A Runner's Journal | Faze Magazine

Hi Gang, Lorraine here!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.