scotiabank toronto waterfront half-marathon recap

first of all - I DID IT! WOOOOOOHOOOOOO!


next up - i beat my goal time! WOOOOOOOHOOOOO!


official stats:

start time: 7:34:22 am
10k time: 58:30
gun time: 2:10:02
chip time: 2:05:41 (my goal was to make it under 2:15)
category place: 252 of 823 (women 25 to 29)
gender place: 1320 out of 4529 total women

i went to bed at 11 pm last night and fell asleep pretty quickly. i put out my running clothes and made sure that my zune and garmin were charged. i also made an awesome 90s-inspired running mix. my boyfriend had a 90s-themed birthday party last week so we bought so many second-hand "big shiny tunes" and "now" compilation CDs to play at the party.

here is my playlist (i put in on shuffle while i ran):


you might need to click on the playlist to actually read what the songs are - ha! it was a good mix. i wanted to put a lot of songs i haven't heard in a while. that way each one would be new and interesting to run to.

i set my alarm for 5:45 am. i made coffee (even though i shouldn't have because i got my teeth professionally whitened yesterday ... but coffee is part of my pre-long run routine hehe), an English muffin with peanut butter and a banana. i stuffed half a package of clif blocks and a package of sharkies into the tiny pouch of my fuel belt.

i went to the race alone (let my bf sleep in). i called a cab around 6:30 am and it came within 10 minutes. speedy! i wore a giant yellow poncho because it was raining ... thankfully the rain stopped as soon as i got out of the cab! there were runners everywhere! i was feeling a bit nervous so i tried to go to the bathroom ... tried being the operative word. i put on my fuel belt, garmin, zune (i wear these on the belt - i HATE wearing the giant wristwatch!) and running hat and headed for the colour corrals.

it was a madhouse. there were so many runners trying to get to the corrals and it was hard to move. i made it to my corral (green) in time and spent a few minutes jumping around, looking for people i knew, looking for the pace bunnies, etc.

the gun went off and it was a few minutes before i crossed the start line (i think it was at minute 7:30 when i finally crossed). i was feeling pretty good. it was very strange for me to be running with all of those other people! i was running pretty fast and knew i should slow down but everyone was passing me and i felt like i should be keeping up. my brain took over and i began running about a 9-minute/mile pace.

i ran for the first 4 miles without stopping and then took a one-minute walking break. i would run for 10 minutes (exactly) then walk for one minute. i did this until the end of the race and it worked really well for me. it's really comforting to know that you only have to go less than ten minutes until it's "break time."

at the beginning of mile six i ate three clif shot blocks. they had water and gatorade stations every 2.5 kms, so i alternated water and gatorade at each one. so many cups on the ground! i tried to throw my cups into the garbage cans. i feel sorry for whoever had to clean up that slop!

the race went by really fast for me. it began to get difficult around the 11th mile - my knees were hurting and it was hard to psyche myself up for running 10 minutes at a time. but i did it. i was telling myself motivating things the whole time like, "you are a machine" and "you can beat your goal time - you are better than the goal dammit!". it worked. i also told myself a little pain never hurt anyone - and it's not like i was going to be running forever and ever. as soon as i finished i could stop!

they had signs for the last 500m, 400m, 300m, 200m and 100m. i looked around for my boyfriend but couldn't see him anywhere. luckily he saw me!


after the race i got a medal and a shiny metal thing. i wasn't cold so i didn't wear it. they removed our race chips and i passed on through to the food station. i ate a banana and a pumpernickel bagel. they also had apples and cookies. mmmmm cookies - my mouth wanted one but my body was not in the mood. here i am taking off my gadgets while holding on to giant shiny. everyone looks so pooped!


we took a cab home and i had the most wonderful hot shower of my life. we ate a big more and then walked over to the clothing show. my legs were so tired so i didn't want to stay long. i won free tickets so i felt like i really should take advantage of it. i did buy a cute sweater so it was worth it, hehe.

i am really proud of myself. i set a goal for myself, worked really hard for months and completed that goal. and i have an awesome medal to show for it!


it's funny - i found myself getting very emo throughout the race. everything made me cry - from seeing little kids holding a "go mom!" sign, to experiencing the community support coming from people who came to cheer everyone on, to getting a better understanding about what being a runner really means. there were runners of all shapes, sizes and ages. i saw a blind runner being led by another who could see. i saw a female runner with no arms! i saw a woman wearing a wedding veil. i saw runners stopping to help those with injuries. i saw runners from kenya ZOOMING along at the speed of light with the longest strides i've ever seen.

when i was about 500m away from the finish line, i knew that as soon as i crossed the tears would start to flow. when my boyfriend called my name (and i knew he was there for my finish) i started to blubber like a whale! (i know whales don't blubber.) he asked me what was wrong and i could only whisper, "emo." hahaha! what a wonderful experience - i am so proud of myself.



now, more food!

booyah!

i am under a lot of pressure at work, which is why my posting is a little ... um ... sparse. it's good pressure though. nothing i can't handle - just lots (tons) of work to do. and i love it, of course, because everything i do is health-fitness-food related. here's what's happening lately!

1. yesterday was my bf's birthday. i got him some awesome presents and the best one is laser teeth whitening - wahhooo! i am getting it done too. we are going on saturday. my teeth are pretty white but my goal is to blind people with my flashy smile. i want that cartoon sparkle to appear on my teeth - like guy smiley from sesame street.

2. i have decided to start a new blog, but not yet. i am too busy right now and of course i have to think of a name and "theme" and whatnot. i like the word whatnot, don't you?

3. last night i ran three miles in the dark. it wasn't that late but it was around 7:45-8:30. there are a lot of shadies in my neighborhood. i don't feel threatened by them but that saying is true - the weirdos really do come out at night hehe.

4. i have one run left before the really big shoe. it's saturday and two miles long. it's actually "20 minutes" but i basically run a 10-minute mile, on average. i also have to pick up my race kit. i can do it today after work or tomorrow during the day. i was going to do it today after work but i think i'm going to choose a nap instead.

5. today is my mom's birthday. i don't know how old she is. for some reason i can never remember the ages of my parents. i bought her a nice shirt and will bring it to her at lunch. i am on a mission to get her wearing more "snazzy" clothes. for christmas last year i got her this awesome jacket and she was the talk of all of her friends. awesome!

happy weekend. tune in for a race-recap next week!

this is the big week!

am i ready for it? we shall see!

here is this week's training schedule of fun:

monday: 30 minutes running (complete)
tuesday: 30 minutes cross-training (complete - i did this before work today)
wednesday: rest
thursday: 30 minutes running
friday: rest
saturday: 20 minutes running
sunday: scotiabank toronto waterfront half marathon GULP.

i'm actually not that scared anymore. i've done the training. i've pounded the pavement. i've tried different drinks and food-energy sources during my runs, etc. i'm good to go. however, i am nervous about race-day and waking up on time, getting there, running in a pack, etc. i have never run in any race before at all. not even a 5k. so this experience is something completely new for me.

last night it was raining and i was sooooo tired (crazy weekend) so i decided to run on the treadmill. it was pretty boring until i did some HIIT for the last ten minutes. i did 20 minutes running at 6 mph, then did 1 minute 7 mph and 1 minute 5 mph for the remaining minutes.

in other news, i am thinking about starting a new blog. i've had this one for so long but i feel that my past entries are really a reflection of my diet/fitness lifestyle now. i am not trying to lose weight anymore and i haven't been for years. i am trying to maintain my weight, get rid of bad habits (yes, i have them hah!) and incorporate more good habits into my life. the only thing preventing me from switching is a) giving up my past entries and b) what if i lost readers in the process? what do you think? would you follow me?

finally, taper time

i am so happy this week because ... it's tapering time. on saturday i ran 8 miles and with the exception of the race, i'll never have to run that far again. i'll keep running of course, but for "fun" not for sport. this training is taking over my life and i'm ready to take on my other hobbies again.

here is my training schedule this week:

monday: 4 miles running
tuesday: 30-35 minutes swimming
wednesday: rest (woohoo)
thursday: 4 miles running
friday: 30-35 minutes swimming
saturday: 5 miles running
sunday: rest

and then next week is:

monday: 3 miles running
tuesday: 30-35 minutes swimming
wednesday: rest
thursday: 3 miles running
friday: rest
saturday: 2 miles running
sunday: 13.1 miles running AKA the 1/2 marathon.



today after work i have to go to my parents house. i brought my running gear so i could get it out of the way ASAP. i am not an evening runner. i wake up too early to go before work, and if i wait until past 7 pm i am just too tired. 4-5 pm is not my ideal time, but it's the only time that fits into my schedule. i am really feeling the monday today so i'm hoping my run won't be as tortuous as last thursdays. i was cursing under my breath it was so bad. and my hat blew off ... hate that.

training and weight gain

i don't really weigh myself anymore but i was feeling a little ... what's the word ... oh yes, phat, last weekend while trying on some things in my closet, so i decided on a whim to step on the scale this morning. it wasn't as bad as i was expecting, but i am not in my maintenance range anymore. i thought that i would lose weight with all of this marathon training but i was obviously mistaken.

i really have a love/hate relationship with the scale. i decided not to weigh myself anymore because it was causing too many highs and lows which is unhealthy. going up or down five pounds on any given week means nothing, so long as it's not five pounds up and then five more pounds up, etc. so i wasn't weighing myself. this was a relief in some ways, although in other ways it caused more stress. i think it made me imagine gains and loses that didn't exist and gave me a false perception of what i actually look like and how i feel. it's hard to explain. on one hand it's important to keep your weight in check but on the other hand, becoming obsessed is obviously not the mentality anyone should want or have.

so this brings me back to marathon training and weight gain. i looked online and this weight gain is very common.

here are some reasons why people gain weight while training:

1. you are building muscle, which is denser than fat: this is always a good thing. i love muscle.

2. your body is learning to store carbohydrates as fuel (glycogen) for your long runs. those glycogen stores will add more weight. your body also requires additional water to break down and store the glycogen, so that will also add extra weight: i didn't know that but it's interesting. although - i'm not doing that many long runs, and my long runs aren't THAT long since i'm only doing the 1/2 marathon and not the whole shabang.

3. you are maybe increasing your calorie intake without knowing it: this is possible. i'm pretty damn hungry on running days and especially the day after.

4. you may be drinking too many calories through sports drinks: um, not me. i've only had one gatorade in my whole life and it was "G2" only 30 calories per cup.

so i guess i'm just eating too much. oy vey. i did remark to my boyfriend that although i feel like i've gained weight, i also feel like i am the most "fit" i've ever been. that being said, i'll be happy when it's over and i can get back to my normal life.

what do you do? how often do you weigh yourself to keep your weight in check? every day? once per week? once per month? NEVER?

my 10-mile run

so last friday (i can't believe it's already wednesday) i ran 10 miles. yes, it's true. i did it.

it took me a bit less than two hours, but i did walk a little, work out some knee pain, stop in a starbucks to get more water, ring my boyfriend's doorbell (he wasn't home), etc.

oh, and i am ashamed to say this but i had a bit too much to drink the night before (self-sabotage anyone?) and was running on 5-6 hours of sleep. not the best way to go about things but now at least i know that if i can run 10 miles under these conditions, i certainly can run 13.1 miles under optimal ones. also, i can't say no to sangria. it's just that wonderful! mmmm sangria ...

but i digress. here we go.

mile 1: things are going well. i started listening to my favorite running CD: black eyed peas - the end. it's awesome - every tune is a catchy dance tune. it's very easy to run to.

mile 2: i decided to run in the city instead of down by the water. the water is pretty but it can be boring when you are just running and running and not doing anything else. i am a city girl. i like to look at people and at things in window shop! i drink some water. 4 oz from my fuel belt.

mile 3: i decided to run from king street (bottom of city) up yonge street to bloor (top of city) which was a mistake because it's on an incline. i am not too out of shape for this but i have concluded that running up inclines or hills is what makes my knees hurt.

mile 4: my knees start to hurt. i tell them to shut up. i drink some G2 grape gatorade. 4 oz from my fuel belt.

mile 5: i run the loop around queen's park twice. it's pretty nice. my knees are really hurting here but i tell them to shut up. they surprisingly listen. i'm starting to feel pooped.

mile 6: i eat 3 clif shots. yum yum yum. it feels very strange to be eating this weird candy-like stuff during a run but i go with it. i pretend that everyone looking at me must think i'm really hardcore to need to refuel during my run. yah! i also drink another 4 oz. of water from my fuel belt. now the water is gone! i do feel like i have more energy.

mile 7: i run over to my boyfriend's apartment but he is not home. when you run 10 miles downtown you really can go everywhere. it felt like i went all over the city and that's because ... i did.

mile 8: i stop in starbucks to refill my water. i drink the remaining 4 oz of gatorade in my fuel belt and filled both bottles up with water.

mile 9: this mile was relatively painless - i think because i was heading in the direction of my own home which is always a nice feeling. better than 5 miles away by foot, that's for sure.

mile 10: the final mile was difficult. my knees were really hurting. i think not drinking the night before a run may also help with this problem. i am also going to take some pain killers before the race. i thought about buying knee sleeves or something but chances are i will never run this far again so that would be a waste of moolah. i had to walk a few times during mile 10 and take an extra loop around my neighbourhood to finish up the mile which was extra torturous. i was thrilled when it was over but happy with a calm sense of completion and accomplishment.

after my run i had a shower and proceeded to sleep all afternoon. for some reason the power went off in my building (scheduled) from noon to 5 pm so i couldn't really do anything anyway! the air show at the ex was also going on, luckily the noise did not keep me from zoning out like a zzzombie!

so that's my longest practice race. i ran 5 miles on monday, i have to do 4 miles tomorrow on thursday and then 8 miles on saturday. it's all tapering down nicely. :)

answers :)

i got this email from the 1/2 marathon training online program i signed up for. how relevant!

Tip 17 by Jenny Hadfield.

How can I do this? How is my body going to go the distance if we don't go that far in training? How do I get rid of that little voice that whispers in my ear - stop, you can't do this, just hang up your shoes and go to Starbucks, you're doomed - Are these some of your thoughts during training?

Although it may seem that physical training is the key to a successful race, it is the mental fitness that is the foundation that supports everything you do. As with the physical, mental fitness grows through experience and time.

Your mind is the control room for your body. If the guys in the tower and transmitting negative signals, guess what will happen to your race? If however, you have an intervention with the guys in the tower and tell them there is a paradigm shift and we need to send out positive signals, you will run or walk and smile and your efforts will be much easier.

If you have a run-in with a negative thought during your training or in the race worry about finishing - simple take a deep breath, and focus on all the good things that you've done this far.

Relax - If you are having a rough day, slow your pace and mentally focus on taking it one step at a time. If you are having a great day, take notes on what your thoughts are during the workout.

Every run can be joyful if you quiet the voices and tune in to what is going on around you and how far you've come.

Now, how the heck are you going to reach that finish line if you haven't gone the distance in training? Your body will be well rested and well trained for the race. Your mental fitness will take over when your body starts to fade (if it starts to fade).

A good adventure racing friend of mine once told me - you can't eat an elephant in one bite, but if you eat it one bite at a time it is do-able.

I use that in every event I race. If you stand at the starting line thinking - "Okay, only 13.1 to go, that can be a daunting and intimidating thought. It will seem like a VERY long way. But if you chop it up into smaller, more digestible pieces, then it becomes a series of finish lines.

You can break it in half, in quarters or one kilometer at a time. You can even break the race into geographical locations along the route. The key is to surrender to the fact you will be out there for a few hours and then develop a mental plan with shorter goals.

If you are a run-walker you already have a plan. Focus on the next 4 or 5 minutes and soon you'll be half-way done.

Take care of yourself nutritionally. If you get low on blood sugar your mind is the first to fade. That is an invitation to negatives thoughts. Drink your sports drink along the route 6-8 ounces (one cup) every 15- 20 minutes. Take a few jolly ranchers with you or walkers who will be out there longer take a few snack size Snickers. All of these will bring your mind back into the race.

If things get tough for you - use this trick. Think about how you want to feel after the race is over. Do you want to feel proud and excited about what you've just accomplished or sad about the outcome of the race.

When things get tough for me in races, I think about how things could be worse than they are. I could be running "up" a mountain, or in sand, or not feeling well, or I could have just sat on a cactus while trying to go to the bathroom. It can always be worse.

Have faith in your preparation and believe you can do it. Surrender to the unknown and enjoy every step you take. The training is your journey, the race is simply the celebration!

am i boring you?

thank you for your comments and encouragement on my last post. i have been stretching after each run but it looks like i need to do MORE STRETCHING. stretching is my favorite part of any workout so i welcome it. anything that involves relaxing moves that feel good instead of sweating profusely and being out of breath works for me!

here are some stretches i think will work for me.

numero uno: the IT band standing stretch.



numero dos: the IT band stretch for flexibility and knee pain. i actually already do this one. dammit! just kidding - it means i know a little something something and should do it more often.

number three (my spanish is basic): the lying piriformis stretch. i already do this one too. my bum pain is a direct result of my piriformis aka big butt muscle.

it seems like i already have a good idea of how to stretch - maybe i need to do it for longer or more often. every day seems like a daunting task!

on friday (i have the day off) i have a 10 mile run planned. i know a lot of people like racing and training for races, but so far, i don't. i have made a point of living as laid-back and stress-free as possible about most things in my life, and training is just creating a lot of worry and stress for me. can i finish this run? will i hurt myself? will my knees hurt? do i time to fit in all of my training runs? yada yada yada! i think i will like the feeling of accomplishing a race and proudly displaying a medal, but i'll be happy to go back to running for enjoyment. right now it feels like a chore and that is not a good thing! i just want to do three or four runs a week and only three to five (or maybe six if i'm feeling crrrazy that day) miles a run. also, all i write about lately is running which may be boring for readers. is it? boring? am i boring you?

anyway i have bought a bottle of G2 grape flavored gatorade, and jelly belly sports beans AND clif shots. "they" say you have to try everything you may have on race day before the race, so i am going to try the clif shots on friday and the beans next week on my 8-mile run.

one final question for runners: my longest training run is 10 miles and the race is 13 point something miles. how does that work!?!?!?! how can i spontaneously run three more miles than my longest training run? HUH?

RUNNING HELP!

runners ... i need you.

sometimes when i run more than 5 miles my knees start hurting. sometimes not - but i don't want to take any more chances since this saturday is my 10-mile long run. i have never run double digits before and i'm scurrrrrreddd.

should i get those knee things? like rubber with the hole for the knee? any suggestions?

i tried googling this issue but came up kind of short. HELP ME.

thank you.

no more shredding

what a busy week this has been. working, other activities at night, 1/2 marathon training ... life is exhausting. i could go to bed earlier but i just hate going to bed early. once a week i'll crash around 9:30 or so but usually i try to be in bed at 10:30 and sleeping by 11 or 11:30 at the very latest (i read at night) but it's still not enough. anyhoo...

last night i was going to run 4 miles but decided to stop after 3. why? it was so hot outside and my legs felt like lead. running was brutal! i thought about why this might be happening. hmmmmm. deep thinking time. 1. the heat obviously is a factor although i was wearing my fuel belt and i have run in hotter temps before with no problems. 2. lack of sleep - this does affect one's ability to work out. 3. jillian michael's 30 day shred. bingo! i did this on monday after work and my legs (especially my inner thighs and bottom) were still sore. good for working muscles - not good for running. i remembered that earlier this week angela from oh she glowsmentioned she was doing the shred and running at the same time and that is what caused her injury - overtraining!

i decided NO MORE SHREDDING until the 1/2 marathon is over. it's on september 27 so i think i'm going to make october the month of the shred and push it hardcore! maybe i'll take measurements and photographs. actually photographs are unlikely LOL.

here is some more random stuffs:

1) i should go swimming tonight but i'm a lazy bumhoolio. my goggles broke on the weekend and i got a new pair yesterday so i have no excuses. i am also going to THE EX tonight which should be F-U-N. i can walk there in 5 minutes too so it's extra cool.

2) on friday i have the day off from work because i am going to a wedding. in the day. on a friday. i think that's strange but i'm not an expert on wedding days or anything. the wedding is early afternoon and the reception is at dinnertime in different cities. i thought it was all at night because it's on a friday so i was mistaken. i was going to do my "long run" on friday morning but now maybe i should push it to saturday ... i'll make the decision based on what time i naturally wake up on friday.

3) i feel kind of bad because my bf's b-day is in september and he was all set to announce his party unless i did some head-math and realized it would be the day before my 1/2 marathon. i cannot attend a party on that day ... that would be utter madness. and he can't have a party without me ... RIGHT!?

4) i ordered a vegan for "singles" cookbook from amazon. i don't like cooking from cookbooks because i hate having a thousand portions of one dish - i'll let you know what i think of it when it arrives and i start the fun.

5) bread doesn't go stale in the freezer, right? let's say i bought some bread products that were 50% off because they were going to expire in the next few days. and then i put them in my freezer right away - that's fine right? my mom said, "i didn't think you were that poor that you had to purchase stale bread." it's not stale ... right? dammit! i just love getting a deal!

6) today i bought some jelly belly sport beans and clif shots for my over an hour long runs. i think 8 miles and up i'll be taking these. i have one 10 mile run (GULP) and one 8 mile run before the race. does anyone have experience with these?

hip hip

my legs are pretty sore? want to know why? because i ran 8 miles this morning! with eminem! could you imagine? stop rapping and let me run in piece! woooohooooo go me. i have this morning off from work because i am working all afternoon and into the evening at the can-fit-pro trade and consumer show. and tomorrow. luckily only in the afternoon. sleep in = happy. wake up earlier than i have/want to on the weekend = very disturbed. luckily it's at the convention centre and i can bike there from my apartment. JOY! what a great day.


usually i run on thursdays, but yesterday i was SO TIRED. wednesday night was date night (as usual) and my boyfriend surprised me with tickets to the blue jays game. it was a hoot but we were out late and drinking giant overpriced beers. needless to say, i was tired on thursday and was sleeping by 9:30 pm. just like a little baby, LOL.

i decided to swim yesterday and run today, because i would get enough sleep and feel really rested and ready to go. so yesterday i swam - and did level 1 of jillian michael's 30-day shred that i took out from the library (it finally came in, i was waiting for over six months ... gee whiz). it's only 20 minutes but by the end of it i was spent. my hair was soaked with sweat and beads of sweat were dripping off my face. attractive and good for my floors. i wanted to see if it was a worthwhile video to purchase and i think it is. in the US it's only $9.99 or something and in canada almost $20 on amazon which does rub me the wrong way but it's not much so i'll get over it.

so my run today was good. it felt like i was running FOREVER. i ran from my apartment to high park (at the bottom) , ran all the way to the top (at bloor street), then all the way back down, then down to the waterfront and passed the dragonboaters and the chichi boulevard club members and ontario pace and the ex and finally back home. my legs are pretty stiff but at least i finished. i didn't run the whole way, i took some walking breaks but that's normal (i think).

i also noticed that after an hour of running (the whole thing took 1.5 hours) i started to get really hungry even though i ate a kashi pumpkin pie granola bar and 1/2 pita with real peanut butter before i left. i think i could have used some sort of re-energizing drink or food at that point. now i'm pretty much caught up to where i should be in my training schedule. i still think running 13 miles seems ridiculous at this point but i'll just keep moving forward and do the best i can.

i'm happy you all liked my attitude about not finishing the race if i can't. i'm going to try my hardest and walk the end if i have to of course, but if i have bum pain it will be impossible (even to walk) and i'll just stop. seriously, who cares? me a little but no one else. no one is going to be disappointed in me or scoff - everyone i know is already pretty impressed with my dedication to fitness as it is.

happy weekend!

coocoo for coconuts!

good afternoon friends.

i have been feeling really nervous lately about my half-marathon race because sometimes i can run and sometimes my bum pain makes it impossible. the bum pain isn't here at the moment but could reoccur at anytime!

last week i opted out of my run in favour of the elliptical machine on tuesday, and did a 45-minute treadmill run with varying inclines on thursday. thursday's run took the life out of me - i guess it was all of the varying speeds and inclines. there is this one part where you run at about 5 mph but at 8% incline for 3 minutes. i could do it but after i thought i was having some sort of asthma attack ... really couldn't breathe! i took a 10-minute walk break and then finished up the run. scary! on saturday i went running outside despite the heat and it was great. i wet my hair before going, put on sunscreen, a hat and my fuel belt and hit the road for about 4 miles.

i am worried because i'm behind in my training. i should have completed a 7 and an 8-mile long run by now and i haven't. i am nowhere close to that! actually that's a lie - i have run 6 miles once or twice this season but i'm hardly working up to that. i find that when i have bum pain i have to ease back into running and not push it too hard. does anyone have any advice for getting back up to my training level without risking injury?

on the other hand, if i can't finish the half-marathon, who really cares? i would have a pretty good reason for stopping (quitting ... bah) if i'm in pain. i mean, it's not like i wouldn't finish because i'm a lazy bum! i guess all i can do is keep trying and do my best. and my best is good enough. and people like me. yes!

work has been REALLY busy! busy is good but too busy can be overwhelming. this weekend is the can fit pro conference downtown so i'll be working there. i don't mind working on the weekend when i get to attend what i assume will be an interesting trade and consumer show. maybe i'll learn the latest underground fitness crazes ... and share them all with you of course. ;)

in other news, i have been using coconut oil lately. my boyfriend and i went on an outback safari tour in the dominican. if you click on the link it's the exact tour and you can read about all the neat stuff we did. one of the high selling points for me was a visit to a real dominican home where they grow and process coconuts! i learned all about chopping a coconut, mincing the coconut meat, and pressing it to make oil.

i bought my coconut oil fresh from the coconut oil farm/place in dominican republic. straight from the coconut into a bottle and sold to me for $10 US ... it can't get any fresher than that. coconut oil is used for cooking, added to many drinks like pina coladas, as a relief for constipation and it aids in weight loss (apparently ... maybe because of the last reason lol). our tour guide said taking 3 TBSP of oil relieves constipation, taking 1 TBSP with salt has the opposite effect, and drinking a drop in the morning and at night helps you lose weight. he also said that they put it in some of the blended drinks at the resort so don't drink more than a couple pina coladas at a time. i wish i knew that before i went on safari!

coconut oil is a VERY healthy oil and has a high heating point so it's great for cooking. did you know that coconut oil and coconut butter are the same thing? it's true - just the butter is in solidified form - so should be stored in the fridge. in the new cookbooks at work we are all about the coconut oil so it's definitely something you want to implement in your diet. i think i'll stick to cooking with it for now. the smell is amazing too. mmmmmmm.

here is me on tour, holding a coconut with a big pile of coconuts in the background. it was so hot so they kept feeding us bottled pop ... i love bottles! for some reason holding the glass makes me feel classy.

what a life

well, it's friday morning and i have the day off from work (yay!). that's the good news. the bad news is that i went to the dentist this morning and CRIED. dammit! what a baby! i had a chipped tooth and the chip (that they fixed last time) fell out so they had to replace it. anyhoo, they froze half my mouth and then went to town, and then i could feel the drill on my tooth nerve (!!!) and so i jumped back (well, my head moved) and water from the spray hose went everywhere, and little tears started dripping down my face, and they had to use MORE freezing and now half my face is a frozen blob. the good news is that it's over.

i am at my bf's apartment. he lives in my old neighbourhood and really close to my dentist. he is still sleeping because he is a teacher and that's what they do in the summatime! we are leaving today to go to a friend's cottage all weekend - yeeha! these cottage parties are out of control - like a house party from american teen movies. right on a nice lake too and not crazy far away (less than two hours).

i have been eating well and exercising all week. i completed my weekly plan except i took a rest day on wednesday. i cleaned my apartment all night and did all my laundry. yesterday i ran/walked four miles on the treadmill in my gym. i just wasn't feeling the outside. it was tough but i made it through. i am finally back in my maintenance weight zone too. now, the hard part, to keep it that way for two weeks until we leave for paradise. can i do it? during the week - of course, but weekends are my downfall. and cottage weekends? i've already got cans of bud light lime waiting for me in my car hehe. i have tried it before and it's sooooooo good and refreshing! my LCBO was sold out of bottles so i had to purchase cans, which i have never tried but what the hey - it's like beer pop.

i am bringing my running gear to the cottage. my half-marathon training plan says i have to run five miles on saturday. i will have to bring my garmin (love it) to keep track of my distance. hopefully the satellites will co-operate! that's all for now - have a lovely weekend!

signed,
crybaby

working hard, not hardly working

i love summer but it's a bit crazy!

last week i followed my half-marathon training plan to a T.

this week we have:

monday: swimming 35 minutes (i'm switching this with running - i just can't run on mondays ... too tired!)
tuesday: running 4 to 5 miles
wednesday: rest
thursday: running 4 to 5 miles
friday: swimming 35 minutes
saturday: running 4 to 5 miles
sunday: rest

my weekend was good. i had friday off in lieu of working wednesday, canada day. on thursday night i met one of my girlfriends at fresh, and it was absolutely phenomenal. i ordered the "energy" bowl which was marinated tofu cubes, rich coconut curry sauce, chick pea & vegetable stew, cucumber, tomato, red onion, sunflower sprouts & tahini sauce on brown basmati rice. i asked for no cucumbers and got beets or carrot instead - the bowl was a bit messy so i couldn't tell.

i also ordered the hot lung lover drink which was made from pineapple, apple, ginger, lemon, cayenne and a respiratonic. i have been on the brink of having a lung/cough/sore throat for about a week now. i am killing it with tons of vitamin C and cold fx. i think i may have beaten it because now i just have a dry cough and that's it.

anyway, it was one of the greatest meals i've ever had. everything is vegetarian and healthy - perhaps not low in calories but that's ok. i wish i was there right now.

friday i went swimming in the morning, worked (at home - i am very busy with work) all day, then went to the dentist in the afternoon. DAMMIT they sure did probe my gums! my whole mouth killed for hours afterward. i have no cavities but the chip fell out of a previously chipped tooth so i have to go back and get that fixed. on friday night i went to a bbq - our host made sweet potato fries, bbq'd asparagus, chicken kabobs and burgers. i had everything but no bun with the burger - delish. i also enjoyed samuel adams summer wheat ale which had a hint of lemon. enjoyed it.

saturday, worked all day again, went for a 4-mile run in the early afternoon. i am finding the 5-milers to be too much for me right now. i think it's the throat cough wearing me down. in the evening i went to see poison and def leppard with some friends. no i'm not joking haha. it was a lot of fun. this post is getting too long! more tomorrow :)

1/2-marathon training update

swam friday morning, ran saturday morning - twas SO HOT but i did it :) except at the end of my run i thought it would be fun to do some walking lunges and now my inner thighs are killing me.

because of thigh pain, i had to revise this week's training AGAIN.

here goes:

monday: 35 minutes swimming
tuesday: 5-mile run (hopefully)
wednesday: rest
thursday: 5-mile run
friday: 35 minutes swimming
saturday: 5-mile run
sunday: rest

i am not feeling that great at the "mo" so tomorrow's run is up in the air. i have a lot of work to do and i am working on it at work AND at home. wah wah wee wah! must be productive now, bye bye.

drowning in a sea

a sea of business.

sorry for lack of updates. well, who can blame me? sunday was father's day so i went to the burbs to visit my daddio. it was good - we shared this amazing cake (birthday and father's day). i went back to the city on a time schedule because i had to pick up a prescription (now that i have benefits). i thought the drug mart closed at 8 pm but it closed at 6 pm - dammit! the shoppers drug mart by my house is the WORST. only open 8 until 8 and 6 on sundays. some are 24 hours or at least open until midnight. gee whiz.

monday was the photo shoot. LONG DAY. i left my house at 7 am to be there by 8. outside all day, doing manual labor in the hot sun. it was fun though and of course a valuable learning experience. it was still going when i left at 6:30 pm, but i had to make sure that i'd be back in the city by 8 pm - when the drug store closed!

i realized on the weekend that i forgot to renew my license plates. man, it's one thing after another, isn't it? i would have just mailed in the form when it came, but every two years you have to get your emissions tested before you can renew, and it was my time. so i did that tuesday at lunch, and today i'm going to actually renew the plates. yabba dabba!

yesterday was my first day of half-marathon training. it should have been monday but i was too exhausted after being outside all day to go running. it's supposed to look like this this week:

monday: running 30 minutes
tuesday: 30 minutes another activity
wednesday: rest
thursday: running 30 minutes
friday: 30 minutes another activity
saturday: 2-mile run
sunday: rest

i think the training is beneath my level at the moment so i'm going to stick to my current length and then increase my distance on the schedule later.

my week will look like this:

monday: rest
tuesday: 5-mile (50ish minutes) running
wednesday: 30 minutes swimming
thursday: 5-miles running
friday: 30 minutes swimming
saturday: 5-miles running
sunday: rest

am i going to screw myself up? yesterday i ran right after work and it was HOT. dayum. i wore my fuel belt so it was ok.
that's that. my birthday party on the weekend was a smashtacular success but i'll post about that tomorrow.

and my other special bf gift which i have not revealed yet. i will say, however, that it's already motivating me not to mindlessly snack at nighttime. yippee skippy!