Passion

Why I love sport and the spirit of competition.
This clip basically says it all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sahSEi7diAc&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eckct%2Eblogspot%2Ecom%2F&feature=player_embedded

Gives me chills.

Living Strong

"They call it a comeback!" - LL Cool J.

So, when I heard that 7-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong was coming out of retirement to ride the Tour again this year, I was like, "Aw, come on! Why?!?" This is ridiculous. He has nothing to prove and he's just a glory hog that is bored. He should try a real sport like triathlon to prove his 1-balled manhood by racing Ironman and winning in Kona. (Which by the way, I think he could actually do.)

BUT, then I found out by reading an interview that it's actually not all about him this time. He is the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation that works towards raising funds for cancer research and to help others with cancer. Since its' creation years ago, Lance has been tirelessly working towards his cause (when he's not training 6 hours a day). He figures that his charity foundation will receive much more awareness if he is more vocal on the international front and that riding the Tour will only help its exposure and support.

Currently, Lance is riding some other tours in the preparation for the grueling summer. He broke his collarbone which required surgery and he's not doing anything spectacular at the moment. Who knows, he might not win the Tour for a record 8th time, but chances are, he will. His team is stacked, by the way, and those of you who understand the Tour, it's all about a team effort.

In any case, I've always been a fan of Lance. I've read both his books, "It's Not About the Bike" and "Every Second Counts" and I honestly think he's 'clean'.

Here's an old clip of Lance that shows what he does best, hammer those hills. It pumps me up:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHJErrp4eOw

Get on the Train.

Hooray!  My body can sufficiently handle 5 hours of sleep and the Niblet is actually sleeping better these days so I can actually get some decent training in.  I  know this sounds a bit obsessive, but I LOVE training.  I look forward to sweating my brains out in the company of others.  The feeling of sore muscles gives me a sense of satisfaction in knowing that my body is repairing itself to get stronger.  I love pushing myself physically and mentally.  The training is always in preparation for some kind of race, but to honest, I don't love racing.  In fact, I don't even know if I 'like' racing.  With every upcoming race, I get nervous.  On race day, I get quiet and internalize all my thoughts.  I overanalyze and expect too much.  I can even become bitchy and distant as I go into race-mode.  BUT if I didn't sign up for races, then my training would have no end goal.  It would have no structure and basically flop.  So, I RACE.  I know most people train to race, but I think I race to train.  Does that make sense?

In any case, Boston is in 4 weeks.. and I'm actually looking forward to it.  Let me rephrase.. I'm looking forward to the city, the expo, the energy, the amazing people, but NOT the actual running part.  Oh well.  I'll survive.  My 2 favourite people are accompanying me on my journey so how can I not have a good time?

Imagine the Potential

Here's a Superbowl ad that NBC decided NOT to air.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2CaBR3z85c

I know it's for a pro-life campaign but I guess it was too racy for national television.. sheesh!

My Valentine

They say that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach..  Well, I wouldn't know about that (since I'm not a man), but I can definitely say that's one way to mine.  Let me explain.

Simply put, I have the best husband in the whole world.  Every Sunday, after a long workout, he'll cook me up the best recovery meal.  Here's what he cooked this morning: a tex-mex omelette, brown beans, and rye toast.  YUM!!

My sweet man will also take extra baby shifts whenever I'm feeling exhausted, he'll give me leg massages upon demand, he cooks and cleans, and did I mention that he currently brings home all the bacon since I get a measly EI cheque every 2nd week.  Cha-ching!  

Anyway, this post is dedicated to my valentine.  I didn't want this to turn all mush and I know this is pretty cliche, but I honestly fall in love with him more now that I see him as a father.  

Recovery

That's the main thing that I truly didn't realize the importance of when I embarked upon this IM journey.  Working out is ALL about recovery.  You stress the body, it needs to recover.  Well, gone are the days when I can simply come home from my long run and take a 2 hour power nap.  My last post, I wrote that I was too tired to train.  Yup, that pretty much sums up my life right about now.  I am tired about 90% of the time.  I am lucky if I get 6 hours of sleep a night.  Although, my body is slowly starting to get used to 6 hours (instead of 8+) as the norm.  

Becoming a mom is the most difficult thing I've ever done in my life.  It is also the most rewarding - and you can witness it if you visit my Niblet blog.  Yet to be a happy mom, I need to exercise.  I guess you can call it my vice.  So, I exercise, time permitting.  I just wish I had more time to recover..  Sigh..      

Too

Tired.

To.

Train.

Run Baby Run!

I love spending time with Evan.  I also love to run.  Combining the 2 together makes complete sense.  When I became pregnant, the 1st thing on my wish list was a Chariot baby jogger.  It's an amazing product, not to mention Canadian.  Its' tires can take on any snow drift, but the question is, can momma? 

2009

I think I like stress.  I guess it kinda keeps me motivated and focussed on an objective.  If there was no stress in my life, then I'd become complacent and literally bore myself to death. However, when the stresses start to add up, it's a fine balance of management skills.  I'm glad I'm a teacher b/c, apparently, we're 'pros' at multitasking.  I hope I can just transfer this skill to my personal life.  

As far as athletic endeavours are concerned, here's what on the calendar:

1.  Boston Marathon - April - My last marathon, for a while..

2.  Toronto Women's 1/2 Marathon - May - I hear there's a chocolate station.. Mmmmm.

3.  Muskoka Long course triathlon - June - Give me HILLS.

4.  Peterborough Half-Iron - July - Feelin' HOT, HOT, HOT. 

5.  Ironman Canada - August - Blink..I have NO clue.

My goal is to finish each one with a smile.  That being said, my type-A personality becomes a bit obsessed with numbers and results, so I usually have my 'secret' goals and am sometimes disappointed if I come up short.  For now, I will focus on my initial goal.  And to be honest, it will be definitely easier said than done, because they will all hurt like hell, so the smile may be more of a grimace..

On the home front, my Niblet is keeping me busy as ever.  It's incredible how one little person can tire you out so much.  Well, he's not that little any more.  I am currently in physiotherapy because carrying his 19 lb frame on my post-partum body has been debilitating in all areas - lower back, neck, and shoulders.  But, no matter, he is my sweet little sumo.  Watching him develop is amazing as he grows right before my eyes. 

Although it's not 2009 yet, I am excited for the new year.  The husband will hopefully be on a more structured work schedule so that will give me more permanence to my training schedule as well.  

January marks the official start of training.  

For now, I think I'll have another cookie.  

Priorities

Well, I knew this would happen but my training hasn't really gotten off the ground yet.  I'm still in my base period so apparently, it's "OK" to take things easy.  Lately though, Evan has been teething and needing a lot of attention, so he always takes the #1 spot.  Luckily, he's so cute and I love hanging out with my little dude.  But this race that I'm supposed to complete next year is always in the back of my head.. Basically, I'm just taking it 1 day at a time and 1 workout at a time.  Also, the weather isn't helping.  It's currently -20C (windchill) and not looking to get any warmer.  How's that for motivating yourself to get out and run in the dead of winter..  Anyways, enough complaining.  I just need to buckle down and get my butt in gear.

It Starts Now

Sooo, I'm sure that you know that I had a baby about 3 months ago. He is the most adorable little munchkin and I love being a mom and being on maternity leave. That being said, I still find myself getting really bored and looking for something to motivate myself to get back into shape. Sooooo.. when I heard that Ironman Canada did not sell out for the first time and that there would be a few hundred extra spots up for grabs at an online site.. I thought.."Hmmmmmm.. why not?" I called up my friend Smak and convinced her to try and get a spot as well. Well, the race sold out in a matter of minutes and as luck would have it, we were BOTH able to get spots! And a few minutes later.. I started panicking with the realization of what I had done.. hehe.

I mean, I just had a baby so my body is definitely outta shape and being a mom is a 24/7 job so I have to do all my training when Evan is asleep.. Oh, the list could go on why I will fail miserably... BUT, then I think, that's why it's such an appealing challenge. That's WHY I want to do it.

So I basically have 11 months to get this post-partem body ready to complete an Ironman. Nuff said. It starts now.

Oh, and here's a little taste of why I love this sport so much. Check out the link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sx8ae4TfwrE&NR=1

Silver Simon.

I haven't written in awhile b/c I've been busy being a mom. And unfortunately, I haven't even been able to watch the olympic coverage.. until Monday night. I had to watch the Men's Triathlon final b/c our own Simon Whitfield would be racing and I knew he would be a medal contender. You see, this is Simon's 3rd olympics and I hope you remember his gutsy performance 8 years ago in Sydney that basically put Canadian triathlon on the map. Many people have said that Simon was getting too old and his career was pretty much done. Well, this 34-year old has shown that he's still a well-oiled machine and that he can race with the best of them. Simon never gave up during the entire race and when he threw his hat down to start the last 200 meters of the race, I thought, "GO!!!" as I cheered him on from my sofa.

I actually met Simon in person at a Nike run a few years ago. A totally cool guy. I respect the fact that not only is he a fierce competitor, but at the same time has complete respect for his competitors. If you read his blog: http://simonwhitfield.blogspot.com , you'll find that he accidentally bumped into Jan Frodeno, (the Gold medalist), the next day and asked to get a picture together. Totally down to Earth.

Congrats Simon. You make me proud to be Canadian.

PS: Hats off also to Colin Jenkins who boosted Simon along the way. What a team player.

Well-done please.

Just a quick little update on the little guy in my belly. Niblet is quite the active fellow but I love feeling him kick and move and squirm about. He especially likes it when I have a good meal or a nice sugary drink. In fact, yesterday, I indulged in a burger (must get iron from beef...) and he was very energetic into the wee hours of the night.

Braxton Hicks contractions are coming on full force these days. They aren't painful but they literally make my stomach hard as a rock for about 60 seconds, then they subside. Also, I am quite breathless when I go up a flight of stairs.. In my head I'm thinking, "Man, I'm outta shape!" But then I realize that my lung capacity is but a mere 50% of what is used to be..

So all is good. Niblet is done all his development and now he is just gaining some fat. If he were to be born today, he would be A-OK. But for now, I'll just let him cook for about 5 more weeks. Well-done please.

32 years

No silly, I'm not referring to my age but it does coincide funnily with my bday. 32 years represents the number of consecutive years that my school's x-country team has won the regional championship which took place yesterday. 32 years!!! That's pretty phenomenal if you stop and think about it.

For the past 6 weeks, students have been training almost on a daily basis, arriving at 7am to do lap after lap and stair after stair. I am in awe of my students' dedication and commitment to this team. While watching them race yesterday, I always get a bit emotional when I see that special kid running like the wind, intensity in his eyes, gutting it out for the finish. Everybody knows that running is not "fun", in fact, it can be quite painful. But my kids have so much heart that it is simply the best feeling in the world to watch them run.

I am also honoured to coach this team. You see, back in the day when I was a kid, I also was a part of the legendary "Sea of Blue". And now in my adult years, I can give back to the school as their coach.

My kids truly inspire me. They are what make my job so wonderful that I wouldn't trade it for any job in the world. Here is an excerpt that I wrote for the school newsletter that kind of explains why I love coaching running..

Sea of BLUE Victorious at Cross-Country Meet!

On Tuesday, May 6th, 130 Hillcrest students participated in the south Peel regional cross-country meet at Erindale park. The race was approximately 3km and consisted of 6 divisions. As a team, Hillcrest dominated the day to capture 1st place in 4 divisions and resulted in winning the overall championship, for the 32nd consecutive year!

Every year, colleagues, parents, and teacher-coaches from other schools ask us, “How does Hillcrest do it? How do you manage to win year after year?” It’s kind of funny, because sometimes it’s difficult to explain what seems like such an unbelievable phenomenon. I believe that the championship legacy of the “Sea of Blue”, long established by Ms. Walter, remains the reason because it encourages students to participate and belong to that tradition; the desire to become a part of something very special that they will never forget. I believe that excellence encourages excellence but please understand that cross-country running at Hillcrest is not an enigma. In fact, all it takes is hard work, dedication, and stamina. The mental toughness is just as hard to develop as the physical toughness. It is so amazing to see students bare their hearts and souls on race day and in my opinion, nothing is more satisfying and wonderful to experience as a coach.

What is even more amazing is to witness this passion for running continue through the years. Just a couple weekends ago at the Mississauga Marathon, I cheered on countless ex-Hillcrest students race in their first 5K, 10K, and even half-marathon race!

One day, I predict that Hillcrest may even, (gasp!) come 2nd at the regional meet. But I am ok with that. Winning is a mere result, but I truly believe that it’s the journey getting there that is more important.

Sperm meet Egg

I am 30 weeks today. Crazy. Who woulda thought that after 2 years of trying to conceive, that I will be popping out a little human being in roughly 10 weeks. I am SO excited.

Let me tell you a little story. This conception was not easy. In fact, it was an emotional rollercoaster ride. I don't want to get into the nitty-gritty details but I went from 1 specialist to another, being told 1 thing and then being told the complete opposite. For 2 weeks straight, my life consisted of getting needles to get my blood tested and getting ultrasounds to track my follicles. I had to do this roughly every 2nd or 3rd day and then repeat the next month. The doctors put me in the "unexplained" category. These kinda things definitely take a toll on one's mental state. Trying to conceive became an all-consuming state of mind. It obviously became an obsession, and I honestly don't think that I'm an obsessively-natured person. I'm the type of person that usually succeeds in achieving the goals that I set out for, so this was a big slap in the face.

My counterpart was the most positive person in the world. Well, I don't know about you, but when something you want SO badly doesn't happen. You basically feel like a failure. I am used to relying on my body to be strong and doing what I want it to do, so when it didn't, I felt like my body was letting me down.

I tried different things. I prayed. I popped pills, I took injections. I stopped running, I gained fat. I took TONS of multivitamins and other natural stuff. I stayed positive.

In the end, my mom says it was a miracle. Well, I do believe that life is a miracle so I guess I would agree with her. Was it technological innovation or did I just allow my body to get 'lucky'? We will never know.

What I do know is that there are many woman out there that are still trying and aren't as lucky as me. I sympathize with them. Some couples go through miscarriage after miscarriage or spend thousands of dollars to have sperm meet an egg in a petri dish. The reason why I wrote this post wasn't because I want you to empathize with me. Rather, I just wanted you to know that there is this taboo subject called infertility that no one likes to talk about. I've met so many women that are starting to lose hope. This post is for those women so that they may stay strong and not to lose faith in the miracle of life.

POP!

It's official, I've 'popped'. For those doubters out there, the next time you see me, I can give you an "up close and personal" view of my outtie belly button. It's quite attractive, not to mention the beautiful stretch marks that are starting to appear all over my belly.

But things are still going pretty well for me. The PUPPS episode has calmed down (thank GOD!) but sometimes after swimming, my skin gets irritated and then breaks out for about 10 minutes.. Other than that, I'm starting to slow down my level of activity. I love naps.

So, the countdown is on. 10 weeks of work left until my maternity leave begins and I am SO excited.

I can't wait to be a mom.

Niblet

I was planning on blogging about my pregnancy awhile ago but then decided against it because I was feeling kinda superstitious. In any case, I am currently 7 months pregnant and entering my 3rd trimester so it's evidently official, I'm having a BABY!!

And I do apologize for not blogging in, like, FOREVER! Let's just say that I'm lazy and that I am never too inspired to write because being eloquently witty requires way too much effort on my part. So, I will try and catch you up to speed on all that has happened (baby-related) in my life for the past 7 months. I do hope that this isn't too long-winded..

If you were wondering about the title of this post, it refers to the name that my husband gave the little fetus when he was literally just a 'niblet'. The name stuck and we often refer to our growing baby as Niblet. Oh, and Niblet is a HE.

So, the past 7 months have passed fairly quickly and without too much physical discomfort. In actual fact, it has been awesome and I've been able to continue my daily lifestyle without too many changes. I have spent most of my energy on eating healthy, staying fit, and getting decent rest. Fortunately, I had zero morning sickness in my first tri but I did tire really quickly so daily naps helped a lot! The only major symptom that I've had to deal with for the past 7 months is a bit of constipation and bloatedness... until just recently..

Last week was my toughest week. Practically overnight, my body exploded into a series of hives. It actually started on my belly and I thought the itchy rashes would pass. But then, the hives radiated to my thighs, butt, arms, and back. It totally freaked me out. I went to the doctor and was diagnosed with PUPPS. Apparently, it occurs in about 1% of pregnant woman, most often in their 1st pregnancy entering their 3rd trimester. And the really wierd part, the majority of woman suffering from PUPPS have boys! Wierd huh? There is no known cause, the treatment is symptomatic, and fortunately, the baby is not affected. I don't want to go into detail but being itchy all over can basically make one feel like they're going insane. It's not fun. For example, it is currently 5:40am and I'm up because I can't sleep due to itching. FUN. Anyways, it's been about a week and the hives have gone down so I'm optimistic that they will pass.

If you are ever planning on getting pregnant, here is my word of womanly advice: EXERCISE. Now, I know that most people will say to get plenty of rest and not to over do it. That is quite obvious, but let me tell you, exercising has been key to my levels of energy and I certainly believe that if I didn't exercise, then my chances of getting: hypertension, gestational diabetes, edema, back pain, varicose veins, pre-eclampsia, and all those other afflictions that pregnant woman MAY get when they gain 30+lbs and are sedentary for 9 months, would certainly be WAY higher. Now, I'm not saying that all pregnant woman that aren't active will suffer these symptoms, but medical studies have shown the merits of exercise during pregnancy. Although, it's kind of funny, when you tell people that you went for a run at 7 months pregnant, they kind of give you a look like, "I think you're hurting the baby.." C'mon people! I mean, I'm pregnant, not sick or disabled! Anyways, just trust your body and monitor your intensity.

Hmmmm.. where was I? Oh yeah, 7 months preggo with a BOY!!! I am sooo excited and totally ready to be a mom. Dad is good too. I was kinda scared that he wasn't ready or as excited as me but to quote the movie JUNO, "A woman becomes a mother when she gets pregnant and a man becomes a father when he sees the baby." I think that quote makes sense. Although, the moment I knew when he was mentally ready was when he said to me one night as he was rubbing my belly, "I think I'm falling in love with someone that I haven't met yet.." Awwww.

So, there's my update. I promise I will write more later, but for now, I think I will catch a few more winks. Although Niblet is up and kicking and it doesn't feel like he's ready to retire. I guess he's just getting me ready for what's to come in the near future..

6am

One by one they got out and left.. to go on and start their work day. And so I was left alone one summer morning in a huge 6-lane pool. Sweet. My body was the only ripple in the water. My breath was relaxed and calm as I finished my swim sets.

There is something so satisfyingly peaceful about swimming SOLO in a huge pool during the wee hours of the morning and experiencing the sun rise through the windowed walls.

Life is good.

Mississauga Marathon 2007 Race Report

Disclaimer: Please don't read this unless you are REALLY interested in running and love to get your geek on by reading people's race reports.

This was my 5th marathon but my 1st in 3 years so I was very nervous about race day. I also had a lot of self-induced pressure built up but was trying to hide it from everyone..

The night before I spent around 2 hours outside on my bike watching my students finish the 10K. Not the smartest thing to do before a marathon.. But my kids are worth it.. Especially when one of the teams came in 1st with a time of 36 minutes!! They truly inspire me.

I got home, ate pasta, drank some Neocitron b/c I was scared that I'd get the sniffles and chills, went to bed.

Sunday, May 13th. Mother's Day, the perfect day for a marathon. Morning temperature was 6C so I started out in a sweatshirt and shorts. Packed 2 gels, red gatorade, and 2 advil. Good to go.

I couldn't find my running buddies so I started out solo. I decided not to wear my Garmin and simply wear my watch and pace band. I had 2 goals: 1 was a personal best time. 2nd was to qualify for Boston. I knew it would be tough but I knew I could come close..

I started off at a 3:35 pace and felt strong for the 1st 10K. The 2nd 10K was also good because I was running through my neighbourhood and saw some familiar faces and my spirits were lifted. At the half mark, I felt great and I smiled to myself as I completed my personal best half-marathon time. As I was entering the industrial part of the course, I decided to put on my iPod and let music carry me a bit. At the 25K, I was still on course for a 3:35 but I knew I would be slowing down shortly. I drank gatorade with a bit of water the entire time and I felt great. I usually suffer from a bit of stomach trouble (especially with gels) so I was really happy.

30K was when the pain started.. My legs were getting tighter and tighter and everytime I went up a little hill, my calves screamed.. At this point, I swallowed the 2 advil in the hopes that it would dull the pain a bit. 32K - would I hit the wall? Almost.. I was starting to slow but noticed that whenever I took gatorade, I felt some energy so I kept taking in more calories and trying to keep up the pace but it got more and more painful. Every kilometre marker I was slowing down bit by bit. Words I kept repeating to myself were, "Turnover..turnover". I will 'willing' my legs to move forward. Many times I actually closed my eyes and tried to block the pain. At about 35K, I think the advil worked so I was able to speed up a bit and take advantage of some of the declines. This didn't last long because at 36K, I thought to myself, "I can't believe I have 6K left.." I felt like walking because my legs were so stiff. 30 minutes left.. could I do it?

The last 5K was probably the most excrutiating pain I've ever felt in my life. I was grimacing as I heard people shout my name in encouragement. I'm sure I heard some of my kids cheering, but I didn't even acknowledge anyone because I had complete tunnel vision and didn't even have the energy to look their way.

40K was the last time I looked down at my watch, and it said I had around 11 minutes left. I was in agony but I kept thinking to myself that if I didn't push, then I would regret it later.. So I pushed and pushed. My head was tilted backward at an unnatural angle because I hadn't the strength to keep it up.. I saw the 42K mark so there was 200 metres left. I started to sprint, but then I realized that I was already going as fast as I could. My legs were in agony and I just ran for my life. I passed the finish line as I saw the time: 3:43. I stopped my watch and just hurt.. I couldn't even walk straight. Someone caught me, wrapped a mylar blanket around me and made sure I was conscious of myself. My husband and friends were happy that I finished but they were kind of quiet because they didn't know if I qualified or if I missed the mark by 1 minute..

Aching pain, sharp stabs in my shoulders and calves.. Just walk.. just walk.. recover.. drink..

I looked down at my watch: 3:40:55.. FOR REAL???

Tak checked my official time and it was 3:40:52. YES!! I qualified with 8 seconds to spare! I was ecstatically jubilant and hugged my friends. Truthfully, I was simply more relieved that I wouldn't have to run another marathon this year.. YES! I DID IT! Something that I thought was so unattainable became a reality on Sunday, May 13th.

All the training paid off. All those early morning workouts and those -30C windchill winter runs. I was pretty much sick and tired of figuring out my tempo/lactate/threshold/MVO2 pace for a specific workout..

But was it worth all the training and pain? Absolutely.

All I can say is, "SWEET!" I am a happy girl. Boston, here I come.

42.2

In 11 days I will run the Mississauga Marathon. This isn't my 1st but it will be my 1st one in 3 years. I'm scared shitless. Not because I don't think I will finish but because I have set some huge goals for myself. I do believe I can achieve them but the day has to be perfect.

Here are some reasons why I'm scared:
1. It will be painful beyond belief.
2. I have achilles tendinitis which will intensify the pain.
3. My longest run has only been 30K
4. I won't achieve my goal.

People sometimes ask me, "If it's so painful, then why do you do it?"

I often ask myself that exact question during a race. But I've learned that it's not about the achievement of finishing a race. It's about the training and the ability to push yourself forward when you want to quit. It's about commitment, discipline, tenacity, and guts. All these things transcend into my every day; it has helped me form my sense of self and deal with the daily battles of life.

So in the midst of race purgatory, it doesn't really matter if I'm having a bad day. There are moments when I will fail, this is guaranteed. But it's about picking myself up, blocking out the pain, and becoming stronger.

In 11 days, I will complete my 5th marathon. Regardless of the result, I know it won't be my last. Because all in all, it's about the journey.