First Run After Being Sick

I got something this weekend and was miserable for about 3 days.  Monday I didn't even go to practice because I was sick.  Tuesday I ended up sleeping most of the day and Wednesday I was at the pool all day, but I wasn't 100%.  Yesterday I took as an extra rest day just to make sure.  So in total I missed 2 days of training, a long run and a day of hill intervals.  Today I got out for an easy run.  I ran just under 2.5 miles.  It was cool and rainy, but the run felt great!  I ran pretty early so there was no one out.  The temperature was in the low 40s and was a nice temperature to run.

When I got home, I got James up and ready for school.  He wanted to walk to daycare no matter what the weather was like.  So we walked.  It was misting a bit off and on, but not too bad of a walk.  He was glad I was feeling better because he didn't get to walk on Monday and Tuesday.  He said he missed it.

This weekend we have a lot planned.  Tonight Mike and I are going out to dinner and then bowling.  We just want to blow off some steam.  Tomorrow I have practice from 7-12 and then we are doing some cleaning.  Sunday, I am getting up and going to church and then home for some more cleaning.  That kind of takes care of the weekend.  I don't know that it's going to be a very nice weekend so it's good that we planned to do the cleaning this weekend.  Pluse when we don't have James it makes it easier.

Off to start my Friday.  I have some swim stuff to do and then its out to run some errands.  I'm ready for the weekend!

Saturday in Buffalo

Oh brrrrrr...what a cold and very windy day.  Glad I had to be at a pool this morning.  The kids swam well and were excited by their times. I had to keep reminding them that it was in yards and not meters. They didn't care.

I did get up and run my 3 miles this morning.  Have a I mentioned that I really really really hate running on treadmills.  I did it though.  I wasn't going to go running through Buffalo in the dark so I sucked it up and ran on the treadmill.  Even with a TV on it, it didn't make it any easier.  I did get some amusement as I was stretching and getting ready to leave.  Two guys showed up at the pool and tried to get in.  I kept hearing this noise and loud talking.  I looked up and there they were trying to get their keys to work with a beer in each hand.  It was 6am.  I just shook my head.

The hotel we are staying at is really nice.  After my shower I had a nice breakfast and then headed to the pool.  It has been very windy and cold here all day.  The wind just keeps getting worse.  I did get to relax this afternoon though.  It was much needed.  Tonight the coaches are going out for wings.  That will be fun and tasty.

Tomorrow is my rest day so I will sleep in for about 15 minutes in the morning.  Then I have to try to get a few things printed out and its off to the pool for the day.  We should be back to the University by 9pm so I should be home by 10.  I have to get up Monday morning to walk James to daycare, but that will be fine.  I then have to go get my health card.  Busy day on Monday and that will start off a busy week.

Time to go have another cup of coffee and watch a bit of NCIS before we head out for wings.

Thanks Goodness It's Friday!

Wow, this week just flew by!  Usually short weeks seem to last forever, but not this week.  Maybe it was the fact that we have the Buffalo meet this weekend that made it go quicker.  Who knows.

I did have a morning practice so I was up at 3:30 this morning.  I wanted to put some soup in the crock pot for Mike and James since I was going to be gone this weekend.  I made ham, green bean and potato soup.  Yummy!  It was always my favorite growing up and since its supposed to be rainy and dreary I thought it would be a good choice for tonight.  I got that on and then finished up a few last minute packing things.  I headed out forgetting my coffee.  I swung into Tim Hortons and they were not awake.  It was 4:20 and it seemed to take forever this morning.

After my practice I went for my run.  Today I was to run 2-4 miles easy.  Well, I ran 2.6 miles, but my pace was a little to fast.  I really didn't realize it though.  I at the University through the arboretum.  That route seems to be all uphill.  I didn't think I would ever find a route that was uphill both ways, but I swear this one is.  I thought for sure my pace would be really slow, but it wasn't.  I was impressed with myself.

It has been raining and I got soaked on my run.  The trees were so pretty though.  I love running through the arboretum during the fall.  The colors are amazing.  Its so quiet too becuase all the leaves muffle everything.  It was drizzling for about the first 20 minutes.  Then it really started coming down harder.  It was still a soft rain just a lot more of it.  I got back to the pool and was soaked.  I can tell the shower felt really good after this run.

Tomorrow I will get up early to run on the stupid treadmill before breakfast and warm-ups.  I am running 3 miles at an easy pace.  I am just going to get on and do it.  I have 37 days until my next 5k and yesterday I registered for my very first 8k race in January.  I want to see where I am training wise.  I will be doing my first 10k at the end of April.  My next step after the 10k is a 10 miler and then a half-marathon.  I'm just going slowly into this.  I will do it and I will enjoy the time racing and training.  I'm just taking baby steps into it.

We leave for Buffalo this afternoon for a swim meet.  The kids should have a great time because it's in yards instead of meters.  They are going to really enjoy just swimming fast.  I thing they will ahve some really great swims as well.  This is our first meet so we are now off and running with the swim season.  Its going to start getting crazy really soon.  But it makes the year go by faster.

I'm going to get some work done at the University today and then we leave at 1pm.  I'm excited and really looking forward to the weekend.  Let's get it started!!!!!!!

Rainy Thursday

It's still nice temperature wise though.  I got up and got out for my run.  Day 3 of my new training program.  Yesterday was a rest day.  It worked out well because I was either in practice or meetings all day.  I had no time to really think all day long.

Today it was a 3 mile run with interval training.  I warmed up for the first mile.  Then I did 6 x 30 seconds of sprinting with 1 minute recovery between each.  Then I ran the rest of the 3 miles at a fairly okay pace.  Three of the recovery intervals I had to walk.  I need to push myself on those next time.

I felt really good about the run.  I was just off my 5k pace.  I also took the hilly route for an added challenge. 

Tomorrow I do a 2-4 mile easy run.  I'm at the University again so I'll run through the arboretum which is about 2.5 miles.  It will be a good run after my morning practice.  I'm just haning out at the University afterwards because we leave for Buffalo at 12:30 so no use in coming home.  The run will be nice before a 2 hour bus ride.

Saturday I'll probably have to run on a treadmill.  Yuck!!!!  I can't stand treadmills.  They just make every joint in my body hurt.  I just have to remind myself that its only for 3 miles.  I can do it for 3 miles.

This afternoon I'll get the dogs out for their walk.  Anya will have fun splashing through the puddles.  Mulder may pout, but he'll be fine.  Crazy dog.

I know this was a short week and those always seem to drag, but this week has just flown by.  I can't believe we are halfway through October.  Next week I have to make James' Halloween costume.  He's going to be a cupcake.  I just want to make sure its done and he can get in and out of it.  He's really excited about it too.  We'll probably be walking to school as well so I have to map out some runs for me from daycare.  To bad I can't take the dogs with me.  They are just to little to be running like that.  Plus there are two of them and they would be running in two different directions.  It wouldn't be pretty at all.

Off to continue with my Thursday!  My coffee awaits!

Holiday Weekend Fun: Oktoberfest, Thanksgiving, Onkel Hans Fun Run and New Training Program

Wow...such a long title today.  It was a busy weekend though.

I still can't get used to Thanksgiving being in October.  Especially this Thanksgiving.  It hit 80 degrees and we were wearing shorts.  Just not used to that, but I'm not complaining.  Plus living up here gets me two Thanksgivings.  Yummy!!!!!

Saturday, Mike and I went uptown to check out everything going on at Oktoberfest.  We wandered up and down King Street checking everything out.  I had some chicken schnitzel that was pretty good.  We watched a bit of the Strongman Competition.  Man, are those guys ever big!!!!!!  It's crazy!

Afterwards we went to Victoria Park.  It was such a nice day that we didn't want to waste it.  We walked along the lake and watched the swans and the ducks.  We sat on a bench and just enjoyed the quiet and the beautiful day.  Here are a few pictures from our day.

Watching everything downtown.

Victora Park



Yesterday I ran the Onkel Hans Fun Run.  It wasn't my best run and it wasn't my worst run.  The route is pretty hilly, but I ran all of the hills without to much trouble.  I was about 3k into the run when I felt something pop and had some pain.  I had to walk about 3/4 of the next kilometer, but I did finish running the last one.  I was just off my best time.  I guess that's what makes me upset. I was on pace to run a best time, but I didn't want to risk hurting myself even more.  I don't know what caused it, but it hurt a bit.

Here I am crossing the finish line.

Yesterday afternoon we decided to take the dogs to Huron Park near us.  It's a great natural area with lots of trails.  We love this park.  It was so pretty out!  There were a lot of people out enjoying the day.  Anya and Mulder had so much fun.  We stopped at the pond to see if the beavers were out and Anya tried to jump in.

We enjoyed all the fall colors and the wonderful air.  We ended up hiking about 4k with the dogs.

This morning I started a new training program.  I really want to get my 5k down to sub-30.  I'm kind of stuck in a rut.  I am starting a new training program to help that.  Today I went for a 4 mile run.  The longest run I've done in ages.  It felt pretty good.  I got out nice and early.  It was dark, but I have my bright running clothes and a light that I wear.  I'm on the sidewalk for most of it too.  Although I have to run by a Tim Horton's and people trying to get their coffee are pretty dangerous drivers.

Tomorrow is a rest day and that's good since I'm at the University all day long.  Thursday it's a shorter run, 3 miles, but its interval training.  Friday I do another 2-4 mile run.  Saturday I'm off on a 3 mile run.  What's nice is there are varying intervals and speeds that you do on each of these runs.  Saturday will be kind of tricky since I'm at Buffalo for a meet.  I should be able to sneak an early morning run in though.  I have to check the address on the hotel to see if I can get out and run or if I have to use the horrible treadmill.

I am going to run my first 10k in April so this is a good start.  I'm thinking of doing an 8k in January to see where I'm at with my training.  I haven't decided yet though.

The week is off and running and it feels good to have nice fall days.  I hope they stick around for awhile before the first snow.



Terrific Tuesday

What a beautiful morning it is this morning!  After many dark, damp, gray days we finally have a nice crisp fall morning.  It was wonderful to walk to school with James this morning and then run home.

Our walks in the morning are so enjoyable.  James loves to talk and he each day is a new topic.  Today it was all about his favorite colors and his birthday.  He loves the color pink, but he is cautious about how he says it.  He will say that his favorite color is magenta or raspberry or some other shade of pink.  He just loves pink plain and simple.  Mike and I don't care and I love that he loves bright happy colors like that.  I think it's great!  I think someone at has commented either at school or daycare though.  He has made comments that since he is getting to be an older boy that purple has to be his new favorite color since older boys don't like pink.  We tell him that he can like whatever color he wants and it doesn't matter his age or if he's a boy or a girl.

He is already trying to plan his birthday party.  His birthday is in January.  He says he's trying to figure out who to invite, but its hard to decide that.  And he has to figure out where to have it.  Another huge delima.  I'm glad he has lots of time to figure this one out.

I finally ordered a Road ID this morning.  I have been meaning to do this for awhile, but after almost getting hit last week I finally ordered it.  I don't even run with my phone so I figured I had better get one now, especially since some of my runs are when it's still kind of dark out.  I have lots of bright reflective clothes and lights so I'm covered there.  I just needed something with my ID on it and emergancy numbers.  Now I'll feel better running.

Today I ran 2.3 miles home.  The route I took has a long hill towards the beginning of the run.  I HATE hills so much.  But halfway up I decided that I will conquer my fear of hills this winter.  I know I will never like hills, but I don't want to dread and fear them.  I will just attack them one step at a time.  I will run this route until I can do that hill without thinking about it.  I have another mile that I will add on to the back part of that route that also has a few hills that I will do twice a week.  I will get over them and I will get better at them.  That is my goal for this winter.  By spring it won't be an issue for me.

I want to start adding weights to my workouts.  There is a gym that just opened up the road from us and I'm thinking of joining this winter.  I need to do something to help improve my strength and I know weights will help.  I have to find out costs and those things.  I do know it's open 24 hours so I can go early morning or late morning early afternoon when most people are at work.  I'll have to see though.

Well, off to start on my list for the day.  It keeps getting longer so I need to attack it now.  Have a wonderful Tuesday!

Run for the Cure

Yesterday was the day that we did the Run for the Cure.  We have been looking forward to this for quite awhile.  James helped raise $825 for breast cancer research.   We really had a great time.

Friday we picked up our t-shirts and James picked up all sorts of pin there.  We then went to the party store to get pink things so we could be all pinked out at the run.  We got pink necklaces, hair spray, hats, gloves, and tattoos.

Sunday morning we got up and started getting ready.  We all had pink stuff to wear.  James loved the fact that he had pink hair.  It was really cold and damp so we had to bundle up as well.  After some pre-race warm ups we finally got to run.

James decided to run the full 5k.  He wanted to run it in 45 minutes which would have been 7 minutes faster than he ran it in July.  He ended up running it in 42 minutes.  He did awesome!  We were so proud of him!

He's already making plans for next year's race.  We are starting to think about fundraising goals and how to raise even more money for next year.  He wants to run the 5k in 40 minutes next year and I think he can do it.  I'm glad he enjoyed himself and is learning a lot of important things along the way. 

Here are a few pictures for yesterday.