Boston strong. Halifax strong. Memorial run, Halifax Point Pleasant Park, April 22, 2013

Before heading to last night's memorial run, I had a Twitter exchange with a fellow Halifax runner who felt unsure whether he was going to attend, because he felt like the attack was not one on runners, and therefore felt mixed about the theme of "Runners grieve by running."

I responded that to me, last night's run was about solidarity for those - runners or not - who had lost their lives or had been affected by the tragedy, even the city of Boston itself as it struggles to recover from the horror that was wrought on it.

I was heartened to see the hundreds of runners of all ages and abilities at last night's Boston memorial run. It was amazing to see how many of Halifax's runners were there wearing Boston jackets, Boston Red Sox jerseys or blue and yellow. The bond between our cities was apparent. You could sense how each of us had been struck by the tragedies in Boston last week - and the determination that we'd keep running together.

As we waited in the brisk wind off the ocean for the organizers to speak, I could hear runners around me reliving their Boston experience last week. It was still so fresh and raw for many of them, just seven days after the event.

I was moved as our queue of several hundred crunched slowly off at the starting point, making our way around the park. This was not about speed or time, as the organizers reminded us. It was about solidarity and togetherness.

So we took off together, each of us running at our own pace for 15 minutes, and then turning around and running back to the start.

When we reached the starting point and started trickling back in, our group of several hundred strong milled around - many of us giving hugs to those runners safely returned. This was not just about what happened in Boston - it was about what had happened in our own community, as we watched in horror and hoped and prayed that all those who we knew were safe and sound. I was glad to have been a part of it.

Thank you to the organizers for pulling together such a meaningful event.

Boston strong. Halifax strong.

~ HRG

Boston 2013 memorial run: Runners grieve by running

Tonight runners from across HRM will be gathering at Point Pleasant Park for a 30-minute memorial run in support of the tragedy at last week's Boston Marathon.

Runners are encouraged to wear yellow and blue. A minute of silence will be observed at the start of the run.

The run starts at 6 p.m. in the lower parking lot at Point Pleasant Park.

I'll be there. I hope you will be too.

~ HRG

T-minus four weeks till race day: The excitement is building!

I can't help this feeling, deep inside of me: it's four weeks till race day!

Not to mention, it's the Blue Nose 10th anniversary race weekend.

It will be my eighth half marathon since 2009.

I've been feeling strong lately. Today I had a good 18kms, preceded by a strong week (with a good 12kms/tempo/9 hills).

And the events at Boston last week have made me appreciate: I am alive - I have blood coursing through my veins. I am breathing. My muscles are straining. My feet are pumping.

In the past week, we have struggled to gain some sense of perspective of the week's events. I have been humbled by those of you who told me that my post on Monday where I struggled to put my feelings into words helped you.

In the last week, all of my runs have personally been in tribute of those at Boston. I have pushed myself harder for them. I have run my nine hills, with the last four in honour of the victims of this week's tragedy. My muscles were screaming, but I couldn't stop, for them.

I have realized that if it hurts, it's because I am still alive.

Tomorrow, I plan to head to Point Pleasant Park with many, many other Halifax runners for a run in honour/memoriam of Boston.

So on race day, there will be no excuse: it may prove difficult at times, but I hope to make it a day of celebration and tribute. I'm sure standing at the starting line in four weeks' time will feel bittersweet. Still, I feel excited about a race for the first time in a long time.

In fact, I can't wait!

See you at the start line,

~ HRG

Runners grieve by running

In tribute to those injured or who lost their lives on 4.15.2015.

#prayforboston

You see from my blog title what this entry is about. I have to be honest, I have hummed and hae'd about whether to blog about the events at today's Boston Marathon, which was held in honour of the 26 victims of the Newtown tragedy. Would writing a blog post be playing into the hands of the sick individual(s) who decided to set off bombs near the finish line of today's race, costing three lives and countless of other injuries (some of them meaning those injured may not have the use of both legs ever again)? Would posting something about the horrific events that played into today's tragedy be sensationalizing this event?

But tonight, my parents and brother called me to see how I was taking the news, because of my connection to marathon running, as well as my connection to some of the runners in today's race. It seemed they were expecting me to have a personal connection to the event, simply because I have run marathons.

But let's face it: today's tragedy cuts us all to the core, runner or not. This was an event that unfairly targeted thousands of innocent athletes, families, volunteers and organizers - the several thousand people gathered to celebrate healthy lifestyles and the work and effort of thousands of individuals over several months, let alone their efforts on the actual day. It was an event that celebrated life, no matter our political affiliations or country of origin.

And yet, I also had a personal connection to the event, as did so many of us watching them unfold from the comfort of our laptops and televisions.

Last Wednesday, I headed to the Fireside Lounge with a dozen or so fellow runners to celebrate the achievements of two fellow Halifax runners headed to Boston. We handed them greeting cards and bags full of Canada paraphenalia (including thunder sticks and huge Canada ties for their husbands).  No matter what their time crossing the finish, all of us there knew that simply making it to Boston is an incredible feat of months' worth of determination and effort, when running becomes your every waking (and sometimes, dreaming) focus. So when members of our community qualify, we're ecstatic. You could bet we'd be watching on race day for any news of our friends!

And that's just what I did. This morning, I watched the Facebook feed as our friends handed off their cell phones to hubbies and made it to the start line. "Enjoy the day!" I posted. "This is the celebration of months' worth of training and hard work!"

As the race progressed and the various corrals started, one of our run club members kept posting updates of our friends' progress, with their splits and anticipated times. Then, three hours and 40 minutes, later, one of them crossed the finish, re-qualifying for next year's Boston. The Facebook stream erupted in cheers for her, and then waited for our second friend to finish soon, as she'd also been looking strong.

I stepped away from my desk for an hour, and then when I got back, the unimaginable had happened.

For the next 45 minutes, all of us who were connected to anyone running (or spectating) in Boston scrambled to get news about our friends and family in Boston, all the while trying to stop our minds from imagining the worst. My Twitter stream was flooded with contradictory news, and I tried my best to navigate through the information.

I had chills up my spine as I watched a video taken in the immediate vicinity of the first bomb.

I was horrified that someone would think to turn a celebration of health and wellness into the scene of a horrific tragedy. I couldn't imagine how I would feel if I was minutes away from finishing a race after being on the course for almost four hours and heard the blasts, or if I was standing on the other side of the race course, waiting to cheer on a loved one.

There is nothing that can explain today's tragedy. As an editor, I realize that using a word several times over the course of several paragraphs is redundant. But honestly, all that I can come up with right now to describe today's events is tragedy, sickening and horrific. No other words describe it.

Eventually,  my friends and their spouses were safe and accounted for. One of them missed the blast by 10 minutes because she had slowed down, even though she was on target to finish within a minute of the blasts.

I breathed a sigh of relief, all the while watching the news unfold with horror.

When we finally did hear from them, one of my friends had nothing bad to say except that the city of Boston should be proud of how they handled themselves in this emergency situation. Props to her for having perspective in a moment of crisis.

In the days and weeks to come, there will be reports that examine and attempt to explain the day's events. Those uninjured runners who traveled to Boston will return home, and sift through conflicting emotions - at the end of the day, they will say, things could have been much worse.

We will grieve the victims of today's tragedy.

Other runners will look ahead to future events, such as the London Marathon, and wonder whether they feel safe enough to run.

Race day is the celebration of months and weeks of training and determination - whether on behalf of the runners or their family members. It is the celebration of healthy living and inspiration. Race day cuts across political tensions and celebrates the triumphs of the human mind and body. It is the celebration of feats that to many of us are unimaginable - and yet we manage to cross that finish line.

And race day or no race day, runners or non-runners, Boston or elsewhere - there is just no excuse for what happened today.

My heart goes out to Boston tonight. But I know we will stand strong at that next starting line, and cross the finish together, arms raised.

~ HRG

T-minus 20 days to race day, and counting: What does Downton Abbey have to do with running?

Last night, I was watching my guilty TV pleasure - Downton Abbey, which is set just around the time where my grandmother would have been wrapping up her career on England's first touring competitive rhythmic gymnastics team, in the early 1920s.

Since my mind usually wanders to all things running related (according to my husband), and my knees were still throbbing from yesterday's fall, it occurred to me that since the start of the series, we haven't seen the characters of Downton do anything more active than ride a horse, or walk the dogs (and according to this blog, Matthew seems to really love riding his bike).

Most of the time, they seem to be either changing into their latest outfit for dinner, or sitting around chatting about the latest local gossip (or in last night's episode, wondering what the heck Tom was thinking, abandoning a pregnant Sybil in Ireland after having set fire to a castle of some English-Irish aristoctrat. I mean, really...)

It's amazing these folks all look so slim and slender, the amount of time they spend sitting around well-laid tables and glittering chandeliers, eating the lavish meals cooked for them by the staff downstairs.

In fact, Tom's run through the forest is probably the most activity we've seen the residents of Downton engage in over the course of three series. How the heck did he manage to run miles through an overgrown forest, and arrive at the doors of Downton looking handsome and rained on, but not out of breath?

Now that she's married, Lady Mary seems to have settled into her role as a married woman, which consists of writing letters, planning dinners with archbishops and redecorating Downton, where needed. Self-proclaimed spinster Edith, on the other hand, is causing stirs because she submitted a letter to the editor about women's suffrage - the gall!

So just imagine the brouhaha that would have occurred if any of the girls had waltzed into the dining hall, only to announce that they intended to take up running?

As it turns out, if they had decided they wanted to take up running, they'd have been years ahead of their time.

In fact, it wasn't until the 1928 Olympics that women were allowed to compete in Track and Field, including the 800 metres. But, according to this blog, which cites a New York Times article, because six of the nine competitors in the race ended up collapsing at the end of the race, the 800 metres was declared too dangerous for women to compete in, and was retired from the Olympics until 1960.

Women were declared too frail and feeble, and running might endanger their "lady parts," not to mention not be ladylike.

A few years ago, while training for my first half marathon, I remember our running instructor, Louise, telling us the story of Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to run the Boston Marathon in 1967. It was a huge deal, because for so long women had been discouraged from running long distances - "they would get huge legs, or grow hair on their chest or their uterus would fall out," recalls Kathrine in a PBS documentary.

In fact, it was such a big deal, that one of the race directors tried to tackle Kathrine and pull her out of the race. Thankfully, Kathrine also happened to be running with her boyfriend, a muscular jock-type guy who pushed the race director out of the way, while journalists started heckling her for being a suffragette.

But Kathrine pushed on, determined to finish the race on her hands and knees, if that's what it took. She knew she was running for more than herself, but also for all women - to prove that women, in fact, were capable of accomplishing such feats.

Four hours and 20 minutes later, Katherine Switzer finished, becoming the first woman to finish the Boston Marathon. Amazing.

Oh, what the ladies of Downton would have thought of such a scene, when at present Edith can't even vote because she's not married!

That's not to say that we don't still have a long ways to go (just the other day on The Ellen Show, she had a young girl on who's petitioning to be allowed to play football on an all-boys team), but  looking at the ladies of Downton, all I have to say is, we've come a long way, ladies!

- HRG

Week 14 complete & 15 begins: the sun, the rain, the lows, the highs...the inspiration!

Where the heck is the sunny weather that graced us just last week? My fingers are still cold from tonight's speed training at the SMU track and a run home in rain and zero degree weather! But I felt pretty strong as I made my way around the track for two sets of four laps, averaging around 5:09-5:14/km, which isn't bad for a four-hour time goal, I'm told.

We are now into week 15 and race day is 24 days away! Little butterflies are starting to hatch from their cocoons and flutter in my belly when I think about running down Yonge Street along with thousands of runners...Eep!

Anyways, last week kinda went down like this:

Monday
In an effort to get some last-minute leg strength training in, I decided to do leg exercises at the gym prior to an hour-long Body Pump class. I felt ok, except that...

Tuesday
...On Tuesday I set out for my tempo run late after chatting with Wendy and Carol at the Running Room. Most of the group had already almost completed their 6k tempo as I started around the Commons, and I noticed my pace slowing and my legs struggling to keep up with a pace almost a minute slower than the previous week's tempo. I definitely wasn't coasting along like a running goddess. In fact, I was struggling at even 4k. So after my second lap around, I decided to head back to the Running Room -- a little deflated and worried, I will admit, especially after the difficult time I'd had with Sunday's long run.

Wednesday
Feeling a little stressed about how tough I'd been finding the runs, I emailed Bruce, our clinic leader (and manager of the Running Room on Spring Garden Road), and asked him for any advice. He was amazing and answered within a couple hours, saying that often times, difficulties in performance can be linked to iron deficiencies, especially in women. Which makes sense for me, as I've been diagnosed as being slightly anemic.

Bruce also suggested that I might be overdoing it -- that often we feel like we have to do all kinds of cross-training in order to be strong, but that with only four weeks away, I might want to cut back on the lower body strength training and just focus on having a strong core and upper body. His was advice was to take it easy for a couple days and put my legs up.

So I did.

Thursday
After work, we got together with some fellow runners to see our friends Wendy and Greg off for their Boston Marathon. We were so excited for them! We promised to watch their progress on Monday and send them all kinds of positive energy so they'd coast through the course. I love being part of a strong running community -- there is so much inspiration and support to draw on!

Bruce was there among us and I really appreciated him making a point of coming by and checking in with how I was feeling. He also made me feel a little better by admitting that he hadn't finished his hills the previous day, since he'd been feeling a little under the weather. "You're just going through a rough patch," he said. And I believed him.

Coming home that night, I told my husband I'd love to qualify for Boston one day. "I don't know which of you to believe," he joked -- referring to the fact that only a few days ago I'd been ready to quit running, and now I wanted to qualify for one of the largest marathons in North America!

"My heart wants to run, but sometimes my body doesn't listen," I said by way of explanation. I've never hidden that running is such a love/hate thing for me!

Friday
I opted for Zumba instead of a long run. I love Zumba -- one of my favourite cross-training cardio activities!

Saturday
In the morning, I stopped in at the Running Room and pick up some gels for Sunday's long run. I'd been debating hopping on the bike for half an hour or so, just to keep the impact off my legs, but then I decided to head out and see how I'd feel on a 6k run. My Garmin had died, but I didn't worry because I'd read Jon's blog only the day before about how he'd forced himself to run without a watch for a few runs and just enjoy the run instead of focusing on getting the last few 100 metres in or stay on pace. It was kind of refreshing, I must say.

The run itself was ok...Not great but not horrible. My left achilles tendon was a little tight, and when I stopped I had some weird throbbing ache in my right hamstring, but I worked that out with an hour and a half of Ashtanga yoga with Andrea and her sister Diana, and I felt so much better afterwards!

Another great thing that happened on Saturday -- I found out that my friend Jen was inspired by my blog to start running again! I'm so proud of her for starting again, because I myself know how intimidating starting to run again can feel, if you've been away from it for even a few months. And I'm so glad I've been able to inspire someone as others have inspired me.

Saturday night, my husband cooked me my favourite pre-race/long run meal: Gordon Ramsay's Pancetta Spaghetti. He gave me a great pep talk, encouraged me to get a good night's sleep and just get 'er done in the morning, even though the Weather Network was calling for rain. I felt encouraged by his support, and went to bed to try and get a few hours of shut-eye.

Sunday
Morning broke windy but not raining, although it was grey. I hadn't slept overly well, but I slept more than I usually do. Part of me really just wanted to stay in bed, but I knew that after Steve spending an hour and a bit cooking me my pre-run meal (after he'd had a long day at work) and giving me my pep talk, there was no backing out of this 29k run.

So I ate my oatmeal and half an apple, pulled on my gear, and headed out the door to drive downtown to the Running Room. Carol was there and had volunteered to be our pace group leader, since Wendy was in Boston enjoying a buffet with all of the Canadian runners before Marathon Monday!

We headed out, and actually had to pull back on our pace a bit since we were keeping pace with the four-hour group as we ran down Quinpool and turned right onto Connaught. I was a little worried that I hadn't dressed warmly enough, but since it hadn't started raining yet, I felt ok after about 10 minutes or so.

It's amazing what a difference running with friends makes when you're on a long run. Pretty soon we'd reached the start of Rails to Trails, and as we made our way along (with me trying to identify the songbirds in the bushes -- I spotted an American Goldfinch singing his heart out at the top of a trees and heard a few chickadees warbling away), we started picking up the pace. And then we were in Bayers Lake and at the Coke plant at kilometre 11.5. The wind was pushing us up the gradual incline, but didn't feel too strong on our backs. I was looking forward to running back downhill for the next 5k or so.

Or so I thought. Just as we turned around and started heading back into the city, the wind started driving rain into our faces. Cold. Wet. Drizzle. In fact it was so cold I started worrying I might have to flag down a cab at Bayers Lake before we headed back onto the trail. But I carrried on, knowing that if I stopped, I wouldn't want to start that run again.
Instead, I picked up the pace. I just wanted to get out of that weather, so I just put my head down and started pumping my legs a little more. The pasta dinner from the night before seemed to be doing its job, because I felt pretty strong.

Soon enough, Barry neared me and we started keeping pace with each other. We barely spoke until we reached the end of the trail -- we both just wanted to get it over with (he was wearing shorts and his legs were fairly cold -- nobody had expected this weather). Remembering that I'd once mentioned having Raynaud's syndrome, Barry kindly lent me his gloves, saying he didn't need them. Thank goodness -- he was a life saver!

As we got off the trail and could feel ourselves getting nearer the store, we started chatting again about vacation plans, work, whatever -- just shooting the breeze and making the time pass more easily by having someone to talk at.

When we reached the store, I decided to do the last 6k of my run on the treadmill. I just couldn't imagine going back outside for another 30 to 40 minutes. And after I finished those last kms, I still felt pretty good! Yay!

Monday
Marathon Monday! Woo! Andrea, Carol and I spent much of the day glued to our computers, watching Wendy and Greg's progress on the athlete tracker for the Boston Marathon. I also watched the #bostonmarathon feed, and was fascinated. In fact I'd have to say this was the first time I'd ever been so fully engaged in a sporting event in my life! Watching the play by play of the men's and women's races was just so exciting, and inspiring!

As we watched our friends' progress, we could see from their paces that they were just out there to have a good time and enjoy the experience. And what an experience it must have been! The Twitterverse was just buzzing with #bostonmarathon fever (at least among the runners)! I stand by what I said last week -- I'd love to be able to qualify for Boston one day. But now that the BQ has been made more aggressive, I'm not sure if that's achievable. Who knows!

Watching the buzz around Boston, I learned two things:
1) that even the pros have bad days. Kim Smith's interview after she had to bow out of the race when she had led it for almost half the course was especially heart-wrenching, but also reassuring;

2) that there is a difference between "racing" and "running" a marathon. And if you do the latter, you're more likely to have a fantastic time! Wendy and Greg's experience has inspired me to try and just run the GoodLife Marathon -- enjoy the course (dowhill most of the way, baby!) and the crowds, and soak in the experience. Here's hoping my type A personality will let me do it!

Finished the day with Body Pump but no leg weight training, hoping I wouldn't overdo it like last week. But...

Tuesday
...As it was another grey rainy day, and I'd had enough rain and cold with Sunday's run, I opted for Zumba. I did ok up until 45 mins in, then started to feel really really weak...I could tell my core and abductors/adductors just weren't recovered from Sunday's run yet (I just couldn't shimmy my hips like I usually can :P ). Maybe I should have eaten more before the run (I was hungry most of the day) or maybe I should have actually taken a rest day after a 29k run! I'm planning to just take it easy next Monday after Sunday's 32k.

But whereas a few weeks ago I might have beaten myself up for feeling tired after a workout, I opted to just see it as "a day" and move on to the next day. Just a day.

And race day is 24 days away! Woohoo!
~ HRG

HRG Runner Profile: Erin Poirier

I first heard about Erin Poirier on a long slow run through the streets of Halifax one Sunday morning while chatting with one of my running buddies. "She's running 430 kilometres across The Gambia to raise funds for HIV and malaria education. At least a half marathon for 17 days," said my friend Wendy, who I've profiled in a previous Runner in Profile spot. Wow, I thought! There's another person with dedication!

I checked out Erin's blog, http://www.love4gambia.com/, and I became even more impressed -- not only does she have this amazing goal on the horizon, she's done volunteer work in The Gambia before, she's a nurse and a coach, along with being a great blogger with a good sense of humour and one of the city's top female runners. So much to be inspired by! I'm always amazed by all of the amazing people and athletes who live in our small city.

I contacted Erin, and she was generous enough to agree to answer my HRG Runner Profile questions, even though she's busy training for the Boston Marathon and raising funds for her charity through the Blue Nose Marathon in May.

Without further ado, I give you Erin Poirier, today's HRG Runner Profile. I hope to continue following her progress after Boston, the Blue Nose and as she sets off on her journey across The Gambia.

Thanks, Erin!

HRG: How long have you been running?EP: I’ve been running since high school. My first race was the 2005 Blue Nose Half Marathon -- the crazy weather year where the full marathon had to be re-routed.

HRG: How and why did you start running?
EP: I played high school basketball and my coach was serious about us showing up in shape at the beginning of the season. I used to run in the off-season for fitness. Looking back, I enjoyed running and had more  talent for it than I did basketball. I’ve been running since.

HRG: Least favorite part of running?EP: I wouldn’t actually call any part of running my “least favorite” part but when you’re training for a marathon or a big event like my Gambian running expedition, some runs are more work than others. When I talk to people about my running, I think that some falsely believe that I love every single run that I do. That definitely isn’t true. This cycle, I’ve been training 6 days per week and I certainly don’t love all 6 days. Some days my body feels poorly. Some days I simply don’t want to. I run alone 1 or 2 days out of 6 and these days are usually the most difficult. But I have race goals and a bigger Gambian goal and running 6 days is what I do. So I get out and do it, even when I don’t want to and even when it feels bad. A difficult run is always better when it is over.

HRG: Favorite distance to run?
EP: Either the half or full marathon, I can’t decide which. This fall, I focused solely on the half-marathon and really enjoyed the shorter race distance, especially the specific speed training that I did with my coach. Least favorite distance is definitely the 10km! I find 10km harder than a full marathon -- it’s a long distance to run fast for.

HRG: How do you keep motivated?
EP: I love to run. It’s what I do. The last turn, that left hand turn onto Boylston Street, in the Boston Marathon feels pretty unbelievable. High fiving kids, soldiers, drunk college students and grandmothers along the Boston route is pretty awesome, too. I love my time alone on the roads during training. I love the
camaraderie of my training  partners. I love the thought of the money raised by my 430 km Love4Gambia run and how it will make a real difference for youth and communities in The Gambia; how it will keep kids alive through HIV and malaria education. All of this is wrapped up in my motivation. Especially during early
raining mornings.

HRG: Upcoming race goal?
EP: Set a big PB at Boston Marathon. This will be my third consecutive Boston and I’m really happy with this training cycle so am in good shape to do this.

HRG: Tips or words of wisdom for new runners?
EP: My first tip is about training plans. If you have a training plan, even if it was made by the most respected runner you know, remember that it’s just a piece of paper. It doesn’t have to rule your life. Let your body and your enjoyment of running rule your life. My training plan was made by my coach, Cliff Matthews.
In my opinion, no ones knows more about distance running than Cliff. We make adjustments to my training plan all the time based on how I am feeling and how my body is responding to hard work.

My other tip is for race day. When you toe the line at your goal race, make sure you smile and enjoy every (or at least most) kilometer(s) of your run. Remember that, when you show up, you’ve already done all of the hard work to prepare. Getting to run the race- that’s the reward for all of your hard work in training. It’s
the fun part. So go out there, listen to people cheer for you, have fun and enjoy.

HRG: What are you most looking forward to as you run across The Gambia?
I’m really looking forward to the people who will join me along the way. I ran almost every day when I volunteered in The Gambia 3 summers ago. Where white girl from Canada runs, people usually follow! I’m looking forward to being joined by kids and youth. I’ve heard from several Gambian runners who wish to
join me for parts of the 430km road from the Senegalese border to the Atlantic Ocean. This is going to be really inspiring for me.

I’ve also been thinking a lot about how the money that we raise for the Nova Scotia-Gambia Association through my run will make a difference. When I am running those 430 kms, I know that I’ll consider that almost 1,000 kids under age 5 died of malaria in 2010. In a country with the population of Nova Scotia. And
when I look at the child or the big brother running next to me, I’ll know what the NSGA may be able to save that child or that guy’s little brother’s life.

I’ve already got my sights set on the Atlantic Ocean. It’ll take me 17 hot, humid, sweaty and hopefully-not-snake-filled days to reach it. Jumping into the ocean on the shore of Banjul is going to be pretty special.

Week 11: It's a mystery!

Well, so far this week has been a bit of a mystery.

On Saturday night, I ate pizza to store up on carbs, knowing that I would be running a looong run in the morning. I tried to get to bed early, and catch some zs -- always a hard feat for me the night before a long run, since my mind just seems to race ahead of me in anticipation. So I caught about 5 hours of shut-eye, which for me is not bad.

In the morning, I took my time getting ready, ate a bowl of oatmeal and a half cup of tea. To be honest, for some reason I was dreading the run even though I'd done 27k the weekend before, so I took my time even more. I gave myself just enough time to get to the Running Room and head for one more loo break, then we were on our way.

The first part of the run went pretty well, though I must admit I was having trouble catching my breath and falling into the groove as Andrea and I chatted about the previous day's Ashtanga yoga class. Part of me wondered if I'd overdone it, because in addition to that hour and a half class that had me sweating buckets, I'd also thrown in a 10k before it -- my week had gotten a little messed up when I missed a run on Tuesday. Regardless -- I was about to find out if I had indeed overdone it, the day before a 29k run.

At around 7k, we made it to the Rails to Trails, which is remarkably close to my house and yet I never knew it was there! One more option for running routes close to our house! We started our way along the trail, and I noticed I was dropping back, and back, and back. I was worried about my IT and hamstring too, because I've been having trouble with them lately (an injury that actually stopped me from running for two months last year).

Part of the trail passes by streets and houses, but then there's a big chunk of it that's literally in the middle of nowhere for about 5k. It's pretty, but I didn't want to end up stranded in the middle of nowhere if I couldn't keep up with the group, and I also didn't want them to feel like they had to slow down for me, since they were keeping up a pretty good pace.

So I turned around and headed back to the streets of Halifax for another 16k or so. And that's when the going started getting tough. For the next 11k, I had a really difficult run, physically (I was running at around 7:20 for a while there) and mentally. I started asking myself whether I could do a full marathon again if I was finding this so tough and I wasn't even at the 20k mark yet. Did even I want to do it? The feeling on the run on Sunday reminded me of the angst of my first marathon -- not a fun feeling at all. So why was I doing this if I found it so agonizing? Was I perhaps just more suited to shorter runs? Etc, etc, etc.

Signs of spring are everywhere in the city now, and did help to keep me going through the physical and mental strain. So I pushed on, at a very slow pace, knowing that if I didn't get this 29k in today, I would regret it. I made it back to the Running Room at around 24k (by then my Garmin had died. I must remember to charge it on Saturday nights!). The fast runners of our group had already made it back and were stretching. Boy, are they fast!

I went to the loo, again (well we are out there for more than a few hours), then headed back out for my last 5k. Since my Garmin wasn't working, I approximated my route. As I was heading up Bell Road, the rest of the group I'd peeled away from was heading in. Given that I had taken a couple of bathroom breaks (and one break to text Wendy to let her know I was fine), I estimated that they were probably around 2 or 3k ahead of me, pace-wise.

I ended up doing around 6k, so all told I did 30k. And truth be told, although mentally I  was a little messy, physically I wasn't too bad. After stretching for a few minutes, I went to Pete's Frootique for a Blue Moon (blueberry smoothie -- lots of antioxidants and so a good recovery drink, says Bruce). Standing at the counter, I dialed our home number.

"I think I want to quit running," I said to my husband. But he wouldn't hear any more of my negative talk, saying it wasn't good for me. Basically holding up a big red stop sign in front of the negativity train I had been riding for the last three and a half to four hours.

Paying for my smoothie, I headed back to the car and drove home. As soon as I got in, Steve was there, and told me to hurry up, because he was going to take me out for lunch to celebrate my run. God I love my husband for that -- he knows me so well, and he knew right away that if he didn't take me out, I'd just go upstairs, have a bath, and wallow in pity and self-doubt.

Instead, we went to Duffy's for lunch and I had a pretty good steak sandwich and fries. Then over to the Hart & Thistle for a few pints and some laughs with Greg. At around 6pm though I was dying. My legs were stiff but not sore. Mostly I was just dead tired. We drove home, stopping at Cold Stone Creamery for some ice cream (I'd just burned about 1,700 calories so I figured I could indulge in some comfort food. And boy is their ice cream yummy! So creamy!). At home, I changed into my jammies and then tucked in for a night of live-tweeting the Junos for work.

A perfect end to a difficult run.

Now what's the mystery behind all that, you wonder? We all have bad days, right? I know.

Here's the thing: yesterday, you would have thought that I'd be in some form of pain or discomfort, or that my legs would be feeling stiff. But you know what? I felt pretty good. So I decided to get some strength training in after work. My plan was to do Body Attack before Body Pump, to get a couple of hours of cross-training in.

Bear in mind, I've never taken Body Attack before. I didn't even know what it was, but the "attack" part of it made me think it involved some kind of punching or something.

Hehe...

Body Attack burns more calories than any other LesMills class, the instructor told us. Then she put on her mike, turned on the music, and we started stepping...and hopping...and jogging...And we jogged in circles. We jogged front and back. We did jumping jacks...And we didn't stop for a full hour...

But you know what? I didn't feel bad at all. I kept up with the whole class, and chose the level three or four high intensity option wherever I could. And despite being sweaty, I wasn't winded. Or at least nothing that I couldn't handle on a tempo run.

Coming out of that class was a realization that I am in pretty darned good shape, if I do say so myself. My confidence level was boosted again. I opted not to do the Body Pump, because technically Monday was supposed to be a rest day and I'd just finished Les Mills's hardest class (according to the instructor) when all I'd wanted was some strength training.

So you know what? Running remains a mystery to me. Some days, you have good days, others, bad. And other days when you think you'd have no energy, all of a sudden you feel like a superstar. The important thing is to find the positive in the pain, like spotting some crocuses blooming beside the sidewalk, or thinking of all the friends and family who have believed in you when you doubted yourself.

I owe so much of my perseverance to my husband and running friends who have pushed me on when the going got tough. Thank you. I won't be quitting running anytime soon, and my goal to run the GoodLife full in Toronto in May still stands.

Here's to a new day!

~ HRG

HRG Runner Profile: Wendy Bungay

I'm delighted that my first HRG Runner Profile is Wendy Bungay. I started running with Wendy last June, when I joined my first marathon clinic at the Running Room. As we progressed ever closer to race day and our group's anxiety level started increasing, Wendy kept us calm and motivated by sharing from her experiences and even sending daily motivational quotes. I've learned a lot from her, and I think you will too!

HRG: How long have you been running?

WB: I have been running approximately 10 years.

HRG: How and why did you start?

WB: My younger sister is an accomplished runner and listening to her talk about her training and watching her run inspired me. After several years of watching from the sidelines, I quit smoking and tackled the treadmill before finally heading outside, following a "walk/run" program she prepared for me.

HRG: Favorite part of running?

WB: Running is the only activity that I do that is totally for me. When I run, I am simply myself - not Wendy the social worker, the wife, the mom, sister, daughter, etc.

HRG: Least favorite part of running?

WB: Hmm...probably not having any control over the weather and being too stubborn to change my mind once I commit to a run, regardless of the weather. Wind is my enemy.

HRG: Favorite time of year/weather to run in?

WB: Early fall, for sure. September is always a rough month for me emotionally and it’s become the month that I train my hardest and with the most focus. It also provides great running weather as the season begins to change. I like the crispness of air and the crunch of leaves on the trails.

HRG: Favorite distance to run?

WB: The longer the better...at least on those week end long slow training runs. For racing, the half marathon distance is a lot of fun and doesn’t require the same time commitment to train as the marathon distance...but the satisfaction of crossing the marathon finish line feels the best!

HRG: Favorite route (training or race) to run?

WB: I love to run the Salt Marsh Trail in Cole Harbour. My favorite race route is more difficult...I really like the Johnny Miles course in New Glasgow - it’s a looped course and, while the idea of running repeats for a race course initially didn’t thrill me, I was surprised with how much I enjoyed the route and try to run the course on a yearly basis.

HRG: How do you keep motivated?

WB: Never underestimate the power of a training buddy - or buddies - to help keep you motivated. While there’s lots of runs I do solo, I really describe myself as a “social” runner and enjoy running with others. When my energy wanes or I’m struggling with competing time demands, I’m much less likely to blow off a run if someone else is expecting me to meet for a run or if I’ve committed to running with a group. I’m probably misquoting someone but the truth is, I never regret running once I’m out there but there’s lots of times I’ve regret NOT going out for a run.

HRG: Best pre-race meal?

WB: The night before a race I like a stir fry of lots of veggies and maybe some chicken or shrimp over pasta....and sometimes Hickory Sticks to combat stress :) On race morning, I try to stick to whatever I’ve been having for breakfast throughout my training schedule, usually a bagel with cream cheese or peanut butter; fruit and yogurt.

HRG: Best post-race meal?

WB: Fish and Chips (and a cold beer)

HRG: Upcoming race goal?

WB: To cross the finish line in Boston on April 18, upright and grinning from ear to ear!

HRG: Tips or words of wisdom for new runners?

WB: “All in good time” is a good mantra to begin with. It’s okay to shoot for the stars but you’ve got to learn how to load the gun first :)

Celebrate each "first" as you experience it, and there will be lots of them in the months ahead.

Remember that you alone define what "success" means for you on your running journey.

HRG's note: I'll be following Wendy as she trains for Boston, and hope to interview her again once she has crossed the finish line in a few weeks' time! GO WENDY!