Drop the smear campaign.

Laura and Cristal (Laura's pushing Cristal's girls in the Chariot).

Christy brought a friend this week. A non-Mom named Heidi. The first non-Mom we've had on our runs; is it weird that she fit right in? Kidding. 


Those who know me know that if I like you, I will bug you. Heidi, when you read this, you will know that I like you a lot. 

Heidi ran the Times Colonist 10K with Christy this year with zero training. Zero. Nada. Zilch. She made it in 1:11:00 and apparently cried when she crossed the finish line. In an I've-just-finished-a-goddamn-running-race-holy-crap moment, Heidi signed up for the Half Marathon. Her training for that race has been... inadequate? I'm trying to be delicate in how I phrase this, because I trained on my own without the benefit of a running clinic for years. I prefer running with a clinic because it keeps me on track, but I'm by no means saying it's the only way to go. 

That being said, Heidi is someone who classifies herself as "not a runner." The funny thing is that Christy was also "not a runner" when I first met her. I need to point out that Christy has bought the most running apparel and shoes out of anyone in the clinic since we started together. She also mentioned this week how her heart rate is dropping much quicker after exercise than it used to. She's also kicking some major butt on the runs and during the workouts. I'm beginning to think her "not a runner" days are numbered. 

I had a moment of deja vu Sunday during our long run when I told Heidi that the only thing keeping her from being a "real" runner was her brain. Basically, if you tell yourself you aren't a runner, then you won't be a runner. If instead you defy what your brain insists and go for it, you'll stop thinking about what you aren't and get excited about what you are: a person who runs - a runner. The deja vu occurred because I recall telling Christy the exact same thing a few months ago. Things change fast!

I read a great quote the other day from John "the Penguin" Bingham:


"If you run, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how fast or how far. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you've been running for twenty years. There is no test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run."


I couldn't have said it any better except maybe to add, "if you think you can't do it, stop thinking." Or something to that effect.

Christy and Heidi.

I have to give props where props are due: Heidi took a huge step coming out with us on an hour-and-a-half run. She was brave in doing so; it takes courage to do something that scares the crap out of you. She was slower than any of us, but she did it and I was super impressed. I gave her a slightly shorter route to run, but that's a minor detail.


Christy on the other hand gave Heidi no quarter (in the way that only a good friend can). She kept Heidi going throughout the run and even though Christy was tough on her, I know that Heidi would not have made it without her. I even gave Heidi some options to turn back early, but she persevered with Christy's urging. ...never thought I'd use the term "urging" as a euphemism... Ahem. But seriously, Heidi's mind is the single biggest thing holding her back from being a "real" runner and Christy knows that better than anyone. More props.

I'm hoping to see Heidi out on some more of our runs leading up to the Half. She signed up for the Next Steps clinic at Frontrunners to keep herself motivated; good call, it's a fantastic group. I just hope I'm around to witness that subtle switch when Heidi's brain drops the smear campaign and concedes that she is indeed a runner after all.

Two legs, two lungs, and one heart.

I couldn't resist posting this picture that Peter sent me while I was working at Frontrunners Sunday after Running Moms' fantastic run.

Of course it made me giggle, but it also made me think about the delicate balance Moms have to create and maintain in order to keep their families and themselves happy. Receiving this photo was timely, since Laura, Adrianne, Carey and I spent a good deal of our run that morning talking about this balance. We talked at length about how Moms feel guilt in a way that most Dads don't understand; it's not deliberate, they simply aren't wired the same way. 

But for me, I know that the time I spend away from my kids reminds me why I love to be with them, even when they drive me nuts. One day apart from them is enough to reiterate why there is nowhere on this planet I would rather be and no one I would rather spend my time with. ...Although an evening alone with my husband would be incredible.

Since Sonja and Haven were born, I've realized more and more that my happiness and satisfaction are directly tied to making sure I get out and do what makes me happy. In my case, my first choice is always running. 

Running allows me to think clearly, or more accurately, it forces me to stop thinking negatively. 

Running lets me focus on the purely physical; no decisions, no discussions, no responsibilities, just one foot in front of the other.

Running reminds me that the human body is a marvel. Even on my worst runs I am still grateful that these two legs, two lungs, and one heart can work together and get me to the finish in one piece. 

...and there is always another run another day to feel invincible and remind me why I love this sport so damn much.

Most importantly, the overall sense of well-being and contentedness after a run makes me a better Mom. The small victory of each run and each goal reached grounds me and gives me the perspective to be more patient and be an engaged listener for my kids. Don't get me wrong; I struggle mightily with the patience part, but without running, I would be a rudderless ship.

During our run Sunday, I said to the other Moms in the group, "What would I do without you guys??" And I meant it; thank you for being my sounding board and thank you for being such great listeners for me and every other Mom in the group. This group has become what I originally envisioned: running friends who happen to be Moms. It's been such a pleasure.

The Half Marathon is in the bag, Baby.

I know, I know... I didn't post last week and I apologize. Time gets away from me and sometimes I just let it happen; sometimes I just ride time like a wave and once I reach the beach I look back and think, "That was a fun ride, but now it's time to get back to reality."

Last Sunday (August 28th), we ran a route we haven't run before, along the West Bay walkway into Esquimalt. We ran a loop around Esquimalt and then back into town, finishing off along Dallas Road before heading back to the store. Although the mapped route says 19.5 km, Christy mapped it with her iPhone App while we were running and assured me it was well over 20 km. I believe her. All in all, it was a fun run, except that Cristal had to cut out early with a sore knee. I'm glad she took my advice and went home, because she was good to go by Wednesday with no overwhelmingly adverse effects.

Our workout this week was 3 x 10 minutes at Half-Marathon race pace with a 2-minute break between sets. Cristal, Adrianne, Laura and I ran the workout together, covering about 1.95 km in each 10-minute interval for a race pace that if sustained, would see us finishing a Half Marathon in around 1:48:19 (or 5:08 per km). It was a good workout and another great attempt to get to know what race pace should "feel" like. I'm always quick to point out that pace per kilometre varies widely within the race distance; it's nearly impossible to run each kilometre at the same steady pace. I also believe that our pace during the workout was a hair faster than I envision these ladies averaging on race day, but I know they will run some kilometres faster than this and some slower and that it will all even out in the end. My hope is that they find and recognize their comfortable pace, that they have the energy to push themselves when it counts, and that they finish feeling strong.

One of the reasons I lapsed writing the blog this week was that Peter, Sonja, Haven and I went to Peter's cousin's wedding up in Ucluelet. It was a quick and busy trip, but the weather for the beach wedding was stellar; not typical for Ucluelet! Before we left to return to Victoria, Peter, his Mom, his niece Mia, the girls and I went to Long Beach and I thought I'd share a photo as proof of the rather un-Ucluelet-like weather:

...And yes, I did run while we were there! I loaded the girls in the Chariot and went for a very hilly 5.5 km jaunt. Well worth it.

Today was our longest run of the clinic, and we ran the entire Goodlife Fitness Victoria Half Marathon course. There were a few stops along the way and I forgot to turn my timer back on somewhere around the 15 km mark, but Carey timed us at around 2 hours and 2 minutes and change. I am so extremely proud of the group; this is an outstanding time! I have to say, we were hauling ass for the final 5 km, so I'm not terribly surprised at the time; I'm just really pleased. What a strong group!!

Carey and Adrianne.
You have to look really closely, but you can
just make out Cristal and Laura up ahead.

I need to announce one change to our regular schedule: starting September 13th, our drop-in runs will change from Fridays at 10am to Tuesdays at 10am. I'm making this change because Sonja is starting Preschool (!) on the 12th and she will be going Monday to Thursday. Since Friday is her only free morning, I thought it best that she spend it doing something other than sitting in the Chariot with her little sister. ...Not to mention I'll be able to run with just one kid (the Chariot will be around thirty pounds lighter)!

Have a fantastic week!

Get back to work.

One more week of training down, another week closer to the half marathon. Last week was a recovery week, so our workout was fairly simple (four times 400m with a one-minute rest in between) and our long run was only one hour. ...It's the point of the clinic when you stop yourself and say, "Wait a minute; an hour used to be a long run!"

Now we ramp things up again with a tougher workout and a two-hour run this Sunday. Time to roll up our sleeves and get back to work!

Cut it short.

This week's long run was going to go one of two ways: we would either run two hours and fifteen minutes, or we would cut it back to one hour and thirty minutes. Well, we had two Moms (Cristal and Christy) away this weekend, so I made the executive decision to run a shorter run. With another two-hour run the week after next and a two-hour-fifteen-minute run the following week, I knew that this weekend would be our last chance for a grace period and I'm glad we cut it short. An enjoyable route through Oak Bay with Laura, Adrienne and Carey (with her little guy Breck) was just the ticket!


Our workout this week was four times 800m with a two-minute break between sets. We will spend the next few weeks working on finding and recognizing our half-marathon race pace (with some 10K tempo thrown in for good measure). The coming week is an official recovery week, so the workout will be four times 400m and the Sunday run will be one (measly) hour. I'm looking forward to it!


I don't have any photos from our long run (I didn't bring my camera since I was running without  my girls in the Chariot), but here are a couple pics from a Friday run with Cristal and Laura a couple weeks ago. Have a great week and keep running!

Twenty Kilometers.

Twenty kilometers. Twenty thousand meters. Ready for this one? Two million centimeters. Any way you slice it, it's a milestone for many runners. And this weekend, we killed it.

A well-deserved post-run stretch.

This was the weekend when Running Moms broke the twenty-kilometer barrier. We ran the Elk/Beaver lake loop twice (our first field trip!) and even though it's supposed to be a ten-kilometer loop, I know that we ran a little extra by looping back to regroup after pick-ups (two fifteen-minute pick-ups to be exact) and taking a slightly longer route at one point of the trail. So my guesstimate is closer to twenty-one kilometers, which is creeping ever closer to the half-marathon distance of twenty-one point one... 

"Yahoo, I'm out of the stroller! That was looooong."

Our workout this week was a repeat of the Seven Sisters (or Seven Hills of Rockland). This time around, we ran the entire hill instead of limiting ourselves to one-minute uphills. It was hot out and it was tough, but everyone came through it so well; I was extremely proud! 

Once again, thank you so much for all your hard work and dedication to this training. You inspire me on every single run.

Pick-ups.

One foot in front of the other. Put your shoes on, step out the door and just go. The beauty and the simplicity. People push the limits, sure: they get technical about their shoes, about what they wear, about speed and distance. But in the end, you just keep on running and that is what I love about the sport. Run fast, run slow, but just keep putting one foot in front of the other. 

This week's workout was a toughie. We ran timed sprints of 2x90 sec (90 sec easy in-between), 4x60 sec (60 sec easy in-between), 4x30sec (30 sec easy in-between) and 4x15 sec (15 sec easy in-bewteen). Yes, it was as exhausting as it sounds, but it's also the type of workout that leaves you feeling accomplished in your exhaustion. In other words, run this workout and you'll have bragging rights, particularly if you run it while pushing your kids in a stroller. Not for the feint of heart.

Cristal and I ran 8.75kms on Friday  morning and it was hot. We were both just dripping in sweat; it was a great run and I was glad we got out. 

On Sunday, the Running Moms Half-Marathon group completed a 17.1km run with two ten-minute pick-ups, when we sped up to approximately half-marathon race pace. Our total run time was one hour and forty-five minutes. Cristal was the only Mom who brought her kids, so we all took turns pushing her stroller, which she greatly appreciated. I was nice enough to push the stroller during the pick-ups which was... fun. ;) 

This week, we run the Seven Hills of Rockland once again, and our Sunday run will be two hours and approximately 20kms. Looking forward to it!!