Sunday, January 29, 2012

I'm rounding to second base...

If you've seen Moneyball (spoiler alert) you'll remember towards the end of the movie after Oakland A's lose the last game Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) takes Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) to watch video of a recent baseball game of a 240lbs baseball player who's afraid to round first to second. The player hits the ball, he decides to round to second and his worst fears come true, he falls. His fears take over and he scrambles back to first, not realizing he'd hit a home run! The first baseman of the other team tells him that he hit a home run and helps him up and everyone cheers him around the base to home!

I really like the story, I feel like I'm losing my fears of rounding to second base and by that I'm having less fears about running longer distances. I might change my mind again when I have to reach 16kms for my half marathon training!

Today was great! I did my run in the pouring rain. Fun and at least it was warm. Managed to keep my pace faster then what I've been averaging (about 20 seconds faster). I might be on par to do the half marathon in 2 hours and 30 minutes (well, here's hoping!!) I'd like to do the Sun Run in 1 hour 10 minutes, at least that's the goal.

I also went to the first of a few workshops being held by UBC in preparation of the triathlon in March. I think it's fantastic that UBC is offering free sessions leading up to their triathlon/duathlon. I'm hoping to pick up a few tips to help my training and heighten my experience of my first triathlon! I already have a feeling I'll be hooked.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

I found a race to do next year!

If I can't make it to race I want to do in France, I think I should do this one! http://halfcorked.eventbrite.ca/

I did my first brick!

I know that sounds a little weird. I did about 7kms bike ride home, took 5.36 minutes to change and get my butt out for a run! I was going for a short run, trying for 2.5 or 3kms. I accidentally switched my watch from timer BACK to watch mode so when I got home I thought I only did 2 or so KMS in 18 minutes, but I really did was 4kms in 30 minutes! Shocker! I might have to do that again!

I ramp up my training for the half marathon this weekend as well. 44 days until the Triathlon and 100 days until the half. I might be a little worried! Actually, more like thinking to myself, what the hell did I get myself into!

Monday, January 23, 2012

The Day After

Well, so far I feel fine after the 10k run. I know some people say you'll be sore after pushing your PB time but so far so good! And, bonus time, I get to bike to work today (no snow and hopefully no black ice)! I managed to bike to the race yesterday and it felt so good being on my bike I almost went for a bike ride instead of doing the race!

I wonder how Flavia's doing!

Sunday, January 22, 2012

And I survived....

After the Chilly Chase!
Not only did I survive, I'm STARVING! I did my first 10k race of the year and now I'm planning a few more (besides the Vancouver Sun Run) because it felt good during the race (except the first 3 kms, I'm also stiff and sore for the first few kms) and it felt really good afterwards! I'm also proud of Flavia who did the race with me! Everyone once and a while she'd stop and walk but she always caught up to me no matter how far ahead I got!

I PBed my time, finished the race in 1 hour 18 minutes! For me, that's pretty spectacular! My goal for the Sun Run is to finish it in 1 hour 10 minutes and then the half marathon in 2 hours 30 minutes.

Most of the people running the race were pretty good today, and fun! Learned a couple tips, its now confirmed that I want a Garmin and I think I want it to be this one! It'll work for swimming as well! Fantastic as I always look count at some point or another when I'm doing lengths! I'm also inspired to wear a tutu for the Vancouver Sun Run! Yup, I'm that person! You can't take yourself too seriously, its not nearly as fun!

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Chilly Chase is calling!

I started my Friday by asking the trainer (Ed, awesome evil bastard) to not entirely kick my ass because of my first 10k race on Sunday. Six of us pair up with three stations, no time limit, HOWEVER, two pairs had to do their stations for as long as it took the third pair to do 8 lengths of sled. Are you freaking kidding me? He did promise that my legs wouldn't be sore. Yah, my calves were burning afterwards but it was good! AND my legs don't appear to be sore today!

I`m hoping when I report back tomorrow afternoon that I did the race in 1 hour 20 minutes but I`ll be very happy with just finishing!

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

A little about me and my first race of the year!

So, one of the reasons I'm doing this crazy journey is my mid-life crisis, another reason, I lost my dad almost two years ago to a heart attack. He died instantly of a critical blockage. He did was healthy when he died and I know his death shocked all of his family, friends, and colleagues. When he was younger he was in fantastic health, then family life happened, he was never HUGE or what seemed to me out of shape but sometimes diet and exercise affect you in ways you don't know. He also drank, drinking can damage you more then you know. Probably the major factor in his death was his cholesterol levels. If cholesterol is dangerously high in any family members, please get yourself checked, and regularly!

It took me another 6 months after he died to actually do something with my own fitness. I was almost 300 lbs when my dad died (and 40), I knew I was big, I could do things (bike to work, dance, walk a flight of stairs) but my resting heart rate was 80 to 90 beats per minute. I hired a friend of mine to be my personal trainer for 5 months, took a month off, then joined Versus Training Centre and have been going on a very regular basis. Since I joined with them almost a year, and since I started with a personal trainer in August 2010, I've lost 70 lbs, my resting heart rate can go as low as 46 beats a minute, I've lost 20% body fat (started at 49.8%).

Last year I decided to do the Tough Mudder, that's a goal for my fitness and weight loss (I need to work towards a goal as well as working towards helping my own health). Well, I need to run for Tough Mudder I decided I might as well train to do a half marathon (it made sense in my brain!) so I'm doing the BMO half marathon in May! And, well, since I need to swim in Tough Mudder I decided to train for a triathlon in March. I mean, I'm already biking to work, and running for the Tough Mudder/BMO and swimming, I might as well do a triathlon as well!

Well, it all made sense when I signed up for each of them, I might be freaking out a little bit as they come closer! My first event is in 4 days, second event is in 53 days, next event is in 88 days and so on!

So, I do these things for me, I do them in memory of my dad, I do them for my fitness but I mostly do them for me. I want to see how far I can push myself, how far I can go, if I can become an athlete in my 40's!

AND, my first race is coming up on Sunday! I'm freaked out, excited, nervous, and hoping for NO SNOW OR FREEZING RAIN! I'll still do it but still, it would be nice to not hurt myself on my first 10k! I'm doing the Chilly Chase starting from Creekside Community Centre, runs along the seawall, very flat (maybe one or two hills) and should be a good start to my races this year! Wish me luck!

Monday, January 9, 2012

Run Good, Run Bad

One of the runs I`m currently training for is the Chilly Chase January 22. I had a fantastic run Sunday, actually shaved 30 seconds off my pace and ran 8kms. Today, however, I ran 4.6kms and actually put the 30 seconds I lost back on INCLUDING 30 more seconds! I blame class at the gym today! We did tabatas for 45 minutes, yah, it was evil.

I also officially signed up for the UBC Triathlon (doing a short sprint) and the BMO Half Marathon. I honestly don`t care how fast I am for both, I just want to finish!! At least the half marathon starts downhill! About 3 kms downhill!

Saturday, January 7, 2012

My new bike!!

I`m stoked that I got a racing bike today! I got myself a competition Jamis and can`t really ride it until Vancouver has dry roads. It`s just sitting in my kitchen looking sad! It did get out on a little ride in my `hood and had to resist the urge to go fast on it, it`s a fantastic ride, at least from what I could tell on that short ride! I got it from http://vancycle.com/. If you ever need anything, big or small, Erik`s your guy! Mobile bike service, he comes to you!

Sunday, January 1, 2012

New Year started with the Polar Bear swim!

Yup, this year I did the Polar Bear swim with my friend Sepand, and yup, next year I'll be doing it again! It was a blast and I highly recommend it!