beyond Race pace for 6 miles :)))

Type: run (Edworthy)
Planned duration: 6 miles...Actual 6.01 miles 7am (8.21 pace) am

Type: weights (Home...Abs and upper body DVD))
Planned duration: 40 mins....Actual time 40mins am after run

What a great run!  

Type: run
Planned duration: 3 miles...Actual 3.25 miles 6am (9:50 pace) am

Type: weights
Planned duration: 40 mins....Actual time 40mins pm

X-train day (Wednesday's...my Sunday)

Type: X-train .......Cardio interval DVD, Cathe hardcore extreme....SUPER hard !!!
Planned duration: 60 mins...Actual  70 minutes












Type: weights.......DVD weight intervals
Planned duration: 30...Actual 30 minutes

Type: Hike
Planned duration: 2hrs....Actual time 2hrs + 30mins (afternoon)

Hike---Fish creek park, Glennfield entrance! A lot of construction on this end of the park. We walked for about 3.5-4 miles in which lead us to Sikome road and then back. Saw some more deer, but we forgot our camera :(

Long and Icy

Type: run
Planned duration: 11miles...Actual 11.01 miles am (9:47 pace)

Type: Hike
Planned duration: 1hr....Actual time 1:15mins 7pm with Tikka


Ice fog again!!!

 I got up at 6am and saw the ice fog.....@(*&^ $^%$%...Sorry,  I am not a vulgar person, but  ice fog brings the worse out in me! and on my scheduled long day!!!!NOOooo.

So, treadmill it is or must be...I got dressed in my shorts and tank top and made coffee and browsed through my movies to see what I could use as a distraction while I was on the treadmill! Well by 6:30am I had convince myself  that there was no way I was gong to do my 11 miles on the treadmill,  even if there was ice fog!

Ah ah moment... I AM a runner...I had this overwhelming determination, dedication,.....or just plan crazy feeling that outweighed my dreadful feeling towards ice fog. So, I quickly got my outside gear on, since shorts and ice fog don't mix well, and out the door I ran...and almost feel down my front stairs! It was quite the  giggle scene from the people waiting for the bus by my house!!! Yes there was ice everywhere...(Stairs, driveway, sidewalks, street.....there was no escaping it). I was still determined, so I went back in the house grabbed my essentials that weren't already attached to me (like garmin and ipod)

coffee----for the drive to...there is a bath room at Edworthy, where I start ;)
water---hydration
dates--- fuel...ate 1 every 2.5 miles (only on runs longer than 1.2hrs)
Smoothie + Cottage cheese prepack + spoon---post run snack

.....and drove to Edworthy Park, hoping that the trails there would be less icy with all the commuters that may have traveled it already. I was right!!!!!!

What a great 11 mile run-click here to see route. Douglas Fir trail portion was very icy on my way back, the middle section of the trail was very slippery, some sections were total blocks of 5-6 ft sheets of ice making me pay attention to where my footing was and totally slowing my pace for about 1.5 miles, but that was during the last 2.5 miles! So overall a good run considering. My pace was 9:47 which was were I wanted it (about 60 secs slower than my target race pace). 14 more weeks :)

Cheers and Happy Running
Barb

What!!..... its the 15th already!!!

Recap..We were dog-sitting and working loooong days Thursday to Monday...so It was a busy weekend, but, I still got in my scheduled runs! :)

We were actually dog-sitting Tikka's brother "vinnie". We have stayed in close contact with some of her litter mates and actually will sit for each other when needed. This is the breeders website, daintree duck tollers.,   have a peek!

Lots of work with 2 dogs versus just 1....I think we will stick with one! Even though if I had to have another it would absolutely be a Toller :)...They are great running partners....and running with 2 was even more fun!!!

Feb 11th (Thursday)---Vinnie arrives and the fun begins :)
Type: run
Planned duration: 5 miles...Actual 5.45 miles am (9:05 pace)

Type: Hike
Planned duration: 1hr....Actual time 1:10 (35mins am with one doggie and 35mins pm with 2 doggies)

Feb 12th (Friday)
Type: run
Planned duration: 6 miles...Actual 6.15 miles am (9:15 pace)..treadmill at 6am

Type: Hike
Planned duration: 1hr....Actual time 1hr am after my treadmill run (with 2 doggies)..work at 3pm

Feb 13th (Saturday)--recovery
Type: run
Planned duration: 3 miles...Actual 3.3 miles 6am (9:47 pace)

Type: Hike
Planned duration: 35 mins....Actual time 40mins pm after 10 hr work day with with 2 doggies in tow


Feb 14th (Sunday)--rest    Happy Valentines Day!!!!!!
Rest!!!!!! another 10 hour work day...9hrs and 1hr prep for pharmacy awareness week! Glad its a rest day because not enough hours to do what I need to do!


Type: Hike
Planned duration: 35mins....Actual time 35mins am with 2 doggies


Feb 15th (Monday)--Family Day...Not for me...Another 10 hr work day, But, I got a lot accomplished at work

Type: run
Planned duration: 6 miles...Actual 6 miles am (9:05 pace)...need to work on speed...avg 9:05 needs to be about 8:35

Type: Hike
Planned duration: 35 mins....Actual time35mins am with 2 doggies (Vinnie went home today, boo)



Barb

Fish creek...Exploring

 

 

 X-train day (Wednesday's...my Sunday)

Type: X-train .......Cardio DVD 
Planned duration: 45 mins...Actual 1 hr

Type: weights.......DVD weight intervals
Planned duration: 30...Actual 30 minutes

Type: Hike
Planned duration: 1hr....Actual time 1:45mins



Wow**** what another awesome day in Calgary!

Today was my Sunday so I got up at 7am and got my 1.5 hr x-training session out of the way so that I could spent all day with Tikka and Trent outside! For x-training days (1-2 per week) I am mixing it up with some elliptical training workouts, and an assortment of dvd's. I just received these 3 new ones in the mail...Love them all..especially Cathe, (what a workout...it is out of this world)! You can preview the videos on Exercise video specialist. Patrick and Cathe I can't find in Canada so I ordered on line.

After a shower and Breakfast we decided to venture south down to Fish creek park and explore some  trails. First we were going to hike some of the13.1 mile route that I ran in the Calgary Harvest Half  on October 09', but when we got there we found a separate trail that had a real mountain feel, with lots of large spruce and fir trees so we decided to explore that area. West Shannon Terrace. We were not disappointed. We saw some deer, great landscape and some heritage landmarks . We headed back after 1.5 hrs and had a pre-packed snack in the car before going to Costco to grab some crab meat and  sticky rice for sushi! They also had some great blackberries and blueberries that I couldn't resist!

Have you heard of  Clean Eating? If not check out this link! Its addictive and a good addiction to have! Trent made the California Rolls from the Dec 09' Vol 3 mag which I love and he added crab to his! These magazines are jam packed with great info and recipes for a healthy active lifestyle.

Cheers :)

 

Grocery and meal prep day

Type: Run (7am)
Planned duration: 0:54...Actual 52mins
Planned distance: 6.0 miles

Type: Hike (Evening)
Planned duration: 2hrs....Actual time 2hrs
This is Hal's e-mail  to me this morning when I got up at 6am:

"Run 6 miles today at a comfortable pace. The difference between yesterday's 5-miler and today's 6-miler (despite the slight difference in distance) is that today you run slower. I don't want you trying to run fast during your long runs. Most important is that you cover the distance and cover it with a reasonable level of comfort. There is a cumulative effect from all the miles you run in training that is often difficult to measure, but your fitness level should be increasing. As mentioned above, this is a step back week where you drop down in distance. This is done every third week on long runs to offer you extra rest. Although today you run 6 miles, keep an invisible 10 in your mind, since we jump ahead to 11 miles next week.

If you have a friend who is a slower runner, this might be a good time to run with that person"

So, I did my 6 miles and physically felt great! But I mentally felt somewhat  guilty that it was only 6 miles??? hmmm...

Today was grocery day and here are some things I picked up to make my stock soup!!! I have been making stock soup and freezing it in 2 cup batches to make some busy meal times a little easier. I usually will add a side protein source such as chick peas, baked/grilled chicken, etc and a carb if needed, (WW bun, quinoa, etc)! to make a quick complete meal. We also cooked up some chicken & bison to have available in the fridge for a quick wrap, salad, etc!
Even though we cooked all this, we decided to have salmon and asparagus for supper! Then a 2 hr hike!

Chapters was calling my name today, so I went to "pay" them a visit! They were probably happy because I came away with all of this!!! The advance marathoning 2nd edition is awwwwwesome!!!! So, my night stand will be full for another week or two ;)

The Oxygen magazine was a special collectors edition so I had to buy it, I have a subscription for the regular monthly one! I also have RW subscription that my mom-in-law gave me has a birthday gift but it is the UK version...I guess she  accidentally ordered the UK Runners World online and now they can't switch it to the US version!! So, I end up buying the US editions because they do have some different articles...that's why you see it here! The UK one is good too!!!

Cheers:)

 

TGIM

That's right TGIM...Thank God It's Monday... because its my Friday!!!!!

Type: Run
Planned duration: 0:45...Actual 44 minutes
Planned distance: 5.0 miles...check :)...Headache gone (I love you Monday ****My TGIF)

I am doing a split workout today because sometimes 24 hours is not enough!!!! I only had time for my run this am and then weights planned for this evening!

Cheers

Headache weekend !

Type: Run
Planned duration: 27minutes...Actual 24 minutes
Planned distance: 3 miles...check :) with a massive headache..ouch!


Good thing I only had to run 3 miles on Saturday and today is my rest day, because I had a never ending headache all weekend! Work probably didn't help either, two 9hr shifts Sat and Sun and a going away party for a staff member Saturday night. We're gonna miss you Tabi!!!!!!!

Beautiful day in Calgary!

Type: Run
Planned duration: 45 minutes....Actual 43mins ;) Avg pace 8:49 with Tikka wrapped around my waist! I think its a PR for her :)
Planned distance: 5 miles...5.75check :) (0.25 warm up and 0.5 cool down)


What a Beautiful day in Calgary! -8C and sunny.
Tikka and I went for my run at 8:30 in The City of Calgary: Baker Park.
2 loops around the park will get you 5 miles and that's what Hal had on my plan for today.

But, before going I mixed up my post workout smoothie in our Margaritaville DM1000 Frozen Concoction Maker!!The Best Blender Ever and poured it in a thermos so I'd have it in the car for my drive home!

So I got all geared up for the -8C and off we went.  One side of the park was all cleared paved trails and the other side was soft packed snow. I didn't have my yak's, but I really didn't need them. It ended up being a great run. We seen a few walkers but no runners! Tikka had an ice beard at the end of the run...which she was happy to lick off lol...That dog loves eating ice,ice cubes,snow!

Have a great week

Short 3 miles

Type: Run
Planned duration: 27minutes...Actual 24 minutes
Planned distance: 3 miles...check :)

Thank goodness it was a short run day...work was off the wall!

Sold Out and Wait Listed???

 X-train day (Wednesday's)

Type: X-train .......Cardio DVD 
Planned duration: 30...Actual 45

Type: weights.......DVD weight intervals upper body (40 minutes)
Planned duration: 30...Actual 40 minutes

Type: Hike
Planned duration: 1hr....Actual time 1:15mins

This is my  2010 plan so far...It started off bad (sold out races and then a wait list), but, I think it'll be okay :)

Hypothermic Half ---sold out :(...This sold out quick! )

The Original St. Patrick's Day Road Race---10k March 13th

Glencoe Icebreaker 10K---9th on wait list for April 11th ...

3rd Annual Run for hope 5K----Maui!!!!!!!!!:) --- Aril 24th---
Na Holo Wahine 5K (wome only...Men help)----Maui!!!!! ---May 8th
We are going on vacation to Maui for 16 days on April 23rd and I really wanted to do some races there! The only two I could register by phone were these two 5k races. The first one is the morning after we arrive :) and the last one is on the morning that we leave :). Our flight back is at 11 pm so an 8am 5K race will be fun to end the trip!...Then its My marathon 3 weeks after I get back... I will have to do a training 20 miler in Maui and I have my route already mapped out for this one while we are there! It should be awesome running by the ocean. I would love to go in September sometime for the Maui Marathon. I hear its a beautiful run!

Scotiabank Calgary Marathon---May 30th

Footstock Half Marathon---June 12th

I am not quite sure what is on the schedule after this! I would love to do a fall Marathon in Tahoe Lake Tahoe Marathon 2010 or Seattle Seattle Marathon 2010? and maybe a half here (maybe the harvest half again) or maybe try Royal Victoria Marathon in BC?

Has anyone tried the five peak trail running 5 Peaks? It looks very interesting and there are some races posted for July and August in and around Calgary. Hmmmm lots of great things to ponder over! Oh and I noticed the Robert Hamilton Memorial race is changed from September to June 20th?...Robert Hamilton Memorial race 5 &10 miler

Cheers!

Type: Run
Planned duration: 1:30...Actual 1:25 minutes
Planned distance: 9.25 miles...check :)

Type: Hike
Planned duration: 1hr...Actual 1:30 minutes
Planned distance: Edworthy Park loop (5miles)...I know I said I'd stop hikes on my long days!

Grocery Day!!!! I know I must be strange, but I love grocery day!

We got some organic beets, which I am going to juice! (1beet,1apple,1carrot,1pear,1celery stalk,1" ginger)

Great for Inflammation (maybe replace ice baths? maybe not...oh well one can wish) and some new studies supporting increased endurance due to better use of  O2. See links

Great natural anti-inflammatory
Boost Endurance

I also picked up some dried organic dates and figs,(organic so no sulfites!), and I am going to try using for fueling during my long runs (1.5hrs and longer). The refueling testing begins!!!
Quote:"Dates are the ideal simple sugar to consume during a long winter run. As the healthiest, all-natural simple carbohydrate, dates are not only easy to prepare into a power bar but they are also lightweight and taste great, two key attributes for longer runs. Consuming dates during your run will energize your cells into optimal performance while avoiding many of the unwanted additives and preservatives often found in many commercial energy bars and gels."
Adam Hart is a nutritional researcher, professional speaker, life coach and author. Hart is the founder of Power of Food, of Squamish, British Columbia.

After the grocery excursion we went to Edworthy for a Hike. The Douglas trail was a bit icy , but very enjoyable. It was overall a great day, ending with a glass of red wine at Moxie's..aaaah!

Cheers

February is Heart Health month!

Type: Run
Planned duration: 0:45...Actual 48 minutes
Planned distance: 5.0 miles...check :)

Hal's plan wanted this to be a fun run at whatever comfortable pace that suited my mood and that's what Tikka and I did this morning. It was a beautiful morning and I just ran for the love of it with no plan! I felt energized after, but poor Tikka was sooo tired! She slept like a log until her dog walker came to get her for a hike with her dog buddies. We have a dog walker twice weekly on the days we work to get her out of the house to doggie socialize! I know, I know.... but my excuse is that we have no children other than a 4 legged one!

I had pre-prepared my ritual smoothie before my run again and it was nice to know it was waiting for me when I got home! and it was yummy!!!

So, February is heart health month!!! Click here and see where Alberta ranks in relation to the rest of Canada for 2010...very interesting results!  "The Perfect Storm".

One of the best things you can do for your heart health is to rev up your exercise program. Many sources state that you have to stress your heart with vigorous exercise at least twice a week for 30 minutes each session to give your heart what it needs to stay strong and healthy. (remember to consult with your doctor before starting any new exercise regimen). Physical activity helps to prevent the development of coronary artery disease and reduces symptoms in people who already have cardiovascular disease. American Heart Association. AHA Scientific Statement, Exercise and Physical Activity in the Prevention and Treatment of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease” Circulation 2003;107:3109. So, I am happy to assume us runners are probably pretty heart healthy.

 But, since it is heart health month I want to bring up these questions which cross my mind as a surprising paradox? Is more than 30 minutes of vigorous exercise  twice weekly harmful? Probably not!What about running marathons? Is too much of a good thing bad? Read the following links! What do you think?
Sudden Death
Are Marathons Dangerous? 
Questions & Answers 

I feel that if you have or think you have risk factors for heart disease then you definitely should take the heart and stroke risk assessment here Risk assessment. If you discover you are at risk of a cardiac event you now know and knowledge is powerful! You and your doctor can start taking the steps to help reduce your risk.

There are way more studies that show that exercise matters in a positive way for a healthy heart, so, eat well, get lots of rest and train hard but train smart according to your risks!

I like this:

Quote from Todd Beniot........"I don't know if running adds years to your life, but it definitely adds life to your years."