PT Diaries

I had to wait for her arrival because she came from Toronto. She didn’t come in the colour I wanted so I sent her for a total makeover which took another few weeks. Some finishing touches and finally after four long weeks she was ready to take home. She was worth the wait and every single penny! I can’t believe she weighs less than my purse?!

I want to thank John from Pacific Multisport at 4391 Main Street. Not only did John give me a great deal on my super duper  tri bike Jamis Xenith he also provided me with generous discounts on the endless gear and products I now require. (pedals, shoes, helmet, water bottles, riding shorts, riding pants, air pump…. and the list goes on and on) I honestly didn’t think about the financial implications when I signed up for Iron Man Canada, so any savings is greatly appreciated. John was also eager to share his knowledge and spent well over an hour and half with me making sure the bike was fitted perfectly.

Another HUGE thank you goes to Harald from Toxik Design Laboratory for granting my wish by giving me the most beautiful “chick” bike!  Harald was meticulous and made sure the paint job looked seamless.  To the blind eye there’s absolutely no way you’d think the bike wasn’t manufactured as is.  Harald created a fabulous design and added a gorgeous dark purple shimmer to the frame that glistens in the sunlight.

So….. what do you think? Isn’t she pretty? Now I can’t wait to get out there and ride!

When my friend CC asked me to run the BMO Okanogan Half Marathon I figured I’d surely be guaranteed a dry race. But as my luck would have it I stood near the start line with less than three minutes before the gun went off with thousand of other racers and was blessed with a monsoon. “I came here from Calgary to run.” said a petit lady standing beside me. “Doesn’t look like you’ll need those!” I pointed at the sunglasses on the top of her head.  In front of me stood a tall lanky man wearing rabbit ears. He was the 1:50 race bunny. “Hummm wonder if I should try and keep up wi th him.” I pondered.

As the race started I decided to attempt to stick with Bunny 150. Less than two kilometers ran I noticed my shoe lace was untied. “Dammit!” I ran over to the right side of the street doing my best to move away from the runners to bend over. I must have lost 30 seconds; for whatever reason I just couldn’t get my shoe tied up. Once laced up, I jumped up and sprinted as fast as possible to get back behind Bunny 150. As my body warmed up my pace increased and I passed right by Bunny 150. “There no way he’s running at the proper pace.” I thought.

The temperature was warm which made me grateful for the rain; it was a perfect combination. Around kilometer twelve I was feeling strong and enjoying my tunes when out of nowhere Bunny 150 zipped passed me! I looked down at my Garmin and realized I’d slowed down a bit. Since I was ahead of my projected pace I was annoyed to realize that I still had to fight a few inner battles. The struggles lasted for about three kilometers when I decided to take back control and refocused. “Fast & easy! Fast & easy! Fast & easy!” I kept repeating over my head; and as always my pace picked up, my breathing calmed down and I started cruising.

Around kilometer seventeen I decided to play my ‘hunting game’. I started this game a few months ago as I tried to chase down a few cuties in the park. The rules are simple. Find your PREY running ahead of you. HUNT by focusing on that person and slowly start making my way closer to them until finally KILL by pass them. I found my prey; he was blond, tall with broad shoulders and wearing a grey and back Nike long sleeve. Running about ten feet ahead of me he was just the motovation I needed to push harder. I managed to pass Mr. Good Looking; feeling mighty fine I picked up a bit more speed.

After seeing the 19 kilometer marker my game was no longer required. My adrenaline kicked in knowing it was less than eleven minutes to the finish line.

I did it… FINALLY!!!  I broke two hours and demolished my previous personal best by seven minutes, finishing in 1:53:47

I grabbed my medal and scanned the crowed looking for CC. She’d participated in the 10 km run and would have finished way before me, so she had to be around. I saw her, waved, yelled and jumped up and down. “What is she looking at?” I thought. Seems CC was also preoccupied eyeing Mr. Good Looking who somehow managed to pass me. “Cheers!” We clanged our water bottles together smiling and feeling fabulous about our runs.

Next stop, Las Vegas Rock and Roll Marathon. With seven weeks of training I’m still somewhat  confident I’ll be able to meet my goal of running my first marathon in sub 4 hours.

PT Girl xo

Last night I picked up my irun magazine and was reading the article “The Long Revisited” by Erin Sheared.

The article focused mainly on first time marathoners. It outlined many training programs and discussed how long and how fast you should run before your first big race.

In summary it suggests that no first timers should ever go over 32 km (or a three and half hour run). It advises first timers to do two 30 km runs allowing themselves plenty of time to taper off  prior to race day. “Huh?? 30 km…that’s it??”  Sorry but this is where I have to interject. This concept boggles my mind. Isn’t the “runners’ wall” at 35 km? So why wouldn’t a program recommend at least one 36 km run to help mentally and physically prepare you to overcome this defying obstacle?

I’ve never been one to follow the rules. I’m definitely the black sheep of the family and I’ve always liked doing things my own way.  So I am veering off the published training programs and creating my own course. Only time will tell if I am being foolish.

A few weeks ago I ran 30 km in 2h42mins and felt fantastic. With eight weeks to my first marathon my plan is to increase my distance by 3 km each long run, bringing me up to 39 km by the start of November. This will give me four weeks to taper and rest before the Las Vegas Rock & Roll Marathon.

Marathon training programs like Hal Higdon’s have guided millions of people across the finish line so who the heck am I to say they are wrong?  Trust me; I’m aware I am no one. With only three half marathons behind me (4 after this weekend BMO Half in Kelowna ) I am clearly still a novice runner.  But I know my strengths and my weaknesses. I know how much I can push myself and I know what my boundaries are. But most importantly, I know what mental preparation is required for me to cross the finish line.

PT Girl xo

A lot has happened in the last few weeks but honestly I haven’t felt like writing. I’ve been keeping to myself these days; focusing on my training and work.

My personal training sessions have been hard.  I’m not sure if it’s my frame of mind or if deWolf is pushing me harder? The track and the hill sprints combined with yoga once a week are definitely proving to be worthwhile.

A) Yoga:  Everyone has been telling me since day one to stretch more. I’ve been going to Infrared Yoga once a week for about two months now and I can definitely see a difference in my flexibility.

B) Hills: I’ve been squeezing them in once a week.

C) Speed work: I’ve hit the track with deWolf and its been brutal each time. He makes me run six 800 meter sprints. (my speed ranges from 3:23 – 3:58) If whine or complain I don’t want to go again deWolf reminds me “The only way get faster is to run fast!”

My last few long runs have been amazing; not only am I getting faster, it seems almost effortless.   I remember reading about this phenomenon in Born to Run by Christopher McDougall “Think, Easy, Light, Smooth, and Fast.” On yesterday run I managed three new personal records:

• Fastest 10 km 51:50
• Fastest 21.1 km 1:54:50
• Longest run 29 km 2:42:10

Swimming on the other hand has been a huge obstacle, holding me back from contemplating triathlons in the past. I thought best to face this fear head on; so I signed up for an adult swimming class a few weeks ago. With much apprehension I attempted a few laps in the pool sans water wings before my first lesson.

After only two classes and one visit to the pool on my own and I’m wondering where my apprehension ever came from?  I know I have a long way to go before I build up the endurance I’ll need to complete the 3.8 km swim at IronMan Canada but I feel confident in the water and more importantly I’m enjoying it; that’s half the battle right?

I’ve been warned against putting off riding, so last weekend I went shopping with my friend Mike. As we entered the first bike shop Mike said to the sales guy “She’s looking for a bike for IronMan.” In a condescending tone he replied “You don’t have a bike? How are you training? You know the ride is 180km?” Instantly irritated I snapped back “The only bike I own has a basket! As for training I’m here and I have a year don’t I?!” The sale guy seems taken aback “Fair enough.” he said as he started his pitch on the neon green Quintana Roo tri bike, which was on sale for $3600. I’m a sucker or he was a good sales person because I was actually contemplating purchasing it on the spot. Luckily Mike talked some sense into me “If it was me, I’d looked a bit more; it will be here later if you still want it.” We went to three other bike shops and I searched relentlessly for a my bike to jump out at me. I was sure that shopping for a bike was like shopping for anything else, I would just know it’s the one when I see it,  won’t  I? Unfortunately, I returned home emptied handed and feeling disappointed. There was a pink tri bike online I really liked but the quality of the component package wasn’t as good as other options that were available to me in the same price range.  I could buy so many things for the price of a bike. I could revamp my wardrobe or better yet, I could finally get that gorgeous Gucci purse I’ve been wanting to buy for years… sigh…

I know I would love and cherish the Gucci purse for years to come. Black, leather and classic looking it would fabulously compliment many of my outfits. Yet, justifying the purchase of tri bike I have no way of knowing if I’ll even enjoy seemed to come easier.

PT Girl xo

It’s been a week since I lined up for over five hours at the on-site registration for IRONMAN Canada; yesterday I went online and finalized my registration. The reality, severity and insanity of what I’ve committed to has started to sink in.

I‘d planned on keeping it a hush-hush for a while but wasn’t able to contain my excitement and blabbed my own secret.  As the news spread so did my fear! I must have heard hundred times last week. “You’re nuts!!” My response was both defensive and honest “You have no idea!”

My work schedule was hectic, so training encompassed a PT session on Thursday and after a ten days hiatus I ran twenty four kilometers on Saturday morning.

With less than five hours of sleep and I awoke Sunday morning with a pounding headache. I laced up to sweat the vodka out of my pores by running seven kilometers and eight, two hundred meter hill repeats. I finished the weekend with an evening infrared yoga class; practice always helps me clear my mind and focus on the positive in my life.

My ongoing sleep deprivation is affecting many aspects of my life; averaging about 1.5 nights of decent sleep a week. I know all too well that the lack of proper rest will ruin my training goals. When I fall asleep at three a.m. it’s difficult to find the enthusiasm to wake up a few hours later for a early morning run before work.

This is causing me concern since I haven’t been able to find a remedy.  Melatonin definitely puts me out, problem being I can’t pry myself out of bed in the morning. So before I grow permanent bags under my eyes I’m planning a fall schedule that ought to force me to collapse from exhaustion at the end of each day.  As per normal I will be going to my training sessions, yoga practice and running 30-40 km a week. In addition I will be hitting the bike shops this weekend and will get out and ride as  much as possible; once the rain hits I’ll be grateful for the spinning classes at the Steve Nash Sports Facility. My swimming classes starts next week and thanks to my biggest fan Loa,  I start a freelance writing course at UBC in October.

At the party on Saturday night I asked Mike “Did you think I was actually going to sign up?” “Nope I really didn’t!” he replied.   I know some friends would describe me as obsessive and compulsive. I like to think of myself as a logical and rational individual but the truth is I can sometimes be pretty impulsive and reactionary. Signing up for Ironman was one of those spontaneous moments. Nevertheless I’ve always lived by the motto “What’s meant to be will be.” I trust this more than ever and know that focusing my energy on something as insane as Ironman will ultimately keep me sane.

PT Girl xo

My personal trainer deWolf has been preparing for the Subaru Ironman for the last twelve months. This test of endurance has to be one of the most challenging events known to men. For the second year now, Alicia and I packed up my truck and drove out to Penticton. The hotels sell out for this epic athletic event so I was forced to make unconventional arrangements. I’d found an accommodation online. When we arrived at the address my contact Shannon had gave me; Alicia and I both sensed something eerie. We stood at the front door with much apprehension; I rang the doorbell. The door swung open and an unusual blond man stood in front of us barefoot.  “Come on in. I’m Charles.” He motioned to us to follow him down a hallway and opened the second door to the left. “Here’s your room girls.” he leered. “Make yourself at home” he mumbled and walked away.

Alicia and I sat on the bed both staring at the dreadful painting on the wall. “Where’s the TV?” Alicia asked. I shrugged, opening a bottled of wine attempting to stay positive. “Where’s the heck Shannon?” I said throwing down the local tourist magazine. As fate may have it, the magazine fell open on page 7 and there looking back at me was an ad for the Summerland Lakeside Resort and Spa. “I’m calling, I’ll pay anything!  Alicia looked at me with a glimmer of hope. “Oh, ok… no lake view…yup, ok, great. We’ll take it! See you tomorrow!” I hung up. We just have to make it through one night. “This bedroom is probably rigged with spy cams.” Alicia laughed. “Let go drink!  she said grabbing her purse and walking out.

 We over indulging in great food and wine at Theo’s Greek restaurant. Afterwards we ventured down towards the IM festivities.  We saw Charles eating poutine and dancing by himself a good ten feet away from the rest of the crowd. Alicia went up to him “Hey Charles, can we get a key?” “Nah! You don’t need a key, I leave the place open all the time!” he laughed sinisterly. Stunned, we forced a smile and walked away. “We’re going to end up on Dateline!” Alicia said in all seriousness as we walked into the first pub we saw. We cozied up at the bar and ordered two more glasses of wine. All the bartenders were wearing IronMan 2010 t-shirts “I’m want one of those shirts and before the night is over one of these guys will give me a shirt! I said.  “Hahaha! You’re funny!!!! … and we aren’t going to have pay for any drinks either!!” Alicia laughed.  The place was hopping and the bartenders’ decided to mix us some flame shooters. As the liquid courage started to run through my veins I began spouting off to whoever would listen “I’m going to sign up for IronMan!!!” No one seemed to take me seriously as I sipped from the trough. (The Bartenders specialty; a bucket of all mixed alcohols)

We sat at the bar for hours chatting and laughing with many great, interesting people and as predicted we stumbled out at three a.m. with no bar tab and an IronMan t-shirt on my back! “Oh what a night!!!”

The next morning, sleep deprived we showered, packed up and got the hell out of Charles’s house.

We were ecstatic with our room at the Summerland Resort & Spa

We took a quick ride back into Penticton to wish deWolf good luck.  He was oddly relaxed; not showing any signs of anxiety what’s so ever. “It’s just another day of exercise” he smiled.

The morning of the IronMan race came fast and we rushed back into town to see the 3.8 km swim.

As returning IronMan supporters we were pretty familiar with the bike route and well equipped with road pops, air conditioning, tunes and snacks. We managed to meet up with my trainer about 6 or 7 times along the 180 kilometers ride.

We veered off at Keremos to grab a bite to eat. Once we returned to the highway we weren’t able to find him again so decided to catch him at the start of the run.  Standing at the seven kilometers marker the wind picked up and it started to rain. Alicia spotted him up the road and I waved my big homemade sign YOU ROCK!! He ran by us “Shoot me!” he said smiling.

We had a few hours to kill so we went back to the hotel to shower and rest. By the time we retuned it was dusk which makes it hard to see the runners clearly but I know deWolf’s stride and saw him from afar “Here he comes!” I pointed and dashed to the side of the street. “Run with me.” he said.   He mentioned his foot hurt but he didn’t even look tired. “You’re doing great! You’re almost done! I said as I handed back his water bottle. “See you at the finish line” I yelled as he took off.

As we waited for him across the finish line I watched the many other Ironman finishers rejoice with friends and family. Congratulation, after all IronMan was the very FIRST triathlon he’d even signed up for and completed!

 3.8 km swim, 180 km bike and 42.2 km run!  Crazy, impressive and extremely inspiring!

PT Girl xo

I remember the summer “Just Dance” first played on the radio;  I was obsessed with it.  I played it over and over on my computer speakers for Jim (the cool lawyer) at my office. Laughing he would shake his head and say with a huge smile “You know I tell my 11 year old daughter not to listen to this main stream crap…” I didn’t care, it just made me feel good!

I wasn’t sure what to expect at Lady Gaga’s concert last night at GM place (aka Rogers Arena).

Although I think she’s this century’s Madonna, unlike her, Gaga didn’t pull the ultimate diva move and didn’t make us wait until midnight to bless us with her presence; she emerged on the stage promptly at nine P.M.  She looked absolutely fabulous.  Her body was rockin’, her ass killer!! I swear she must do over 100 squats a day!

Some of my expectations were fulfilled; a sexually charged, narcissist Gaga danced around the stage surrounded by fireworks and hot half naked men frolicking and adoring her … and then out of nowhere Lady Gaga straddled the piano and sang a cappella… the crowd went silent. Her voice was raw, real and brought chills up my spine as she poured her soul out about her drunken father.  No amount of yoga classes would ever allow me to bend over a piano half naked, look so graceful and play the shit out of it!!! That my friend is TALENT!

The blood, the weird masks and the overall creepiness is interesting and would even pass as artistic to some people.  But I think the show is too naughty for the pre-tweens and tweens.  A 10 year old girls sat beside me and I found myself blushing and feeling awkward as Gaga yelled “M*ther F**ers get your d**ks out” I wouldn’t bring my daughter to see this type of show; distinction between reality, sexuality and what is acceptable are easily skewed when you are so young.

Did I love Gaga or did I hate Gaga…?? Well unlike Britney Spears who’s  performance was a train wreck that confirmed that she is simply a recording artist without a real gift for music (or dance) I think Lady Gaga is the real deal. She put on a great show and backed it up with a real voice; ya…she’s  chosen the money making, video selling, recording industry to make a bazillion bucks but she is still up there with Christina Aguilera if you ask me; beside who the heck am I to judge?  If I had her talent would I not do the same?

Before you knew it… the costume changes and set turnovers were done…it was over.

“Encore! Encore!!” the crowd chanted!

Finally…..Lady Gaga saved the best for last “J’ai ton amour and je veux ton revenge, J’ai ton amour, I don’t want to be friends… oh…caught in a bad romance…”

A definite 2 thumbs up in my opinion!

PT Girl xo

I started training for my first marathon this week. I have 18 weeks until I run the Rock & Roll in Las Vegas; where everything is excessive, sinful and neon lit. “Fitting…right?”

Monday Hill Training: I felt good after this first run/interval session. I didn’t stop my Garmin and I managed to do the entire 6 km (including the 5 hills drills) at 6min/km. This hill is my secret weapon.  “Watch out…” Every Monday I will run 5 to 10 – 200 meters hills drills. The route there and back is about 5 km and the goal is to run this short distance as quickly as humanly possible.

Tuesday Cross Training/PT Session: I woke at the crack of dawn to meet my trainer at 6:30 a.m. Sleep deprivation left me feeling weak and unmotivated

Wednesday Medium Run: This was a tough day. I woke up grumpy and wasn’t able to shake it. After work all I wanted to do was go home, eat junk food and curl up on the sofa with my fur baby Gucci; I refused to mess up on my first week of training though. So I pushed away all thought of comfort food and laziness, I put my sneakers on and set out for the long loop around False Creek. The first few kilometers were horrible; negative thoughts swarmed my mind. “WTF was I thinking signing up for a marathon… have I gone mad?” The sea wall was packed and the wind was blowing against me. These factors were making me crabbier and when I got to the third kilometer I had the urge to stop and go home. “Suck it up! Seriously big baby! *&%$ You will train and you will kick ass!” I told myself. All of a sudden my pace picked up and I started feeling better.  As I rounded the bend to home I notice that I’d finished 9 km in 48:34 (5:30 per km).  I was pretty pleased with that considering my slow start.

Thursday Cross Training /PT session: This session was fun; probably because I spent so much time chatting and laughing. “I wanna beat Oprah’s marathon time…” I blabbed as I did my sit ups. “What was her time?” de Wolf asked “In 94’ she finished in 4:29:15” I responded smirking in anticipation of his disapproval. He stop in his track and looked at me in disbelief “Jessh!! PT Girl!! Darn right you’re going to beat Oprah!” I burst out laughing! He seems to have a crazy notion that I am way more capable (aka faster) than I actual am. I don’t quite know what to do with that sometimes….To be honest my true goal is run the marathon at 6min/km. de Wolf thinks I should aim for under 6min/km. Only time will tell but right now, today, as I sit at my desk after gorging on a pecan tart… this seems unrealistic.

Friday Rest Day: Mental preparation for 25 km tomorrow morning.

Saturday 24 km: Longest run ever. My calves were killing me from the ball thrusts from Thursday’s PT session but I was well rested; which is unusual.  I felt strong and kept under 6 min/km. Half way around Stanley Park I saw my friend Alicia playing with her dog Jetsom at the beach “Hey!! How you doing??… Can’t stop… ping you later” I waved.  My legs started to slow around 17.5 km and I struggled to keep my pace, falling behind.  I didn’t bring gels or Cliff bloks and ran out of vitamin water at the ninetieth kilometer. I had the intention of running 25 km but when I approached my place and saw that my Garmin said 24 km the thought of water made me salivate and I decided to call it a day!

I must admit I struggled at certain point during this run and started to question why I’ve set this new goal.  But I know myself; there is no turning back now. Pushing forward on bad days or when it gets tough is what fitness journeys are all about. If it was always  fun & easy then everyone would do it! If it didn’t take determination, persistence and pain the awesome feeling of achievement wouldn’t exist!

PT Girl xo

This week wasn’t any better than last. Work is hectic because both of my clients are moving at the end of the month. On top of that I still have unresolved business that is weighing heavy on my shoulders; with lots on my plate already why did I sign up for my first marathon?  I had a moment  at the office where I boasted about an 18 km run; a bit smug I got carried away and before I knew it was typing in my credit card number online and registered for the Las Vegas Rock & Roll marathon on Dec 5, 2010. I’m an impulse buyer and never second guess a purchase. Shoes, purses, running gear, dresses and suits for the office I’ll bring up to the till with little regret. But this was different; pressing the ‘purchase’ button evoked instant buyer’s remorse!! “What the hell was I think…?”

A few days (and short runs later) I started to process and deal. I started rationalizing my decision, training for something more challenging might be exactly what I require right now; a grander goal to keep me focused and positive.

I’m bound to have uncontrollable interruptions during my training so alleviating any setbacks I do have control over is very important. I must remain injury free; for that reason I have made the following promises to myself.

“I, PT Girl swear to stretch after each run. I swear to attend one yoga class a week. I swear to see my RMT once a month (at minimum). I swear to take my fish oil pills daily and I swear to nourish and rest my body as required”

My friend Julie invited me to join CC and herself to a yoga class on Sunday afternoon. If you’ve been following my blog or tweets you know that yoga is not my forte and I’d usually decline the invitation. “Yes! Yes! I will come.  What’s the address?” I said. To my surprise this was no typical yoga class.

This was Infrared Yoga. I’ve been in infrared saunas before, I like the way the heat gets distributed and know of its many health benefits.

• Promotes weight loss
• Improves your immune system
• Improves your strength and vitality
• Helps cure several skin diseases like eczema, psoriasis,  and acne
• Strengthens the cardio-vascular system
• Helps control your blood pressure
• Detoxifies your body
• Gives you more energy and relieves stress
• Relieves pain (joint pain, sore muscles, arthritis)
• Helps control your cholesterol level
• Helps treat bronchitis
• and many more….

The small private studio (holds up to 6) was immaculately clean and beautifully lit with little red candles along the mirrored wall. It’s located in the heart of Vancouver and in last Sunday’s class it was just us three girls and the awesome yoga teacher. Upbeat, positive and full of confidence this yoga class is a more then a hot stretch session, it’s a self esteem booster!  The close personal attention from Sarah the teacher was fantastic.  She knows how to mold her class to her students’ personalities. I’m frightfully inflexible; it’s hard to believe that once upon a time I was able to do the split! These days I’d be happy to see any kind of elasticity. Like most yoga classes the vibe was mellow and relaxing but Sarah was quick to read that cracking jokes and making fun comments would be more then welcomed by us gals. At the end of the 60 minutes I felt fully relaxed! “… yes I will be back next Sunday!” I said thanking Sarah.

My body was feeling great on Monday and was ready for a long run.  The weather was overcast and 19 degrees, which is perfect!  I set out with no specific goal; I just wanted to let my mind go blank… so I ran and ran and ran some more, clocking 19 km. I kept a steady and easily sustainable pace of 5:52 per km.

Tuesday morning I had to face Toby my RMT. O.M.G. that was the most torturous 45 minutes of my life! How can my body feel so good yet be so stiff, tight and knotted?? “I’m barely applying any pressure; you are so tight. You have to stretch!” Toby told me again.  “To hell with this! I can’t take another excruciating massage like this” I thought to myself as she rubbed out the knots in my lower back, I vowed to religiously to stretch and attend yoga.

I’m excited about my marathon training. I’m starting this weekend by attempting a 24-25 km run (my longest run ever).  But as a marathon NOVICE I would like to ask my followers for some tips and advice. Dos & don’ts. Recommended books or training programs. HELP!!

PT Girl xo

I think we all make plans and have these grandiose ideas of what our final destination is supposed to look like.  But life is unpredictable and unbeknownst to us we are often faced with unexpected road closures and we end up in a completely different city; or in my situation country. Where did I veer off wrong? What the F** happened? My recent dilemmas have lead me to wonder how much control do we really have over our lives? How much does fate really play a role?  I wish I had the answer.

I’ve always been a firm believer that we create our own destiny,  that we can manifest anything we truly visualize and that we get back tenfold the good we give out; in the end having true power over our lives. Thus far this way of thinking has served me quite well. Unfortunately, it’s come to my attention that some things are unpredictable and are completely out of our hands no matter how much planning, thought and caution we put in. This is a tad unsettling for someone who tends to be a control freak.

Through it all, over the past few months I have learned that hard times show us who our true friends are; and I can say I am extremely grateful for the ones I have. (You all know who you are …love ya all lots xo) The cream rises to the top and the rest is just mediocrity. Besides my wonderful friends whom mean the world to me, the one constant thing I can always count on is my runs.  In the past few years I have ran for many reasons. I’ve ran to lose weight, I’ve ran to get faster, I’ve ran to prove something to myself  and to others,  I’ve ran because I am competitive and I’ve ran because it just feels damn freaking awesome!  But lately I run because I can be in command of how far I run and how many times I run. It is my sanctuary where no one can touch me; where I tune out the world that is spinning out of control around me.

Why do you run?

PT Girl xo