Monday, May 31, 2010

Weekend Recap

We had a fantastic weekend at the cottage.

We arrived late Friday and pretty much went straight to bed once we had unpacked. Hubs and I got up early Saturday for a long(ish) run of just over 10 miles. We ran a simple out and back on the main road, where fortunately traffic was pretty light. We enjoyed the cottage country roadkill scenery and even ran past a deer who was standing in tall grass at the side of the road and barely blinked as we ran by. Juliana joined us for the tail end of the run - she was running a half marathon the following day.

It was overcast morning, but still very muggy so a dip in the lake seemed like an excellent idea post-run. We went straight in wearing our running gear and it was perfect.

By the time we got out and dried off it was mid-morning and we were all feeling pretty lazy. We took a long nap and woke up to see that the sun had finally come out. It turned out to be a hot and sunny day, and we spend the remainder of the afternoon on the deck and by the lake.



Hubs decided to tackle his first official open water swim. I paddled along beside him in the kayak as he swam all the way across the lake and back, about 500 metres each way!

We enjoyed some fruity drinks, a delicious pasta dinner and plenty of relaxation before eventually crawling into bed.

Sunday was an early morning with a departure time of 5:45AM for the 1.5 hour drive into Ottawa. We had some time to kill before J started her half marathon so we wandered around and snapped some touristy pics.







After seeing J off at 9AM, hubs and I made our way to the finish line to watch for the winners of the marathon (which had started 2 hours earlier). Japan’s Arata Fujiwara won in 2:09:33, a course record by more than 2 minutes!



After watching the top finishers, we started running backwards along the course. The route followed the picturesque Rideau Canal and we were able to run on the popular bike path and stay out of the way. Hubs eventually turned back to wait for us in the finishing area as I made my way to the 35K marker to pick up my friends.



They came along right on schedule looking strong and I was so excited to see them. I snapped a pic and jumped in with them. We chatted away and I kept telling them that they were looking much better that I felt at this point in the race two weeks earlier. I ran ahead a couple times to snap pics and we had a great time as those final miles ticked by. Before we knew it, the crowds were thickening and we were on the home stretch. At the 41K marker, I took their fuel belts (I know how nice it is to ditch that extra weight at the end of a race) and gave them as much encouragement as I could for that final kilometre. I must have been quite a sight running along wearing/carrying two fuel belts plus my Nathan Hydration Pack. They absolutely killed it and went on to reach their goal of 4 hours.

Congrats Kevin & Kelly!!!




I quickly eased my way through the spectators and make my way back to find one more from our group who I knew would be coming in shortly. Sure enough, I spotted Greta less than a kilometre from the finish and jumped in with her til the end. Greta achieved a new PR in Ottawa after running the Mississauga Marathon just two weeks before!


(Turns out we were wearing the same top!)

Congrats Greta!!!


Group shot after the race... check out my Multi-Hydration System.



Most of us met for lunch at the Byward Market before hitting the road for the 5+ hour drive home.

Many thanks to Juliana and her hubby for hosting us the cottage... and driving so I could snooze most of the way home. ;)

All in all, an excellent weekend! I had so much fun being immersed in that marathon atmosphere again. I've been dragging on all of my runs lately, but felt that runners' high and finally got some pep back in my step. Hopefully I can feed off that all week!

I hope all of my friends to the south are having a great Memorial Day!

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Three Things Thursday

1. Three runs in the early evening heat/humidity this week and I'm not ready to quit complaining just yet. I'm determined to adjust and it will not stop me from getting out there, but HOLY, there is a lot of sweat involved!

2. After what seemed like a week long binge on junk food after the marathon, it has been a bit of a struggle getting back on track this week. Why is it so easy to pick up bad habits and so difficult to ditch them? (Un)fortunately I took a peak at the scale this morning and that number has given me some much-needed motivation. Eat like an athlete!

3. Tomorrow after work, hubs and I are hitting the road with Juliana and her husband for a weekend at the cottage including a trip into Ottawa on Sunday for the marathon. I am not participating in the race this year, but will be out there supporting some friends who are running and potentially jumping in for the tail end of the race.

Have a great weekend!

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Heat Wave

There's a common theme in the blogosphere these days: it's gettin' hot! Summer is here in full force this week with consecutive days of record-breaking temperatures over 30C (86F) and a humidex in the upper 30s (upper 90s). We are certainly feeling it here in Southern Ontario and many nearby cities have even issued an Extreme Heat Alert. (My friends to the south can go ahead and laugh now.) "Hot" is definitely a relative term, but this is about as hot as it gets around here.

I may not have chosen the best week to ease back into training. Yesterday's 5K with hubs nearly left me in a steaming heap at the park and this evening's 10K with the group is not looking promising.

True, I could be getting up early to run in the more tolerable pre-dawn temperatures. But I enjoy running with my group on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, and part of me thinks I should just suck it up and get used to it.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate... is Nuun available via IV??

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Mississauga Photo Overload + Video

After a week of rest and relaxation to the max (though I did run twice, a 6K and a 12K) along with eating and drinking everything I had restricted from my diet leading up to the race, I'm ready to get back into training mode. I'll still be taking it pretty easy for another week or two since I know I am still in recovery, but I do have a little race coming up soon and need to get myself back into marathon condition.

But first... another look at last weekend's Mississauga Marathon. I actually purchased my official pics for a change since there were several good ones and I thought the $39 was worth it for the complete digital set.


















Am I the only one who likes to look up results for people who show up in my race pics? #1871 finished with a chip time of 4:02:34. (I win.)
















#1338 finished with a chip time of 4:01:48. (I win.)




#1338 finished with a chip time of 4:03:05. (I win.)



































Check out this finish line video. Watch for me to the right and take note of my legs almost buckling after the mat.

Friday, May 21, 2010

High Five Friday

This is a special feature for Tall Mom's High Five Friday Contest!




HIGH FIVE RACES

May 21-23: Racing With Babes - "Rock Your Socks" Virtual 10K and Half Marathon

May 22-23: Dare to Tri - Fargo Marathon Challenge 5K + 10K

May 22: Steph's 50 Marathon Challenge - Fargo Marathon

May 23: Cross Country Squared - CB Half Marathon (5K)


HIGH FIVE GIVEAWAYS

Strawesome glass straws @ RunToTheFinish **Ends today!**

B-natal Therapops @ Happy Runner

"Beer is Good" @ MCM Mama

RxSorbo Insoles @ Endurance Isn't Only Physical

Fitness Mag Subscription @ Weight Loss Mama

CEP Compression Socks @ Barefoot Angie Bee

"Choose You Get Healthy" Gift Bag @ Shut Up and Run

Honoring Alex: Power of 10 Giveaway @ Running Off at the Mouth


HIGH FIVE INSPIRATION

After Thoughts and Lessons Learned @ Shut Up and Run

RunningLaur's first marathon @ When I get a little, run run run...

ST30 Challenge @ Dietician on the Run


HIGH FIVE GOOD NEWS

The Happy Runner's gender reveal!

Worth a Tri's wedding recap!

Adventures in our Funny Farm had a baby!


Please let me know if you deserve a HIGH FIVE today!


HIGH FIVE TAG

Weight Loss Mama tagged me for The Versatile Blogger Award!



What does this mean? It means I get to name 7 random things about me and then tag 15 of you to do the same. Here goes:

1. I only like under-ripe bananas; they have to be green.

2. I have had a terrible habit of chewing my nails ever since I was a kid. I finally willed myself to stop a couple months ago and they are growing out beautifully! I think I should treat myself to a manicure soon.

3. I have worked at my current job as an Executive Assistant for more than eight years.

4. I have a very strong distaste for seafood. I want to like it, but I just can't. Blech.

5. Hubs and I bought our current townhouse in 2008. We would love to upgrade in the next few years, and we hope to move into a "forever very long term home".

6. After all the hype, I recently acquired a taste for green monsters. For weeks I have been enjoying almost-daily fruit & (greek) yogurt smoothies with a big ol' handful of the green stuff. Yum!

7. Three of my favorite TV shows are ending this year (24, Lost, Flash Forward). What am I going to do with myself? (Run more...)

Tag! You're it:

Jocelyn
Shelly
Sarah
Amanda
Kelly
Laura
Felice
Amy
Aneta
Lacey
Emz
Meg
Char
Tonia
Jill


Have a great weekend!

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Reflections

Post-Race Recovery


Looking back on Sunday, I am overcome with elation. It was an emotional day and I'm glad to have conveyed that through the race report. Thank you so much for your comments and feedback, and mostly for believing in me all this time.

Now that I've made it into the 3:XX:XX category of marathoners, I've taken some time to look back at my previous times and what it took to get here.

Marathon #1: Sep. '08 - 4:42:04
Marathon #2: Sep. '09 - 4:26:02
Marathon #3: Jan. '10 - 4:48:03 (Goofy Challenge/"fun run")
Marathon #4: May '10 - 3:58:56


In less than eight months, I shaved 27 minutes off my previous PR. Looking at the big picture, there are a couple of things that I believe to have played a major role in such a significant improvement:

1. Goofy Challenge

I trained for and completed the Goofy Challenge immediately before beginning training for #4. Through back-to-back long runs culminating in 63.3KM (39.3mi) of running over two days, I learned to push myself to a new level. I built a great deal of endurance and carried it with me into my next training cycle, incorporating many back-to-back long runs in an effort to practice running tired. This also allowed me to start training with a very strong base.

2. Weight Loss

Starting in December of last year, I made some significant changes to my eating habits. I taught myself to look at food as fuel for running, reminding myself that garbage in = garbage out. I definitely had my "treat days" but started eating much better overall and managed to lose 15-17 lbs before marathon #4. I began to notice an improvement in my running as the weight came off. My body handled distances better and I naturally got faster. Don't get me wrong - I worked at getting faster too, but there's no doubt in my mind that losing weight had a tremendous impact.

On a related note... I focused on nutrition even more in the weeks leading up to this race. I adopted the motto Eat Like An Athlete and cleaned up up my diet as much as possible, eliminating all alcohol, most processed sugar and unnecessary fats. When I eat well, I feel better and RUN better and I know this has helped me improve my running this year.


Here's what worked for me on race day:

  • Carrying my 22-oz Nathan handheld allowed me to skip most water stops and ensured that I always had my own fluid. I hate fuel belts, but carried my handheld on every single long run so I would get used to it; it didn't bother me one bit.


  • My new waist pack was perfect for carrying gels, salt, my iPod and anything else. I had ordered a new belt from iFitness, but it didn't arrive in time. Fortunately, this was a perfect alternative and will become a staple accessory.


  • SaltStick salt caps were perfect for electrolyte replacement. They pack a strong punch (215 mg sodium, 63 mg potassium, 22 mg calcium, 11 mg magnesium and 100 IU Vitamin D), so just two capsules are often enough (I decided to take three). I liked that I didn't have to worry about taking in gatorade (I prefer to stick with water) and these were easy to carry and swallow. I had no issues with cramping.


  • I was truly spoiled with support on the course and this had a very positive effect on my race. Getting encouragement from familiar faces along the way and at the finish (not to mention Coach Don by my side most of the way) was invaluable and made me feel good even when it got tough.


  • Writing "BELIEVE" on my hand with a Sharpie marker. It may sound cheesy, but I looked down at my hand to read it countless times. Kudos to Tall Mom who drilled this word into my head in the weeks leading up to race day.



So... what's next?

Coming up in less than six weeks I'll be running Rock 'n' Roll Seattle with some awesome bloggy buddies and I couldn't be more excited. I'll be using the Pfitz "Multiple Marathoning" plan as a guide to recover, build, then taper again in the coming weeks. I'm not sure what to expect from my body in terms of another marathon next month (!!!), but it will be interesting to find out. The priority is to have fun and stay healthy.

I met up with the group for a nice and easy ~4 mile run tonight. I felt pretty good with the exception of tender quads. I'll be taking it easy for the duration of this week and essentially running whatever I feel like (not much).


More race photos coming soon...

Monday, May 17, 2010

Mississauga Marathon Race Report

"It all comes down to how badly you want it."

After a great sleep, I was wide awake 10 minutes before the alarm on race morning. I hopped out of bed at 4:20AM and ate my usual breakfast. Everything was laid out organized, so I went through the motions of getting dressed and gathering my things. At the last minute, I grabbed a Sharpie on the way out the door; there was something I had to write on my hand (as pictured in yesterday's post). We were out the door at 5:20 and on-site by 6:00.

With 90 minutes til the start, we had plenty of time to find a good parking spot, mill around and use the washroom 3 times once or twice. I was extremely anxious, not so much with nerves but with anticipation. I wanted to get started already!

It was around 11C/52F in the morning and 18C/64F by the finish; certainly not a drastically hot day, but it made for difficult conditions after training during the cool months. The sun was out in full force and would prove to show no mercy.

Closer to 7:00, we met up with everyone from my clinic including several who were not running but had come out for support. We have a wonderful group! After some final words of encouragement, many hugs and photo ops, we made our way to the start line. I decided to position myself farther back than I normally would, not wanting to get caught up in the fast crowd from the start.

And they're off...

It was a relief to be running! I had a plan and I intended to stick to it. In my mind, I divided the race into three parts: (1) 0-14K - Start smart. (2) 14-28K - Stick with Coach Don. (3) 28K-finish - Give it all you've got.

For the first few kilometres, I checked my Garmin frequently to ensure that I wasn't getting too excited and swept up in the crowd. My knee still felt a little tight, but all I could do was hope that it cooperated for the next ~4 hours. I did my best to put it out of my mind and concentrate on my pace, form and the miles that lay ahead.

KM1: 5:44 *1 salt cap at the start

KM2: 5:34

KM3: 5:38

It was somewhat congested at first as we shared the course with the half marathoners. I tried not to waste energy weaving around people and settled into a relaxed pace. I was carrying my trusty handheld, so I was able to avoid crowds through the aid stations as I ran on through.

KM4: 5:38 *1 Gu Chomp

KM5: 5:38

KM6: 5:40

The first section of the course took us from Mississauga city centre through a commercial area. The long straight stretch and wide open road helped a bit with crowding. We soon turned south onto a winding, treed road which would lead us around the University of Toronto Mississauga Campus. It was beautiful and the shade was welcome.

KM7: 5:34

KM8: 5:26 *Gu

KM9: 5:46

At 9K I got to see hubs for the first time. I knew he had water and oranges for me, but I didn't need anything at the time so I gave him a wave and he snapped a pic.





I remembered this section from the half last year, and I knew we had our first hill coming up. It wasn't anything to get worked up about, but it did seem to go on forever as it continued around a long bend. I was rewarded at the top when I got to see three of my girlfriends who had come out just to see me. They were all decked out in matching cheetah RunningSkirts (they have one for me too!) with awesome signs and cowbells.


(triathlon-pushers...)






I could hear them as I climbed the hill, and they went wild when they spotted me. I was smiling from ear to ear. Thank you Leanne, Erin and Ali!

Erin snapped these pics:





KM10: 5:33

KM11: 5:57

KM12: 5:43 *1 Gu Chomp

I knew I would be picking up Coach Don at 14K and I was ahead of my target pace more than I wanted to be, so I eased off slightly in order to avoid getting in trouble from the pace guru Coach. I expected to meet him on the other side of a highway overpass just beyond the 14KM marker, and we spotted each other easily. He asked how I was doing, and settled in beside me. I immediately felt the pressure lift and knew I wouldn't have to look at my Garmin for a while.

KM13: 6:12

KM14: 5:33

KM15: 5:18

Just moments after Don joined me, we split from the half marathoners. I always find it to be a significant moment and thought to myself, 'Here we go. No turning back now.' We chatted away and the kilometres were ticking by quickly. We were running through some beautiful and wealthy residential neighborhoods and enjoyed taking in the sights. Shade was sporadic and I enjoyed it when I could.

KM16: 5:24 *Gu

KM17: 5:52

KM18: 5:28

While my knee still felt tight, it wasn't getting any worse and I was grateful for that. It was only a moderate annoyance and really wasn't getting to me. At 20K we took a left to start making our way toward the water. I saw hubby right on the corner and grabbed a water bottle to refill my handheld. I also got to see my girls at the same spot, and once again they blew me away with their cheering. I felt like a rockstar!

Hubs snapped this pic... I'm tucked behind the guy in yellow and that's Don to the left.



KM19: 5:26

KM20: 5:42 *1 Gu Chomp

KM21: 5:19

We continued on and I knew we were going to see the gang from my training group at the half way point. Sure enough, there they were. We waved our arms so they would see us coming and they started jumping up and down, cheering and high fives all around. What a boost!

Half Marathon Split: 1:59:00

I felt great crossing the half way mark exactly one minute ahead of schedule. After getting caught up in the excitement of seeing everyone, we picked up the pace over the next few kilometres without even realizing it.

KM22: 5:14 *1 salt cap

KM23: 5:18

KM24: 5:15 *Gu

I don't know if it was the quicker kilometres, a few small inclines or simply the stage of the race, but I started feeling tired around the 25K mark. I realized that I didn't feel as strong as I hoped I would at this point, I knew the sun and heat were taking their toll and I also realized that I needed to use the washroom. I find this stage of any marathon difficult and Coach Don refers to it as the dead zone: you're well into the race, beyond half way and starting to feel it, but the finish is a long way off. I knew it was time to start flexing some mental strength to push through.

KM25: 5:43

KM26: 5:19

KM27: 5:21

When I spotted an empty port-o-potty, I decided to take advantage and duck in. Coach Don was kind enough to refill my water bottle while I was in there. I was in and out quickly (no more than 30 or 40 seconds) and the relief was worth it. I immediately felt refreshed when we started running again.

KM28: 5:22

KM29: 6:22

KM30: 5:26

We were making our way along the waterfront trail which was absolutely beautiful. We even enjoyed a stunning view of the Toronto skyline across the lake. I was definitely tempted to splash my way into the water. At this point, Don insisted on carrying my handheld for me. He also asked if I was getting tired. When I said that I was, he reminded me of a conversation we had two weeks ago when we ran 10x800 together. After the 8th repeat, he looked fresh as a daisy and reminded me that we were going to pick it up for the last two. I asked him at the time, "Are you even tired?" to which he responded, "Of course I'm tired. What does that have to do with anything?" I knew he was right and I just had to keep going.

KM31: 5:30

KM32: 5:54 *Gu

KM33: 5:32

We hit 32K at three hours exactly and I knew we had an hour to cover a little over 10K. We saw some friends from our training group again at this point. Coach Don told them I was doing great, which made me smile. Right around the corner, hubs and the girls were there again. I realized that the next time I saw them would be the finish, which still seemed a really long way off. Hubs swapped water bottles with me (he took my large handheld and gave me the smaller one), handed me some oranges and wished me good luck. The girls cheered loud enough for me to carry their voices with me all the way to the end.

More pics from Erin:







KM34: 5:39

KM35: 5:39

KM36: 5:40 *1 salt cap

I was completely exhausted. I was telling myself over and over that I only had 6K to go, but in my mind there was no "only" about it. I just had to hold on. I fell slightly behind Coach Don, but he stayed on pace and forced me to catch up. With 5K to go, Don "gently" pointed out that we had "lost our buffer". In other words, I had to be on pace til the finish if I was going to make it under 4 hours. This was too close for comfort and I got nervous, especially based on how I was feeling. My quads were screaming and it felt like each step took everything I had.

KM37: 6:04

KM38: 5:50

KM39: 5:45

As we passed the 39K sign, Don tapped it and said "Last of the 30's!" All I could do was nod and grunt. I was spent. Don knew how much I was struggling, and also knew exactly what to say. He looked at his watch, turned to me and said (paraphrase): "You have a decision to make. You can ease off and cruise in to the finish at around 4:01 or 4:02, which would be a huge PR and an enormous accomplishment. Or you can suck it up, keep pushing and finish this thing under 4 hours like we both know you can. It all comes down to how badly you want it." I get emotional thinking back on that moment, because it was a true turning point for me and he was absolutely right. I knew it was going to be close, but I could taste it and I wanted it more than anything. 4 months of training and dedication and it came down to three kilometres. No way was I giving up now. I looked at my hand: BELIEVE.

KM40: 5:36

KM41: 5:52

KM42: 5:38

At 40K, another friend from our clinic jumped in with us. I remember saying, "Talk me through this, Alex!" And he and Don both did. They kept telling me the finish line was going to be there before I knew it, that I looked great, reminded me of all the times I've finished strong when I thought I had nothing left in the tank. Before I knew it, I saw the 41K sign. One kilometre (point two) to go. Juliana was there and I glanced at my watch and told her, "I have 8 minutes to finish!" This was the first time in the race when I was 100% confident that I would achieve my goal.

As we neared the final turn, Don and Alex congratulated me and sent me on my way. The finish line was in sight. I saw Kenny's smiling face as well as the girls who were cheering like it was their job. Next I spotted a bunch of my training peeps and gave them a thumbs up, while snagging some high fives. Finally I saw hubs and called out, "I did it!" He knew it was close and wasn't sure how long after the gun I had started, so I loved seeing the relief on his face.

I heard Sarah and her hubby call out my name as well, though I wasn't able to pick them out in the crowd. Thank you for being there! Laura was there as well and managed to snap this pic of me on the way in.


Thanks Laura!


And one from hubs:



I felt like I was running through concrete. I have truly never been so completely exhausted in my life, both mentally and physically. I heard the announcer call out my name and crossed that line with my arms in the air.

Final 0.6 (Garmin): 2:36

Official chip time: 3:58:56

I grabbed on to the railing in an attempt to keep myself upright. My legs immediately started cramping and it seemed virtually impossible to make my way through the finish area to remove my chip and collect my medal. I kept looking down at my watch and simply could not believe it. I actually felt like I was in shock. I could hardly bring myself to smile. Coach Don soon came around the corner and was the first to find me. He gave me a big hug and I broke down into tears. I thanked him over and over again, though he kept assuring me I had done the hard work myself.

Soon hubs and my friends found me for more congratulatory hugs. I was so happy, I was barely able to react. This goal seemed unattainable just a few short months ago and it's difficult to express in words how amazing it feels to have broken through the 4-hour barrier. This is not a day I will soon forget.


Thanks, Coach!



Still standing!





Thank you so much for all of your support over the course of this journey (so far) and especially those of you who were tracking online and rooting for me all the way; you have all inspired and encouraged me more than words can say.

ETA: race pics

Sunday, May 16, 2010

I did it!

3:58:56

BELIEVE

Friday, May 14, 2010

Finish Line in Sight

Inspiration

Last night we had our final official clinic session before the Mississauga Marathon. We had an excellent guest speaker, Predrag Mladenovic, a local champ as well as a well-respected runner both nationally and internationally.

Predrag shared with us some of his own experiences in tackling the marathon distance. He in fact won the Mississauga Marathon in 2007, which was his first marathon at the time!

I found it fascinating to hear from such an elite runner and while I may never know how it feels to break the tape, I could relate on many levels. It was interesting to learn that he experiences pre-race nerves just like we do, and battles those physical and mental challenges late in the marathon just like we do. Whether you're racing in the top 3 or back of the pack, a marathon is a marathon. Predrag said many times that "42 kilometres is 42 kilometres!"

Final Run

I opted out of the group run last night in favour of running some errands and turning in early, so I headed out this morning before work for my final pre-marathon run. It was a nice and easy 5K around the neighbourhood. Everything appears to be in good working order...

And that about wraps it up!

Training by Numbers

# weeks: 16

# runs: 84

distance: 1035KM (~647mi)

average weekly mileage: 65KM (~41mi)

highest weekly mileage: 77KM (~48mi)

highest monthly mileage: (April) 319KM (~198mi)

# runs 25K (~15mi) or more: 10

# runs 30K (~18.6mi) or more: 6

# runs 32K (~20mi) or more: 4

races: 5 (HM and 30K PR) + 1 virtual


And it all comes down to 26.2 miles on Sunday...


Goal!

I do not have A, B and C goals like I normally would. This time around I have only one time goal and it's no secret around here:


sub-4:00:00



Other goals/plans/thoughts:

  • Start smart! I will not go out too fast. I know what pace I need to run, I know how it feels and I know I can hold it.


  • I will not try to "bank" time. Starting conservatively has worked best for me on long runs and I have almost always succeeded with a negative split. The plan is to run a 2:00 first half and shave some time off the second half if I can (or hold on for dear life).


  • My fueling/hydration/electrolyte replacement plan is in place and I will stick to it because I know it works. (Gu every 5 miles, 1 Gu Chump in between on the 2.5, salt cap before the race and half way, water in my Nathan handheld to be refilled as needed.)


  • My race day outfit has been selected (pictured below) and I've started laying out gear. Our dining room is starting to look like Race Central!




  • Possible pacing from my former clinic instructor/coach (Don) from 14K-28K (hopefully timing will work out); it would be nice to let someone monitor my pace for me during this 'middle section' of the race.


  • Hubs will be out on the course (with my orange wedges!) at various points - I know seeing him will give me a boost! I want to make him proud.


  • 3 of my girlfriends have arranged to show up from out of town and will also be out on the course (WITH COWBELLS) to cheer me on. This means the world to me!


  • Countless friends and running companions will be racing or cheering... there will be no shortage of support.



  • I will TRUST my training and BELIEVE in myself. I CAN DO THIS!



Live tracking will be available at Sportstats.ca - Search for bib # 197 under Mississauga Marathon.

2 more sleeps!

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Three Things Thursday - Taper Edition

1. ONE baby: I'm ecstatic to announce the birth of my newest niece! Hailey Patricia was born at 3:29PM yesterday and she's as perfect and cute as they come. Hubs and I were able to stop by the hospital for a short visit last night and both Mommy and baby are doing great. I love being an Auntie! Congratulations to my brother- and sister-in-law!

2. TWO runs: I've been out for two easy runs this week, one with hubs on Monday and one with hubs and a couple of friends from my training group yesterday. These days "easy" pace seems to translate to goal marathon pace or slightly quicker - I know how it feels, I like how it feels and this makes me feel great about Sunday!

3. THREE more sleeps: Speaking of sleep, I've been maximizing mine this week by ensuring lights out by 10PM and setting the alarm 15 minutes later in the morning (so far, I've only been a few minutes late for work). I feel refreshed and energized - hopefully the trend will continue!


Happy Thursday (almost Friday)!

Tomorrow... training recap & race goal(s)!

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

New Gear & Sporting Life 10K Pics

Thanks for all the comments on yesterday's post. After another physio appointment today, I'm feeling good and keeping myself distracted from the taper madness.

One thing that's doing a good job of distracting me is new gear!

Hubs brough me home this awesome hot pink running jacket from the massive Adidas store in Australia. Love it!!



Today I also received a package from CEP containing compression socks and calf sleeves to review. I'll definitely be trying these out post-marathon. Don't they look great with my new jacket?



And the sleeves:

Don't mind the expression!

I'll be posting much more info on CEP as well as a full review in the coming weeks.

For now, a couple pics from Sporting Like 10K