PT Diaries

Almost two weeks have gone by since I landed in Las Vegas. Being my sixth visit to Sin City I knew how trying it was going to be to resist temptation for the two days prior to the race. I was a bundle of nerves, doubting myself. “I’m not ready!” I said to my friend CC. “Calm down or I’m going to slip you a roofie! You’re ready!!” She said.  We were tucked in bed by ten pm on Saturday; restless I tossed and turned as butterflies had a party in my belly. I stared at the ceiling replaying my training (or lack thereof) over in my mind. The alarm went off at 4:45 am; we laid in our beds waiting for our pre ordered breakfast to be delivered. Before leaving I filled my water bottle with XXX Vitamin Water, put six Gu candies cut in half in my back pocket and popped an electrolyte pill.

The Rock & Roll Marathon started and ended at the Mandalay Bay Hotel. Standing amongst 27,000 other runners a surreal calm overcame me; confident all of a sudden I was ready to go! The gun went off. We didn’t move, it was well over fifteen minutes later when we finally crossed the start line. “See you girls at the finish.” I waved and took off.  The entire strip was closed off for the race. This was an unbelievable way to see it in its entirety. In all my visits here I’d never walked more than two blocks of the strip at once; maybe because I’m usually inebriated and wearing five inch heels?!  I ran by MGM Grand and New York New York. I flew by the Bellagio and then the Venetian. Feeling fantastic I passed the Wynn and then headed out towards Old Vegas.  I passed a cheap motel and saw an old man handing out draft beers to the runners. “Oh that would add to my story…” I thought smiling at him and shaking my head as to say no thanks. All of a sudden I found myself stuck behind a large group of runners; feeling good I decided to hop on the side walk to pass them. I looked up for a second to acknowledge a lady that was cheering me on and before I knew it, I was ejected through the air and hit pavement, skidding on the entire right side of my body. I picked myself up before the lady had a chance to make it over to me “Oh my god are you ok?” she asked concerned.  The right sleeve of my shirt had been torn and I could feel a burning sensation and see some blood. “I’m fine.” I said and took off again. Leave it up to me to slip on the one lonely Gu pack that was on the sidewalk.  I could feel my right hip throbbing from the road rash as well but refused to let it slow me down. As I veered back onto the strip at mile eight I’d manage to completely forget about my spill. From that point on, without stopping I forced myself to grab a cup of water from each station. As I approached the thirteenth mile I could see the excitement in many of the half marathoner’s, picking up speed to get to the finish line. I on the other hand popped another electrolyte pill and turned right gearing up for the second half of my race. I ran over the hill with ease and was still feeling fabulous at fifteen miles. I’d created the perfect play list which kept me pumped. Nothing like Boney M. Christmas song followed up by some dirty Ke$ha to keep me going. At eighteen miles I started to feel my legs and I slowed a little bit. But then my mind went to a place I didn’t know existed, a place where no thoughts existed, a place where the only thing that mattered was keeping a nice happy pace. A place that made me run fast, easy, & smooth without having to think about it. “It’s all new miles from here on, so make em’ count.” I thought as I ran by the twenty-one mile marker. I tried to relish the last few miles pretending it was just another Saturday morning hangover run rather than fixate on the fact it was the last 5 miles of a marathon; physiologically this actually made the last leg of the run enjoyable. As I ran back over the hilly bridge I gained momentum knowing I was mere minutes away from finishing. I started to run faster; just before I turned back onto the strip I noticed a big sign that said “26.2 miles” and I started to get chocked up. “No! no! Get it together and run!” Five hundred meters away from the finish I saw my friends on the side lines yelling “GO PT GIRL!!!!” waving their pom poms. This gave me the extra kick I needed to cross the finish without slowing.

4:13:10 and I was done my very first marathon!  I was totally pumped!! I’d meet my goal of 6 minutes per kilometers down to the second.

I walked round with a bagel in one hand and water bottle in the other.  It was impossible to find my friends in a sea of 50,000 people and visualizations of a hot shower was over -powering so I made it to the taxi line up at the front of the Mandalay Bay Hotel. There I was faced with a lineup of thirty people that weren’t moving. Frustrated after standing there for thirty minutes I eyed a stretch limo that had just pulled up and next thing I knew I was sitting in the back. Some things are just worth paying for!

My friend CC ran her first half marathon in five years , her friend Bonbon took ten minutes off her previous half marathon time and I ran my first marathon; needless to say we were all high on adrenaline and after being “good” for two nights were ready for a night on the town. All the girls got dolled up; I wore a mini dress and four inch heels. After some great eats at TAO we made our way to The Bank at the Bellagio. Twelve girls = free cover and too many free drinks We laughed hard, danced the night away under fake snow and meet tones of random fun people (and some douchebags as well).  The girls slowly dropped off and by three am there were only the last four hard core standing. We decided it would be best to head back to our hotel, the Aria. A riveting conversation with the taxi drivers had us in stitches as we stumbled out.  Some chicken wings, ten lapse around the casino chatting on the phone and another glass of wine (not necessarily in that order) and next thing I knew it was five am. I’d been up for 24 hours… then I crashed!!

In summary I must say this was the best first marathon I could have ever asked for. I wouldn’t change a single thing! I want to thank all my friends and family for their support as well as their understanding of my neuroticism.  A special thanks to IronMike who’s been there since my first ten k race telling me “I can do it!” Three year ago when he said “Watch out it’s a slippery slope you’ll be running marathons soon!” I laughed and said “As if, never!”

“To describe the agony of a marathon to someone who’s never run it is like trying to explain color to someone who was born blind.” Jerome Drayton

PT Girl xo

I’ve had several conversations with PT Girl about eating and drinking while running. Believe me, I understand why people don’t want to do it. When I first got one of the water belts I felt pretty goofy and it chafed in a bunch of new places. But here are the three things I think you should consume while training and why. Believe me, it will make you faster on longer distances.

First though, I know everyone is different and below is what I do. I think everyone should do  what works for them. But hopefully by seeing what I do, you’ll get some ideas and invest the time to figure out what will work for you and assist at making you faster.

Water

The first and most important is water. If you become dehydrated, you will feel like crap, you will be slow and eventually things will start shutting down. Think about doing Ironman for 12 hours in +30°C (+86°F). If you don’t drink a lot of water, you won’t finish. As it is, you will likely loose 5-10 pounds during the race and most of that will be water.

For me, what works is a water bottle with a strap that lets me hold it in my hand. Something like this but I replaced the bottle with one that works for me and has a wide opening for filling up quickly and easily. It doesn’t matter what you use, but you need to be comfortable with it and train with it.

Again personally, I find I can run or ride for 2 hours without drinking. But if I’m in a race, I’ll likely take a bottle just because I know it makes me faster. Anything over 2 hours, whether running or riding, I try to drink at least one bottle (750ml) per hour.

But again, that’s going to depend on how much I’m sweating, which depends on clothes, temperature, humidity and altitude and of course how hung over I am. Among other things, hills, shade, rain, speed, and probably how much I’m talking. Of course how much you need will be dependent on these and other things. But drink early and drink often. It is absolutely critical for anything long distance training.

It is possible to drink too much. Drinking too much at an aide station will result in water sloshing around in your stomach and you might cramp. The second time I did Ironman, I drank as if it was hot and it wasn’t. I think I had to stop and pee 3 times. Not a big deal you would think, but I was 30 seconds over my goal time. Not too bad after 12 hours, but believe me, I wish I had drank less!

But I still believe drinking too much is way better than not drinking enough. I took over 30 minutes off my previous IM time, so I was pretty happy and a big part of that was being more hydrated. Okay, fairly happy.

Salt

I was going to put sugar next, but salt is probably more important for me. Might not be for you. Without enough salt, muscles cramp and which will dramatically impact your time. I went on a very hilly 120km ride one time and was cramping most of the way. I got through it, but it was very uncomfortable. I know others who have done similar things. Even my last (third) IM I could feel my quads starting to cramp near the end of the ride. But I upped the salt a little and didn’t cramp on the run.

I say salt, but it is more complicated than that. You need electrolytes. This is essential a combination of different minerals that is included in your sweat. There are lots of products on the market but I use Endurolytes by Hammer. I have also used other products, but these are simple and always work for me.

As with water, I generally think I can get away with 2 hours without needing to take any. But often I’ll take one if I’m going for a 1+ hour swim. If I’m riding for 2 hours and then running for 1, I’ll take one before I start on the run. For IM, I’ve found that this works: one in the morning before the race, one when I get out of the swim, one every hour on the ride and then one per hour on the run.

As with water, how much you need is tied to how much you are sweating. While it’s possible to take too much, generally it’s better to take more rather than less. I talked to a doctor once about taking too much and she said an upset stomach would likely be the only immediate cause for concern. Of course you don’t want to take too much of anything over a long period of time. But you don’t want your calves cramping while swimming or when you’re running up a hill either.

But for long distances, this is as absolutely necessary as water. Unless you don’t sweat.

Sugar

The hardest of all these is food. Generally I find I can go 3 hours without food of any kind, but even then it is slowing me down. Any longer and I know I’m just going to get slower and slower.

But what to eat? And how much?

Generally, the main thing about eating is to get calories into your body in a way that it can process them. There are hundreds of products out there that will help you do this, but here are some general guidelines:

Not all calories are created equal!
You’ve probably heard about fructose and glucose, cane sugar and starch. All of these can provide your body with calories, but  your body processes them in different ways and at different speeds.

Carbo-loading pasta dinners and typical before big races. Pasta, potatoes and other starchy foods are a good way to get calories into your body, but it takes time for your body to process those starches. Personally, I avoid starchy foods the night before a race. I find my body hasn’t had time to process them. Two nights before works for me and that’s what I do. But during a race, or a long training session, generally your body isn’t going to be able to process those starches fast enough for them to benefit your body during the race.

“Normal” Sugars
Most sugar you see on a regular basis is glucose and/or fructose. While these sugars can provide your body with instant calories, you need to be very careful with them. If the concentration of sugar in what you are eating or drinking is too high, your body will draw water away from other places to allow your stomach to process them. The result is you feel like crap and you are going to be affected like you are getting dehydrated even if you are drinking.

I hate to put down products, but you’ll find many distance athletes will avoid Gatorade even when it’s free, provided by the race.  The reason is that the concentration of whatever sugar they use is too high and it makes them feel like crap. If I am in a situation where I need Gatorade (or just about all of the equivalent drinks) I will take as much water as I take Gatorade – cutting the concentration in half. That said, I know people who run long distance and happily drink the free Gatorade the whole time. Which kind are you? You need to know!

Another good example is gels. All gels are, by their nature, super concentrated. I use gels when I’m on long rides and even sometimes on long runs. If I’m doing a half IM or full, I use gels. But it is EXTREMELY important to make sure you are taking enough water when you use them. Otherwise you will (probably, some people have stomaches of steel) feel like crap.

What works best for me is adding maltodextrin to my water. Maltodextrin is a sugar like glucose or fructose, but your body is able to digest it in higher concentrations. So you get more bang for your buck. Using a conservative concentration, I can get 400 calories in a 750ml water bottle. I call it potato water – 400 calories is like eating a POUND of potatoes. Very hard to get that many calories in anything else. So don’t drink this unless you are going distances or if you need to gain weight.

Maltodextrin is also completely tasteless. That’s right, it doesn’t taste sweet. One of the biggest complaints I hear from people doing long distances is the idea of drinking MORE Gatorade after 6 or 8 or 15 hours.  Because water with maltodextrin has no taste, you don’t need to worry about getting sick of it. Finding maltodextrin will likely be easy – I get a huge tub of it from a local nutrition/vitamin store for $14. Lasts me multiple seasons.

How much? If I’m trying to run a fast half marathon, I’ll take a bottle of “potato water”. If I’m going to be training more than 3 hours, I’ll have some kind of food, but usually I don’t do potato water unless I’m doing over 6. Which doesn’t happen too often.

For IM, I had some before the race, a bottle in my swim/bike transition, 3 on my bike at the start, 3 at the aide station half way through, one in my bike/run transition, one on the run on the way out and one on the run on the way back. So 9 or 10, because I don’t finish them all. Ya, around 4,000 calories. Plus probably 5-8 gels at 100 calories per. And no, that isn’t enough – according to my heart rate monitor, I burned about 5,400 calories one year and that wasn’t counting the swim.

Food and getting calories is the most personal part of all this. You need to find what works for you. And the only way you can do that is to make sure you’re trying things during your training. If you don’t, odds are you won’t have nearly as good a race as you could have because something won’t be working well.

Funny story to give you an idea. Third Ironman I did all of the above. But very little solid food. I was having a very tough time getting through the last of the run despite all the people there to cheer me on (PT Girl, Dr. Jones and others). I was probably 3-4k from the end and grabbed a slice of orange from an aide station. I didn’t know if it would help or hurt, but wanted to give it a try. I bit into it and suddenly was AMAZINGLY hungry! I desperately had to have solid food! I knew there would be food at the end so I pushed and went faster, just to get some of that solid food. And man, that was some of the best food I’ve ever had!

So please, get out there and try eating while training. I’m a convert and once you find what works for you, you’ll be a convert too.

Iron Mike

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

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

Can anyone become a faster runner? Well after running three half marathons where each race I finished shy of breaking two hours by 90 seconds or less I am starting to believe that I’m not designed  to run any faster! I decided to run the Okanagan Half Marathon Oct 10, 2010 and am about to embark on a three month training program where the bulk of my energy will be focused on increasing my pace.

The last half marathon I ran was the BMO Half in May; my official race time was 2:00:47; pace of 5:40 per km.

I used to think that I had to run more miles to run faster. I’m no longer worried about the distance of the race, as my Saturday leisurely 17 km run is one of my favorite times of the week (besides Friday afternoon cocktail hour on the patio…of course) I attempted some hill training during my last half training but focused mainly on logging miles; unfortunately running those extra miles at my regular pace didn’t turn me into a cheetah After talking to some friends, discussing with some trainers and a little online research it seems the only way to learn how to run faster is to get out there and run faster!  Here are a few steps that I think will help me:

Step 1

Increase your turnover (turnover refers to the number of times your right (or left) foot hits the ground in 1 minute). Obviously the faster your turnover, the more distance you cover in a given period of time. Count your current turnover rate and then aim to increase your turnover by 5 steps per minute until you eventually reach that magical 80. Elite runners usually clock around 90+ strides per minute but for us mere mortals runner a turnover of 80 is considered pretty decent.

*Note – Don’t let your feet get in front of your body.

Step 2

Push off with your big toe. This will also help to take some of the pounding out of your heels and push your body forward more effectively.

Step 3

Swing your arms forward, not across your body. Moving your arms back and forth across your body will pull your body from side to side. Aim your hands in the direction you want to go; directly in front of you.

Step 4

Incorporate speed workouts into your program. Speed workouts are a great way to increase your pace slowly and steadily over time.

In addition to a long run and a shorter fast run per week, here are the new rules I will be living by for the next three months:

Rule # 1 – Set a clear & realistic goal of a time you wish to beat

I want to run a 1:55 half marathon (5:27 per km) Thirteen seconds per kilometers faster

Rule #2 Use hill training to build muscle & endurance

Hill sprints at least once a week

Rule #3 Yoga & strength training to prevent injury and to increase flexibility and range of motion

Strength training twice week with my personal trainer.

2 yoga classes a month and 1 massage therapy session a month.

Rule # 4 Interval training, using sprints to increase speed as well as lung capacity

To be incorporated in each of my personal training session

Rule # 5 Give your body rest so your muscles can recover and avoid injury

I swear to take a rest day (or yoga day) a week

Does anyone have any other suggestions how this turtle can evolve into a cheetah?

PT Girl xo

I wasn’t looking to post a personal best but I did have every intention of running the Scotia Half Marathon on Sunday but…. didn’t. My intuition is so good, I just need to listen to it more carefully; I had an feeling my plans were going to fall apart and they did late Saturday night. I lay awake in bed at the crack of dawn on Sunday wishing I had made alternative plans and agreed to commute up to UBC with Hank. I was pissed off at myself; I wanted to run so I should have just done so and figured out the logistics afterwards.

Big congratulations to Hank, he ran the Scotia Half marathon in 1:32:18 Impressive especially if you knew how much (or little) time was actually dedicated to his training. Way to go!!!

After a pot of coffee while watching the soccer match between Argentina and Mexico I was still beating myself up so decided to lace up. I’ve come to the conclusion that I need to get angry more often… rage really seems to help my speed.

Over the past few months I’ve been cursed with really bad sleeping patterns  and I feel as if I exist on adrenaline; and every so often I crash losing total motivation to do anything at all. Yesterday at work I was worn out and wished for nothing more than ONE good night of sleep; so I decided to go to the Steve Nash Gym and exert myself to the point of exhaustion. I jumped on the treadmill and ran 5 km in 27 minutes and then went straight into an hour spin class. Although I worked my ass off, I must admit this was one of the worst instructor’s that I have ever had. In my personal opinion the spin teacher (personal trainer or aerobic instructor) should not be panting harder than me, especially if they are working less than me. How can I possibly be motivated and take the instructor seriously when I’m being told to push harder from someone who demonstrates no fitness or athletic ability? Am I wrong for thinking this way?

Either way I made it my ride and gave er’ my all! My legs were shaking and I was completely soaked. I was convinced that this 90 workout would absolutely do the trick and induce me into an eight hour coma. Wahhhhh!! Yet another sleepless night!!! I’m about to lose my mind!!! Does anyone have a good insomnia remedy? I’m ready to try anything!!

PT Girl xo

Yesterday I was consumed with worry. Personal troubles aside, I couldn’t stop thinking about my leg and how my injury has negatively impacted my last three weeks of training. I hadn’t had a decent run in forever “Can you forget how to run?” I kept thinking to myself.

My girlfriend Alicia brought me out for a pre-race meal at the KEG. Filet minion, baked potato and spinach salad! Yum… I tried to fall asleep early but I kept tossing and turning. This was not my usual pre-race excitement but more worry that leg may not carry me to the finish line.

I woke to overcast skies… rain was definitely upon me. Most of you know how I loathe running in the rain. “Just hold off for a few hours” I thought to myself as I stood fidgeting with my iPod in the crowd of anxious BMO runners.

The gun went off and instantly I felt a rain drop. “For f** sakes…PMS, a damaged leg and rain… this is not my race…” I cursed crossing the start line.

Amazingly, 27 minutes in I was right on pace at five kilometers. “Ok, I can do this…” I forced myself to think of nothing but my breathing. Thoughts of current events kept popping in my head and I kept pushing them aside. “Nothing else matter right now…” As I entered Stanley Park, I saw Mike and Michelle, I waved. “Hey…” Mike said starting to run alongside me “You’re doing great!! 2 hour pace bunny is way behind you! Keep it up!” Kilometers ten I was at 55 minutes. I started to brace myself as the hilliest part was coming up: seventy five meters of elevation between twelve and fourteen kilometers and half way up the sharp pulling pain in the back of my leg made a furious return. I slowed down but refused to stop (or walk) “This is not even a hill compared to the UBC!! SUCK IT UP!!!” I yelled inside.

Around kilometer sixteen Mike popped out of nowhere again running with me. “How are you feeling? You want me to run with you?” I gratefully declined knowing I would use him as a crutch. Whenever someone runs with me I automatically start whining “I’m tired, it hurts, omg… blah blah blah…” I was already a bit behind pace “Thanks Mike I’m good… gotta focus!” I pointed ahead. “Ok push it!” he yelled!

Mental battles, trying to ignore my leg pain as I pushed up the last hill under the Granville Bridge. Then my caves started to cramp making me jump out of stride. The finished line was so close. I saw Julie to my left “Go Banana!!!” then Alicia and Chris “CRANK IT!!” and I crossed the finish line…soaking wet, absolutely frozen and wobbling off my left leg.  My Garmin said 1:59:30… I should be happy? But I wasn’t… I knew I didn’t officially make it in less than 2 hours. The damn chip says 2:00:46 (MOFO, Shit… *@%^@ *!&** ….there aren’t enough swear words) Afterward I kept replaying the race in my head …and it came to me…the damn water stations!!  I had pre-picked three stations to hydrate (6km, 11km and 16km) But it tasted so good… I grabbed water five times, coming to a complete stop at the last one…IDIOT! In the end I did shaved off three minutes from last year’s race time,  felt exhilarated from the actual run and was super grateful to be surrounded by great friends.  But  I don’t feel the sense of accomplishment I was hoping for. Luckily I’ve already signed up for the Scotia Half marathon in June to redeem myself!

PS – whoever says the BMO half marathon is flat and fast is full of SHIT!

Regardless of my performance I would still like to give thanks:

Eric of deWolf Training: My personal trainer who has a very unique way of pushing me…wouldn’t have it any other way.

Witch Dr. from 6^th street Chiropractor & Wellness: without him there is no doubt I wouldn’t have been able to run this race. He helped immensely with my ridiculous self inflicted injuries.

Toby from the Sinclair Wellness Center: Female massage therapist who has just the right touch!

Support & self esteem team: Mike and Hank who are always there to listen to my PT and fitness dramas.

Cheering Team: Iron Mike, Michelle, Julie, Alicia and Chris. (Eric the Billy Goat Gruff was under the bridge…but I didn’t see him)

PT Girl xo

Next time I say “I’m tired” “I’m not motivated” or “I don’t feel like it” I promise myself to remember the last 7 days. I was not allowed or able to run/workout for the last week because of a stupid self inflicted injury.  The lack of activity was extremely difficult; I had way too much pent up energy. Anxiety that my race was quickly approaching and the exaggerated thoughts that I was losing precious training time made me absolutely insane; after only two days on hiatus I was going mental.  My boredom and restlessness turned into a girl’s night out which lead to a massive hangover! The hangover was followed by ingesting crap food for 24 hours, which made me feel guilty because I couldn’t go burn off the greasy poutine calories with a long run… SELF SABOTAGE.

Yesterday I had the second visit to my chiropractor since my injury happened. (I refer to my chiro as the “Witch Doctor” because he does wonders. Unlike any other chiropractor he has never cracked a single bone in my body yet strangely with no more than a few prods and pokes he heals me.) I explained that as recommended I took four days off since I last saw him and went for a short run on Sunday. “The pain in the back of my left leg is still there and made my run uncomfortable.” I told him “Of course,  why do you think I told you to come back today?” he asked.

Laying on my back he poked at my leg and butt. “Turn around” he said and dug into the left side of my stomach. Then he asked me to push my left leg with as much force as possible against his hand and said “There you go crazy runner, you’re all fixed!” I smiled,  jumped off the table and slid back into my beige stilettos.  As promised, the constant pulling pain in the back of my leg was GONE! “Come back a few days before your race and I’ll make sure you’re fine tuned” he suggested. “Abso-fucking-lutely!” I thought waving goodbye.

I was excited for today’s personal training session; it may not have been my best performance but my leg didn’t bother me during the workout. After I ran five kilometers (actually 4.2 km) back to my truck. It may not have been my quickest but the pain in my left leg and butt cheek was definitely less prominent than on Sunday. A great sweat after a week off felt fabulous! “Damn right… the bitch is back!” I thought smirking  as I drove away.

PT Girl xo

I had an off week. My legs were sore and tight at the beginning of the week and don’t feel any better today. Work was busier than usual and had a hard time sleeping. I either tossed and turned all night or suffered through crazy nightmares. This combination made me irritable and cranky; so keeping positive and on track with my training this week was definitely trying. Monday was my rest day, which was needed after my long hilly run last Sunday; but sleep deprived I went my Tuesday personal training session with de Wolf feeling lethargic. Wednesday I ran 9 km, slower than I would have liked. Thursday I was in a mood but went to my second personal training session anyways. Come Friday I was exhausted after work but forced a short 6 km run before going out for dinner. Fatigue finally caught up to me and I actually slept 7 hours. Saturday morning I felt sluggish. I could have sat around, read the paper and sipped on coffee and Baileys till noon. But the sun was shining and I knew I should stick to my scheduled 19 km run in case the rain came on Sunday.  I psyched myself, pulled on my favorite Nike crops and luluemon shirt, pressed shuffle on my iPod and started running.  I had a slow start but gained momentum around 7 kilometers and felt strong through to 14 kilometers. I popped a Cliff Blok at 15 kilometers. I refused to carry a water bottle on my runs but find that a few Cliff Bloks gives me the boost I need.  My glutes were burning during most of the run and I mentally struggled, feeling as if I was behind pace; yet somehow managed to finishing 19.1 km in 1h 49mins. Considering my negative state of mind and the pain in my legs I was content with my time; for this week.  Saturday night I attended my friend’s birthday party and indulged in a little alcohol for the first time in 20 days.  Although I didn’t have to nurse a hangover this morning I was “fuzzy” and sat around watching “Mean Girls” on TV. Once the credits ran at the end I was mortified that I’d lost 2 hours of my life on such a ridiculous movie. I tried to read but was unable to relax so I laced up for a short recovery run, hoping it would take the edge off; with no avail. Blah! I’m looking forward to my rest day tomorrow…. maybe I’ll make an appointment with a registered massage therapist to loosen up my legs.

PT Girl xo