Seven Weeks and Counting....

OMG friends, there are only 7 weeks now to my redemption ultra at the Waskally Wrabbit 55 KM Ultra!
Training as a vegan has gone incredibly smooth. If I feel I need extra protein I drink an extra plant protein smoothie, but that is pretty much the only struggle. I have learned how to de-pit a date, that they are pretty good during a run, and I can actually do both crossfit and ultra training together, and NOT burn out. Thank god my work has a fantastic gym, I have finally been putting it to use each lunch hour to get my crossfit in.
Now with only 7 weeks to go it is truly buckle down time. Time to cut as much weight as possible without impacting my training, time to nail those long runs that have become longer than 3.5 hours at a stretch, and time to stretch - like actually stretch and spend time doing it lol.
My partner in this crazy adventure is supposed to be my brother but for the past month, since we ran the hilly Moose 25km Run, he has been complaining about a calf strain injury that seems to be taking forever to heal. I have a feeling I may be doing this ultra solo.
Two weeks ago I was getting worried about my own chances when my patellar tendon on both knees started to flare up. Thankfully I figured out that it was due to some over confident crossfit clean and jerk lifting and I needed to back off the weight by 5 lbs or so. With that in mind I stopped doing anything that put strain on the front of my knees for a week then gradually added weight and exercises back into the rotation again last week. I am still not lunging or jerking with weight this week but everything else is feeling fine.
This week I am picking up my training where I left off pre-flu last week. I still ran my long run and my medium-long run so I feel like I have not lost anything by taking a couple of sick days. This week I crest the 30km mark by running a 32km long run. I am a mix of both excitement and fear. 4 hours is a loong run and lately I have been running my long runs on my treadmill so I have easy access to the bathroom, water, food, family support (;-)). I know it is not ideal preparation so I have been increasing the incline on those runs so I run at least 5km uphill. Will it be enough, only time and the hand and feet nature of the Wentworth valley hills will tell.

It's been awhile

I have had a busy and fun autumn this year, so much so I've forgotten to write! I've been embracing the plant based lifestyle while my husband has relaxed a bit with it, he still adheres to it most days. I am thankful for his ongoing support for both our health's sake.
Increasingly this year I saw articles posted on social media about switching to a plant based diet, which have been a both a source of great information and frustration for me. Why is it, that even after 30 years of studies that people are still eating meat and dairy? We have a national health care crisis in our country, and I'm pretty convinced that if we all switched to a plant based diet most of those health issues would be at least partially resolved, leading to less medications and doctor visits. So why the heck doesn't everyone know this? Really, why isn't this taught in school, or mentioned by our doctors?
It sure isn't because there isn't enough proof. There are over 700 independent (non industry funded) studies, not to mention books that have been written about this. Yet there is this wall of silence. It's as if we're all waiting for the doctor to call us into the office one day and start discussing our diet and lifestyle. That's never going to happen. For one, doctors are not taught about nutrition in school. They may be given a few hours, but you and I can both do our own research that exceeds that. The second is financial. I'm not saying doctors are greedy, or solely in it for the money, but because they only have 15 minutes with each patient they can pretty much only do one thing; write a prescription.
Shockingly (sarcasm intended), the pills we are prescribed don't cure us. If they did then the pharmaceutical industry would die off and not be the multi-zillion dollar industry it is today. That industry isn't interested in curing anyone, they are a for-profit industry that honestly couldn't care less if a patient is made better by these drugs. In fact, ongoing medical issues, like diabetes and arthritis are their bread and butter.
So once you develop an ongoing medical issue you are stuck in a vicious cycle of pills, side effects, more pills to resolve the side effects. Personally, when I was diagnosed with arthritis and started my first (and only) round of gabapentin, I quickly saw how this cycle works. I developed side effects and my specialist's solution was to give me more drugs! I had seen the pill cases my in laws have and certainly didn't want to go down that path. So I stopped. It was hard, especially when I didn't have a better solution for my daily pain, but I did know I didn't want to be a slave to pills. Months went by and I found by increasing my activity level it helped with the pain. It wasn't until I gave up meat and dairy that I found true relief.
I now feel liberated from the shackles of our current model of health care. I am back to running 50-60km a week, I no longer have daily arthritis pain, although I can hear the crepitus in my knee even as I walk down stairs, and I no longer feel sluggish. This gives me every incentive in the world to stay plant based.
Lately I've been trying to be perfect, haha. Not satisfied with eliminating my arthritis pain I also wanted to get rid of my eczema as well. I read that 50% of eczema patients are actually gluten sensitive, so I've been cutting down on the amount of gluten I eat. It's only been a couple of weeks but I'm noticing my hands are far less dry and the usual flare up areas are no longer red in color. I haven't eliminated it completely (the toast I ate last night is a testimony of that), but cutting it back appears to have helped, even just a bit. And if that can save me from buying a few tubes of cortate cream in a year, I'll take it. Besides, gluten free food honestly doesn't taste much different than gluten food.
So there I am. Ending off 2017 healthier and happier than when I started. I am forever grateful that I watched "That Sugar Film", "What the Health" and "Forks over Knives" to help start me on this journey.
So what's up for next year? Oh I'm tackling another ultra marathon. Yup, that's right. I'm training up for the Wrasskally Wrabbit 55km in June, and a few other races along the way. I feel like next year will be even better.

Maritime Race Weekend; Get'r Done!

The tartan twosome was certainly something to be respected. That much I learned this weekend lol. The Sunset 5km was  at 7pm Friday night, so after working a typical day, making super for the family etc., I laced up and ran with looked like 1000 runners alone Shore Rd. It was charged atmosphere, lots of competitive juices flowing and then nervous ones from those who were trying their first race, ever. I was in the middle, nervous in the big crowd, and I just don't race as much as I used to, and wanting to do well, for me. We heard the loud cannon but it took another 2 minutes before the crowd in front of me started to even budge. We picked up speed as we crossed the start line and eventually I could break into an easy trot. I rounded the corner out of fisherman's cove and we all spread out as soon as we could to run up the gentle incline. I enjoyed the crowd, people were excited, yelling and saying 'thank yous' to the volunteers. A few local musicians were playing Maritime music as we passed, so I didn't feel the need to wear my own music. Besides, it was much safer not to wear earbuds with the size of the crowd. I didn't bother with any of the water stops; it's a 5km in the evening, so I didn't feel overheated. I overheard many of the out of towner's saying how many "hills" there were to go, and I had to chuckle. Honestly, the route is as flat as they were going to get in Eastern Passage. I did point out that it was all downhill to the finish though. I checked my watch at the turn around and I noticed that I was only 18 minutes in, so I knew I was going at a decent pace. I tried hard to hold onto it straight to the finish, but I did slow down as I climbed the last "hill" ;-) I finished the Sunset 5k in 33 minutes so I was pleased to come in under 35 minutes. I didn't go all out but I did push myself at times. I quickly left, cheering on the other runners as I walked back to my car, and got ready for the half marathon at 8am.
The weather was overcast and cool when I got up for the half marathon. I knew it would get humid before it would all burn off and we would end up with a nice morning. I tried to dress accordingly, but looking back I wish I had bit the bullet and wore a fuel belt or a backpack to carry my stuff. I wore a vest over my wicking shirt but it trapped heat in a little too well. The crowd was as big as the night before as I lined up with the other tartan twosome people, and the 5km, 10km, half marathon and full marathon runners. The corral was color coded so you just got in your group and waited. I think it worked out well, the only draw back would be if you were trying to win, say the 10km and are behind the slowest 5km runner since the gun goes off only once and so we all go together. It again led to alot of crowding to the small roads. Thankfully, after the 5km turnaround the crowd's size dropped quite a bit. I decided to walk the Caldwell hill climb this time. It is a steep hill and while I usually gut it out I was feeling the effects from the night before's effort. I saw my friend Deanna first, charging back down the hill, looking super strong, running toward a sub 50 minute 10km. Next I saw my friend Lee as he crested the top of the hill on his way back down, looking good to finish his very first 10km race in just a shade over an hour.
I saw Hannah and my brother waiting to cheer me on as I passed Heritage Hills drive. They had our dog, Peanut with them and as soon as he saw me he freaked out, wanting to run with me. He usually does run with me so I felt badly for him. The runners behind me said he was very cute and clearly wanted to go for a run lol. I ran with them for another 2km, until we got to a hellish hill that just goes on and on for a kilometer. I tried to walk as quickly as I could and eventually I found my running legs again and took off, trying to chase them down again. The next climb was much shorter but it feels like you are climbing at a 90 degree angle, it's crazy steep. I power walked it but just couldn't make up enough time to catch them. After I reached the Moose I decided to put my earbuds on and blast my music. Besides, I run this exact route alot, so I pretended it was just another training run. I put my head down and settled into a steady pace. I ended up passing a few other runners along that road, and then again as we hit a steep downhill on our way back into Eastern Passage. I love downhills. As I finally got to the bottom of the last hill I saw the marker still in place for the 5km turnaround. I thanked the volunteers there and then saw there was a runner behind me. I asked her if she wanted to run the race in together and she said sure. Eileen and I had a great chat about the race and other local races we've done. She had just run her first marathon this past spring. As we hit the final kilometer marker one of the musicians approach us and said a runner was in distress. He asked if we could find someone with a phone that could call the first aid personnel for the race. I checked on the runner and asked her if she had any water She said she did and the volunteer said we were going to go get help. We ran as fast as our tired legs would carry us until we got to one of the road closure workers. I asked him if he had a radio from across the street and told him when he pulled it out that there was a runner in distress and the details of where they could find her. Then Eileen and I continued on, trying to keep a steady pace right to the finish. As we turned onto Fisherman's cove I saw Hannah and my brother cheering from the sidelines. It was great to see them and to finish.
Then it was back to reality and dance practice, groceries and a cat show - oh my! I think I deserved my oxcasa bowl from Feshii tonight.

In it for the Long Run

It's almost been 2 months since I went vegan. I've discovered new recipes, challenged my own beliefs about nutrition and become an advocate for a plant based lifestyle. Quite the summer.
My husband also joined me on this journey. He likes to say he isn't a real vegan since he does indulge occasionally. While that's true I actually think he just doesn't want to tell his meat and cheese loving family that he's turned vegan, haha. I don't blame him though, they love nothing more than to gossip about each other and I'm sure he doesn't want to be the subject of conversation. Although it should be rather interesting the next time they visit, especially when my MIL decides its time to cook bacon and eggs! hahahaha....how about some tofurkey and lentils?
I was chatting with some coworkers yesterday about being vegan after hearing the appalling things they do in the meat department of our local grocery store just to make the meat look more "red". One guy said he tried it but found he was lacking something. I told him if he and his wife really decide to go vegan they need to shift their mindset around meal time. We, in North America anyhow, have been told our meal time plates need to have a vegetable, a carb and a slice of meat, generally dividing the plate into thirds. With vegan eating, you usually end up cooking one dish, combining multiple foods into one delicious meal, such as rice, with lentils, black beans, avocado, red peppers, topped with some sprouts. Make enough and you won't be "lacking" for anything. That's the one thing my husband said has kept him on the vegan-train, he's never hungry. From the onset I made sure to always make a ton of food so no one is scrounging through the cupboards looking for something else. It's also self-serving since I was concerned initially that as a runner I might just pass out from lack of meat protein on a run. So far that's not happened and my runs have actually felt easier, but that could also be related to the weight loss that comes with a plant based lifestyle. So far my husband is down 15 pounds!
My knee arthritis is now an afterthought as opposed to being something I have to consider every time I take a run or even climb stairs. I still have achy knees occasionally, but I've noticed that only seems to happen when I've eaten something fried, like French fries. I no longer get the sporadic electric-shock pain that so many of us with arthritis know all too well and I don't wake up in the middle of the night to move my knee into a more comfortable position. There's no pill in the world that has fewer side effects and faster results than a plant based diet. I, for one, am a convert!

When life gives you lemons...

You make lemonade right? Right. So after hearing that my brother can't run the 50k with me in October (DAMN IT) I started to look for another race. I found a sweet deal on a Tartan Twosome race for MRW. I'll be running a 5k on Friday night (in September) and then a half marathon the next morning. The best part is that I get 3 medals for the two races! SWEET! And to top it off, its the race that literally goes past my house, so there is zero travelling time to factor in.
Ok, so I'm all set, now to just continue training so I can be ready to run some speedy miles, or at least respectable finishing times. Let's giv'r!

Runner's Woes

Oh my lord. I am a bit surprised that I'm here but, here I am. My brother, and co pilot for the 50k we were supposed to run in October told me (on my birthday, no less) that he's been asked to be in a friend's wedding on the same weekend. :-( Good lord. First my MIL tells me to block off my traditional 50k weekend for a birthday party, then the plans never appear, now my brother is canceling on me for my back up race. Holy hell. And its not like I can ask my husband to drive 2 hours and then sit around for 6+ hours waiting for me to finish running in the Valley, and I don't know anyone else running that distance or that would want to stick around for hours afterwards. 

So. Here I am at square one, with some decent training under my belt and my vegan lifestyle well established. It's one of those "What the heck universe?!" kind of moments. I'm trying to see this as some kind of lesson; to take my 50k build up more slowly and get my half marathon time down to under 2:15. I'll be doing the 50k in 2018 (come hell or high water!!).

To that end I've decided to enter the local half marathon in September. I could run it now but it wouldn't be a fast time. I'll dedicate my next couple of weeks to speed sessions and maintaining my long runs around 15-20ks. 

When life throws curve balls you can stand there, get hit and cry about it or you can take your hit and try to avoid the next one.

Solid Training and Running away from Nosy People

I've buckled down and started training for the 50k Valley Harvest Ultra in October. While it's only week 1, it's been going pretty well. I've been using podrunner's 180bpm tracks to keep my pace consistent and my stride short and so far, so good. My average pace time is hovering around 7:20 per/km.
I've noticed that I'm not feeling as gutted as I have been on my runs. Whether its the new vegan lifestyle or the podrunner pacing, or a combo of both, I'm not sure but I'm glad its working nonetheless.
Yesterday I explored a new-to-me trail system in Cole Harbour. The single track was well groomed and varied enough to keep me speeding along right to the end of the trail. It skirted a beautiful lake, included small wooden bridges, all the while covering the users in a canopy of green tress. On the way back I noticed there was a "closed trail sign" indicating the upcoming section was being groomed by heavy machinery. Since it was past 5pm I figured I was fine since no one was operating any equipment. I forgot that I should never underestimate the nosiness of other people. Shortly after getting on the section of trail a newly self-appointed trail warden started yelling at me from their fenced backyard, saying it was closed. I get that, and if something had happened to me on that section I certainly would have taken personal responsibility for being on said trail...but this person would not let it go; they kept yelling and yelling, and not really wanting to cut into my run, I kept running...away haha. I did cut the trail run short though and got back onto the road just incase the new warden decided to grab a bike and come after me.
So minor adventures aside, it's been going well. My legs feel good and I fell like I've got my fueling and recovery nailed down. This weekend is another camping adventure; this time in another province. I only have a 2 miler to do on Saturday (I'll be doing my long run on Friday, before we go), so getting in my training won't be an issue. I'm looking forward to hopefully finding a farmer's market along the way so I can grab some fresh, local produce. My local grocery store is fine, but I'd like to see if I can get more bang for my buck by going to the smaller markets (for vegetables at least). Here's to more summer adventures!

Running on Plants

For the first two years after being diagnosed with knee OA I searched. I searched for brace that would fix my pain, pain pills that wouldn't have too many side effects, therapies that would repair my knee, all to no avail. I kept looking to the outside world to fix my problem when all along it was what I was eating that could relieve my pain and solve my chronic inflammation.
I still have knee OA. That doesn't get reversed. But how I manage it has been changed by how I eat. I no longer wake up every. single. night to pain. I no longer predict rain by how sore my knee is feeling. The fear that on a run my knee will give out or intense stabbing pain will hobble me isn't a concern any longer. You would think anyone with OA would want a piece of this. Heck, I would have paid thousands of dollars to get this magic pill to relieving my knee pain 2 years ago. Oddly enough, the cure is actually saving me money.
I went plant-based. I was a vegetarian growing up since my single mom was a vegetarian. I never really thought much about it at the time, I just ate what we had in the house. My mother isn't a preachy vegetarian, she made the choice when she was 13 so she pretty much always ate that way. Then I met my husband who came from your rural meat and potato-eating family on a very tight budget. He had me try bacon, then came the chicken, pork chops and steak. Eventually my vegetarian diet become the standard American diet. I had no idea how weak it was making me. We ate this way right up to a month ago when I was sitting outside thinking about my personal health. I realized it had been a long time since I felt full of energy, full of life. In fact, I realized, the last time I felt truly physically great was when I was a vegetarian. Now that's saying something. I have run marathons,  and ultra marathons all on the SAD (standard American diet). I, of all the people I know, should have felt great. But I didn't. In fact, it started to seem like I was developing health issues I had no control over. I decided to make a change. But exactly to what?
Then, serendipitously, I stumbled upon a lecture online called "Why am I still fat?" With more than a few injury pounds to get rid of I was getting frustrated at my slow weight loss progress even though I was running 60kms a week. So I watched it and then watched "How not to Die". After watching that documentary I was shocked by the claims made about the vegan diet. So I looked up a few more. I watched "What the Health" on Netflix and became angry. I was angry at my own lack of common sense that food companies had no interest in health, they were only interested in making products that we are already addicted to and will sit on store shelves long enough to turn a profit. We are being used a profit vessels. Watch a tv commercial next time from a food company (think about the latest bacon and/or cheese burger). You can bet the claims about the food's deliciousness will center around the meat and dairy in the product. Why? It is NOT because they are healthy, it's because meat and dairy producers pay for those ads. Vegetable farmers don't. Common sense right?  I was also angry at the so-called societies that claim to help those with specific ailments (Cancer society, Arthritis society, Heart and Stroke foundation, etc.) Those groups are also profit driven, and they sure can't survive if their patients keep getting healthy, so they take funding from the meat, dairy and pharmaceutical companies. If you are stuck on an endless cycle of pain pills that don't actually solve the source of your illness, then you are just putting a Band-Aid on your cancer, heart disease or arthritis. I've been down that road and all it leads to are more pills. When was the last time you heard someone say, I took XX pill and now I no longer have heart disease. Never, right? They continue to take XX medication to "help" with the disease but XX pill never, ever cures the disease. That wouldn't be profitable, right? Those CEOs have to feed their families too ;-)
So I made up my mind to go cold turkey and turn vegan. At first it seemed daunting, then I started trying out vegan meat alternatives and realized this wasn't going to be "hard" at all. In fact, nothing could be easier than grabbing an apple or a banana for a snack. I still had a few hiccups where dairy was an ingredient that I wasn't initially aware of before I ate something, but I've gotten better at reading the packages of food I buy. Then my meat-enticing husband said HE wanted to try veganism. This was WEIRD, especially coming from the guy who turned me onto meat, but I was happy that he was taking such a radical leap. The first week was rough. He didn't like any of the meals I made and kept saying he was just trying this out for a couple of weeks, then he'd be back eating meat. This week though has been better. I found a few different meat alternatives that taste really close to the real meat thing and he's been slowly coming around. He hasn't noticed any huge health benefit yet, but I'm hoping he'll hang on long enough so he feels like he doesn't need to take his heart burn meds as much or at all any longer. Time will tell. I know my own vegan journey though, will continue.

Re-evaluating Summer Goals

Last weekend's race was fun, and hard. It also woke me up to the fact that I'm not really ready for the marathon in a month. If I managed to bring in a time of 2:30, maybe I'd be on the fence, but knowing that I'll likely be skirting the cut off time for the full marathon discourages me more than I realized.
So, I've re-evaluated my plans. I want my first full marathon back post injury/arthritis diagnosis to be fun but also not a slog-fest. I am pretty sure that means not running it in the middle of the summer.
On the plus side, I have all summer to train, to slowly ramp up my speed and distance to where I'd like it to be. I also want to find a marathon with a bit more of a generous cut off time than 6 hours.
I've fallen into the overtraining rut before and don't want to go back there.
So, my options revolve around a fall marathon. I am hoping to do the Valley Harvest 50km race still, so whether or not a full marathon happens before that is still up in the air. Decisions!

Good times at the MEC trail Half Marathon

I did it. I finished my first race of 2017. It was a brutal slog after the 10km point, when temperatures reached 30C, but I dug deep and followed my brother's feet so I didn't roll off the trail and into the water lol.
I knew from running the trail a lot that there would be a lot of jostling around as the trail is super narrow. I managed pretty well until the 5k runners split off from the rest of the pack. Then it was basically runner vs. the heat. The causeway was windy, which was a sweet relief but it was also monotonous as it's a straight out and back section. I was so thankful to reach the turn around point but also a bit disappointed I hadn't managed to stay on pace for longer. That pace only got worse as my brother and I made our way back, although we fought pretty hard not to let it slip over the 8 minutes/per km mark. I guess I know where I need to put in the work in my long runs lol.
So, a night of sore hips and legs made for a restless sleep but I'm super happy that I accomplished the distance and didn't chicken out at the 10km turn around point. I'm also very happy my brother gutted it out with me. I doubt I would have made it if he wasn't there keeping me laughing. The best part was that my knee didn't bother me once. AT ALL.
...and now I'm looking up my next race...

Moving to Vegan

First a disclaimer; I grew up in a vegetarian household. My mother has always been a vegetarian so once my parents got divorced my brother and I went vegetarian too. That lasted until I met my husband who drew me away from vegetarianism with bacon. Oooh bacon. That spiraled over the years into the standard American diet. I even followed the healthy eating guide when I was pregnant and gained 50 pounds! I knew then that something was off. How could the government/doctors promote a healthy eating guide that made you gain weight? Isn't that counterproductive? Turns out public health isn't the goal of promoting the healthy food guide, it's monetary gain.
It turns out we've all been lied to by not only the government, special interest groups (like dairy farmers and pharmaceutical companies) and charities which would all rather have our dollars than have a cure for what ails us. It's common sense, of course they give us addictive food and drugs, because they want us to continue to spend more money on them! Executives have families they need to feed too, right?
Okay? Caught up?
So, after much thought and research I've decided to go vegan. That means cutting out fish and dairy too. Now, given the amount of chemicals in our oceans and the drugs fed to fish in pens, making the choice not to eat fish isn't exactly difficult. Cheese has been a bit harder since it seems like its sprinkled on everything, but reminding myself that it contains pus certainly helps. Eggs have also been hard since I used to eat them daily, but the saturated fat in a single egg equals the damage of 5 cigarettes, so it isn't a very hard choice either.
Okay. So I've been vegan for 3 whole days now. I find it tough but I'm hoping that after my next grocery trip it might get a bit easier, especially at lunch time. I've noticed a mental clarity I haven't had before, better energy first thing in the morning and less inflammation...everywhere. My knee and leg muscles feel pretty darn amazing. Funny how, when you remove the source of ongoing inflammation, that your OA feels like its cured!
I'm not exactly promoting that I'm doing this either. There's still that weird vegan stereotype. I'm not militant about this vegan thing and I'm not going to get into a debate with anyone about it. If you can't see the benefits from a plant based diet, then too bad, enjoy your early heart disease, cancer and diabetes. The research is out there, free, for anyone to educate themselves on. At some point, as individuals we need to grow up and take control over what we stick in our mouths.
But what about the protein?! Thankfully, food has come a long way since the 1980s. There are pea and other vegetable based protein powders out there, and if you look at the nutrition profile of a lot of vegetables, you'll find they contain small amounts of protein. It really clicked for me when I read that the only protein the largest animals in the whole world eat, are from vegetables. DUH! You don't need meat to grow muscle or repair it!
So, here we go. I'm thinking about starting an instagram page for my recipes..once I have some to share.

Oh The Heat!

It's been hovering around 30 C in the city for a couple of days. That's pretty hot around here. The first run I did went okay, it was hot, for sure, but it wasn't unbearable. Yesterday's run was very hot, it got to the point my body was having a hard time breathing since hot air is all that was coming in. Stupidly, I didn't bring a water bottle (note to self for today's run). I'm hoping with some hydration and possibly, slightly cooler temps that today's run will actually be accomplished (completely). The past 2 days' runs have come up short thanks to the heat and family obligations. So currently I've got a 6 mile deficit to make up (UGH). Funny enough, I'm the only runner I see out there lately...where'd everybody go? Did everyone else take up pool running?
On the bright side, the warm weather means my knee is less of an issue. I (almost) feel like normal again without all the swelling - yay! It certainly gives me hope for the half marathon in a week. My brother is also back home, so I'm hoping he's still willing to be my running partner and will do this race with me. It's a trail race, the easiest trail race around these parts, so I think he'll be game.
With all the running I've been doing (on average 60kms a week), my shoes are wearing down fast. I started looking for replacements online, specifically the cute little Reeboks I got 4 months ago, but they're hard to find. I'm surprised I'm back looking at Reebok, since I haven't worn that brand in almost 8 years, but they've improved their neutral running shoes a lot. The search continues...

Focusing on the goal

So this Saturday was supposed to be my triumphant return to the trail running scene. Until my MIL ruined it at Christmas by insisting that my family keep this weekend open for a birthday party no one planned until the last minute and now isn't even happening this weekend!! Gaaah! I am only consolidated by the fact it is now on the father's day weekend, thus destroying any semblance of a father's day for my husband. Touche, as they say. Still, it sucks. Knowing I have to wait another YEAR before I can get back to this race blows hard chunks. I did toy with the idea of driving my own butt up to the race and doing the shorter version, and I'm still debating that, but at the same time I haven't prepared for what would be an intense race, regardless of the distance. All I can say is my patience for my in-laws non-planning, disorganized BS has gone to zero.
So now I'm trying to be good and focus on my first race this season, the MEC Salt Marsh Trail half marathon. It's a week after Father's day, and of course my SIL and her brood will be staying with us, but I've made it clear, visitors or not I'm running the race. After that one I have a month until my first marathon in 3 years. I'm nervous/excited for it. My training is going pretty good. My total kilometers per week is back where it needs to be for a marathon, the only thing I need to get a grip on is my long run. I have to stop splitting it, and get'r done in one shot. That'll be my focus for this week-get the long run done as a long run!

Magic Arthritis Therapy: And it's FREE!

My in-laws visited this past weekend. My FIL has arthritis in many areas of his body. He is constantly looking for a new pill or therapy to ease the pain that arthritis brings. He currently is exploring platelet therapy; a therapy I investigated over a year ago when it was much less available in this area. The science looked promising, but if one thing is true about new therapies is that while it may work wonders for one person, it may be ineffective for another. So that's what I told him. But I have since discovered a therapy that works for 90% of arthritis sufferers and is totally FREE. The big secret? Stop eating so much sugar. It drops a person's weight which relieves the overall stress on a person's joints, thus relieving the arthritis pain.
As a western society we have ramped up how many foods contain processed sugar by astronomical amounts in the last 30 years. Even in foods that are supposedly healthy, the fats have been replaced with shocking amounts of sugar. I looked last night at a bottle of teriyaki sauce I was going to use on a stir fry and found it contained 56 grams of sugar per 1/4 cup. That's almost 2 chocolate bars! No wonder people who think they are eating in a healthier way don't lose weight.
So, I've made it my personal mission to not only increase my protein intake but also to cut the amount of sugar from the standard 40+ tsp (200 grams) a day down to 6 tsp (30 grams) a day. It isn't as simple as simply cutting out candy. I have to look at any food product that is not sold in its original/natural form. In almost every case, you can pretty much guarantee sugar has somehow worked its way into the ingredients list.
Today (at least up until now which only includes breakfast and lunch), for example, I've had a protein shake (my standard breakfast) which contains 0.5 grams of sugar, chicken broth which contains 1.07 grams of sugar and a half serving of peanuts at 1.5 grams of sugar. This is me taking a proactive approach to reducing the amount of sugar I eat. Usually I eat a salad for lunch, which is tricky depending on the type of salad dressing I use, but it is certainly much less sugar than if I ate a sandwich or plate of French fries. If I were to tally up what many people eat for breakfast, such as a bowl of cereal and a glass of juice they would already have consumed over 80 grams of sugar. It's shocking.
When I think of my FIL and his nightly habit of a stack of white bread (4 -6 pieces) with molasses gobbed on top I know exactly why he has trouble losing weight and his arthritis flares up constantly. It's interesting that most people would rather take pills with a host of side effects rather than simply pay attention to the sugar content in our food.

Let's get EPIC

After my last post I did re-evaluate my goals. I decided to give the Epic Canadian multi-day race a chance and reorganized my training plan to suit it. I still have every intention of running the 50k at the Valley Harvest Marathon in October but I believe my knee is demanding that I take my training more slowly. Fine. One thing I've learned from OA in the knee is to be flexible based on what your body is capable at the current moment of achieving. So mine is currently calling for a slower mileage build up, and I have the time to make it happen.
I'm honestly not all that upset about canceling my plans to run the NS Marathon. It was really a replacement for an ultra that I would normally do in June but a family commitment that had me change my plans back in January. I feel positive about running the Epic Canadian races, after all, the distances are what I would normally run on a weekend anyhow, I'll just add the goal of doing them in a reasonable amount of time, or at least not finishing last haha.
In the meantime I still have the Walk to Fight Arthritis coming up on the first weekend of June. After a month of dance competitions for my daughter I really just want to take it easy on that weekend, but I feel I have a duty to support the cause. Last year my husband and I got into an argument on the drive to the event (about my driving) so I'm hoping for a much happier day this year...or maybe I'll just leave him at home.
So my new goals are set and I'm ready to go after them. I'm also hoping to run some shorter events between now and the end of August, and maybe even run one of the Maritime Race Weekend races in mid September. Let's giv'r!!

Re-evaluating Summer Goals

So...my knee. It's been giving me a bit of grief on the past few runs. I can't say that its totally my knee either, since my quad has hurt more than my knee, and at times it even gives out/spasms mid stride, which always leads to a fun little recovery. I've tried lathering icy-gel on it with a little bit of relief. I can't point to any one event that caused this issue either. I even went through my Strava logs to see if I've somehow drastically increased my mileage over the space of a month or two. But no, for the past 4 months I've averaged just above 250 kms for each month. Grrr. To add to the issue my other knee, just below the patella, has decided to kick up a fuss if I don't lather it with icy gel too, but modifying my stride seems to also help that leg.
It's frustrating. Especially now that I've finally got my long run back into the 20's. I haven't been doing as much weight training lately so I've resolved to pick that back up in the hopes it will help.
My frustration has led me to re-evaluate my goals for the summer. Doing a marathon no longer seems like a totally fun idea. I've looked around at the other events going on in the area and found an interesting endurance challenge; the Epic Canadian. I would run 6.1km (what's up with the 0.1 I don't know) on Friday night, then 10km on Saturday and finish with 21.1 on Sunday. All of the races are very close by and from what I hear the race support is great. The issue with that idea is the cost. To do all three will cost $181.00. Ouch. When you're used to paying $30 for a race, this amount seems ridiculous.
So I'll weigh my options. I could also not race at all this summer and train even more slowly up to the 50km road race on the Thanksgiving weekend. One thing is for sure, currently running 30km long runs is not something my knee is willing to go along with.

Setting a new PR then smacked with a cold

Last week, for the first time in over 2 years, I managed to complete a new PR in my weekly distance. I managed, despite working full time, running my daughter back and forth to a 5 day long dance competition that went to 10pm at night, dealing with a nagging front patella pain and hosting my in-laws, to complete 64km, including a long run. Yup, I rock. Then I got hit with a sinus/head cold. Then my head felt like a rock lol. I should have realized that increasing my distance would make me more likely to catch a cold (since your immune system gets depressed as you tax your body more) but I figured since I was increasing my distance slowly that I would adjust to it and catching a cold or the flu wouldn't be an issue. And it probably wouldn't have been if I hadn't sat at a dance competition with 100 other parents/kids for 5 days.
So for two days I've had pulsating ears, sore throat and dizzy spells. I decided to forego my usual carb restrictions so I could keep my energy levels up and hopefully send this cold packing. All I want to do is sleep. This week is thankfully a scale back week so my overall distance goal is 60km. Today I'm debating if I can run a 8km or 12km. I hate to cut back on my run, especially when I have the time to complete the 12km but I have a feeling I might be walking half of it so I may just stick with the 8 and save my longer runs for the weekend when I'm feeling better. Damn cold.
A lot of runners have a much more extended debate with themselves when running sick. The general rule of thumb is that if you feel like crap but it's all above the neck (such as my case), then giv'r. If your lungs are taking a beating or if you need to visit the washroom frequently then you should probably shelve the run. So, because I only feel like crap from the neck up, I shall run, albeit slooooowly. Onwards and upwards!

Why I won't run Boston. Ever.

Boston. To many runners it is the ultimate race experience. For some of them it is actually a life goal. I used to be a huge fan of the race too, but ever since I discovered trail running my runner mentality has changed.
I no longer chase a certain PR, I don't let it define me as a runner. I have come to realize the reason I'm out there, day after day, is because I simply love the sport and time spent in nature is a precious, rare thing for most people these days. I'm positive if I did a poll at my own workplace (which admittedly has a lot of fit, active people!) I would find less than 10% have spent an hour in the woods in the last week.
That's sad. This disconnect we have between ourselves and nature is only growing and we should pay attention to how it affects our lives, both mentally and physically.
I love the sweet smell of the trees, watching the rivers flow and the crunch of a good trail under my feet. I love going out for hours and just being my running-self. It both recharges me mentally and breaks me down physically. Bliss. That's why I love ultras. With generous cut off times, aid station eating-fests and the most supportive fellow runners on the planet I can't think of a better way (aside from hanging out with my awesome husband and daughter) that I could spend a day.
Do I still follow a training plan? You bet I do! I learned long ago that following one keeps the suffering level to a minimum during any race so to me it's still common sense.
So why do I still bother to race? I race much less than I used to, it has certainly become less important to me, but part of me wants to push my own personal boundaries. Yes, you can do this without a starting line but can you do it on a specific day? That's the question each runner, regardless of distance or type of race, puts on themselves when they decide to run a race. Sure you can run a 50 minute 10k but can you do it on, say May 10th, when it's raining and the route is different than the pancake flat route you usually run? Running trails has made me a stronger runner and has given me confidence to answer that question with a yes, yes I can, or at least I'm going to try.
Boston is a historic, beautiful road race, and I'll continue to watch it each year to see the runners triumph over their own limits and set records, but afterwards I'll head out into the woods, to smell the trees and enjoy the mud.

It begins...

The build-up phase is complete! Now the real work begins with the intense 16 week part of my marathon plan. This week is a solid 52kms consisting of two 8km runs, two 10km runs and a 16km LSD (long slow distance) run.
I typically have no issue completing the weekday runs, it's finding time to tackle the long runs is what stresses me out slightly. This week though that shouldn't be a huge issue, since I have Friday off and can tackle the 16kms before my daughter gets home from school (and before her dance competition in the evening!).
My knee has been pretty good. This past week when I conquered a total of 60kms (total) I started feeling twinges at the top of my kneecap. So, I shortened my stride and after a kilometer or so it eased up then disappeared. It happened a few times, and as I recall it starts to happen whenever I increase my distance, so just another thing to keep in mind I suppose.
My weight lifting has taken a bit of a backseat to my running these past two weeks, so that's something I'll have to try and balance a bit better. Between that and my daughter's dance competition season, things are about to get pretty interesting!

Embracing the Dread-Treadmill

These past couple of weeks have definitely been frigid. I have had every intention of logging some LSD miles but when the windchill is -15, a 90 minute running outside window is all my legs can take. On top of that cold air seems to have a stiffening affect on my OA. I noticed it a bit with the OA in my finger, but the knee is a much larger joint and demands attention whether you like it or not.
SO...what to do? I tried wearing layers around the knee to help keep it insulated but that is seriously annoying and limits my range of motion. Ugh. So then I tried running the indoor track. And then I discovered runner's-rage when every.single.time. I went to run there the skating group would use half of the track for land training, literally forcing everyone else on the track to slow down and navigate around them. So, wanting to embrace my runner-zen, I decided to dust off my treadmill at home and give that a whirl. Last week I logged 32 of my 38 kilometers on the bloody thing. It hasn't been since I trained for my first marathon and my first ultra that I used this thing that much. But hey, it's free, it seriously cuts down on how long I take to get ready for a run and when I'm done I can get cleaned up immediately. It also lets me worry about my pace instead of worrying about slipping on ice or how mechanical my knee feels in the cold. It's a win-win until the warmer weather hits. My dog though, he just sits beside the treadmill looking disgusted.
So for now I'm getting totally caught up on my Netflix action movies and trying to embrace the drudgery of the treadmill. I have also resigned myself to the fact I very likely will never run that Arctic marathon. Ah well, plenty of warm-weather races to run! Yesterday was a 5 year PB on treadmill distance for me; a whole 7 miles. And no, I didn't die of boredom or go totally nuts. At least I'm staying consistent.