Faze's
Editor Lorraine has planned to get in
shape many times. But this is it, she says. From doing little
exercise beyond typing at her computer and pressing the TV remote
she plans to run a half marathon (21.2 km) on May11, 2003.
And she's put it in print to make it tough to back out.
This
is her journal as she starts training through the Canadian
winter for the National Capital Half Marathon in Ottawa.
We wish her luck!
Mon. Nov.18/02
What was I thinking? It's 10:15pm and I'm on a treadmill! Note
to self: work on time management.
So,
I've set my sights on The National half-marathon in Ottawa on
May 11, 2003. Since I've never really run before I have a lot
of work ahead. My good friend Jen Warden (and personal trainer)
has put together a great program for me to follow. I've been doing
a bit of homework on marathon running and although nowhere does
it say you need a personal trainer, I think most experts agree
that if you've never run before you should get some expertise
on board and get a program that works for you. Joining a running
group is a good start and be sure that you're physically okay
to start training-a visit to your doc is a good idea.
My program consists of a three day per week running and weight
regime. I'm starting off easy with a 20 minute run followed by
light weights. I'll be slowly upping everything as I progress.
You can check out my program by clicking here.
My run and workout today was not as bad as I thought it would
be, although I accidentally put my niece's CD in my walkman so
had to listen to Britney, *Nsync, BSB and Lil BowWow for more
than an hour!
Tues.
Nov. 19, 2002
Today is my rest day-and I needed it! My body is sore all over.
But a good kinda sore. I had school today (I'm taking some magazine
publishing courses) and decided to use the elevator to get to
the fourth floor because my legs were telling me "NO WAY-NO
CAN DO!" Hopefully, my body will have adjusted to the workouts
by next week and I'll be using the stairs again.
Wed.
Nov. 20, 2002
Again today was a 20-minute run. I felt great at first but within
five minutes my legs were reeeally tired. I started to think I might
not make it through the full 20 minutes, so I decided to slow my
pace down a bit. (Tip from Jen The Trainer: listen to your body!)
I've been trying to maintain a 10-minute mile pace but found it
too tough today. After about eight minutes of running, surprisingly
I started to feel stronger so picked up the pace a bit. By the end
of the run I was back up to my 10-minute mile pace and felt great.
I almost wanted to keep running for awhile longer but knew I should
stick to the program at these early training stages.
Sat.
Nov. 23, 2002 - Temp.: -1°C (really cold)
So, today was my first ever outdoor run. This is truly significant
'cause I consider myself a bit of an island girl, and I don't handle
the cold weather very well. (I still get grief for taking my long
johns to Maui and even more grief that I actually wore them one
night! - But you'd be surprised how cold it can get on a beach with
the wind blowing.) Anyway, my gear was amazing. I wore my long pants
and had four layers of upper body wear. Apparently, the layering
part is key.
I did a 30-minute run today and it felt great up until the
last 4 minutes. I guess I didn't plan my route very well because
the last stretch was all uphill. Okay, it wasn't a really steep
hill or anything but after 25 minutes of pounding the pavement even
getting up a curb can seem daunting to a novice runner. I'm glad
the run is over but I enjoyed it-part of my run took me over a bridge
and I started to sightsee a bit. There's something amazing about
being outside in the cool fresh air checking out a beautiful valley
as you run.
23
WEEKS TO GO!
Mon. Nov. 25th, 2002 - Temp.: -1°C (still really cold)
I got back from school at about 10:30pm and headed off for my 30-minute
run. I decided not to repeat yesterday's route so I could avoid
the uphill battle at the end. Since it was obviously dark out I
ran along a well-lit main street, Yonge Street (world's longest
street), and again had a pretty good run. Truly my gear is amazing.
I wasn't even a little bit cold-which is a major deal to me.
Some Stuff:
- I don't like running to Janet Jackson's "All for You"
or J.Lo's "I'm Real." I dunno why but they just don't
work for me.
- I love running to Pink's "Just Like a Pill" and No Doubt's
"Underneath It All." I dunno why but they just work.
Mom kinda tips:
- Be careful when crossing the street if you've got your walkman
blasting because you might not hear stuff like fire trucks or crazies
screeching around the corner.
- Since your ears are busy, make your eyes do double time. Take
note of everything.
Talking about keeping your eyes open I noticed on my run north
on Yonge Street that two police officers had pulled up in front
of a TD Bank and were checking out the door really closely using
their flashlights. On the way back south I saw them with their little
brushes, (just like in a C.S.I. episode) collecting fingerprints
off of the door. I guess there was a break-in or something. Anyway,
it was the first time I'd ever seen a crime scene investigation
being conducted. But it got my mind going and made me start thinking
about stuff. Like what if I had been running by the bank just when
some "robber" was making a getaway. What would I have
done? Would I make a good witness? I'd like to think so. Would I
have tried to stop the guy? Probably not it's only money definitely
not worth getting knifed for. But it really made me realize how
unpredictable life is and how our world can be rocked in a second.
So I came home and kissed my family.
Wed.
Nov. 27, 2002
I decided at about 5pm that I'd go for my 30-min run but realized
I was hungry. I hadn't eaten anything since lunch, which was about
five hours earlier, so decided I should grab something to eat. (Tip
from Jen the Trainer: you can't expect to run well without fuel).
I remembered one of Jen's power drink recipes so blended myself
a meal. I mixed 1 part yoghurt with 2 parts milk (I used skim),
added a banana and blended. It's a great source of protein and carbs-just
what your bodies needs AND it digests very quickly (key). Within
45 minutes I was outside and felt great.
Sun.
Dec.1, 2002. Temp. -3°C
Today was my "long" run. Each week I'm supposed to push
myself a bit further so I can start developing my endurance. It
was only five minutes longer than my last run but it felt a lot
longer than that, although, I noticed that time seemed to hurry
up when I wasn't focusing on it.
22
WEEKS TO GO!
Wed. Dec.3, 2003. Temp. -5°C
I'm not sure if you're paying attention but did you notice I said
it was MINUS 5°C today! I did my four-layer gear thing and put
my faith in Nike. Fortunately, they came through. So, as I'm running
past people with scarves around their faces, heads bowed down against
the wind I realize I have become what I always affectionately referred
to as "a running freak." You know, one of those "they
must be out of their minds" people who run when it's raining,
snowing, sleeting or minus 5°C! But it wasn't that bad. I mean
it. Here's my trick. I get all geared up and do a few chores around
the house until I'm sort of uncomfortably warm--not so hot that
I'm sweating--but warm enough that I'm happy to hit the cool air
outside. I'm not sure if this is good for you, but it works for
me (ie. the island girl who wears long johns in Hawaii).
23
WEEKS TO GO!
Wed. Dec.4, 2002. Temp. -5°C
I'm not sure if you're paying attention but did you notice I said
it was MINUS 5°C today! I did my four-layer gear thing and put
my faith in Nike. Fortunately, they came through. So as I'm running
past people with scarves around their faces, heads bowed down against
the wind, I realize I have become what I always affectionately referred
to as "a running freak." You know, one of those "they
must be out of their minds" people who run when it's raining,
snowing, sleeting or minus 5°C! But it wasn't that bad. I mean
it. Here's my trick. I get all geared up and do a few chores around
the house until I'm sort of uncomfortably warm-not so hot that I'm
sweating-but warm enough that I'm happy to hit the cool air outside.
I'm not sure if this is good for you, but it works for me.
Fri.
Dec.6, 2002. Temp. -2°C
Today was a good running day. Not too cold (ha). For my 35-minute
run I focused on keeping my strides long and relaxed. I notice when
I'm not paying attention I revert back to short quick steps, which
over two or three hours (marathon length), can make a big difference.
Fewer steps mean fewer high-impact collisions with the pavement,
which means less chance of injury and damage.
Sun.
Dec.8, 2002.
Today my long run was 40 minutes. Five extra minutes can be huge.
I'm starting to realize that running is truly more of a mental exercise
than a physical one. Those last few minutes went on forever. My
body seemed fine, I mean, it wasn't really tired or aching, but
I just felt like I'd had enough. I really had to dig in to get through
to the end. It made me think of my good friend who always says it's
mental strength and determination to not give up that separates
those who finish stuff and succeed from those who quit.
Wed.
Dec.11, 2002.
Another 40 minutes behind me. I'm getting the hang of this.
Sat.
Dec. 14, 2002.
Today I felt like I was on an obstacle course. I chose my now familiar
route north on Yonge Street and although I ran for 45 minutes, I
didn't get as far as usual. I hadn't planned on all those holiday
shoppers acting as pylons in front of me. I did more dodging left
and right than I did moving ahead. But still, it felt good to be
out there.
Mon.
Jan.16, 2002.
Last day of school for me! For now anyways. I really think running
is good for learning. Seriously. I find I organize my thoughts-what
work I have to do, who I need to call, what needs to be done and
what's the priority. But more importantly, I feel that running helps
to clear out my head. Sort of wakes up my brain and seems to make
room for more stuff. Who knows.
Wed.
Dec.18, 2002.
Even though I had to see "Lord of the Rings. The Two Towers"
from the second row, it was worth the sore neck.
Wed.
Dec.25, 2002.
Merry Christmas!! Ah, tis the season. Not that I'm complaining,
I love the Christmas holidays-but it has thrown me off my running
schedule.
Wed.
Jan.1, 2003.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
Mon.
Jan.6, 2003.
I'm back at school. It's great to see my friends and meet new people.
I'm really looking forward to 2003. It's funny how we all wait for
a new year to decide to make changes, resolutions and promises to
become a better person.
Fri.
Jan.10, 2003.
What a difference a few weeks make! Running was really tough, especially
since I took some time off for the holidays. From my first step
outdoors I could tell this wasn't going to be a good run. So I made
a quick decision to make this a "get back into it" run.
I ran for 30 minutes and felt great by the end of it.
Sun.
Jan.12, 2003.
50 minutes. Again, not easy. I found that after about 20 minutes
my legs were really tired so I slowed down my pace but kept at it.
Thurs.
Jan.16, 2003. Temp. -5°C
I let my legs rest for three days and my 55 minutes were no problem
at all. Going down to -20°C tonight!
Sun.
Jan. 19, 2003. Temp. -7°C
Today was another story. It had to be one of the toughest days I've
had so far. First of all, as soon as I decided to go for my run
outside it started snowing (and with the wind chill factor it was
-15°C), which meant it would be a treadmill day for me. I find
for longer runs the treadmill is very boring, so not only do I have
to battle the physical challenge but the run becomes a much more
mental ordeal. The first 30 minutes of my hour run was not too bad.
Then I started to break down-not physically but mentally. I started
to come up with good reasons why I should quit early: I have a lot
of other stuff to do, the room is too hot, I shouldn't push myself
too hard and a few other real lame reasons. But wait, I had to go
to the washroom-really badly! I'd definitely have to stop now or
things could get ugly. So, I jumped off the treadmill and thankfully
ran off to the washroom. Amazingly, just about nothing happened.
It was pathetic. I wouldn't have been able to fill a sample bottle
at the doctor's office if I'd tried. Wow. The mind is truly an amazing
thing. So, back to the treadmill I went and refused to let myself
lose this mental battle.
My next run will definitely be outside.
Wed.
Jan. 22, 2003. Temp. -12°C
Perfect! I'm ready for my run and it's MINUS 12! Whatever. Brrrring
it on. I'm geared up in five layers and ready to go.
No problem. After about four minutes I was pretty warmed up and
comfortable. So anyway, now that I've built up to an hour long run,
I'm at a new stage in my training. My trainer, Jen, has me on "short"
runs during the week and a "long run" on Sundays. So,
today I ran for 40 minutes, which was perfect considering how cold
it was!
Tues.
Jan. 28, 2003. Temp. -7°C
Another 40 minutes. No problem.
Sun.
Feb. 1, 2003. Temp. 3°C
Today was a "long run" day so I put in my 65 minutes and
it felt great.
Tues.
Feb. 4, 2003. Temp. -3°C
I kinda got busy today and lost track of time. So, it was 11pm before
I had a chance to hit the treadmill for my 40 minute run. I thought
I'd have the workout room all to myself but there was a guy on one
of the treadmills. I couldn't believe the racket he was making on
the machine. He was running so fast it sounded like he was running
from a mugger or something. As I walked past him I peeked at the
display on his machine and it was set at a really leisurely pace:
6.5 kms/hour-you could almost walk at that pace! He was my visual
aid on 'what NOT to do' when you're running. He was taking really
tiny jerky steps instead of nice long smooth strides and he was
landing flat-footed like he was stamping out cockroaches with every
step instead of landing on the heal and rolling off the toe. I really
wanted to say something but figured, "Who am I? What do I know
about running?" But the more I think about it, the more I feel
I should have piped up. I could've shared what I do know. I guess
the worst he could have done is told me to "get lost"
and ignore my advice. Maybe I'll "run" into him another
night.
Fri.
Feb. 7, 2003. Temp. -5°C
Another 40 minutes without a hitch.
Sun.
Feb. 9, 2003. Temp. -9°C
I reeeally did not feel like running today. So, I had my sweetie
drive me 10kms from home and drop me off. I knew I only had a quarter
in my pocket (for an emergency call) so there'd be no sneaking into
a cab or jumping on a bus: it was up to my running shoes to get
me home. And after a respectable 70 minutes, they did.
Tues. Feb.11, 2003. Temp. -7°C
I was a little stiff today but once I got started I felt fine. The
40 minutes were no problem.
Thurs.
Feb.13, 2003. Temp. -10°C
Today was a treadmill day and I pulled off a comfortable 50 minutes.
Sun.
Feb.16, 2003. Temp. -13°C
This weather is really starting to get on my nerves! It's snowing,
which means I was on the treadmill again-for my long run (80 minutes).
The run was going well and I was feeling great but after about an
hour or so, the insides of my biceps were feeling kinda sore. I
chose to wear a cute ribbed tank top today, which turns out, wasn't
a good idea: the inside of my biceps brushed against the fabric
with each pump of my arm and eventually started irritating the skin.
I suddenly remembered reading on a marathon website that you should
"vaseline yourself" before the race and, at the time,
I had no idea what they were talking about. Now I know.
Tues.
Feb.18, 2003. Temp. -1°C
Again, a little stiff but got through my 40 minutes.
Thurs.
Feb.20, 2003. Temp.6°C
OMG! It was a balmy six degrees today! Great running day although
my back felt a bit sore after my 45 minutes.
Sun.
Feb. 23, 2003. Temp. -3°C
My back still isn't feeling great so I didn't run today. I did a
bunch of stretches and will take it easy this week.
Sun.
March 2, 2003. Temp. 1°C
90 minutes an hour-and-a-half running!! I can't believe
how far I've come! I'm actually starting to think I can do this
thing! How true it is-one step at a time!
Wed.
March 4, 2003. Temp. 3°C
At first I really didn't want to go for my run. My legs seemed really
tired and uncooperative. But once I started moving I felt great
and just kept going for 40 minutes.
Thurs.
March 6, 2003. Temp. -6°C
Today I changed things up a bit. I ran at my usual pace for about
30 minutes but then did ten more minutes of sprints: I sprinted
for about one minute and rested for thirty seconds and repeated
the cycle for the full ten minutes. My legs were really burning
after the run, but I felt great.
Sun.
March 9, 2003. Temp. -5°C
Another 90 minutes behind me! I was really happy with my run but
a little later on in the day I developed a bit of a headache. I
realized I was dehydrated. I'm not normally a big water drinker
so kinda forgot to replenish my liquids. It was amazing how quickly
I felt better after downing a few glasses of water.
Tues.
March 11, 2003. Temp. 2°C
Again I changed things up a bit. I only ran for 20 minutes but it
was at a super-fast pace. I was huffing and puffing after my run
but I wanted to really push my lungs to work hard. I'm trying to
develop my lungpower. Although I've been running for almost five
months now, I feel like I'm still out of breath when I run up a
flight of stairs!
Thurs.
Mar 13, 2003. Temp. -4°C
So, I’m running outside, feeling fine and thinking good thoughts.
Up ahead is a regular looking guy, maybe in his forties, walking
towards me. As usual, I give myself a few feet clearance as I pass
the guy. OMG! The stench! How is that possible? I was at least three
feet away, outside, near him for only a millisecond, and I could
smell his awful B.O.! I can barely hold back my gag reflex as I
speed up and make a quick get-a-way.
As I continue my run (we must learn to overcome all obstacles) I
still can’t get over his overpowering smell. I wonder: does
he know he smells that badly? I figure he must. But what if he doesn’t?
What if no one has ever had the guts to tell him? Then my mind wanders
a bit more and I start to wonder what he does for a living. What
works him up so much that he ends up smelling like a dumpster that’s
been left out for weeks in the summer sun? He didn’t look
like a street person, so I figure he must work. And work hard. All
of a sudden I envision this guy slaving away to earn a few bucks
that will keep him and his family out of the cold for another few
weeks. Now, I’m not so disgusted. Now I wish I were so rich
I could turn around, write him a cheque so he could retire, and
give him a lifetime supply of Axe deodorant body spray.
Sun. March 16, 2003. Temp. -3°C
Today my long run will be 80 minutes. I’m pretty comfortable
running for this length of time now. It doesn’t seem to be
a physical matter anymore but almost all mental. I’ve really
learned to be more observant of my environment, and even more so
of my body.
After about 45 minutes, I decided to do a body check. I started
at the bottom. While running, I focused on how my feet felt. They
were comfortable in my shoes (sometimes I realize my laces are a
bit too tight and have to stop to re-tie them). How was my stride?
I lengthened it a bit. Then I moved to my knees. No pain. No discomfort.
I know a lot of people are nervous about outdoor running as the
high impact on the cement can really kill your knees, but mine felt
great. Hips. Great. Chest—fine. I still seem to be a heavy
breather but I figure my lungs will continue to grow and develop
the more I push them. Throat. A bit dry but not a problem. Head—clear
as a bell.
Tues.
March 18, 2003. Temp. 4°C
An easy day. Nice weather helps.
Thurs.
March 20, 2003. Temp. 0°C
Today I had to run for 50 minutes. No problem since I decided to
start a 10/1 routine. That’s 10 minutes of running with a
one minute walking session. It’s supposed to be great for
your legs as they help to reduce the lactic acid build up. It felt
amazing. A couple of times I didn’t want to stop for my walking
session because my legs were feeling really strong. But I guess
that’s how the routine is supposed to work. I’m going
to stick with this routine from now on.
Sun.
March 30, 2003. Temp. 1°C
Last week was pretty much uneventful. I made it through my runs
without a hitch, especially since I now have my 10/1 super-routine
working for me. I felt great today so I decided to turn today’s
long run into a reeeally long run. I decided to push myself and
run for a full two hours! I took it really easy. A nice relaxing
pace.
When I hit the one-hour mark, I was mentally ready to pack it in.
Normally, I’d still be going strong at this point, but knowing
I had a full hour to go (instead of my standard 30 minutes), kinda
brought me down. But, I did my toe-to-head body check and kept going.
The next half hour was brutal. I’d done 90 minutes before,
so it shouldn’t have been a problem. Once again, the mental
toughness thing was becoming a big factor. I kept at it, though,
and the time eventually ticked down until I had only twenty minutes
left. The end was in sight. The final 10 minutes were easier than
I thought they’d be. I started planning what I’d do
when I was finished. First, a short victory dance—which turned
out to be more of a victory turn-around with one arm held slightly
in the air: I was pretty much exhausted. Second, after I relaxed
for a few minutes (which really means sprawled on the floor of my
living room, starfished, staring at the ceiling), I did some serious
cool-down stretching. Stretching is absolutely key to keeping your
body injury-free. Stretch before and after each run. I find it really
helps in my recovery time as well.
STAY
TUNED!!!
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Shoes:
Nike Air Kantara
Socks:
Nike
Clothing: Base Layer
Nike Dri-Fit
Second Layer
Nike Dri-Fit
Nike Sphere
Outerwear
Nike Sphere
Watch:
Roots Sport Watch
Electronics:
Still shopping...
Nutrition
Products:
Still investigating...
Lots
More Coming
To The Site!
Running
and Training Tips
Lorraine's Training Plan
Detailed Info On Gear
Lots of Pictures
Nutrition Tips
Progress Reports
Running Weblinks
and more....