Day Six of the Yoga Journal 21-day challenge!

I can't believe it. We're already into Day Six of the Yoga Journal 21-Day Challenge -- almost a third of the way there! And while that seems like a relatively short period of time, I'm amazed by how much I'm learning and challenging myself, as well as how difficult it has proven to actually get the practices and meditation in each day. I'm also starting to feel some physical changes in my body, particularly in my spine.

This week has been a remarkably busy one, so it's been tough finding the time to practice (and sometimes, the energy). A couple of days ago on Day 3, I ended up doing the practice in my home office late at night, after a long day at work, and I was glad to have done it - it was a nice way to round out the day, although my mind perhaps wasn't in it as much as I'd have liked to.

Then on Day 4, I only got to do about half of the practice first thing in the morning before having to get ready to go to work. But I figured I'd made the space in my day to at least try and get to it, which was a good thing.

And yesterday, although I missed yoga practice (another hectic day that left me burnt out at the end), I did have an amazing meditation session. I decided to simply meditate on my own rather than use the recommended recording, because I find when Beryl Bender says "thinking" in the middle of nowhere and when she talks about bringing my mind to stillness, it just jars me and makes me start thinking how much I wish she would just not say "thinking." Then, I start wondering whether I'll ever get to a point where I can meditate in the middle of someone's conversation, and my mind is lost.

So yesterday, I turned off the recording. I started out with a mind that was jumbled from sleep and swimming in all directions, but I focused on my breathing and let my thoughts bubble to the surface, including some of my dreams. I tried not to judge the fact that my mind was distracted, but instead, to watch the thoughts float by like leaves on a stream (as Beryl suggests). And it kind of worked.

Then, I focused on my breath - on the inhalation and exhalation. And while Beryl suggests not forcing it, I adopted more of an Ujai breath and the sound of my breath. I soon focused on a spot of bright light in my third eye, and imagined my inhalations filling me with light, and my exalations sending out the darkness. Soon, the light began to grow, and I could feel it filling my entire body.

And then I sat there, conscious but not thinking, aware of my surroundings but not engaging with them or my thoughts. I felt like I was on some kind of tightwire, balancing gently between consciousness and meditation. I almost felt like I was sitting watching myself in this moment, and it was truly amazing...No other word for it.

When I opened my eyes, I'd meditated for 15 minutes by myself. It felt like quite the accomplishment. I tried explaining it to my husband but truly there is no way to explain this to someone unless they have tried it.

Sadly, before long the craziness of a hectic work day made that moment feel like eons ago, but in my mind I believed that I'll be able to return there again.

As for practice, I missed yesterday's session but did Day 5 (side stretches - amazing - so often in yoga we stretch forward and back but I've never done an entire session of side stretching. It felt great) and Day 6 (backbends - not my fave because I have scoliosis, but I can feel my spine begin to loosen up, so I persevered).

I'm also starting to realize that there is a big difference between practising at home and in a studio (other than not having props available - so I used a ribbon as my strap and my Oxford Companion to English Literature as my block). There's less of a sense of performance, and there is also much more of a sense of opening yourself up to the experience of a new teacher, a new practice every day, and new experiences. With Ashtanga or even with Baptiste yoga, I feel as though I can almost always anticipate the next move. But with this challenge, every day seems to be different and to focus on a different theme, so I never know what to expect, even if the basics are always the same.

The challenge also encourages people to try and eat at least one vegetarian meal a day and eat healthier. I've been averaging 1-2 a day. The other change this week is that my husband is on a new healthy eating kick, and we've both been focusing on cooking healthier and more nutritious foods. It just so happens it started at the same time as the challenge, which is great!
As for running - do I think doing yoga and meditation almost every day will help my running? Well, it's too early to tell, and quite honestly this week has been so nuts that beyond a 12k on Monday and a 5k on Wednesday in the middle of a snowstorm (an entirely different experience), I haven't had much time to get out there and test out my new yogi legs. But I plan to perhaps go for a short run tonight and see how that goes. And there's always tomorrow's 18k LSD (I think, finally, I'm back on the proper Hypo Half schedule!). I imagine that I'll find I'm stronger in my core and more flexible, which is always a good thing.

No matter: it's said often by many people, and I believe it to be true: yoga makes everything better!

~HRG

I'm taking the Yoga Journal 21-day chalenge!

We are into the final stretches of training for the Halifax Hypothermic Marathon. Things have been going fairly well, despite me getting a little confused with the schedule over the holidays and doing my 18ks two weeks early. But I'm finding that now that I've done these distances more than once, the learning curve isn't as steep.

What I have learned, however, is that training with a group is way, way more motivating that running alone.

Take my last two 18ks, for instance: two weeks ago, I ran it on my own in 2:06. I knew that was slow, for me -- my average pace was way slower than I'd run it in the past (a good argument for tracking your runs -- I use the Running Room's tool, but there are others out there).

Then, a week later, after a particuarly festive New Year's Eve and a day to recover, I ran the same distance with my friend Carol. We shaved 14 minutes off that time! Crazy! I could definitely feel the difference in my legs - with that run, I felt I was working, but it was manageable. With the previous run, it just felt like I was plodding along. Of course, it helped that we were chatting the entire time, thus keeping my mind off the run.

So one of my intentions (I don't make resolutions- they're too easy to break) for the New Year is to try and get back into group running. That run with Carol made me feel vindicated as a runner and helped me gain back my trust in my legs. I haven't gotten slow - I've just been running alone!

We'll see how the Hypo Half goes in a few weeks' time, but my goal ultimately will be to run it and have fun, as a prep for a spring half or full.

Another of my intentions since the New Year has been to sign up for the Yoga Journal 21-day challenge. Why? Because healthy minds + a healthy body = a healthy runner! I also love yoga - perhaps even more than running (though the rush you feel while running a good tempo or race is nothing like the calm you feel when you're in the zone in the middle of a good yoga class).

The challenge for this week is to do one yoga practice each day, plus one 15-minute meditation and eat one vegetarian meal. And yesterday, I did all three: a practice in the morning, followed by a vegetarian brekkie and meditation at lunch. It was nice waking up and starting the day with a nice stretch, and taking some time during a hectic day to close my eyes and simply focus on my breath.

Today was day two of the challenge. Things I learned today:

- this takes time, and effort. I had a busy day, so I didn't get to the challenge until the end of the day, after work and Zumba. I haven't even had a chance to meditate yet;
- each day in the challenge seems to be a different instructor, and a different series of poses. You kind of have to trust the process and learn to give yourself up to it, because you don't know what's coming up next. For someone who is used to practising a regular series, this can be a little frustrating at first, but also a learning experience; and
- practising yoga at home is also different from going out to a studio. You need to find the physical space to do it, as well as the equipment. I practised on my carpet the last two days, which eliminates the need for a mat but also works different muscles than normal. I also improvised a strap by using a ribbon I had in my sewing kit, and figure I could use a dictionary as a block if need be.

Trusting the process, and looking forward to seeing what tomorrow brings. I also look forward to seeing if this makes any difference in my running!

~ HRG

I've been running, honest!

Boy, it has been a loooong time since my last blog post! Life seems to have gotten busy, but that doesn't mean I haven't been running! Truth is, I've been following the 18-week schedule for the Halifax Hypothermic Half Marathon, and we are now in week 10!

The training has been going pretty well. Unlike this summer, where I jumped in at week eight of the program after being off for two months following surgery, I've started at the beginning and have been focusing on building up my speed, endurance and strength by sticking to the program fairly rigorously. In fact, my tempo runs have improved from 5:59/km to around 5:39/km, while my steady runs have also improved so that a 6:03/km run now feels pretty comfortable.

Cross-training

I've also been building my strength base with GoodLife's Body Pump classes, along with quite a bit of yoga. It's so great when you're running and your legs just feel strong, and this combination of cross-training seems to work for me. Body Pump is a full-body strength workout with a barbell, and includes one track (song) of squats, and one of lunges, in addition to all the other major body groups. I can really feel the difference in my legs!

I also discovered that Halifax Yoga had a special on for new students: $20 for 10 days of unlimited yoga. I used that as an opportunity to check out the studio and its classes. It's amazing how different each studio is each from the other, and it took me a while to get used to this studio's style. However, within a few days, I noticed my hips opening up, and it felt fantastic! Running can be pretty brutal on your flexibility, if you don't maintain a rigorous stretching program.

Running in cooler weather is lovely 


Starting the program in the fall meant I could avoid the hotter running conditions from the summer, and I've really noticed a difference. You can always dress warmer for the cold, but there's only so much cooler you can dress. However, this fall has been so unpredictable, with warmer days following cooler ones, that I've started wearing three different options in my gym bag each day, just in case the weather should be cooler or warmer than expected. Then again, living on the coast, you quickly learn that you can never predict the weather.

The other nice thing about running in cooler weather is that it gets you acclimatized to the winter weather, and makes sure you stay active throughout the holiday season.

Getting used to longer distances


Oh, the human mind is a funny thing. It doesn't matter how many half and full marathons I've run in the last four years, my brain seems to have short-term memory when it comes to long slow distances. For example, last Sunday was my first time running more than 10k in a couple of months. Unlike my 14k LSD last August, which was a sweaty torture from start to finish, this week I actually felt pretty good and maintained a fairly decent pace, up until km 8 or 9. It was at that point that my legs started getting heavier, and my brain started getting bored. I also didn't plan my route properly, so I ended up having to do loops around our neighbourhood for about 4kms, which got boring really fast.


By the end of the run, I was so mentally drained from my inner dialogue with myself about why I was keeping up the run when all I wanted to do was to be home, and home was so close, that when I walked in the door, I was a fuming mess, which hubby noticed. Smart man, he suggested that I go take a bath and relax, because I was so worked up.


Obviously, I've lost the knack for running those long distances - particularly on my own - and I'll have to learn the patience and endurance that I had built up before. I'll also try and kick myself out of bed sooner on Sunday mornings so that I can make it to the Running Room for Run Club. Running long distances alone can get rather...lonely.


Anyways, that's the long and short of it for now. I hope to start blogging more regularly again to track my progress, so stay tuned!


~ HRG

A tribute to Coach Wendy!

A little more than a month ago, one of my running friends messaged me and asked me if I'd be willing to help out with a project - she and another friend wanted to recognize Wendy Leiper for her great coaching of the summer-fall Halifax Running Room marathon clinic.

Anyone who's run with Wendy knows she is passionate about running and extremely generous about offering her wisdom, insight and enthusiasm to encourage other runners. I personally have benefitted so much from her encouragement and generosity. So when Carol asked if I'd be willing to help write an instructor profile for the Running Room Magazine, I said of course!

Carol and I got together a few weeks ago after soliciting feedback from clinic participants about Wendy's role as a coach and mentor, and sat down over chocolate-banana muffins and tea to write the piece together.

The result is this article on page 9 of the November-December Running Room Magazine.

We felt it was a great way to recognize Wendy and say thank you for all she's done to encourage, lead and motivate all of the runners who are lucky enough to have gotten to know her.

Thanks, Wendy!

~ HRG

Guest blog post: Laura's first 5k race

About a year ago, I started reading my friend Laura's blog - How to climb a volcano (and other fitness exploits). Over the course of several months, Laura documented her training for a hike to climb up a volcano in Costa Rica to raise money for diabetes.

I really liked Laura's blog, because not only were the entries well written, they were humorous and gave real insight into the highs and lows of such a training program (which included having to raise the funds to get herself there). In fact, Laura's blog partly inspired me to launch Halifax Runner Girl and start documenting my own training program for a marathon, and the blog expanded to what it is today - part journal, part advice column, part product review and also a chance for me to profile other runners.

In the meantime, Laura raised the funds, climbed the volcano and then took on a new challenge - training for her first ever 5k road race at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon while I was training for my races. A few weeks ago, she successfully completed that challenge, and I asked her to write a guest blog about her experience. I loved her entry, and I think you will too!
Without further ado, I give you Laura's guest blog post:

My foray into running and my first 5K race

I ran my first 5K race on October 16th. Some of you veteran runners are probably thinking, “Big deal!” but this was a pretty awesome feat for me. I am not a runner. Wait – I was not a runner. Until five months ago. I remember the torture of the one-mile run from phys-ed in highschool and barely being able to finish. Heck! I remember not being able to make it around the block, jogging with my dog, back in June. But on October 16th I not only ran a 5K, I did it in 31:44.

This time last year I was gearing up for training to climb a volcano (yes, really) but it was very different training. When I returned successful form that adventure in late May, it was time to learn to run. In June I launched into a couch-to-5K program and began my running adventures.

They go pretty easy on you in the beginning: run for 60 seconds, walk for 90 seconds. While the running jaunts were a challenge for lil’ ol’ me, I was pretty proud of myself for completing week one. In week three I sort of glossed over the running plan and read, “run 90 seconds, walk 90 seconds, repeat.” No problem. Well, you should always read/listen to all the directions. In this case that would have revealed run 90 seconds, walk 90 seconds, run three minutes, walk three minutes, repeat. I panicked when I first heard that, but guess what? That’s right – I did it! I ran for three minutes in a row. More than once! Again, you may be thinking, “Big whoop!” but it was another first for me.

In the end, the nine-week training program dragged into 15 weeks (injury, travel, injury – my physiotherapist and I are very close now) but I was finally running 5K around mid-September. Oh. Em. Gee. Me. Running.

A week before the official race I ran my best time ever: 5K in 30:43 (my October 16th race time was my second best time).

Race day came. I knew I could push myself and probably run my best time ever. My sister was also running though, and I really wanted to run with her. It was more important for me to run my first 5K race (and hers!) with her than to score my best time. As we stood in the corral it was hard not to feel energized and I was antsy waiting for the start gun. When it finally went... we didn’t move. Right, must wait for everyone ahead of us. About three minutes later though, we crossed the start line.

My sister set a great pace. I felt good running with her. It was also my first time running without music but between my sister, all the other runners and the crowds cheering us on, it was pretty easy to feel motivated. As we ran I felt pretty much the same as I would on one of my own runs; my sister’s pace was my pace. How convenient! We’d never run together and yet we were right at the same place.

I must admit it was a tricky run. Usually my path is clear but for the occasional person on the trail or 

Final 200 metres

 sidewalk, easy to manoeuvre around. This time, thousands of other runners surrounded me, some blocking me, some passing me, some darn near tripping me up! I’ll say that’s where my minute (best time) went. As we approached the end though, my sister and I powered up. At 200 metres we began to push ourselves. I didn’t feel I had much left in me, but I found something and my sister and I crossed the rather dangerous (people coming out of nowhere!) finish line together! It was a fantastic feeling.

So, I’ve crossed the line, I’m gasping for breath, my legs just want to stop, I need water desperately (which was not so readily available – grrrr....) and we are barely recovered when my sister asks, “So, are we training for a spring 10K now?”

We’ll see sister, we’ll see.

[Special thanks to friends, including Halifax Runner Girl, who gave me great advice and support throughout my introduction to running, and to Carli at Running Into Shape (http://runningintoshape.com/5k-training-downloads/) for her fantastic couch-to-5K mp3 training series.]


~ Laura Mousseau

Guest blog: Jen's first half marathon story!

I've been bad lately, I know...I haven't posted much in a while but that doesn't mean I haven't been training! In fact I've hopped back onto the Hypothermic Half Marathon training schedule and have been doig pretty good at following most of the runs on the schedule. So far, so good and I'm feeling pretty good, too.

But first, I wanted to share my friend Jen's guest blog about her first half marathon story a few weeks ago. I first profiled Jen earlier this year when she undertook her first 5k race schedule last April. Over the past few months, we've shared our mutual love for running via email and encouraged each other along the way. I was so proud of Jen when she decided to train for, and finished, her first half marathon this fall, that I asked her to do a guest blog post.

I loved her story about her first marathon, and I think you will too!

Without further ado, I give you Jen!

My first half marathon was a challenge I took on after starting to run in late April of this year. My friend from way back, otherwise known as, Halifax Runner Girl, inspired me to take up running after following along through her blog as she recapped races and spoke of her relationship with this sport. So when I was asked to recap my first race it seemed like a nice way to bring this experience full circle. So here we go...

I live in Brooklyn New York, and I wanted to find a race that was fairly close by so I signed up for the Atlantic City half, a race that involved boardwalk, views of sandy beaches and ocean waves...sign me up.  The course was described as flat and the boardwalk would be forgiving on the joints so I figured this would be the perfect half for a novice like me.

One thing this novice did not consider...Atlantic City= Casinos, bachelor and bachelorette parties, weekends of rowdy non-stop fun.  Why would this be an important consideration?  Well the night before a race you need to sleep...Fail.  But it was quite entertaining listening to all the fun going on outside the room, and honestly I am not sure I would have slept much anyway.

The energy race morning was contagious.  I turned the corner onto the boardwalk and was thrilled to see all of the runners.  Runners of all sizes, levels, and ages.  I joined them behind the starting line.  I also made the newbie mistake of sticking to the front...oops.  The American National Anthem was sung, I prepared my Garmin and Ipod, and away we went.  I was running happily along the boardwalk when I looked down at my Garmin realizing I was going way too fast for my planned pace.  I tried to slow down and kept running.  I looked up and noticed the pacer for the Marathoners and it said 3:20...oh no, still way too fast.  I tried to slow down again....but for some reason I couldn’t.  I felt like a caged animal that had been set free and I had no control at this point.

Mile 1, 2, 3, ticked by and I was still hanging with this group.  I then saw the hill...shock went through me and shear panic.  I had trained on bridges with inclines and parks with hills but not enough to tackle this ramp.  Yes RAMP...where was the promise of boardwalk views?  We were running up the ramp to the highway and it was steep.  Runners around me were cursing, “Hills! when did they add a hill into this race?” one runner remarked.  ( I would later read online that they changed the course this year.)  I knew I had been A) running way too fast and B) this hill was going to take a bit out of me.  I sucked it up and pushed up the hill.  One runner beside me began to walk, cursing, I think she had made the same mistake.  I kept going trying to block her out.

Mile 4...I had to stop at the porta-potty.  Line up...”Oh no!”  I thought as I watched the rest of the runners continue on.  I gave myself a pep-talk noting that this would give me a chance to adjust my pace.  I relaxed and did just that, until another winding ramp.  This did not make me happy.  I focused on my form and pushed my way up.  My legs and lungs were at this point telling me...we should have trained on more hills...oh well.

Mile 5, 6 ticked by and the sun was beating down on all the runners.  The course was now taking us through residential neighbourhoods.  Honestly it was boring, and I was feeling quite defeated.  This is when the mental strength had to kick in.  More runners were starting to walk.  I could feel myself slowing down.  I let myself walk through the water station and took my gu.  The Volunteers were great and very motivating.  I was frustrated and tired and worried as I took in the gu.  “What if this is too much for me?”  I started to worry.  I noticed a lot of the runners had a friend or family member with them.  I started to feel very alone.  I pushed myself to start running again.  A spectator yelled out to the runners, “KEEP GRINDING IT OUT RUNNERS!”  I breathed in her words and energy as I passed her almost in tears at this point.

Mile 7, 8 we hit a turn where I could see the pack of runners in front, and as I rounded the bend, the pack of runners behind me.  I realized I was about in the middle.  I started to listen to the conversations around me.  One runner was with the pace leader for 4:30 marathon time.  She was sharing that she was doing her first marathon and that she was scared that she was getting tired.  I smiled at her and told her she was doing great.  Secretly I was telling myself the same thing. Husbands and wives were pushing each other along, charity runners were cheering each other as they passed and I felt connected to all of the runners around me.  For this moment in my life these people were going through something with me, completely unaware that their presence was keeping me going.

Mile 9...okay where is mile 9?  There wasn’t any marker and my Garmin had gone crazy.  I had no idea how much further.  I was struggling.  We had hit the boardwalk at this point.  People were walking casually around all the runners, trying to dodge us as we barreled towards them.  I glanced at the ocean, I was so hot and the waves looked very inviting...but I pressed on.  My right hip began to hurt so I let myself walk.  I walked for what felt like forever.  Spectators watched as I walked by.  For a brief moment I felt like I was cheating.  “I should be running” I thought.  Runners twice my age were passing me by.  I was inspired by their strength and started to run again.

The course took us passed the finish line.  I watched others cross over, happy for them.  I knew at this point I must be at mile 9.5 because the half marathoners had to turn around after mile 11 and the full marathoners keep going along the boardwalk.   I stopped to walk again as my hip was really bothering me.  Another runner stopped and asked if I was ok.  I assured him I was and we talked and walked for a bit.  He shared with me that he was recovering from Cancer and that he had done the Boston marathon in the past.  He encouraged me to keep going and said that I was doing great.  Just as we separated an ambulance cart whizzed by forcing runners to get out of the way or stop.  When I ran further ahead there was a young woman in her twenties turning blue and sitting on a bench with oxygen on her.  She had passed out.  I noticed she was running the full Marathon by her bib colour and hoped she was ok.  I reached the turn around and passed through the water station.  Threw water on my face and gunned it for a bit.  At this point I realized my goal time of 2:15 was out of reach so I adjusted to 2:30.

Mile 11.5 my hip started to hurt again so I walked.  I decided to walk and sprint until I reached 12.5 miles and then I would give it all I had left.  I did just that.  I saw the finish line, the faces of the spectators and I ran like hell.  I passed through the finish and received my medal.  I looked at my Garmin it said 2:32, I would later find out my official time was 2:37.

It was not the race I wanted to run. I was hoping for that 2:15 finish because that was my goal and during training I knew I could hit that time.  But I learned that even when you are tired, and you are hurting you can push yourself to complete what feels impossible.  I am proud of that!  I started running the end of April 2011, and in October 2011 I finished a half marathon!  My goal now is to keep running, get stronger and run another half in the spring.  Who knows maybe someday a full...anything is possible!

~ Jen Marsan

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