Still feeling good!

Still feeling pretty good and positive after my long run on Sunday. I'm either having issues hydrating OR I'm coming down with a cold. I'm hoping its the former and not the latter.

I'm also supposed to be resting (so not resting) for my V02Max testing tomorrow. Pretty excited about that, I'm sure knowing the zones I'm to train in for at least running will help with my triathlon training. Or at least make me feel a bit more confident. I'd be fibbing if I didn't say I was scared shitless at the moment but you never know what you can accomplish by sitting on your ass!! Unfortunately, I decided to accomplish a lot!

So, that leads me to this, a friend sent this to me recently and I've decided to adopt it as my new motto. I'm not good at everything I do, but, at least I'm trying! I'm trying to improve my times, myself, my goals. I have some pretty big goals this year, I may fail, but at least I'm off my ass trying them, even if I suck at it!

What a weekend!

Drinking in the boss' office

Well, this was certainly an interesting weekend. Started off by tormenting one of my bosses who was off for the day. Me and a coworker took a couple shots of us "drinking" his scotch in the office and then texted them to him at 10am asking if it was too soon to start drinking. His response BASTARDS! Use a glass.

I then went for a beer with these same people before meeting up with someone I met online for a date (and that's all I'm going to say about that, except I hope we can figure it out to meet up again).

Saturday was long bike day. Started with two brunches though, yes, two, both with eggs! Yes that is also a shark in the back ground of this picture. We like to get to Little Nest when it opens to steal all of the kids toys so we can play with them at our table. Great food if you've never been then, you can get vegan and gluten free options, but more the brownies, muffins, etc (which, really is also amazing). The staff is pretty fun as well!

After I left the first group went and had second brunch! Yes, more eggs. After that I did manage to do about 40kms on the bike (without the padded shorts, sore today) through Vancouver streets. Love Ontario with the new bike, fun! I had to post this picture online yesterday to torture my friends/family on the east coast, they just got another dumping of snow on the weekend, while I was out in my ride. A ton of people out Saturday (many more on Sunday).

Saturday I continued my carb-loading with beer with a friend on the Drive. Mmmmmm, blonde beers are very tasty. The Dime had a great beet, peacan, goat cheese salad as well, but, alas, I'm getting too old for the clubs. My friend and I (she's also my age) bitched the entire time about how loud it was and that we couldn't hear each other. We're the first one each other will call though to go out for a night of dancing, so explain that!

Sunday morning came pretty fast and so did the 32km run! WHAT THE FUCK! I ran 32km today! Yes, I actually walked around the rest of the day saying to myself, HOLY FUCK! I RAN 32KM TODAY! The furthest I ran before that was 26km. I missed both of the 29km runs due to a triathlon and then half marathon race (consecutive weekends) so I was a tad worried how I would do today (apparently not that worried, I was drinking beers the night before). Except for the toe, it was fantastic! I felt great during, finished off strong, we finished in 4 hours 1 minute. I was hoping 4 hours but thought it was a long shot. My foot and toe is currently taped up, feels better but around the 14km marker to the 24km marker I was in a lot of pain, hard to run, walk, anything. The toe went numb, I could barely feel it and all was right with the world! Today we ran through 6 or 7 neighbourhoods, through 3 film sets, through or around 2 parks, passed a couple beaches, through a university, across the finish line and back to the store. My GPS said we did 32.06 kms, my friend's said almost 34 or 35 but I think there's something wrong with the iPhone GPS :)

Whatever it was, it was over 32km!!! I ran that today! Incredible!!

Shameful song moment

OK, I have a shameful song moment, I`m addicted to this song and it was great for hill training tonight.  I don`t even want to type it in but great song for hill training (or booty shaking) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jfe_-dgoXhs

Struggled to train this week

This week was a huge struggle, after a disappointing half marathon finish on Sunday (disappointing in my head, it was still 20 minutes faster than the previous one) I struggled for three days to be able to do anything. Really struggled. The run on Sunday was on trails, and, while some people seem to love the trails I find them very difficult on my legs. My quads were sore the next day, so sore I wasn`t able to even do yoga. Yup, you heard correctly, couldn`t even do yoga. Tried in the morning and evening and it was horrible.

Tuesday I was still sulky, went to the gym (trainer on Tuesday and Thursdays before work) and then was feeling off by the afternoon so went to my clinic talk but didn`t do the hills. Didn`t swim Wednesday morning, didn`t run Wednesday night. By Thursday it was only my 3rd workout for the week (not counting commuting on my bike, I don`t count that anymore). Gym was good, my trainer pushed me, I thought about sulking but it doesn`t work on him so just did whatever he told me to do, started feeling a little better. By the time I finished my run tonight, fantastic! This is my garmin after just my hill repeats. Such a great time for me, considering I was doing hill repeats! I managed to do 5 and then the stomach said ``feed me before I barf all over the sidewalk please and thank you`` so off home I went. Its also a PB for me!

So, Friday is tomorrow, I do plan on pool in the morning, run right after work (slow slow run), long bike on Saturday, then the dreaded 32km on Sunday. I`m terrified but I know that my dad will be looking out for me that day. Its the three year anniversary of his passing. It still hurts thinking that he`s gone when I still feel like I need his guidance. I have a lot of friends that I can talk to when I need guidance or help but there`s just something about sharing your successes, failures, feelings, fears, wins, etc with your father that I so dearly miss.

Horrible run, happy with the results

I did another race today, a half marathon in Burnaby (around Burnaby Lake). Hated it the entire time, I couldn't run as fast as I wanted, my legs felt like crap, I didn't have any fuel in the tank (mainly because I drank Saturday night and was hung over most of the day on Saturday) and I've spent the last few Sundays running with at least two other people, so, boring as well! Good training for the full though, mainly because I'll need to run on my own, remind myself to have gels, to drink, that its ok, that I'll be fine and that I'll cross the finish line, even if its not the time I wanted (like today, I wanted 2 hours 30, I think I got 2 hours 37 so its still 20 minutes faster than last year).

One of my friends running it said the same thing, she did FANTASTIC but she forgot to walk (we do 10 and 1's), forgot her gels, forgot to drink, was bored out of her mind and was thinking about all the stuff she had to do at work to distract herself. When that same thing happened to me I started visualizing that I was in Whistler finishing Ironman through the trails, then when that didn't work I put on my bellydance music and started coming up with a new routine, that distracted me for a while, until the toe pain came back.

Running, really, why do we do this to ourselves! That was what I was thinking after I hurt myself, why the hell am I doing this, why don't I just quit and start doing nice little 5kms, I could just work on my 5km pace, get really fast, maybe do one in 28 or 29 minutes, that'd be nice. But no, I have to get it into my brain that maybe one day I'll be running an ultra marathon (that's what I'm possibly thinking of trying next year. OK, I'm sure if one of my friends said they were signing up for an Ultra next year I'd also be signing up without questioning it, that's how I signed up for Ironman!)

Do you know your Grouse Grind time?

This was the question asked, mockingly (and rightly so) last night by an English guy leaving my company and going back home (he was on secondment from our parent company). As I was leaving he was in conversation with a couple other people about their Grouse Grind time, half marathon times, 10km times, etc and that it was bizarre that we all know this, and why do we know this! Its ridiculous! (his words). It was highly entertaining.

He had a point though, once you get into fitness (and it wasn`t always so for me) you become obsessed with bettering yourself, you compete with yourself but that's it. We celebrate other`s successes but we don`t say, I want to beat your time (unless of course you`re very good friends and its smacktalk!). We just try to better our last time up the mountain, or better our last run, but we don`t try to compete with our friends. And this is where its hard to explain to others (once the bug really hits you!), you do compete in races but you`re still competing against yourself, trying to place well, trying to finish within the time you wanted.

Song of the day

Holy hotness! I just discovered Lana Del Rey (Summertime Sadness) and started checking out her other tunes....this one, wow. Sexy, steamy and erotic....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx_dTSPzXlk

Song of the moment

It's a bit of a haunting song, beautiful nonetheless.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVjsGKrE6E8

What a fantastic week!

It has been a fantastic week! I had a great run with the clinic on Tuesday night, managed to walk across the Lion's Gate Bridge on Wednesday, a mini-brick on Thursday, managed to do a couple tight turns on my new bike and came flying down 16th Avenue on Friday!

"Half way"

Tuesday night we did hills by the Children's Hospital. I was using that run to push myself and dig what energy I had in my body out, every last drop! I want to push myself on Sunday (UBC Tri-Du) and see what I can do, how fast I can push my run after my bike. Its a short Triathlon compared to what else I'll be doing this year, however, it'll start the foundation for the rest of them! I was so tired though by the time I got home I didn't even have the energy to make myself dinner!

Half Way again

Fuck yah! Done

Wednesday night, well, I could have used a few drinks before I went across the bridge! I am terrified of this bridge to the point it makes me feel like I'm going to cry when I drive across it (when I'm actually driving, not in a car or the bus). My friend Thomasina agreed (told) me we'd be walking across it before I have to run across it in a few weeks (doing a long run to Deep Cove). I believe I had three heart attacks and 14 panic attacks while walking across! I'm pretty sure Thomasina has bruises up and down her arm as well. Her fault, she kept telling me we were halfway there!

This week I actually *gasp* tapered! I hardly ever do that but, again, this is the year of learning and growing (well, more than 2011 and 2012 were the years of learning and growing, I guess 2013 is the year of lets see how many stupid things I can do!) I still had to do one last brick (I am trying to compete with one of the guys at work) so went for a very short run directly after my bike home. My GPS was once again telling me weird things, running a 2.9 pace to a 15 pace? haha. No, I don't think so! Funny, it only acts up on Thursdays.

Anyway, I seem to be rambling more than normal, Friday I biked to UBC to pick up my race kit for Sunday. It was less difficult then I thought, well, except for that one hill, I'm pretty sure I found the steepest mother fucking hill in Vancouver, I must go back and conquer it now because it kicked my ass. 16th Avenue, now, that's a fun hill! I've biked it before but on my other commuter, not the new one. There's nothing like just laying flat on the bike and just trusting you aren't going to skid out and hopefully a car doesn't come out of nowhere to flatten you!

I have my race kit for Sunday, I need to get it ready since I'm spending the day shopping in Bellingham for, guess what, more race stuff! Yah, one track mind right now. Maybe I'll get a pretty spring dress too, something a little girly.

Wow, my ass is a bit sore today!

Before you think anything funny, it was from hill repeaters last night! And maybe the weight squats in the morning, but mostly the hill repeaters. We did a hill that you wouldn't think would be that difficult to run, wrong! It was good though. I've no idea who many hills I did, just threw on my music and went (Hed Kandi I'd not listened to for a while, was probably dancing/running as opposed to just running!)

I also visualize (the wiki link can explain better than me but what follows is my explanation) while I do any form of exercise. If you don't do this, try! I do this with anything that I would normally do (running, weights, swimming, biking) but I visualize crossing the finish line strong, or my running form, or even getting out of the water easily after a hard swim. Its like a mental check of your body, brain, how you're feeling. Do you have a favorite athlete you like? Visualize their form, the way they move, their carriage and how the hold themselves (I like to visualize I'm following the Brownlee Brothers when I'm running or Ryder Hesjedal while I'm biking; swimming, well, that's all me!) Its very helpful, especially when you need to do something fun like hill repeaters!

Four sleeps and counting for the UBC Tri-Du! Epp! Taper? I guess I should start thinking about that, just after another swim, another brick and one more gym session!

Wow, 2 months today to the BMO Marathon!

Just when I was getting excited about the UBC Tri-Du I got barfy feelings about the BMO Marathon! Amazing.

But, the point is I finally got excited about the UBC Tri-Du! I'm excited to do my first race of the year (I've not even done a road race yet!) and would like to do well. OK, so I'm not entirely prepared for this one (as I've said previously) but, I've decided I don't care, I'm going with the flow of excitment and I'll see where that takes me!

DAMN!!!

I came across this video tonight!! Talk about freaking inspiring, this b-girl is going to be one hell of a dancer now, can you imagine in 10 years? WOW!

http://youtu.be/46U07svaN5M

Changed a flat in 10 minutes flat!

It was deja vu all over again in my place tonight. Yet another flat but this time on the brand new bicycle. Last time I changed a flat, took about 3 hours (yes, yes it was pathetic); this time it took me about 10 minutes! Hurrah! Hopefully the tire will be fine and I won't get a flat again for a while, I have to use Max this weekend!

Experimenting with food this week!

I got my first meal-plan this week in preparation for my first triathlon this weekend. Doing the UBC Tri-Du on Sunday. Probably not as prepared as I'd like to be for it, I've only done a couple bricks, although, does the reverse brick I did today count? Anyway, I wanted to be a bit faster with my running as well as my swimming, but, bigger picture is the Ironman I foolishly signed up for in a fit of mid-life crisis despair (actually, I'm really looking forward to it).

It'll be interesting to see how the food really does affect my race on Sunday. I've never really applied the two practices of training and food properly so I`m excited for the outcome. Ali has me eating a lot of food as well! All fantastic and healthy!

I`m glad it didn`t start today :) Having gelato with a friend for her birthday! Oh yah, the only decision will be is it a double or triple scoop.....

Max Zorin didn't let me down today!

In fact, he had the endurance to keep up with me :) OK, so Max is my new bike and it was a joy biking in the rain today, although not that much fun riding in the headwinds coming home!

I did get to take Max through some mud, gravel, very wet conditions today! I might want to try Cyclo-Cross now (but maybe next year) because, really, who doesn't LOVE getting muddy! OK, maybe it's just me but I don't feel like I've had a good workout outside (running, biking, etc) unless I've got at least a little bit of mud on me.

I also got a gash on my leg that I've no idea where it came from! So I guess I was muddy, wet and bloody at the end of my ride!

Good day. Plus the Canucks beat the Kings 5-2 tonight! Regulation win!