery? Would I have enough training to do a half ironman next year? When will I do an ironman? Should I get a road bike sometime? Should I do the death race or Calgary Ironman 70.3 next August long weekend? Should I do the Canmore triathlon in July? Do I need a swim coach? What about a bike coach? Should I take my personal training certificate? Can I coach kids of steel sometime? My mind was racing, and still is really...


It was fun. I look forward to doing another one, and after chatting with Jessica and Scott, maybe even doing an event where a few of us are competing... I love it!!

But next up, it's back to running as there's a 10km or two coming up and of course the half in October... I can hardly wait for these races!! Of course I won't have to swim and bike before them, but I still have to be trained and ready...

A new running list...

I love finding new songs to run to. I love knowing the songs people are running to. And recently, I asked around and got a bunch of new song ideas. So the other day, when I finally had some free time (doesn't seem to happen much with two kids), I sat down and bought some new songs on itunes and also did some exploring and found some more new songs. It's great. I created the new playlist and even downloaded it onto my ipod. Problem is, I haven't gone running yet and been able to use it. Because, if I am running with other people, then obviously I don't listen to music, and the last two runs I did, were with others. And with cross training on the bike and in the pool, obviously music doesn't match those scenarios either. So, it's been several days now since I downloaded this new list, and I still haven't had the chance to check it out... soon though (because, truth be told, I'd much rather run with someone than simply with just music!!). Please feel free to let me know your favourite running songs, again, I'm always looking for new ideas...