What are you running for? Taking some time to reassess my goals

Hello, blog readers! Yes, it's been awhile - I've been on a bit of a writing hiatus while I took some time to myself to sort through my running goals and my relationship to running.

Maybe it's obvious from my last post, where I compared running sometimes to feeling like a turtle, and sometimes a fast fox. Truth is, over the last few months, I'd been having fewer and fewer foxy days, and many more turtle ones. I was getting to the point where I dreaded heading out for a run, struggled my entire way through it, and then came home and felt upset with myself about having had a tough run.

My goal had been to train for the Fredericton full marathon this May with a couple of girlfriends, and I'd struggled my way though most runs longer than 16kms.

So one night before a scheduled 29-kilometre run, which I'd been groaning about all week, hubby sat me down and switched into coach mode. 

He pointed out that I'd been dreading my runs more and more, whereas I'd been enjoying my yoga classes more and more. And reminded me that the reason I run is to have fun. If something that's meant to be fun was causing me stress, then it was time to change things.

We agreed that I'd take a step back from running and reassess my goals while focusing on things that I enjoyed, like yoga, strength training, Zumba and other classes. I tentatively decided that I'd aim for the Bluenose half marathon rather than doing a spring full, and then I'd reassess whether I wanted to do a full this fall.

I'll admit - for the next two days, I had a really hard time with this decision. I felt like I was letting myself down, and my running buddies, not to mention my blog readers. But my running buddies turned out to be super supportive, and I found myself enjoying the shorter weekly runs now that the pressure was off.

Beyond the psychological hurdle of running 50+ kilometres per week over an 18-week period, I realized a few other reasons why marathon training just wasn't cutting it for me anymore:

- It's a huge time commitment that impacts not only you, but your family members and their schedules. Just getting to run club on time after working a full day was proving to be a juggling game, given that hubby and I have only one car.

- Fitting in all the weeknight runs meant I had less and less time for other cross-training and doing things I enjoy, like yoga.

- Sundays were ending up being all about running, then recovering from the long run. Which wasn't a lot of fun given that hubby and I only have Sundays to spend together.

- I found myself spending a LOT of time thinking about running, planning my runs, planning my meals, talking about running...Which is great if you live with a runner but a little repetitive for non-runners.

Since making the decision to step back from the full, I've been spending more time doing cross-training and strength training. I've managed two or three runs during the week, and then the long run. Yesterday's run was an easy 16-kilometre run with the Running Room Run Club. I found myself chatting to new folks and enjoying myself more than I had on any long run in months (then again the sunny day could have had something to do with it too).

So I'll run the Bluenose half this spring, ad reassess my fall goals after that. But right now I'm feeling happy with that decision.

Have you had to take a step back from running? Have you found it to be a love-hate relationship? How have you coped with it? Inquiring runners want to know!

~ HRG

Tips for hot weather running

It's been a crazy busy week, what with getting ready for a week-long canoe trip next week as part of the Nature Conservancy of Canada's Time for Nature initiative, as well as other domestic commitments. Instead of running four times this week, I only managed two -  last Sunday's 13k long slow distance and a hot and humid 10k tempo run on Wednesday. As we're only entering week four of training, I didn't stress out too much that I'd missed a few runs, knowing that I'll catch up next time.

But this morning, I knew that I had to go back on track - especially since I'll be in the middle of a wilderness area all week next week. I headed to the Spring Garden Road Running Room to meet up with the rest of our running clinic for our 13, 16 or 19km long slow distance (Coach Wendy is doing a fantastic job of providing options for folks depending on their race dates -- so thoughtful!). It was great to see so many runners wearing red and white for Canada Day (I was wearing pink and white, because I don't own any red running gear that's cool enough for this heat, but...pink is just another shade of red, right?).

Since I'm planning to run the Valley Harvest Marathon this fall, the schedule called for a 16km run. I was a little worried, because already at 8:30 it was promising to be another hot run. And since I'm normally a warm runner anyways (it might be my small stature but I find I warm up really quickly and stay hot...), I was a little trepidatious about what the run would bring.

In the end, I peeled off at just a little over 12km, choosing to practice caution rather than risk heat exhaustion or worse, injury (at about an hour in, I hadn't had the stomach to absorb a GU in the heat, and I knew my glycogen reserves would likely be draining pretty soon).

The dog days of summer are upon us, runner friends. So with that in mind, I thought I would share with you some of my tips for hot weather running:

1. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!!!!
Whether it's by bringing a water belt, carrying a bottle or even a camel pack, depending on the distance, make sure that for those long runs (anything up to and over an hour), you carry water with you. Take small sips of water every 10 minutes or at lights, to absorb slowly rather than guzzling it all in and risking hyper-hydration (or overhydration).

2. Protect yourself from the sun
There are three key elements to protecting yourself from the sun: sunscreen, hats and shade. Let's face it - if you're training for a half or a full marathon, you could be there for two, three or up to four hours on your training runs, so a hat and sunscreen will at least help shade and shelter your face while you're out there. You may want to plan your route so that it keeps you in a residential area where there are more trees, or on the shady part of the street.

3. Listen to your body
As with cold weather running, it's important to be aware of how you're feeling, to ensure that your body doesn't endure any extreme temperatures for an extended period of time, to the point where your core body temperature becomes too elevated and you may experience heat exhaustion. Make mental checks of your body as your run progresses, and ask yourself, "How do I feel?" Headaches, dizziness and cramping may all be indicators of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Try taking in some fluids if you do notice a headache, and you may want to opt for a walk break in a shaded area until you feel cooler.

4. Time your runs to avoid peak heat
When the days are above 20 degrees, there's really no reason why you should be running in the middle of the day when the sun is at its peak. Early morning or evening runs will give you a break from the hottest hours.

5. Give yourself a break
Remember - unless you're an elite athlete training for the Olympics, there is no  shame in deciding on a given day that today may not be the day for your long run, if the weather isn't cooperating. You may opt to take the day off, or to run inside on the "dreadmill." Either way - skipping a day or two of running is not going to make or break your training cycle. In the end, you'll avoid injury or illness, and come out stronger for it.

For more hot weather running tips, check out this article from Runner's World >

Until next time, keep healthy, keep hydrated and happy running!

~ HRG

What to expect from a marathon training program

Dear running friends,

It's been awhile since my last blog post, I know! Bad Halifax Runner Girl!

Although I haven't blogged much, that doesn't mean I haven't been running. Since running the Hypothermic Half Marathon last February, I've kept up my training and ran the Bluenose Half in May. Not my best time (in fact, my worst), but I'll blog about that at some other point and share some of the lessons learned during that race.

In the meantime, I'm kicking things off again as I begin training for my third marathon this fall. And since I've been told that it takes at least five full marathons under your belt before you really get a sense of this distance, I've decided to sign up for my third Running Room marathon clinic. And this time, it's being coached by my friend and running mentor, Wendy, and the 4:15 pace group is being led by Andrea!

As this will be my third marathon clinic and my sixth Running Room clinic overall, I thought I would share some of the reasons why I think clinics are so invaluable if you're trying a new distance for the first time, or trying to improve your time.

There may be days when you don't feel like running, and other days where the run feels super easy. Days when your legs feel like lead, and others where you're feeling super confident. But here are five things you can expect from a marathon training program, based on my experience.

5 things you can expect from a running training program:
1. A training schedule that works

If you look at the training schedule for your running class or clinic for the first time, it may seem a little overwhelming - all these numbers in columns, and things like "tempo," "Fartlek" (I know, what the heck is a Fartlek, right?), "speed" and the dreaded, "hills."

But most training schedules - whether Running Room or otherwise - are designed to make sure that if you stick to them, you cros that finish line upright and smiling. Over the course of weeks, they'll build a solid base of strength and endurance, through the mix of various tempo, speed, hill or long runs.

As your instructor will explain to you, you can probably afford to swap out one run a week with cross-training. But otherwise, trust the training - these folks know what they're talking about.

2. A running mentor...or two...or three...

Of course, there may be the occasional clinic that happens to be led by some poor soul who's agreed to do it because no one else stepped up to the plate. But of all the classes  I've taken, most of them were led by an experienced runner who could provide his/her experience and insight, whether on the course, or off. And while they were great leaders during the clinic, I've also found that I've maintained contact with a few of them even after the program finished and they've continued to be available to answer my questions or provide encouragement if I happen to run into them at a race.

In addition, most of the clinic leaders I've had have also been down-to-earth, genuine people who shared their struggles and experiences even from when they started as beginner runners. But some of my running mentors have also been fellow clinic members, many of whom have run several races but just like the feeling of fellowship that comes with a clinic.

3. A solid knowledge base

These days, there is no shortage of information about running to be found on the internet, if you're willing and/or able to do the research. But every clinic I've signed up for has also brought in a variety of experts on a range of subjects, such as cross-training, nutrition, sports psychology, stretching and more.

Sure, there have been the occasional overlaps between sessions where I felt I'd already heard something before, but for the most part, a lot of the knowledge and understanding I have about my own running has been from sitting in clinic sessions in the evenings and listening to these experts explain the way our bodies work when they are put under the stresses of running long distances. And somehow, some of that knowledge has stuck so that now I understand my own body better and can apply some of the lessons learned to my runs.

4. A source of inspiration

One of the most inspirational speakers I've ever heard speak about running wasn't a pro runner. In fact, he usually sticks to the back of the pack. But when James, a fellow runner from Halifax, was invited to speak about his experience training for his first half marathon in Colorado, I left the evening feeling inspired and energized. His emphasis was not about running your fastest time or being an elite athlete, but instead about enjoying the experience and celebrating your commitment to the training program. Throughout the years, I've met other inspirational runners through the clinics I've attended, and have often carried their stories with me on race day.

And inspiration doesn't only come from guest speakers - it also comes from sharing the trials and tribulations of an 18-week program with other fellow runners who are taking on the same challenge as you are. Each runner will have to face their own challenges - whether major or minor - at some point in those 18 weeks, and often it's those struggles and successes that become the source of even more inspiration.

Having trained for races on my own and in a clinic setting, I can also say that there's something about training with a group in a clinic format that also encourages me - inspires me - to push myself that much harder.

5. Friendships

Let's face it - commiting to a training program means that you're going to spend lots of time with the fellow runners in the class or clinic. And there's nothing better for distracting you from that long Sunday run than chatting away with fellow runners. Over the course of weeks, you soon find that you're learning more and more about the group. You're also sharing in each other's highs and lows, and soon become a strong support network for each other. Often times, the friends you make on the running course can understand the trials and tribulations of running much more than any non-runner ever can.

So, that's it from me for this week, running friends. But as the weeks progress and we count them down to race day, I plan to keep blogging about the highs, mediums, lows...and highs again...of my progress until I get to that starting line.

Until next time, may your feet be fleet, the wind in your hair and the hills flat.

~ HRG

Packing your bags for race day? A handy pre-race checklist

It's amazing all the stuff you need to pack to travel to a race; particularly when you're traveling far from home. Last spring, I traveled from Halifax to Toronto to run in the Toronto Marathon, and it was amazing how much room my running gear and equipment took up in my luggage.

Here's a quick checklist of things you will want to pack so you're ready to go on race day (I like to split it up into three bags):

The essentials bag:
- running shoes
- running socks
- Garmin (if you run with one) or sports watch (and charger if you're away for more than a day)
- gels or sports beans
- drink mix (if you use it)
- water belt and water bottles
- running top (you may want to pack two or three options (ex: tank, t-shirt and long-sleeved shirt), just in case the weather's unpredictable)
- extra running shirt for layering if the weather starts out cool (many races now collect discarded t-shirts along the race course and donate them to charity, which is a great way to get rid of that funky-coloured shirt you never wear)
- running jacket, if the weather looks like it's going to be cool
- running bottom (you may want to pack both shorts and 3/4 pants in case the weather's looking uncertain)
- gloves (again, if the weather looks like it's going to start out cool)
- hat or headband
- MP3 player and armband (and charger)
- BodyGlide
- Ibuprofen or Advil (I like to tuck one into my pocket for midway through a marathon)

The pre-race bag:
- sweater or jacket for before the run
- bagel and apple juice or other pre-long run breakfast food (if you're staying at a hotel)
- gloves (if it looks like it might be cool)
- Ibuprofen or Advil (this is not medical advice, but I like to take one before a race so that it kicks in partway through the run...But remember - never try something new for the first time at a race! If you've never done this, don't do it on the day of a race)
- safety pins (in case the race organizers don't provide them for your bib)
- race bib (if you picked it up before the race)
- camera (if you have folks who'll be watching you on the sidelines)

The post-race bag:
- change of clothes, including a hooded sweater or jacket
- emergency blanket (in case the race organizers don't provide them to everyone)
- banana, chocolate milk and/or any other post-race foods you found work (I also like salty chips)
- Gatorade or other sports drink that will absorb easily
- Epsom salts (if you're staying at a hotel or friend's house - that post-race bath, after the ice bath - will feel like heaven!)
- comfy shoes or slippers
- Band-Aids

Have I missed anything? What's on your race packing list?

~ HRG

Cupcake Marathon!!!

HRG update: I just got an email from Jason, the Cupcake Marathon organizer, saying I missed the registration deadline. Boo! However, he says they are doing one in the fall, and he's also thinking of doing a pizza marathon. To all the Cupcake Marathoners completing their distances this week, good luck!

I just read about the sweetest, yummiest idea in running land: a cupcake marathon!!! I was trolling through some of my Twitter posts, when the word "cupcake" caught my eye. Then, "marathon"!

Say no more, the tweet had me hooked.

From the looks of it, blogger Cook Train Eat Race came up with the idea not long ago to come up with a virtual marathon during a set period of time where people can log their distances and qualify to win prizes, including cupcakes!!! Love it!

The rules are as follows:

Event Dates: March 14th through March 26th (you do not have to complete the mileage on ONE run but over the course of the two weeks)

Event Distances: 1/2 Marathon (13.1 miles) and Marathon (26.2 miles)…..you will need to select a distance when you submit your registration
Registration: Submit your name, distance, and location through the Contact Me form.
Proof of participation: We will require pictures of your Garmin, Polar, Nike+, Treadmill, etc showing the miles and the time.  We will also require that you submit a spreadsheet calculating your times (you will be emailed the spreadsheet after you submit your entry form)
Prize Determination: Will be based on random.org.  You cannot win more than one item.  Read post to determine what you are eligible for.
Pictures: We will require you to submit a photo with your bib that you can print by clicking on the picture below.


This is meant to be a fun way to get you active and moving in time for the spring racing season.  Depending on the success of this event there will be another Cupcake Marathon in the Fall.

**************************************************

So, I may have started a few days late, but given that I ran 56k in the last 10 days and I'm set to run another 24 before the end of the week, I think I can do it and find some kind of respectable time in those runs.

Thanks, cupcake friends! :)

~ 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!

Week seven: I'm back in the game, baby! & inspiration is everywhere, if you look for it...

You read it right: after seven weeks of mental struggles, I finally feel like I'm back in the game, baby! Sunday's long run (19k) felt pretty great. I decided to make the move up to the 4-hour group on Tuesday, and ended up maintaining a 5:34 pace over 6k with relatively little effort (comparatively speaking). Who knows - I may not achieve the 4-hr goal on race day, but I might as well try and push myself a little. Hill training started Wednesday, Thursday was the first week in weeks that I ended up doing the three running days back to back as per the schedule.

In addition to all that, I've gradually been building my strength training back into my schedule (which I'll share in a future post, as per running buddy Carol's request :) ) and have started watching my nutrition and caloric intake more closely (I use an online tool called http://www.fitday.com/, which is a little tough slogging at first but is a great tool if you do want to track what you eat and/or lose weight). As Bruce and our guest speaker Ken Brandy reminded us at this week's clinic, now is about the time to start thinking about nutrition - not only on a day to day basis (I try to maintain a 50/35/15 ratio of carbs/fat/protein) but also on our long runs (experimenting with things like gels or sports drinks).

You've probably heard it time and again - nutrition is so individual, especially the gels/drinks for your long runs. Myself, I'm partial to gels in the warmer months, and Sharkies in colder months (the gels just end up getting frozen and gloopy in the cold). I used to enjoy the jelly beans, mostly for taste, but energy-wise they really haven't done much for me.

I finally feel like my mind is back in the game, and now that I've gone through the marathon training schedule once, the distances don't seem as intimidating as they used to. From now on, most of our long runs on Sundays will end up being at least a half marathon every week. Only a year ago, I couldn't imagine how I could ever run more than a half marathon. I'll say it again and again: it's all relative. Now that I have run farther than 21.1k, a half marathon seems like a humanly achievable distance. If you approach running as a gradual approach, building on the distance week by week, I believe that anyone can do it, if they put the time and effort into training.

I started chatting with another local runner this week -- Jon from the Spring Garden Road Running Room, who really put this into perspective for me. He's just started training for a 100-mile race. When you look at it that way, a marathon is just a piddly training run for him. Jon will be tracking his training on his new blog - http://www.seejonrun100miles.blogspot.com/. I hope to interview him here at Halifax Runner Girl in an upcoming post, and plan to follow him in the weeks and months to come for inspiration.

Speaking of inspiration, I finally got a taste of the potential that running has for inspiring others this week. Although we live several provinces away, my brother and I are fairly close. And while we speak once a week, we don't always manage to keep up with what exactly is going on in each other's lives. Well, I was at work this week, when I saw an email from him pop up in my personal account. It was a comment from my bro, who'd finally had time to read my first marathon story from last fall.

Like me, my brother has inherited some of our mother's crazy Quebecker spirit, along with our father's British stiff upper lip. So to read from my brother that my post had both inspired him and brought tears to his eyes made me feel proud. I mean, my hubby has repeated time and again how proud he is of me and my persistence in keeping up my training. But he's kind of partial to me ;) To read it from my brother, who took the time and post something kind on my blog to say that I'd inspired him...Well that was a feeling I kept with me as I started out on the first week of hill training -- four times up the hill at Bridgeview. But you know what? Somehow that inner glow of pride made my legs feel lighter and the hill flatter.

Another shout-out to my friend Laura, who has not only begun training to climb a volcano this spring, but who also managed to raise several thousand dollars through fundraising in the last year -- all to help Diabetes research. Her blog is also a source of inspiration for me (and I really enjoy the quirky illustrations she produces too).

This week, I plan to profile another person who inspires me and keeps me going - my running buddy Wendy, in my first Runner in Profile post.

Inspiration is all around us, if only we know where to look!

~ HRG

Ready, set, go!!!

Dear friends,

I've been treatening to do this for some time now, and the day has finally arrived: the launch of my all-running blog, Halifax Runner Girl!

I've been blogging about my marathon training program on my regular blog for the last month or so, and gradually realized that this needed its own space where I could expand on the theme of running.

So here it is folks. In addition to continuing to blog about my own marathon training process, I plan to include monthly HRG Runner Profile posts, product reviews (a whole post on shoe shopping!!! :) ), cross-training tips (including things like yoga for runners, Zumba and strength training), interviews, recipes, inspirational quotes and more. And who knows -- maybe some guest posts from fellow runners too!

Whether you've been running for years, debating starting to run but just don't know how to get started or simply looking for inspiration to get active in any sport, I hope this blog will be of interest. I'm by no means an expert, and sometimes running is more agonizing than enjoyable, so I also hope it'll be a place for us to share and learn together.

Ready, set, go!!!

 ~ HRG

And if you are new to me, here are some my links to my previous posts on my first marathon and the first six weeks of my marathon training program.

My first marathon story: Pain is temporary, pride is forever

Getting back into it: Those first steps on my journey of 952.2 kilometres

Week one of my marathon training program: Great tempo, speed bumps, and keeping on...

Week three: Snow, rain, ice, snain, it's all good...

Week four: Whatever it is, find something to kick your butt out that door

Week six: I *heart* two-degree weather, and the importance of cross-training