Rock Climbing!

A while ago Joanne and I had talked about going rock climbing in our never ending quest to find fun cross training activities. Tonight it finally worked out!

We went to Vertical Adventures. It was a little tricky to find and I think we were both a little nervous when we first arrived.

 

 

Source

The very nice gentleman working there showed us how to put on our harnesses and how to hook up to the wires. I have never climbed like this before and it was kinda cool.

This wall will haunt my dreams! I could NOT get to the top!

However, only a small portion of the climbing areas at Vertical Adventures have these special wires. For the rest, you need someone to belay you. Thankfully it wasn't very busy and our friend from the front desk offered to belay us for a while.

 After an evening of climbing I realized a couple of things about myself:

1) I am stubborn! I will keep trying until my hands bleed or I make it to the top!

2) I have weak little chicken arms and need to keep up with the pushup challenge!

3) I really like climbing! (Dad, thanks for exposing me to this as a kid! Tonight brought back great memories of being a teenager and you taking me climbing!)

Small victories count...right?

After minimal running in October I swore I would get back on track in November. So far, I am on track but it has NOT been easy.

In addition to running I have also committed to cross-training. This is not my first time saying I should/will/have to cross-train but I'm hoping that making it public will help me actually stick to it.

Here's what I'm doing. I've committed to doing Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred on the days that I don't run.

My abs are totally gonna look like this in 25 more days!

I've also been working through the 100 pushup challenge, every other day.

Tonight was supposed to be a tempo run with my group but I didn't make it home from school in time. When I finally did get home I was starving and my kitchen was a disaster. At 8:45 I finally pulled out the treadmill and hopped on.

Our treadmill came to us for free and it's kinda low budget. When it's set to flat it makes a lot of noise so I have to set it to an incline that looks like this...

I was dripping sweat and panting and apparently only running an 11 minute mile.  I did 2 miles and hobbled off.  Either I'm really tired or my treadmill is a liar!!!


Either way, at least I got on. Small victories count too!

Foot Race Fail

How can you tell it's report card time.....

2 blog posts in 1 day!!!

Last weekend The Husband (who is not a runner or at all interested in becoming a runner) were talking about running.

It's kinda a long story but he challenged me to a foot race.  I would never say no to running with him so...

at 11:00 pm during a wet and blowing snow we arrived at an outdoor track close to our house.

Can you see the fear in my eyes?!?!

We decided to do 1 lap as a warm up and to check out how slippery the track was (it was also covered in goose poop).

The actual race was hilarious! I knew he would be ahead of me and my goal was just to stay close behind him and hold on tight!

At about 390 meters of the 400 meter track we both got a little foggy on where the finish line was and he stopped running. I was still behind him but only by about a foot!!

Even though I lost the race, it was a total blast! Maybe I can convince him to run a half marathon with me do a rematch on an indoor track :)

Getting back on track!

For the month of October I decided to run only when I really wanted to. Turns out, I only wanted to run in races. I had a blast but now I feel like it's time to get back on track.

I'm starting to miss the routine of running with my group, having goals and tough workouts. With that in mind I signed up for the Hypothermic Half Marathon clinic. There are a lot of people in the clinic and I know that I will be relying on these people to get me through another winter of cold and "character building" runs.

Not too excited about these days coming up!

Our first run was on Thursday night and I was really looking forward to a brisk run in the cool air. Well...that's not exactly what I got.  Our clinic leader had something else in mind. We were told we would be doing a type of benchmark run based on our heart rate.

Apparently my watch has a function that uses my heart monitor to calculate different zones for running. Zone 3 is 60-70% of my max heart rate and around 135 bpm. If I stray too far from this an alarm goes off that lets me know I should slow down or speed up.  Who knew my watch could even do this??

Well, in order to keep my heart rate down I had to run slow...really slow! After 2.5 miles, my average ended up being 12:30 min/per mile which is a crazy slow mile compared to the 8:35 miles I've been running while racing in the past month.

The goal is that when I go out and try this exact same run next month my heart will be in better shape and I'll be able to run faster at the same rate of exertion. Here's hoping!!

I'll let you know how it works out.

Red Run 10k Recap

After last week's Ted's Run I was happy to end the running season on a high note. That is until I got a text from a friend last night asking if I wanted to run a 10k in Selkirk today.

I had already committed to attending a Halloween wedding social but the race didn't start till noon. So, at around 1:00 this morning, I replied with a YES!

This was a the first year of the Red Run and it was a very small race which included a 5k, 10k and 1/2 marathon. Many people arrived in costumes and I was a little sad that I didn't have time to make my own.

Because Christy's friend was running her first 10k I knew I would be running this one alone. I was a little worried about being lonely on the course but it wasn't too bad. I chose to run without music (music free since Niverville!).

 Close to the 4k mark there was a small out and back and I started looking for 10k bibs. There weren't a lot of us out there and I wasn't seeing any women.  I assumed I must have missed them and tried to just stick to my pace.

After the 5k mark there was a final out and back that seemed to go on forever! I kept waiting for the turnaround while watching for 10k people who were heading to the finish.  After seeing 4 men I hit the turn around and realized I WAS THE 1ST WOMAN!!

With only 1.5 miles to go, I picked up the pace a little and decided I would NOT let anyone catch up with me. At 53:28 I was the 1st woman and 5th person to cross the line!!

I was so excited at the finish that I stopped instead of crossing the line and ripped my bib in half trying to hand the lady my number. Luckily the people were very nice and recorded the time I stopped at the finish line :)

A lady dressed as a tiger took my photo for the local paper and I won a very tiny medal and a $25 Running Room gift card.

For another first, Christy and I celebrated by eating a delicious 1/8lb burger (weight after cooking) at Blondies. How have I never heard of this place! It's a total hole in the wall but ridiculously yummy and worth the trip.

My face does not reflect how delicious this burger was!

Ted's Run Race Recap

This weekend I participated in the first official Ted's Run for Literacy. It was a 10k in memory of Ted Swain, a respected runner and english teacher in Winnipeg. The race was also to raise money for a literacy program called Start2Finish.

Because the race director is a friend of mine and a regular at The Running Room that I run out of, a ton of my running friends were also at the race. It was was fun to see so many people out, both running and volunteering along the route.

The morning started out awesome! The temperature was perfect, the sun was out, and the energy was high. There was great music playing and we even had a group warmup. I was a little distracted because my parents were coming out to the run and I was excited to see them.

This race started at the finish line. After the warmup the whole group of runners walked to the start line together. My dad even came with us to take a couple pictures.

The only picture my dad got of me running, without my butt in it!

Yep, there it is.

Everything started out great and I tried really hard not to look at my watch. I was scared that I was going pretty fast and seeing the pace might freak me out. At the 5k mark I suddenly got a really bad cramp in my side. It felt like my whole right side was starting to seize up.  Luckily the turnaround point and water station was in view.  I decided to take a sip of water and walk a couple seconds which seemed to do the trick.


Around mile 4 I heard a strange sound behind me.  I couldn't place it until he passed me...a barefoot runner.  I quickly pulled up beside him and chatted his ear off with a million questions. (Don't worry I asked if he was cool to chat and gave him permission to tell me to get lost). I've seen this guy at races before, he always has a smile on his face and an encouraging word to share. I'm pretty sure this is his blog.

The last loop of the park felt like it took forever and I was really excited to see the glorious red inflatable finish line. There was loud music and a bunch of people cheering, including my parents! One last sprint and I finished it up in 53:35!!

Considering that my previous PB from my first and only other official 10k was 1:06, I was ecstatic!  It was a great way to end an amazing running season!

Awesome Twosome Goes Both Ways!

A fun race with a funny name! 

              (As usual, Joanne and I showed up dressed EXACTLY the same)

This morning, Joanne and I ran the Awesome Twosome Goes Both Ways 5k partner race.  It was put on by The Manitoba Runner's Association. To enter the race you had to have a partner. Our bibs were labelled A and B. A's lined up facing one way and B's facing the other way.  At the sound of the siren, we took off in opposite directions.

The race took us on a pretty loop around Assiniboine park. At almost exactly the halfway point Joanne and I passed each other, high fived, and kept on running.

Exactly 25:43 seconds later I crossed the finish line just in time to see Joanne approaching the finish line. Our ages and times were combined and we ended up placing 2nd in our age category.

Although there weren't a lot of people we knew at the race we ended up having a really fun time! It was my first official 5k race and I have to admit I was a little afraid of the short distance and how I would pace myself properly. I am sure I'll try more short races in the future, definitely a good way to get some speed work in :)

Niverville Inspiration 1/2 Marathon race report

The morning started out with the usual pre-race anxiety and stomach issues. Joanne came to pick me up at 7:15 and we were off to the race.

It was really nice to meet up with a ton of running friends at the start line. We all stood shivering and chatting while we waited for the race to start.

So many wonderful, strong, beautiful running ladies!

Originally Joanne and I decided to run together for as long as we could. But at the start line I started to feel anxiety about it. I felt a strong need to go it on my own, so I put in my earbuds (these came out in less than a mile and I never bothered to put them back in) and got down to work.

The first 4 miles felt great. The live music was good and Joanne and Wendy were both close by on the course. I was running right on pace and felt very comfortable.

Around mile 7 I caught up to Laura. I knew her a little bit from another clinic and we settled into comfortable conversation. Laura is a much more experienced runner than I am. She was running by feel and hadn't even been looking at her watch. After a mile or so I looked at my watch and realized I had slowed down a little while I was talking. I told Laura about my goal and she volunteered to help me get there!

Soon we were running down the stretch of highway that I had been dreading. It's 2.5 miles out and back down a gravel road! It felt like it would never end. The upside was that we got to see almost all of our other friends who were running. Words of encouragement were shared as we shouted and waved.

Mile 10 turned off the highway and straight into the wind! Laura was getting farther and farther ahead of me and I had my first negative thoughts about not making my goal. Then, at a turnaround Laura started walking and waited for me.

She laid it out, "Connie, we're gonna use that wind on the way back to our advantage and run a tempo run to make up time!" The next thing I knew I was chasing her down the highway at an 8:30 pace!

Somehow I missed the 12 mile marker and began to feel like I wouldn't make it to the finish. I was crazy scared to look at my watch to see how much time was left. Just then Laura yelled back that there was less than a mile and I had 7 minutes left to finish this up!

I don't know how I missed the marker but I knew I could definitely finish 1/2 a mile in less than 7 minutes.

When I saw that red inflatable finish line I gave it everything I had left and sprinted to the finish.  I came in at 1:57:19 and destroyed my A goal!!

Laura, thank you for such a great run!!! 

My friend Darlene completed her first 1/2 marathon!!

It was a beautiful day and many of my friends had personal bests. It was awesome to see my little group complete their first 1/2 marathons! And a bunch of us met up for an amazing BBQ after the race, thanks Cheryl!! 

Goals for Niverville Inspiration 1/2 Marathon

I ran this race last year, loved it and knew I'd be back!

The race is put on by Imagine: Mental Health Matters whose goal is to raise awareness about mental health issues and suicide prevention. The people of Niverville are extremely friendly and lots of people come out to cheer the runners on. There are also a lot of very talented musicians entertaining runners along the route. After the race there is good food, massages, and lots of entertainment for kids and adults.

Since the beginning of summer I knew I wanted to run at this event but my other main goal coming out of Fargo was to give my legs a rest. Well, if you've been following my blog you have noticed that I haven't backed off running all together. That being said, I have slowed down!

I have been helping out with my friend Joanne's clinic and pacing a 2:15 group. I have LOVED running with this group. The slower pace has made for lots of comfortable chatting and quick recovery from long runs. I believe that running at this pace has also helped to heal old injuries and prevent new ones. I also loved running with people who were training for their 1st half marathon, so exciting!

Up until last week I had planned on pacing my little group to finish in 2:15. However, when I started to reflect on my summer and the way my body has been feeling I decided to give that old sub 2:00 goal one last shot. Don't worry, I talked to my group and they all had people to run with and support

This new goal caused quite a bit of anxiety but after the Winnipeg 10 & 10, I had a pretty good idea that I could do it.

Of course the night before the race I started to freak out a little and was even feeling sick to my stomach.  The Husband tried to comfort me by reminding me that I do this for fun!!

I agreed and wrote down my goals and some of the things I would think about when things got hard. This was also my list of things to remember to bring in the morning.

Journey is for my journey, not the band :)

Stay tuned for how this worked out...

Winnipeg 10 & 10 Race Report

On Thursday I decided to register for the Winnipeg 10 & 10. This is the second year of this race and my first time participating.

I left really early this morning thinking parking would be an issue.

I was really impressed with the race on a whole. Parking was super easy and there were lots of porta-potties available.


My intention for the race was to start slow and try to get to a pace just a little slower than the pace I'd like to do in Niverville 1/2 a couple of weeks from now.

I was pretty nervous before the race started but after meeting up with a couple friends I started to feel better.  One of the friends I met had a similar plan for the race as me and we decided to start the run together.

Val, thanks so much for the run!!

The company was wonderful and we were both pretty comfortable with the pace so we stayed together till around the 8 mile mark when Val pulled away. Way to go lady!

Glen made a comeback to running today. Congrats!!

I managed to finish the 10 miles in 1:31 and almost 10 seconds/mile under my goal pace!

My friend Barry placed 1st in his age group!

The weather and course were perfect! The volunteers were friendly and the medals were beautiful. My only complaint was no chocolate milk at the finish line.

As I've said 1000 times today, it was an awesome day!

Thank you Niagara!

Last weekend The Husband and I went to Niagara on the Lake for a good friend's wedding. Fortunately we have a ton of family there too! It was an amazing time with family and friends. Here are some highlights:

We started the trip up in the Muskoka's with Uncle John and Aunt Karin. It was so relaxing and of course the food was amazing.

I tried really hard to take these puppies home.

My Cousin Will took us to Wayne Gretzky's winery. The girl working there was hilarious and the wine and CHOCOLATE were delicious.

Cara and Jai's wedding was beautiful. We had such a great time laughing and dancing the night away.

 On Sunday morning after the wedding I met up with my Aunt, Uncle and Cousin for a run. It was my Aunt's first ever 10k and she did fantastic! The route was right along the river and so beautiful!

 

After the run, all of my Niagara family came over for an amazing lunch. It was so great to hang out with everyone and catch up.

Later that night The Husband, Aunt Karin, Uncle John and I decided to head out to the Falls for some touristy fun. My Uncle has some crazy magical powers and took us to a secret place where we got to change the colours of the lights that shine on Niagara Falls. It was pouring rain and we kept changing the colours and then running outside to see how it looked. We were GIDDY!

There were lots of other highlights including our lunch with John and Jen, Aunt Karin's cooking, watching my beautiful friend Cara get married, and so much more!! Thank you everyone who made our trip so amazing!

1 run, 2 emergencies

Today was a big run for a lot of the people in our clinic group. We had perfect weather for our 11 mile trek. We were also running one of my favourite routes, to the Forks and back.
Unfortunately we had 2 hiccups today.

First, there's an amazing gentleman who's been running with us. This guy is 75 years old and he's run 13 full marathons and countless 1/2 marathons. He loves to chat as he runs and never seems to get out of breath.

Today, as we were approaching the Miseracordia Hospital we came off of the street and onto the sidewalk. Unfortunately my friend just scuffed the top of the curb and took a tumble. In the fall he managed to knock the wind out of himself. He was rolling on the ground and gasping for breath. We were all really scared and I quickly called for an ambulance.

While I was on the phone with the dispatcher he managed to catch his breath and was able to tell us he was okay. I asked the dispatcher to hold off on the ambulance as we would walk to the hospital that was very close by. 

Our friend was alright and decided to walk back to the store. After walking most of the way back to the store actually turned around and ran the last mile with us.  I'm so glad he is alright, he sure gave us a scare!

*T.M.I.*WARNING*

The second emergency was much less serious. My stomach started feeling 'icky' around mile 2. It felt sketchy all the way to our rest-stop at mile 5.5. Luckily I made it to the washroom there without incident.

I had more issues in the last mile and stopped at the store at 10.6 miles to use the washroom instead of finishing the 11 miles. Don't worry, I ran home to complete the 11 miles.


I learned two things today.

#1. It's very important to carry a cell phone when running. You never know what could happen.

#2. Don't eat chili as a bedtime snack before a long run!!!

My Mom!

Treherne, my first 1/2 marathon. We cried together before and after this race.

I have the best Mom ever! She is my number one fan and super supportive. My mom has come to almost every race I've been in and I'm sure she cheers louder than all the other spectators. Some of my running buddies have even asked if they could borrow her to come to their races.

I convinced mom instead of just cheering she should volunteer at the Police 1/2. We didn't expect the snow/wind on May 1st! This photo was taken from the article in The Metro.

I don't want to leave out my Dad, The Husband and the rest of my family who have also been super star cheerleaders, but only Mom slept in those questionable beds at the Treherne Motel. 

Mom and Dad after Niverville 1/2 marathon.

When the miles get tough, I often think about my Mom. I think about how badly she would love to be running with me. My Mom does not run, in fact, my Mom often has difficulty walking or even standing. She has had serious knee troubles since she was a young woman, including breaking her knee 5 times!!

Lots of family came out to the Hypothermic Half. It was -27! And they made signs, the only signs on the course!

Well, today she is finally having that terrible knee replaced! I am so excited for her! I hope this will end the pain that she's been in and allow for more mobility.

Mom, next year you're doing that hill with us!!

I love you Mom and couldn't do this without you!! Praying for you today and I'll see you tonight!!!

This is not a food blog!

But...in just over a week I will be going back to work full time and starting a new university class. I would also like to have time to do some running.

So, I spent about 12 hours cooking over the last two days. I did the same thing last year and it worked out great. My only complaint was that even though I froze everything and we ate the it over a couple of months, there were a couple dishes that we were bored of by the end.

Yes, I wear running clothes to cook. Supportive shoes are essential when cooking for a long time!

To remedy that problem I offered to split the cost for my mom and provide her with half of the completed dishes. This works out well for her too as she is having knee replacement surgery tomorrow. I am so excited for her! She has needed a new knee for a very long time.

Back to cooking...

This kind of cooking requires some serious planning. Including deciding on dishes, making lists (I make separate lists for each area of the grocery store), shopping, and finally cooking.

My kitchen after the big shopping trip.

After 12 hours of cooking, here's what I made. I've linked to the recipes where possible. The carrot soup and chicken noodle soup were not made from recipes.

• meatballs (The Husband's Grandma's recipe)
• cabbage soup
• french onion soup
• creamy carrot soup
• chicken noodle soup
• lasagna  (used spinach noodles instead)
• bbq pulled pork (sauce from packet)
• chili (added celery and baked beans instead of pinto beans)
• raisin-chocolate chip cookies (also added 1/4 of chocolate chips)

The key to these little devils is french-onion soup mix.

Slow cooker is a life-saver when cooking in mass quantities.

The french onion soup recipe takes HOURS but it is totally worth it.

The start of the carrot soup.

After adding milk and blending. The most beautiful colour ever!

These guys are from the Weight Watchers book but you would never know!

Finished product!

 I ended up with 28 containers of food. Most are good for lunches or could be dinners with a few additions. The cost came to under $3 per container.