PT Diaries

2011 began as most new years’ do… hung over! The only difference is this year I was nursing my headache on the slopes at Whistler; with a little less than four hours of sleep I impressed myself by skiing all day, which was then followed by “après ski” at the Longhorn, which turned into another early morning.

My birthday was yesterday but the festivities started on Friday and didn’t stop for four days. Sharing all the highlights here would take a while but one of the best parts was sitting at Qwest Field in Seattle with my friend Alicia proudly wearing black & gold while surrounded by 67,000 Seahawk fans in blue and bad neon green. With a point spread of 10.5 in favour of the New Orleans Saints I can assure you that their loss was unexpected. I didn’t hold back my disappointment nor am I shy in expressing my dislike of the Seahawks in general but I must admit the fans were cordial and the energy in the stadium was infectious; especially when the 12^th man roared!!

Amongst all the Holiday festivities I’ve had a lot of time to reflect on my fitness accomplishments as well as other aspect of my life. 2010 was filled with failures, changes and difficult decisions but 2010 also encompassed personal bests, new adventures and eye awakening moments.

So after much thought, much debate and much self inflicted guilt I’ve decided not to do Iron Man Canada this year. There, I said it!!! *gulp* I know that some of you (you know who you are) are shaking your heads at me but after making a list of pros and cons, discussing for countless hours with my friends and losing many nights of sleep I decided I had to be true to myself; my heart is not in it. Having Iron Man on my bucket list isn’t motivation enough to train over 20 hours a week right now. I’m just not in a place where I am willing to dedicate the next eight months of my life to only training.  What I do know is that over the last few months I fund a new zest for life.  My goal for 2011 is to have a balanced year that will allow for spontaneity. Focus on my work is high on my list of priorities and so is travel. But don’t get me wrong, I have no intention on losing my passion for fitness. I will spend more time skiing, snowshoeing and taking advantage of British Columbia’s great outdoors. I want to ride my bike lots this spring and I also want to get back into hiking. I’m still seeing a personal trainer, attending infrared yoga and getting lots of use out of my indoor bike trainer. I’m excited to start my new running program that will prepare me for a sub 4 hour marathon in Chicago and I will most likely throw in a few half marathons along the way.

Stay tuned, as I promise 2011 will be filled with exciting, fun fitness adventures.

PT Girl xo

The weekend after I got back from New Orleans I geared up to run 34 km with IronMike and was hit with a severe dose of reality! My legs were heavy, my breathing was erratic and my knee was killing me. Defeated I grabbed a cab at 20 km and went home.  That week I hydrated and gave my body proper nutrition. I stretched at hot yoga, popped fish oil and bought new sneakers. The following Friday IronMike and I attempted the long run again.  Up until the 27^th kilometer I was feeling great and kept well under six minutes per kilometer. As we ran over Burrard Bridge (around 32 km) my glutes and hamstrings got really tight, my legs slowed and my mind went to a dark place. “Why the f** am I doing this? I want to stop! This is mad!” I thought. Then out of nowhere I pulled it together. “It’s Friday night after a long day at work and I’m running 30+ kilometers… I can finish this!” We rounded the corner and there was my condo. “That’s it!” I said stopping and instantly stiffening up; there was a pain in my legs I’d never felt before. After a difficult stretch and a hot shower I poured myself a strong drink to numb the pain and slept like a baby for eleven hours.

Marathon training was the furthest thing from my mind the following weekend as I sat in the back of a town car with my girlfriends and drove around Sonoma on a wine tasting tour; which was followed by a night of debacles out at the bar in San Francisco.

As this difficult year approaches an end certain events and people I’ve stumbled upon in the past month have unintentionally made me evaluate other aspects of my life. It’s ironic how situations and people who once upon a time were my biggest motivators deliberately or not have become the contrary. I know everyone comes into our lives for a reason; some are meant to be around for a long time and others for a short time.  Although I feel all endings are sad I’m focusing on the positive aspects; such as the knowledge that was passed along and the athletic growth I’ve gained.

With that being said I’ve started a different training program with a new triathlon coach named Al.  We meet at the pool this week because the 3.8 km Iron Man swim is my biggest concern.  Al’s training approach and philosophy is different than what I’ve experienced in the past but let’s be honest, I’m venturing into foreign territory. I think it’s wise to be guided by a professional rather than going at it alone and blinded folded?! “You don’t know me but you have to just trust the program!” Al said after we spent an hour and half doing drills in the pool. Afterward we went for dinner to discussed my previous training. We talked about my reasons for signing up for Iron Man,  how much time I have to train weekly, as well as my intense race schedule for 2011. I left the meeting feeling confident that I’ve made the right choice by hiring him. He’s extremely experienced and will be there to keep me accountable on a weekly basis.

This Saturday I woke up and realized that somewhere between my work schedule and my travels I’d gone two weeks without running (again). Of course I panicked thinking I’ve ‘lost my fitness’ and got out there right away.  My legs wanted to run and they wanted to run fast. I ran nine km in forty-eight minutes and felt fantastic!  So when my friend CC asked me to go along with her on a 18 km run this morning I said “Why not?!”

At this time next week I will hopefully be a marathoner.  I admit I’ve been somewhat unhealthy lately; drinking, not eating as well as I should and messing with my sleeping patterns. But I wouldn’t change a thing, nor is there anything I can do at this point; no amount of running or training will make me faster or stronger by next week. I recognize I could have done more. I stopped hitting the track and running my hill drills; I was inconsistent with my training these past four weeks. But I’m not going to worry about it. I’m mentally preparing myself and I’m excited to run! I’m excited to experience the pain! I’m going to Vegas to run my first marathon. Life is good!!!

PT Girl xo

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!

My long weekend launched off Wednesday with a late lunch at Cactus Club with my friend Shauna. She was there when I arrived and was holding a beautiful burgundy drink.  “The sangria is awesome!” she said as the waitress came up to our table; I pointed at her refreshing looking cocktail “I’ll have one of those please!”

After one glass I was feeling my happy place.“Holly Yum…!”I smiled. “Aren’t they the best!” Shauna said. When the waitress came back and we ordered a second round. I sighed “Yikes… I could really get on roll here but I’m supposed to do the Grouse Grind.” Shauna slightly rolled her eyes “Have fun with that?!” I started to think it may be a bit ambitious of me to hike tipsy especially as I recalled my disappointing first hike of the year a few weeks ago where I didn’t come close to breaking an hour (1:07:44). I don’t know if it was too early in the morning or what but I couldn’t find my pace and just wasn’t able get my breathing in check. It felt as is I had to stop every twenty steps.

Mike, Michelle and I headed up around 6 p.m. and my only intention was to find a pace where I didn’t have to stop. I reached the first quarter mark in 15 minutes and knew if I was able to keep my rhythm I’d make it under and hour. I reached the top in 58:14  “Bring it ON!! I shaved ten minutes off my first climb! I said jumping around. Every Wednesday is social night at the top of Grouse Mountain so we decided to stay and have some nachos and of course a few drinks. The elevation really does wonders for your buzz We chatted about Mike and Michelle’s Iron Man experiences and laughed our asses off while “beerstorming” (brain storming) for innovative fitness ideas I could bring to my blog.  (Which I will share with you in future posts)

When I got home I popped a melatonin and slept for six glorious hours. It was heavenly! Thursday morning my girlfriend CC came over for a short run. We ran my usual seven kilometres Cambie to Burrard bridge loop. She’s training for the Okanagan BMO Half Marathon in October and managed to convince me to sign up as well. “Twist my arm!”

Later in the day I meet Hank and Jules at Local in Kits. The vibe there is pretty relaxed and the drinks over the bridge are so cheap! But today’s 20 something fashion trends are seriously disturbing.  All the girls were wearing scarves (it’s not winter) flannel chequered shirts and/or flip flops. I just don’t get it?! A few sangria’s..blah blah blah… a few tequila shots, fast forward….fireworks and “Happy Canada Day!”

Friday morning I had to go into work- blech! I took care of the few necessary tasks and rushed home to grab my fur baby Gucci (Yorkshire Terrier) and went to North Vancouver to meet my friend SM and his dog Reggin for a hike in the trails. We walked about five km then headed back to his house which is absolutely gorgeous; it looks like it’s permanently staged for a photo shoot in Modern Living Magazine. We sat in the backyard basking in the sun drinking Frenz Rose from Naramata,B.C. I was pacing my intake because I planned on running 17 km the next morning, when deWolf sent me a text and told me he had an opening for a session instead.

Saturday I woke up refreshed and got ready for my PT session. I decided to run the 7 km to the gym. I was unsure of how long it would take me because of the elevation on the last few kilometres. I made it in 42:55 and could instantly tell that deWolf had no intention of taking it easy on me; I knew he was actually going to push me harder than normal!  Argh! I know he thinks I can be problematic. I sometimes bring tude’ to our session’s and tend to question why he makes me do certain exercises. He’s stubborn, I’m stubborn and we butt heads from time to time.  But he’s encouraging and supportive in his own unique way, yet never forgets to remind me that I am capable of more. Given that I’m surrounded by friends and family who tell me I’m fantastic all the time his form of motivation typically works. After an hour of arms drills, core exercises, squats and hill sprints I was feeling surprisingly okay. I geared up, grabbed my iPod and headed out for the 7 km trek back home. My legs started to get heavy and forced me to slow down as I headed over the Burrard Bridge.  In total,  I ran 14.10 km in 1:22.

That evening the girls came over for dinner and copious amount of wine.  We all ravaged the low fat turkey lasagna I whipped up earlier that day and shared lots of laughs.

On Sunday I didn’t roll out of bed until ten am. I lazed around and later on hooked up with Alicia for a long overdue chitchat …and yes… more sangria!  But as all good things, the weekend has now come to an end and the reality of my week ahead has set in. I’m staying upbeat by enjoying the wonderful weather and as much running (away from life) as possible.

PT Girl xo

If by any chance you’ve been reading my blog from its inception you’ve seen Mike’s name before. He’s the fitness freak who got me into running and encouraged me to stick with my Personal Training journey at times when I wanted to quite. He’s also the one that warned me that once I started down this road there was no turning back. “Slippery Slope!! I’m warning you.” he always says. With a positive attitude and passion for life, Mike  has a way of encouraging people of all fitness levels to get moving.

Mike ran his first marathon in 2005 and completed his first Iron Man in 2006 in 12:37:55. He is a three time Penticton Iron Man finisher who loves to subtly hint that I should do one (or at least a half) as well.  We usually have this conversation after we’ve drank too many GG martinis and my confidence is soaring. “Yeah for sure! Next summer!” I always say.  My pounding head ache in the morning is a reminder that the vodka was doing all the talking. Although my inner voice whispers telling me it’s just a matter of time until I venture down that path…Yikes?!

Mikes second Iron Man was in 2007 and he finished in 12:00:29
In 2009 he cut another 32 minutes off his time and completed in 11:28:30

2009 Time Breakdown

Swim 3.8 km – 1:08:33
Transition 1 – 5:13
Bike 180 km – 5:49:47
Transition 2 – 3:02
Run 42.2 km – 4:21:57

My friend Alicia and I were there to support Mike at his lastest race. Watching the athletes compete ALL DAY LONG put the grueling race in perspective for me. The swim started at 7 a.m. I get claustrophobic in the water; I can’t even wrap my mind around swimming 3.8 kilometers in a sea of people.

We drove ahead of Mike on the bike course, stopping four to five times to take pictures and cheer him on. It was over thirty degrees in the blazing sun and the 180 kilometer route was painful to us even though we had air condition, music and road pops. I couldn’t image having my butt on those tiny bike seat’s for countless hours battling endless punishing hills.

By the second transition, Mike’s been going nonstop for about seven hours and is now preparing to run a freaking marathon. I’ve heard this switch is the most challenging, since your legs need to adjust to the different motions.  By this point Alicia and I were wiped from watching all the madness. We knew we had a few hours to kill before meeting up with Mike at the half way mark of his run, so we parked the truck and headed to the nearest pub for a bite to eat and a few cocktails.

After finishing his swim, ride and run in 11:28 he still had enough energy to join us at the pub for a few rounds. We sat there replaying the events of the day. I was amazed at how many people participated and astonished at their dedication! I was also shocked at the different caliber of fitness levels that competed and completed. “So are you going to sign up for next year?” Mike asked me. “No way! Not after seeing the painful ride” I replied, secretly wishing I had the nerves (aka balls) to line up the next morning.  As we ordered another round of drinks we saw the very last contestant make the cut off time; Sister Madonna, 75 years old crossed the finished line at 16:54:30. “Huh…..? You got to be kidding me!! That’s absolutely amazing!!…I’m such a chump!” I thought to myself.

This year Mike’s putting all his hard training towards a great cause and is signed up for the Ride to Conquer Cancer®

This two day, 200 km ride through the Pacific Northwest takes place on June 19 & 20, 2010. Every one of us has been touched by cancer. Some of our experiences may have ended in tragedy where others, thanks to research and new treatments are stories of survival. Visit Mike’s Ride to Conquer Cancer® page and support finding a cure for cancer. No amount is too little, every dollar helps, so please donate today!

PT Girl xo

After a three day hiatus I was determined to get back at it today. I was itching to get a long run in but the rain just wouldn’t let up. I checked the Steve Nash Sports Facility website to confirm the spinning class schedule. I could make the 4:30 p.m. session but would have to put aside my extreme dislike of the instructor.  His name is Daniel and although I have to admit he works our butts off during the short 45 minute class, he’s also extremely arrogant and condescending. Twenty minutes into class Daniel walks over to me “Engage your core” he yelled pointing at me. “Are you freaking kidding me?? Calling me out?! ARGH!!” I thought, infuriated.  The class went on and I climbed every mountain he told us to climb and sprinted every time he shouted, getting more and more drenched as the minutes went by. Then out of nowhere “Come on people!! STOP slacking! There’s no point of being here if you don’t do this right! You’re wasting my time and your energy by not efficiently pushing & pulling on the pedals. Besides, you burn more calories by doing it right! I don’t need to burn more calories but I’m guessing some of you here want to…right?” I couldn’t believe my ears!

As soon as the classes ended I grabbed a disinfected towel, wiped down my bike and bolted.  I jumped on the nearest treadmill and started running. I’m told if I’m ever going to attempt a half iron man the most challenging transition is going from riding the bike then switching to running. The first few minutes my legs were a little wobbly but there were no aches or pains.  I felt strong and ran the last ten minutes quicker then usually; pushing until I had nothing left in me. Feeling fantastic I jumped off the treadmill.  “I’m back baby!”

PT Girl xo

My fitness journey started about three and half years ago… let me rewind.
I wouldn’t say I was fat  but soft and definitely out of shape. At 27, standing 5’6” I weighed in at 140 lbs. Ok…ok… I lie… 145 lbs. I loved smoking, especially when I consumed excessive amounts of alcohol. (I’ve managed to give up the smoking a few years ago.)

On the weekend I’d eat out with friends, consume thousands of calories in wine, GG martinis and shooters. When the dj went home and the lights were turned on I would head to the nearest drive-thru for my night cap.

My exercise routine involved online shopping for Billy Blank Tae Bo tapes. I attempted the workouts a few times telling myself that Billy’s 30 minute routine would melt away the cheese curds and gravy from the last poutine I ingested.

So how did I end up in a park discussing my fictional fitness goals with Steve the Personal Trainer of Pulse Personal Training I asked myself as I sat in the spring grass trying my damnedest to look interested in his pitch. I was completely out of my element; I hated everything about gyms (hence the outdoor meeting), my cardio was horrible. I wasn’t able to jog for more than 5 minutes and my attempt at doing a push up was comical.

Over priced Lululemon wear, skinny bitches & meatheads made me nauseous… and yet there I was nodding my head in agreement to Steve’s every word as he kept nattering seemingly unaware of my discomfort. As my uneasiness transformed to irritation I couldn’t help but to think about the two people who were to blame for me handing over my first of many cheques to Steve, not to mention that my ass was now wet!

Who are the culprits responsible for me dishing out tens of thousands of dollars on Personal Training? Mike a coworker and overzealous fitness freak who was training for his second Iron Man and Julie a good friend who always shared in my over indulgence of food & booze. Mike’s daily tales of swimming, running and cycling and Julie’s admission she’d been seeing a personal trainer was just the right formula to summon guilt about my own complacency. I cursed them both as Steve said “12 more squats, come on!”

PT Girl xo