120K in 7 days = BREAK!

Today was the last of my 7 consecutive days of running and with the total at 120K I'm taking the next few days off to rest. I'll probably do some light biking just to keep the blood flowing but nothing too strenuous.

Today's run of 32K was tougher than I thought as I think the cumulative effect of the consecutive days of running caught up to me. Thankfully the rain held up although it was pretty windy at times. I tried a new supplement called "Sharkies" for the first time during my run. These fruit chews contain electrolytes as well as some sugar and I used them in between my gels and e-load breaks. I didn't find them to be much better than e-load so I probably won't use them again. On long runs like these, it's a good time to experiment with different supplements and find the right combination before race day.

I needed to do quite a bit of stretching today after the run as my oblique muscles, hip flexors and quads were all pretty stiff. The pain that I felt reminded me of how sore I was after my marathon in December.

Next weekend I will be doing my last long run (36K) and a group of us will be running most of the route of the Mississauga Marathon. That will be a good test to see how mentaly sharp we all are.

Until Monday, though, I don't want to see my running shoes....

Why Boston?

This weekend some of my closest friends will be leaving for Boston. They will be running the Boston Marathon on Monday (Patriots Day in the U.S.)
Most people are satisfied with just being able to complete any marathon as that alone is a daunting task. The training required to complete a marathon is intense, long and at anytime you could be hit with a roadblock that sets your training backwards. The one thing that you can guarantee with any marathon is that it will challenge you physically and mentally.

When I first started running I fell in love with running trails and I never gave the Boston Marathon much of a thought. I think partly for me it was because at that time I had no desire to even run a marathon. I was happy running trail races as this required more endurance than speed. I didn't think I was a fast runner so why attempt to do something that I knew I couldn't do? Why set myself up for a big disappointment right?

Well, as I began to run more and more I was encouraged by the fact the my speed was increasing. However, I still had no idea what I was doing with regards to a training program. I would go out for 10-15K runs with no idea about how I should run them. I would often run 6 days a week with no plan in sight.

In 2005 I did my first 1/2 Marathon, the Angus Glen in a time of 1:50. I had NO idea what I was doing but I'll never forget the feeling I had of trying to run as fast as I could. Even after that race, though, I went back to doing more trails and didn't do another road race for months after that. I got into running towards the end of the 2005 racing season but I was still able to do 2 Duathlons (run, bike, run), 2 Trail races (25K each with just two weeks rest in between) as well as a few 10K races and one 10 Mile race.

In 2006 I decided to enter the Ontario Ultra Trail Racing series which was a series of 10 trail races, 25 to 26K in length. Points were awarded based on the order of finish. At the end of the season, as long as I completed 7 of these racews, the points were added up and the top 3 were given prizes. I wanted to focus my attention on trying to get into the top 3 for my age category (35 to 39). This required more training on trails than on roads. The series was grueling and forced me to run sometimes two races a month. This barely gave me time to rest.

During this series I also decided, since many of my friends were running the Mississauga marathon, that I should try and run this one as well. My goal was just to finish ONE to say that I did it and could call myself a marathon runner. I didn't do any speed work or tempo runs throughout this process as I was still running trail races at the same time. I'll never forget running and winning a 30K trail race 7 days before before my first marathon. Usually the last 7 days before a marathon is a time to rest but I guess I forgot to read about that part (LOL).

The Mississauga Marathon wasn't a great experience for me other than the fact that I got to run it with some truly amazing friends. The weather was bad, I had no idea if I could even do the race and I didn't really have a plan ahead of time. I finished the race in 4:03 and vowed never to do another one.

In June there was a 50K trail race that I wanted to do as part of the my trail series and I convinced one of my friends to do it with me. To date, this was the one race where self-doubt came into play. After the 35K mark I had nothing left and told Theresa to go on without me. I completed the last 15K on my own and it was a huge struggle. I actually contemplated never running again after that race.

Thankfully I didn't let this setback bother me too much and I ended up finishing not only that race but several others and finished in 3rd place in my age category.

In November one of my closest friends was running the Toronto Marathon and she was hoping to qualify for Boston. I'll never forget the amount of time and effort she put into her training and I wanted to be there to cheer her on. I completed my last trail race on the Saturday in London and then headed back home to Toronto so I could watch her race.

Another friend of mine and I were watching together as she finished the race and the excitement of that day will never be forgotten. It was amazing to see her achieve something that she had worked so hard for. I was both inspired and motivated at the same time.

She encouraged me to try and run a "fast" race as I had never ran a road race with any kind of plan. I decided to run a marathon in Florida and my goal was just to try and beat my last marathon time.

As part of my training, I entered a 10 Mile race in Whitby. My goal was to run at least a 1:20. I was only training for about 6 weeks for the Marathon but again this person encouraged me to run and run fast. Even though I had run over 25+ races at this point, I was more nervous about this run than any of those.
I was so happy that she was one of the first people I saw on race day as she was volunteering there. I started out with a mindset of going as fast as I could for as long as I could and seeing where that got me. I ended up passing her along the route as she cheered others on. When I finished the race and looked at my time (1:13) I surprised myself but not this person. She kept saying that I was a fast runner and that I could do even better with more time and proper training.

I've never forgotten those words and that helped me when I ran the Jacksonville Marathon in 3:39 and then my last two races which both were about 6-7 mintues faster than my previous best times.

As she leaves for Boston this weekend I can only hope that she soaks up all of the atmosphere that Boston has to offer. This race is for those who have worked hard and trained properly and this is their reward.

Nancy, I hope you have an amazing experience because you truly deserve it!

So why Boston? Boston is a more than a marathon it's an event and a celebration of a huge achievement. You cannot just enter the Boston Marathon, you need to qualify for it. In order to qualify you must run a marathon in a certain time based on your age. For me, that translates into running a 3:20 marathon. Some people train for years trying to qualify. It may take me a few years myself to get there but get there I will!
Boston, to me, has become my quest for the Holy Grail of running. It is a target that at one time I thought was unattainable and now I at least can talk about. I have many friends who feel that I will get there someday and that to me is all the motivation I need.
http://www.bostonmarathon.org/

Running with a purpose

It seems that most of my runs have so much to do with my training for my marathon that I forget sometimes how much I truly enjoy just running. Today when I went out for my 15K run I repeated to myself how happy I was to be running so early in the morning.

As I passed the 5K mark the Sun was just beginning to rise and it was an amazing site to see. I instantly became more energized and the rest of my run was a breeze.

I tried out a new fuel belt that Ken had leant me and it was amazing. I'll definately have to get one of these.

Tonight at the Pickering Running Room there will be a mini sendoff party for those who are going to run the Boston Marathon on Monday. I'll be bringing my kids by as I wouldn't miss this for anything.

My energy and spirit have returned!

I'm not sure what got me down this past weekend but whatever it is has passed and I just finished an amazing track workout with my coach.

I did 4 sets of 800M repeats in 2:20 with 2 minutes of rest in between. I seemed to get stronger towards the end, probably, as Ken said because I wanted it to be over.

On Friday he leaves for Boston with the Marathon on Monday. He and some of my friends will be going there as well. Just the thought of some day running in that Marathon brought my energy up.
In addition, on our way from the track, Ken said to me as he looked at the Sun rising, "That is why I run!"

We talked about how some people are just now hitting the snooze button or reaching for their 2nd or 3rd cup of coffee. It's amazing how great you feel after completing a run first thing in the morning and what a great start to the day it is.

I need to remember, sometimes, that first and foremost the running has got to be FUN or nothing else will matter. In my quest for qualifying for Boston, it is something that I need to keep reminding myself about.

The key ingredient to doing Long Slow Runs

I just completed my 30K long slow run today. That is now three consecutive weeks of doing at least 30K (one of which was at race pace). I feel that I have built a very good base and that is so important as my Marathon is now 5 weeks from today.

The thought of doing a training run of 3hours can be somewhat intimidating but having a great group of friends to run with can make all the difference in the world. It's amazing how much we talked about during this 3 hour run. When one of us is feeling sore all it takes is a sarcastic joke or two to get that person to stop "thinking" about the pain or the run.

Today's run started at 7:30 with some of us doing 30K and others doing 20+. It was a little cold and windy for the first 17K but as soon as we made the turn back home the wind was at our backs and the sun started to slowly come out.

I ran mostly without my music until the last 8-9K when I was feeling a little sore and just had to hear some music to get me through. For me, that was all it took as I ended up leaving the pack and doing the final 8K in about 42 minutes.

As I made my way back home along Concession 3 a large Deer ran across the road about 20M in front of me. It was amazing to see this huge animal and how graceful it was. I kept watching it and at one point the animal just turned and watched me. I'm sure he was wondering why I was running on such a cold day (LOL).

We all met up at the local coffee shop but I forgot to tell my friends about the Deer that crossed my path. Maybe that will be my good luck charm during my next Marathon.

Making sacrifices to achieve a goal

Yes, I enjoy running more than anything.
Yes, I've seen some great improvements in my race times as a result.
NO, this has not been easy.

With just over 1 month before my biggest race (Mississauga Marathon) I can almost see the finish line. This has been a grueling 4 months of training since my last Marathon in December. Even though I would not trade any of the training I've done since then, it hasn't been easy at times. I think that's why I'm looking forward to this race more than any other race that I can remember. I know that once this race is finished I'll be able to look back on these last four months with pride.

I took up running in the fall of 2005 I can honestly say that I've never trained this hard at anything in my life. Part of what makes running so difficult is that there are so many factors that will come into play on race day that I have no control over such as my health and the weather.

As I completed my 16K time trial today I thought long and hard about what some of the sacrifices I've made. I don't go out too often because I want to get enough rest for the next days' run, I'm trying to lose a few more pounds between now and my race in May but the training I'm doing has caused my appetite to swell (luckily my wasteline hasn't followed suit). I feel that I have set up my days to put my training at or near the top of my priority list each day. I'm not unique to this as many of my friends do this as well but until now I've never experienced this type of dedication myself.

Tomorrow I will be running 30K with most of my friends and that will be a great way to celebrate Easter.

A runner for all seasons!

What a change in weather we have seen these past two days.

It started on Wednesday morning when I did a 15K run in the rain and finished today with an 8K interval workout in the snow/cold. Just when I thought I'd be looking at running in warmer temperatures we get hit by this bizarre weather.

I've yet to stop running because of the weather outside but that doesn't mean that it's fun either. However, just knowing that I CAN run in any type of weather gives me the confidence to keep going. There are days when I ask myself "why am I doing this again?" However, as soon as I take my first few steps I realize that it's because I love it and need it to make my day complete. A part of me enjoys battling the elements and knowing that there aren't too many runners who would brave the elements like I and most of my running friends do.

Tomorrow will be a day of rest followed by a 16K time trial (1:20 minutes) and then a 25K slow run on Easter Sunday.

Track work......I think I love it!

After taking a day off from running on Monday, I got up early this morning to meet Ken for our usual Tuesday morning run. Normally we do tempo work but we are starting a new program for me on the track.
It's hard to believe but I've never done any kind of track work to increase my speed. We warmed up by doing a 2.5K run to Pineridge HS and then did 5 sets of 400M repeats (1 lap around the track) with about 1.5 minutes of recovery in between.
I was very nervous because I wanted to do my best today but was worried that I might go out too fast for the early sets and have nothing left by the end. What I found very encouraging though was that I seemed to get stronger as the sets increased. I actually was able to focus more on my running technique as I raced around the track. After our run I checked out my garmin to see what pace I was doing and I was very pleased to see that my time kept pretty much the same from the first set to the fifth (all under 4:00M/K).
Since this was my first attempt at doing track work Ken didn't want to push me too hard but next week I will be doing 800M repeats (or 2 times around the track).
I can't believe how great I felt afterwards and this will be yet another piece to my training puzzle that I can upon when I run my next race.
Thanks Ken!

From 18 to 31?

What an interesting day of running today turned out to be.

I met up with some friends at the Pickering Running Room at 8:30. I had thought about doing 29K today but was talked out of it by runners who had also done the Around the Bay race the week before and who were also training for the Mississauga Marathon in May. We decided to do between 16 and 18K which I was kind of happy about.

As we started off I ran with a friend who I normally don't run with and we had a great conversation (Thanks Neil). On the way back I had to take a "bathroom break" so I told my friend to go on ahead and I would catch up to him. He asked me if I knew the route back to the Running Room and I confidently said "oh yeah I'll find it."
That was the probably the worst mistake I've made this season (LOL).

For whatever reason, I kept making one wrong turn after the other and before I knew it I was nowhere close to the Running Room and had clocked over 24K.
When I finally found my way back towards Hwy 2, it was at Whites Road. By this time the rain had started to really come down hard and I was still about 6 to 7K away.

Luckily I decided to bring along my MP3 player so the running wasn't the problem today just my sense of direction. By the time I made it back to the Running Room I had run just under 31K.

I met up with my running coach and other friends and we had a good laugh about the whole thing. They know how bad my sense of direction is so I don't think too many were overly surprised to hear about my adventure.

I will be taking a running day off tomorrow but will do about 1 hour of bike work and then rest up for Tuesday.
I will be doing my first ever tack work track on Tuesday morning to increase my speed.

Cramping

The Around the Bay race last Sunday was the first time that I've ever experienced such severe cramping. At one point, going downhill before the final hill of the race, the cramps were so severe that I actually didn't think that I would be able to finish the race.
It was amazing to me that as I climbed the uphill the pain went away and luckily I was able to make up the lost time and finish ahead of my goal time.

I've talked to several runners about this problem and one runner in particular experienced the same problem at Around the Bay. When I told her about the problem it was exactly the pain she felt and her cramps also went away going up the hill. The pain can best be described as having a "charlie horse" on the front part of the quad, down the side and also in the calf.

After doing some research on the subject I thankfully can rule out the new CWX tights as a reason for this. It has more to do with hydration. Although the research I've seen hasn't been conclusive, one of the common factors is dehydration or even over hydration. One of the supplements that I will be experimenting with over the next few weeks is a salt pill. I'll also make sure that I run with some kind of electrolyte replacement drink when I do my long slow runs. Now is the best time to experiment with different supplements as my marathon is 6 weeks away.

Some of the cures that I've seen for cramping has ranged from biting your upper lip (yes you read that correctly) to stretching, drinking an electrolyte supplement and simply running through it. On Sunday I chose to simply run through the pain and hoped that it would go away, luckily it did just that.


With regards to my diet, I'm going to reduce my protein a little bit and concentrate more on eating roughly 250 grams of carbohydrates per day. This works out to 50 grams per meal if eating 5 X per day. I'm going to keep my calories at approximately 2000 with carbohydrates, protein and fat representing 50%, 30% and 20% of my diet respectively.

Today I ran 12K and I'll take tomorrow off from running to do 90 minutes on my stationary bike. Then I will end the week by doing a 29K slow run on Sunday.

A nice relaxing week of running

Yesterday I had my first run since my 30K race and today I ran with one of my best friends for a nice 8.5K run. As much as I like to run on my own and listen to my music, there are certain people that I feel like I "need" to run with on a regular basis. Even though I'm lucky to have several great friends who share my passion for running, one of them truly understands me better than anyone when it comes to WHY I run.

This person keeps me grounded, gives me inspiration and I generally feel so much better after our runs whether it is a 8K or 32K run. I think she knows how hard I work because she's done the same thing last year and qualified for Boston. If we trained together I'm sure we would finish a race at about the same time. It's nice having someone to run with who is of equal ability and passion as they know what it feels like to push it to the limit and come back wanting more.

We talked today about how much we both love the training and how the races are secondary to the amount of work we put into whatever race we are training for. She talked about Boston and I just kept thinking about how amazing that experience is going to be for her and how I can't wait until I qualify myself.
Thanks Nancy!

This week will be more about "fun running" than training as I'll start that process again next week. From now until then I'm going to savor every step as I know that the training is going to intensify even more in the next 6 weeks. Tomorrow I will do another light 12K, take Saturday off and then run a 21K slow run on Sunday.

Doing what I LOVE!

Today I couldn't take it any more! I hadn't run since my race on Sunday and the roads were calling me so I had to oblige.

I was supposed to run with a friend this morning but I had a personal emergency I had to attend to so I went out on my own. My goal was jus to do a 10-11K run nice easy run to get my legs back into circulation again.

My calf was a little sore but once I hit the road it was like I was "home" again. I started out with the intention of going nice and slow but by the time I finished I realized that I had done 11K in 56 minutes or just over a 5 minute Kilometre. This was not what I had in mind but I felt energized as soon as I came home.

My running coach asked me if I wanted to step up the training for the next 6 weeks and of course I said YES! So he will be hard at working plotting my next 6 weeks of training which I'm actually looking forward to.

Today, during my run, I did some reflecting on what I have been able to accomplish and the goals that I still have. I kept repeating to myself 3:20, 3:20, 3:20 (my Boston qualifying time). I also was thinking about how hard my last race was because of my cramping issues but that I was proud of myself for not letting it interfere with my goal time. This will once again prove invaluable for me during my subsequent races.

ATB Race Report

After not getting much sleep on Friday night, I got up early Saturday and drove to Hamilton to pick up my race kit. The EXPO was uneventful although I did run into several people that I've run with.

Saturday was a rest day so I just took it easy, watched some movies and went to bed fairly early.

Sunday I met a few friends and we drove up together. This was a good chance to talk about the race and what our goals were. We arrived in Hamilton about 90 minutes before the race start. The weather was cooler than expected so I decided to run in my new CWX 3/4 tights, light turtleneck and jacket.

I did a little warm-up run right before the race just to limber up.
Once the race started I felt a slight pull or cramp along the outside of my right leg and quad muscle. This happened about 1 or 2K into the race and I was worried that it would linger throughout. Immediately I began to try and figure out why this was happening as I never have experienced this before. Thankfully the pain went away after a few K's.

I managed to keep my pace at between a 4:30 to 4:40 pace throughout the next 10 or 15K's and was about 1 minute ahead of my goal time of 2:25. However, at about the 25K mark the cramping returned and it came at one of the weirdest parts of the race. There was a long downhill which preceded on the final hills and that's where it tightened up. I had to literally limp down the hill as the pain was severe but as I started to climb the uphill it slowly went away.

Even with this setback, I was still a little ahead of my goal time but had now lost much of that 1 minute advantage I had built up earlier in the race. I was able to make up some more time during the last 2K and finished in 2:24:44 which was over 7 minutes better than last year's time.

Looking back at the race I really feel that the CWX tights may have played a part in my muscles tightening up. This was the first race that I've had that I can remember having this much pain and it was the first race that I had used these tights. Another possible explanation could be overhydration. I had drank my normal 4Ltr's of water the day before and supplemented that with pretzels (salted) to ensure that my sodium level was high enough. As soon as the cramping occurred I made sure that I took in a drink of gatoraide from the water stations to help with the cramping. Usually, though, once the cramping starts it's too late for the gatorade. I'm just thankful that the cramping went away long enough for me to finish the race.

As I write this today (Monday) my calves and quads are still very sore but I know that by taking the next few days to rest, my legs will be as good as new. I start the next phase of my marathon training next week and I'm looking forward to seeing how well I can do at my next race.

The Peterborough 1/2 Marathon (1:40) and now the Around the Bay race (2:24) have given me the confidence to know that I can run a 3:30 marathon.
There are so many people who have helped me with my training and I just wanted to personally thank Ken, Nancy, Theresa, Rob, John, Edgar, Steve, Jen, Sally, and Neil.

Mission Accomplished!

I'll have more to report tomorrow but I finished the Around the Bay race in 2:24:46 which was 7 minutes faster than my race last year.
Greg

Getting ready for tomorrow

There really isn't much to say except that tomorrow at this time I will know if all my training paid off.

I was at the race site this morning to pick up my race kit and ran into so many friends that I have done races with. You could feel the "buzz" in the arena and it was nice getting to talk to some friends who I hadn't seen in quite some time.

I kept thinking about how better prepared I am this year as compared to last year. The experience of having run this race and several others of long distance will surely pay off tomorrow. I'm sure I won't get much sleep tonight.

The last thing I will do before turning in will be to go over my race bag to make sure I have everything I need. I've already created my race pace band and my mp3 player is fully charged.

Expect a full race report tomorrow.

Already missing my running.....

It's only been 1 day of not running and I'm already feeling the "not running blues."
Yesterday I ran 12K at a slow pace. Knowing that I wouldn't be running again until Sunday, I savored every last step and hated to stop. Even though I know it's in my best interest to rest, it still makes it difficult to stop doing something you love even if it's only for a few days.

I was unable to run with one of my best friends yesterday as I had to go into work early. The Wednesday before a race I have traditionally run with someone who has helped me tremendously with my running. It has been somewhat of a good luck charm and also a chance to go over my race plan with her. While we were unable to run together, we are meeting for lunch with 2 other of my best friends today. We haven't gotten together in a long time so this will be a great time to catch up on what has been happening in their lives. All 3 of these women have qualified for Boston but unfortunately one of them is injured and will be unable to make the trip. They all have inspired me to reach for this goal myself and they have noticed the amount of hard work I've put into my training these past few months.

With running NOT an option today, I decided to use my stationary bike for 90 Minutes of low to medium intensity biking. It doesn't come close to the feeling that I have on the open roads, but at least I can say that I did something.

The next few days, however, I will resist the urge to do any type of physical activity. This plan worked well for me during my last Marathon in December so I'm going to follow that same plan again.

I'll have to make a trip to Hamilton on Saturday to pick up my race kit. I'm not looking forward to going up on Saturday and then again on Sunday but since there is no race day pick up I have no choice. I'll probably get there early on Saturday so I can return home to rest. On Saturday I plan on watching a marathon of movies (pardon the pun), eat some pasta and prepare for my race.

What does Taper mean to me?

T: Training is finished. You have worked hard and it’s time to get focused on the race at hand.

A: Aim high for whatever goal you have for this race and don’t let anything get in the way.

P: Practice mental imagery. Go over the race in your mind as you rest this week and imagine what it will feel like when you cross the finish line (don’t forget to smile for the camera)

E: Eat lots of carbohydrates as this will fuel your body for the race on Sunday. Increase your water intake to at least 3 Ltrs. per day.

R: Rest, rest and more rest. Now is not the time to do anything other than give your body a much needed break. I like to watch inspirational movies the night before. Some good ones include Rudy, Remember the Titans and Forrest Gump.

Training update/ CWX clothing review

Today was my last hard run before my race on Saturday. I did a series of interval runs at 4:30, 5:00 and 5:30 minK paces for about 4K. I was a little nervous doing them but they didn't turn out to be as bad as I thought. It gave me a good time to discuss with my coach my training strategy for this weekend. I went over everything from bio mechanics to motivation to hydration and I'll use all of this come Sunday.
What I love about races is that I can put all my training into one event and give it everything I have. While I know that some people will be running this race as a fun event, I honestly don't think I could do that. I love the fact that I have a certain time goal and that will force me to remain focused throughout. Most of my friends will be taking the bus up to Hamilton but I have decided to drive up with a few friends instead. I need that drive up to prepare for the race and I want to be as mentally sharp and focused as I can.

During the race I will be listening to a play list that I have created on my MP3 specifically designed for this race. I have put certain songs in places where I will need the most motivation. There will be about 3 or 4 of my friends who will be running at my pace or better but I honestly won't see them as I'll be too focused on my own race.

Yesterday I made my usual trip to Running Free to talk with the staff and do some last minute shopping. I decided to purchase a pair of running tights made by CWX. These tights are designed to provide more stability around the lower back, hips, glutes, knees and calves. I went with the 3/4 length to give me the best support. This morning I tried them out on my run and I LOVED them. They really kept everything aligned and I did feel like I felt better support than my usual running tights. I'm looking forward to trying them out on the race this Sunday.

Tomorrow I will be running a nice easy 10K and I'm sure I will savor every last step as it will be my last run before Sunday. Starting on Thursday I will begin to carbo load and will post what that looks like in terms of eating. I've given a few of my friends a plan for this week so I wish you well in your eating.....just one bit of advice though....stay far away from the scale!

Race week preparations

With my next race just one week away I completed my last long run today of 15K. A group of us went out from the Running Room in Pickering and decided that this distance was enough. it was interesting to see how others decided to use this last long run to prepare for this same race. Some were doing 6K, some were doing 20 and there were even a few who did 26. I'm usually the one who goes out longer than I need to so holding back today was something of an accomplishment for myself.

Tomorrow I will do my "ME" run of about 10K and this will be followed by a new type of interval run on Tuesday which I'm nervous about. I have to run 1 minute intervals of 4:30, 5:00 and then 5:30 for approximately 4K. I've never done this before so my coach will run with me to make sure I do it right.

On Wednesday it will be my last run before the race and it will be a 10K time trial doing a 5:30 pace. This will mean running the 10K in 55 minutes. It will be another case of having to slow down to meet this time goal.

The weather for the weekend looks to be amazing so I'm going to treat myself to some new running gear for the race. I've been looking into getting some CWX tights and a new racing shirt. Besides the Running Room, I like to visit a store called "Running Free" which is in Markham. The staff there are very knowledgeable and I find the selection of clothes to be amazing.

Where there's a will there's a WAY!

After having a great weather week for running, we were hit hard by a few inches of snow which made today's 16K time trial an adventure to say the least.

I had my route all picked out. I was going to do 2, 8K loops near my house which were flat and which was sure to give me the best chance to do my 16K in exactly 1:20 minutes.

After leaving my house at 8AM this morning I soon found out that the roads and sidewalks were covered in snow/ice. This made the footing terrible as I ran from the roads to the sidewalks every 100 M or so it seemed. After completing the first 8K I knew that I could not do that same loop again. I was approximately 300M behind my pace and trying to make that time up by running that same route just wasn't going to cut it.

I had two choices, one would be to cut the run short and try again tomorrow or find some alternative routes that were less snow covered. I hated the fact that I was even thinking about stopping so I quickly crossed that option off. I kept thinking about how NOT to use the elements as an excuse. What if on race day I'm confounded with this same problem? I kept saying to myself that you can't always have the elements on your side and sometmes you just have to push on through.

I ran loops around my neighborhood trying desperately to find any good footing and eventually I was able to make up the 300+ M. I finished the time trial with a few metres to spare. This was a great opportunity for me to run at a specific pace, no more no less. It was a good lesson in discipline as I found myself having to slow down at various parts of the run so I wouldn't finish ahead of my time.

After the run I was so happy that I didn't back down from the elements and pushed myself through and I feel that this is the type of run that I can look back on and draw upon during a race when I feel low on energy.

Tomorrow will be another 16K run but at a slower pace (5:20 to 5:40 pace) and then I begin to taper for Around the Bay.

Preparing for my first "Time Trial"

Today's run was an interval run which worked on my speed. I warmed up for 2K and then spent the next 5K alternating between 1 minute of sprinting (3-4min/K) and 3 minutes of recovering (5:30K). I'm really starting to enjoy these as I figured out that I should be able to run approximately 300M in 1 minute. I also realized that each light post is 50M apart so when I run these intervals, I try to run past between 5 and 6 light posts.
The rest of the run was a cool down for a total distance of 1.5K

Tomorrow I will be taking a rest day from running and will ride the stationary bike for about 1hour at a low intensity. After tomorrow things start to get real interesting with my training.

On Saturday I will be running my first ever "time trial." I will have to run 16K in exactly 1:20 minutes or a 5min K. I've run faster than that in a race but I have to hit this mark exactly so if I'm going too fast I'll have to slow it down. This will be a great test to see if I can hold an exact pace for 16K.

My running influences

There are many amazing runners that I've met since I started but some stand out more than others. This afternoon I ran into one of those runners at the grocery store. He had heard about my 1/2 Marathon time in Peterborough and made a point of congratulating me on this. I can't explain what that meant to me but I'm sure he knew as he could see the smile on my face broaden.
This runner is truly a remarkable man having completed several ultra distance events (100 mile races). I met him about 2 years ago when I started running trail races myself and he always would take the time to say hello and ask how I was doing.
I told him that I wanted to focus on trying to increase my speed while I attempt to qualify for the Boston Marathon and he wished me well. He also knows my love of trail running and he is one of the organizers for an upcoming trail race in April (Seaton Trail).
I told him that as much as I would love to run that race I can't because of the Marathon in May. I told him that I would love to volunteer and we started having preliminary discussions of what I can do at the race.
I can onlyhope to achieve some of the many milestones this man has ahcieved in his running career and I thank him for inspring me to continue.
Thanks Gavin!

Making sacrfices to achieve a bigger goal!

I just finished a great tempo run this morning. After the run I had a good chat with my coach who has really helped me improve my running. We talked about pacing, what races I should or shouldn't do in order to keep my focus on the bigger prize (Mississauga Marathon).
After the Around The Bay race the temptation for me to run a race in April will be great. I like to run at least 1 race per month as it keeps me focused on my running. The trail running series that I competed in last year (Ontario Ultra Series) starts up in April with one of my favorite races, Seaton Trail 25K. This is a route that I have done many times and I love running with the people there as I feel very much part of their "family."

However, the race is only a few weeks before the Mississauga Marathon and Ken pointed out to me that I should maintain my focus on that race. In addition, there is the very real possibility of getting injured on the trails as the terrain is much different than on the road.

There are other smaller races in April which I also would like to do including the 5-Peaks races and some 5K and 10K races but I have decided to use the month of April to improve upon my speed so that when I run in May I can give it everything I have.

What I may do is volunteer at some of these races instead. This way I can still enjoy the atmosphere and watch my friends compete at the same time.

I seem to be running so much better now than I was even 1 month ago and it has plenty to do with my confidence being better, reducing some stress in my personal life and sticking to a great running plan.

While I can't wait until Around the Bay gets here, part of me will be a little sad knowing that I won't be racing again for another 6 weeks. As I'm learning though, it's all about running and training smarter.

Running with a purpose

One of my clients asked me last week what my motivation was for running. For a minute I was actually stumped and couldn't come up with an answer. She wanted to know why I run and what keeps me going during my run. She seemed to be impressed with the fact that I run so much while she is having a hard time getting started.

This is something that I have a hard time explaining to people. I run for so many different reasons. Unlike many of my friends who have said that they like the run better when it's over, I actually enjoy the running more than anything else.
There are times, like yesterday, when I completed my 31K and I felt like I could have kept running for hours.

When I'm out on the road I can reflect on so many things and I can have quiet conversations with myself. I think about some of the struggles I've had in my life and try to put a positive spin on each of these. Along the way I feel like I can "dump" so many negative thoughts on the road as I'm running. Music has really made a difference for me during my running so I pick songs that have personal meaning to me. When I run and listen to a particular song it brings me back to a time and place in my life, both good and bad, and let's me reflect on that moment. I think about how I would have done things differently. Why some people have more of an influence on me than others. How do I improve my own sel-esteem etc.

Very little of my time spent running is actually thinking about the running itself. It's something that just comes naturally to me (or so I've been told). I'm not the fastest runner around but I feel like I'm one of the most motivated and that gets me through the tough times.

When I see my client later this week I'll make sure I relay some of this to her.

A great day for a run!

Can you feel it? Spring is right around the corner and about 7 of my friends and I went out this morning to do our long slow run in preparation for the Around the Bay race which is just two weeks away.

We ventured out at 7:30 this morning, many of us still smarting from the fact that we lost an hour of sleep. The weather was a bit chilly to start and it wasn't until the last 3/4 of the run that the sun came out and we could feel the warmth. We all got a big boost of energy not having to deal with the stiff wind which was pretty strong for the first half.

I managed to run the 31K in just under a 6 min K/pace (5:53) which was my goal. As we met up for our usual coffee/tea and "social" you could tell that we were all tired. The long runs are important but as the distance increases so too does the amount of time spent running. Today's run took just over 3 hours.

Tomorrow I will probably either do a light run, ride the bike or do some weight training. After that it's back to one more week of training before I start to taper for the Around the Bay race.

I hadn't run past 25K since my last marathon in December so getting to 31 today was an important milestone. I'm confident that I will be able to run my predicted goal of 2:25 as I got a good feel for how running 30K's feels again.

Carbohydrate loading for ultra trail runners.

Those who know me best understand my passion for trail running. This season as a I try to qualify for Boston, I won't be running as many trail races as I would like.

I was asked by one of the trail runners to write an article on sports nutrition for the OUS (Ontario Ultra Series) newsletter. This month I talked about the importance of carbohydrates:

http://ouser.org/nutso/nutso0307.pdf

Thanks Diane for asking me to write for this newsletter. I also want to thank Angie for inspiring me to run trails and for helping me to discover this great sport of running.

Training Update

I seemed to have a better training week this week as I felt that I pushed a little too much after running the Peterborough 1/2 marathon.
I can always tell when I start to overtrain as I lose that love for running that I have so much and it starts to become more work than enjoyment.
A friend of mine and I were talking about that during our run on Wednesday. We both have different goals that we are trying to achieve but still realize that running must be FUN first which thankfully it is.
I did some speed work on Thursday which consisted of running my 5K race pace (between a 3:45 and 4:30) for 1 minute followed by 3 minutes at a comfortable pace (5:30 to 5:45). I managed to get in 8 sets of this over 5K and practiced increasing my stride length with each sprint. Usually during a race I will use short choppy strides and this works well for me but increasing the stride length will also help work different muscles in my leg.
I did some weight training this week but have decided that I will only do 1-2 days a week of this and only use high repetitions (15-20) as I do not want to increase my body weight above 155 pounds.
Ideally, I would like to enter the Mississauga Marathon at 145 pounds so that is my goal right now. With a little over 2 months to go, I should be able to hit that mark.
This weekend the temperatures are supposed to be above freezing which will make for an enjoyable 30K run on Sunday. This will be my last major run before the Around the Bay race on March 25th.
I only hope that the weather on the 25th is the same as it's going to be this weekend. I'm tired of wearing layer after layer of clothing so it will be nice to wear shorts and a shirt at that race!

My best Tempo run to date!

How crazy is this? I started out this morning by checking the weather network. It was -34C with the wind chill. I layered up and set my Garmin to training assistant. This function allows me to set particular variables and then I race against a virtual "buddy" to see if I can match or beat him. I set this to pace and distance. Today was a 10K tempo run and I wanted to see if I could beat my best pace time which was a 4:51. I last did this time about a month ago with Ken but since then I hadn't beaten that time.
When I left the house this morning I could instantly feel the chill but I was properly layered so it actually wasn't that bad.
I picked my normal route as it was relatively flat and fast.
From time to time I looked down at my garmin to see where I was and for the first 3K or so he was ahead as I had to warm up to a faster pace. After that though, my speed kicked in and before I knew it I was ahead by about 100 Meters. When I finished the run I noticed that my pace was actually 4:49 so I bettered my last tempo by a full two seconds per K.
These tempo runs are going to help give me the confindence for my upcoming races.
Now it's time to thaw........

2:25 I'm gunning for YOU!

My next race is Around the Bay in Hamilton on March 25th and I've set a goal of 2:25 for the race. I'm energized after my 1/2 Marathon race from February 25th and I took 3 days off last week from running to rest. I incorporated some weight training and a new eating plan and I'm happy with the results so far.

This week I will be focusing heavily on trying to increase my speed and that means a tempo run on Tuesday and more speed work on Thursday. Sandwiched between those two runs will be a 12-15K run on Wednesday. Tomorrow I will be running a 10K "ME" run at whatever speed I can muster.

Today I spent the majority of the morning cheering on friends who were running in the Chilly 1/2 Marathon race in Burlington. It inspired me to see all the runners today. All my friends did a great job and I can't wait to run with them in a few weeks in Hamilton.

The Around the Bay race is one of the oldest races in North America and features some steep hills towards the end of the race. Having finished the race last year in 2:31 I feel that with the training I've done and just the experience I have gained, I should be able to hit the 2:25 mark.

A new blog about Eating Disorders

For those of you who want a little bit of an insight into the world of eating disorders, I've created a new blog about this disorder.
www.livingwithaneatingdisorder.blogspot.com

I'm hoping that by talking about it more openly that it will help others to realize that they are not alone.
Greg

Say it with me...resting is good!!!!

This week I've been recovering from my 1/2 marathon race from Sunday. Even though the distance for me is something that I routinely do the speed at which I did it was NOT! Tearing down the muscles from running fast requires not only physical rest but also mental rest as well.
This week I've found that I have been mentally spent and combined with a lingering cold it hasn't been the best of weeks for me. I still managed to get out for a run on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this week and will run one more day before taking the weekend off.
I decided not to do any speed work this week as I wasn't feeling great and I want to make sure that I don't hurt myself before my next race at the end of March.

I actually did some weight training this week and will try to incorporate that into my training program once or twice per week.

Finally, there are a few of my clients who are running in the Chilly 1/2 Marathon in Burlington on Sunday. I wanted to wish them the very best. You both have trained hard and will reap the benefits of that training come Sunday. Good luck Phil and Kim!

Looking back while looking forward

I took yesterday off from running to rest from the 1/2 marathon race. I found it difficult to do nothing, however, so I rode my stationary bike for 1 hour. I also used Monday to reflect on what I had accomplished. There were times when I was still unhappy with my time because I was on pace for an even better time. It suddenly hit me later, though, that I had taken a full 6 minutes off of my last 1/2 marathon race and I began to feel a little better. I also was reminded that this still was a fast time and that this was merely one step towards my bigger goal. Sometimes it's good to be reminded to look at big picture.

Today I decided to go for a "Me" run and do some more reflecting. One of my friends at the race asked me if I actually enjoyed running as she said that the best part of running is when she's finished. For me I can honestly say that I love the running more than anything else. I told her that as soon as my run is finished I'm already thinking about when/where my next run is going to be. Today was a good reminder of that for me. I kept a nice pace and it was amazing to see how well my body bounced back after the race on Sunday. I wasn't sore or stiff at all and I felt like I could run all day.

My next race is on March 25th in Hamilton called "Around the Bay." (http://www.aroundthebayroadrace.com/)
Last year I finished in a time of 2:31 so I'm going to try for a 2:25 this year. This will give me a good indication of where I need to be for Mississauga in May. If I can do a 2:25 at Around the Bay then I should be able to do a 3:30 at the Mississauga Marathon.

An amazing day from start to finish!

The day started with a phone call from my training coach and friend who was also running in the Peterborough 1/2 marathon. We decided to drive up together and I was thrilled as I thought that I would have to drive up alone, do the race and then head back. For those who have competed in races you know that most if not all of the fun of the race is the experience of having friends there to run with or cheer you on. When I got the call today it meant that at least I wouldn't be alone driving there and then we could share our race day stories on the way back.

We left for Peterborough around 10:45 and arrived there at about 11:40. This gave us plenty of time to get our race kits, check our gym bags and do a little warm up run before the race. Just as we both approached the start of the race we saw a group of friends there who had decided to surprise us by showing up. I can't tell you how much energy that gave me when I saw them there. I was focused already but that just made it all the more special. At the 7K mark there were even more friends that I saw and I even gave one them a "high five" as I scooted past.

I started out running at a good pace and I was hoping to do a 1:40 or roughly a 4:45 minute kilometre. The best 1/2 marathon race I've had was this same race last year when I did a 1:46. Since that race I have had the experience of doing over 20 races and I've also been in a pretty intensive training program for the past month. Throughout the first 6-7K's I was at least 1 minute ahead of what I had hoped for so and I was feeling very good. I knew that if I continued to run at the current pace (between a 4:30-4:40) I would do better than the 1:40 time. This strategy worked well for me when I ran my last marathon in Jacksonville so I tried to draw upon that experience.

As late as the 16K mark I was on schedule for a sub 1:40 and then along came a bad stretch of wind. This lasted for about 3.5K. I've often talked about running in rain, snow and even a lightning storm, but the one thing that I hate more than anything is running into a strong wind. There's no accounting for that and it will always slow you down. Because of this, I was off schedule by about 1 minute which would have put me at about a 1:41 time. Still good, but not what I was hoping for.


I managed to push myself just enough during the last few K's of the race and finished in a time of 1:40:12. This took more than 6 minutes off my personal best and gave me confidence to know that had the wind not been a factor, I would have done even a little better.

After the race it was great to see my friend congratulating me and it made me feel like I had accomplished something today. We got together for a much needed post-race meal and this made the day that much better.

Looking back now, I can feel proud of what I did and I have to realize that I'm still learning about this great sport. There are many things that I should have done including drinking more water along the route. In fact, the first time I reached for something was at the 5K mark. I grabbed a few sips of Gatorade and kept going. The only time that I actually made a "stop" was to take my gel and some water and this was at the 11-12K mark.

I was even more focused with my diet these past few days and although I won't be looking at another bagel again for at least 4 weeks, I know that the carb loading made a huge difference in the race for me.

Next week I will be writing up some carb loading programs for a few of my clients who are running in the Chilly 1/2 marathon. I know that you both will do amazing but you'll probably hate the sight of bagels for awhile......

Armed with confidence but also a cold!

It seems like everyone this week has come down with some kind of flu and unfortunately I'm suffering from one as well. However, I'm not going to let something like a cold stop me from running tomorrow.

Yesterday I had a great tune up run with one of my best friends and she instilled some nice words for me about my training. She feels that I will have no problem reaching my goal of 1:40 and even suggested I might do better than that. I'm going to do what I did for my Jacksonville Marathon race in December which is just to run for "feel" and let the chips fall where they may.

I didn't get as much sleep as I wanted to last night but thankfully I don't have much planned for today so the couch will be my best friend.

I'll try to watch some inspirational and/or funny movies to get me ready for the race. The race is later than usual (12:30pm) so I don't have to get up extra early tomorrow. I'll try to get there about 1 hour before the race to pick up my bib number and timing chip. There will be one final trip to the Pickering Running Room today to pick up some gels and talk to the staff. This puts me in a good frame of mine.

My running bag will be prepared tonight and I'll make sure it contains my running clothes, extra socks, a change of clothing, extra batteries, my gels, my 2 pace band and directions to the race site. I'm sure the bag will be checked about 1/2 dozen times just to make sure that I haven't forgotten anything.

Today is my last day of carbo loading (thankfully) and I'll be eating mostly pancakes, potatoes and white pasta today. My last meal will be around 6 or 7PM and this will consist of a large bowl or two of pasta with some parmesan cheese. In the morning I will have a blueberry bagel with peanut butter and honey. On the way to the race and about 1 hour before the start, I'll have a banana.

I discussed my running strategy with my friend yesteray and I've decided to run the first 10K, take my gel with water and then run the next 11.1K. I'd like to run the first 10K in 50 minutes or less and then try to duplicate or better that pace for the final 11.1K. My training runs during the week are at least 10K in length and I never stop during these so there's no need to do so during a race. I'm only sorry that more of my friends won't be there to run with me but I know that they will be there in spirit. I do feel like I've trained pretty hard during these last 6 weeks and although me "goal" race is still months away, this race will give me a good barometer of where I am and where I need to get to. Thanks to everyone who has inspired me and given me the confidence to believe in myself. Expect a full report from the race tomorrow!

My Carbo loading program

OK, believe it or not but carbo loading isn't what you think it is. In a nutshell here is what I am doing for the next three days in preparation for my race on Sunday. I'm trying to eat enough carbohydrates so that by the time Sunday rolls around I will have enough stored energy (Glycogen) to carry through my race.

What that means for me is that I have to consume 9 to 10 grams per kg of body-weight which for me works out to the following:

My weight in Kg's: 70.4 X 10 grams = 700 gms/day
For every 1 gram of carbohydrate = 4 calories so from Carbohydrates alone, my total calories need to be 2800.

Throw in Protein at about 15% and Fat at another 15% and I will be eating roughly 3000 to 4000 calories over the next few days. Since this is a 1/2 Marathon I will probably consume 3/4 of the amount that I would if I were running a 30K trail race or full marathon.
Here are some of the foods that I will be eating and the amount of carbohydrates in each:
Blueberry Bagels (60 grams each)
1 Cup of White Pasta (53 grams)
1 Medium White/Red Potato (55 grams)
Cliff Bars (45 grams)
Protein Bars (40-50 grams)
Pretzels (60-70 grams per serving)
1 Cup of White Rice (48 grams)
2 pancakes (52 grams)

I don't like to experiment with too many new foods during this time and I'll eat the same foods that you see on this list for most of the next three days. I will also lower my protein intake and I'll eliminate most of the fibre as well. I do not want to risk any possible stomach problems between now and the race. Most of the foods on the above list I don't eat unless I am carbo loading and because they are "white" products I realize that nutritionally they are not the best. However, I have to take into account that I need to be able to eat lots of carbs and if I were to use more of the whole grain products (brown rice instead of white) then I would be unable to do so because the fibre in these foods would make me full.
During the next three days I will also rest and drink approximately 3-4 Ltrs. of water. I will also NOT weigh myself as the increased carbohydrates together with the decrease in physically activity will result in some weight gain. Thankfully by the time next week rolls around I'll be right back where I need to be and I realize that this is a temporary thing. For someone who has had weight issues in the past though, it can be challenging at times.

Having done this routine for quite some time and seeing the results that my client get from it, I know that it works and so I continue to do it. However, the next time someone says that they are "carbo-loading" for a race please take the time to let them know that you are sorry to hear that......

My favorite run of the week

My Wednesday runs are far and away my favorite runs of the week.
There are many reasons why but the main one is that I get to get caught up on all the running news with one of my friends. What made today even better was that another of my friends came along too. It has seemed like forever since the three of us ran together and what makes our friendship so great is that even though it's been awhile since we got together it felt like we just picked up where we left off. To me that's what separates great friends from casual ones. One of our other friends is nursing an injury right now and hopefully she will return when she is healthy.
These two women have taught me plenty about running and know me very well. Running with them gives me the confidence to know that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to. They are such a positive influence in my life and I'm lucky to count them as friends.

Today we talked about everything from eating, our favorite races from last year and what races we want to run together. Just the thought about the races we want to run together really made my day. The race day experience for me has more to do with being surrounded by great people and sharing our individual accomplishments afterwards than just the race itself. I may have had a bad race or two BUT I can honestly say that I've never had a bad day at a race.

I will take tomorrow off and ride the bike instead. Then on Friday I will do a light 5-6K in preparation for my race on Sunday.
Thanks Nancy and Theresa!

Must be the shoes!

Yesterday, in keeping with my "positive attitude week" I visited my favorite running store, the Pickering Running Room. Not only was it a great time to see the staff but I also picked up a new pair of shoes. I didn't realize how bad my shoes were until I flipped them over and saw that there was little to no supports left on the sides and bottom of the shoe. I try to buy new shoes every 3 months but usually a good indicator for me is when I start to suffer from Plantar Fascitis. This basically means that my heels and the underneath of my feet become very sore especially in the morning. I've been dealing with this for a little over 2 weeks.
Today I had my first run in my new shoes and did 11K in 53:22. The new shoes were amazing and it felt like I was running on a cloud for most of the run. It was difficult to slow down and at times when I thought I was running slowly I glanced at my watch only to discover that I was still running a fast pace.

I'm in the final preparations for my taper with just one more run to go (possibly two at the most). I will do another 10K on Wednesday and if I do run on Thursday it will only be about 5K at the most. What will make it difficult for me is the weather. Today was the first time in weeks that I didn't have to run with gloves and a double layer of clothing. I'm sure this also contributed to my speed today. I'm hoping that the weather in Peterborough will be as nice as it was today.

Race Week

It's hard to believe but my race season begins this weekend in Peterborough as I have 1/2 Marathon Race on Sunday. My last race was a full marathon in December and since that time I've been following a strict training program in preparation for the Mississauga Marathon in May. As much as I love running, I find that having a race to compete in gives me just the motivation I need. I have 3 races before the Marathon (Peterborough 1/2 Marathon, Around the Bay 30K in March and a 26K Trail Race in April)
I like the fact that each race I will be doing will be progressively harder and this should prepare me well for my next Marathon.

With regards to this race, this morning I had a great 10K race and used plenty of mental imagery along the way. I kept thinking about how the race was going to play out for me and ran a few Kilometres at my expected race pace (sub 5 minK).

This weekend I also dowloaded some new songs onto my MP3 player. I can listen to just about anything from AC/DC to Gwen Stefani. Three songs that I have included for this race are "Snow" by the Chili Peppers, "Not ready to make nice" by the Dixie Chicks and "Holiday" by Green Day. Sometimes when I'm running and a great song comes on I feel like I'm dancing instead of running.

I'm keeping my eye on the temperature for this weekend and right now it looks like it will be fairly decent day with around a high of 6C and a slight chance of rain. Having run in -20+ temperatures for the last few weeks I'll take any weather above zero right now. Winter running certainly slows you down as you have to wear extra layers of clothing. I doubt I'll be able to break out my shorts on Sunday but you never know......

Resting Metabolic Rate

Last night I did a nutrition talk at the Pickering Running Room. Whenever I do these talks I start off by telling them about my own personal struggle with being overweight. When I designed my program, one of the main things I looked at was something called the RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate). What this means is that we all need a certain amount of calories to keep us alive for a period of 24 hours. There are a number of factors that affect our RMR such as age, weight, fat free body mass, the weather, meals, crash dieting, pregancy an some supplements;

AGE: As we age our RMR goes down

Weight/Fat Free Body Mass: The more muscle we have the higher our RMR is

The Weather: The colder the temperature, the more energy we expend

Meals: Small regular meals will increase your RMR.

Crash Dieting: Our bodies need consistency and most diets end up lowering the RMR by not giving people the amount of calories they need just to survive safely.

Pregnancy: It can increase your RMR.

Supplements: Some supplements can increase your RMR.

There are a few different calculations to determine what your RMR is. Fortunately when I get my clients to complete their questionnaire, I input this information into my nutrition program and it gives me a very accurate measurement. After I have determined their own RMR I begin the process of completing a meal plan specifically for their own needs. This includes not only their RMR but also any physical activity they do such as running, lifting weights, etc.
For more information about my nutrition programs you can contact me at:
gregdcruz@rogers.com

Next up Peterborough 1/2 Marathon

Wow, THAT was a long week! I just finished my last of 7 consecutive runs and I will take the next two days off from pounding the pavement to rest.

This week was an adventure to say the least. It started last Saturday with a great 10K run in the Seaton trail and finished just minutes ago with a 20K run. In between there was a 25K run, a 10K "fun" run, a 10K tempo run, 11K run in the storm,and my first ever "floating fartlek" run of 9K.

I can't believe that my next race is just over 1 week away. I'll most likely run on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (possibly Thursday) and take at least 2-3 days off before the race on Sunday.

My goal is to run between a 1:40 to 1:45 but realistically, if I can better my PB of 1:46 then I'll be happy. Ironically, I posted my best time at this same race last year. They have altered the course for this season though so I'll just play it by ear. The weather will also play a huge factor as last year the temperature was a bone chilling -27C with the wind chill.

Next week also means that I have to start carb-loading for the race either Wednesday or Thursday. What this means is that I will eat more carbohydrates than I normally would and also rest for most of the week after my last run. This will ensure that I will have the maximum amount of energy for my race on Sunday. I will provide a detailed summary as the week progresses.

The good thing about having a bad run is.....

There's always another run right around the corner.

That pretty much summarized my run today with Theresa. I was supposed to do a nice easy 15K run but the weather and road conditions dictated otherwise. Still, I managed to trudge along for 11K with 8 of these being with Theresa. We both would have preferred to be anywhere else but where we were but both of us also knew that somehow, someway we would be going out for some kind of run. What made today tough wasn't just that it was cold but there were times when we had nothing to run on but snow. Most of the sidewalks were yet to be plowed and this meant that we had to run on the sidewalks which were snow covered and pretty deep or on the road. We tried a little bit of both today but by the end we just wanted to be done with it.

To make matters worse, I had limited time and because of the weather, my pace was much slower than I wanted. Then my MP3 player didn't work as it most likely froze because of the weather. After completing the 11K I couldn't get to my car fast enough.

Tomorrow will be yet another tough run as the weather is supposed to dip to -30!

Now THAT was cold!

Today I ran a 10K tempo with Ken. It wasn't until I turned on the radio on my way home that I realized it was -27C with the wind chill! It took forever for my feet to thaw out during the run and it felt like I had two icicles for legs. I managed to do the run in under a 5K/min pace but it felt like I was running faster. Perhaps my brain was starting to freeze?

The "calm before the storm?"

Sunday's run of 25K was a challenging one but still lots of fun. I started out with a group of friends who I haven't run with in years but unfortunately I found that I couldn't do the 10 & 1's (run for 10 minutes, walk for 1) that they were doing as I prefer the 20 and 1's. Three of us ventured off and did a little faster pace and a different route but I was able to meet up with the others at a local coffee shop. It was nice to find out what everyone was up to and I'm hoping to keep in better contact with them. These runners really embody what it means to "run" and you could tell that they were more concerned with just being out there and having "fun" which is something I have to keep reminding myself of.

Today was my "ME" run and I had a blast running 10K with my music. I honestly don't know how I could run without music. During this run I kept thinking about my race in 2 weeks (Peterborough 1/2 marathon) and what time I want to achieve (1:40 to 1:45). I was at a training course in Oshawa today and one of the instructors is also doing the 1/2 marathon in Peterborough. One of the exercises in our training today was that one of the participants had to introduce someone to the rest of the class. When it came time for someone to introduce me I was introduced as the Marathon runner. It's amazing to see people's faces when I tell them that I was out running this morning.

The weather is supposed to turn nasty over the next few days so I hope I'll be able to get in my tempo and 15K run over the next few days. Since I started running, I've yet to let weather stop me from completing a run. I've run in rain, snow, thunderstorms and ice storms but the only thing that I truly hate is a strong wind.
I'll be happy when all I need to run in is a pair of shorts and a shirt.

1 down 6 to go!

Today I started the first of my 7 consecutive days of running by doing what I truly love....a trail run! A group of us met in the middle of the Seaton Trail in Pickering and slipped/slided and ran through the snow and ice for over an hour. we were protected from what little wind there was today and that made for a great experience for all of us. There were enough hills to make this a challenging workout.

I took Friday off from running and instead rode the stationary bike for an hour and did some core training. I'm really starting to enjoy doing this training and feel like my day isn't complete if I miss it.

Tomorrow I will be running between 22 and 25K at a nice slow pace which should take over 2.5 hours to complete. For those runners out there that means I'll be burning plenty of fat as the slow pace will force my body to use fat as a primary source of energy. I'll need to bring about 2 gels along the way, taking one every 45 minutes or so. I'm looking forward to running with this particular group tomorrow as I haven't ran with them in over 1 year!
Greg

Training update/staying motivated

On Wednesday morning I did 10 of my 15K run with two incredible running friends. Even though the weather was cold we all didn't seem to mind as there was plenty of good conversation to keep us going.
Today I completed 10 sets of hills with another friend who is also training hard for the Mississauga Marathon.
Having great friends to run with has helped keep my motivation high and this brings me to real reason I wanted to post today and that is "motivation."

Some of my clients at the gym are having a hard time staying motivated and most of what I do there becomes a motivational session which I enjoy. I've often said that I can KEEP anyone motivated but it is up to the individual to GET motivated. When people tell me that they read my posts and get inspired to run or workout it's flattering and also overwhelming. I honestly don't see what I do as anything special as I know that there are plenty of people out there doing the same thing.

This week I was challenged a few times by some clients who were not following the plan that I laid for them and also complaining that they weren't losing weight either. I realize that many of them want me to accept blame for them because it takes away their own accountability. This is something that I will never do. The best I can do is to give them a workable plan to follow and then it is up to them to make it work. Having struggled with my own weight issuses, I know that it is not an easy thing to do BUT I also know that it can be done.

Unfortunately, most people want a quick fix and don't realize that it took time for them to create their unhealty habits and it will also take time to reverse this process. Diets count on the fact that people will fail over the long term because it just means that they will return again later. However,when they do return they usually have even more weight to lose.

Changing a habit requires discipine and a "want to" in order to be successful in the long-term. Some of my clients only eat 1 or 2 meals per day so I start them off by just increasing their meals by 1. The most common problem I see is people skipping breakfast. Their goal, then is to eat breakfast regularly for 1 week. I don't change anything else but instead focus on this small change. Once this becomes a habit then I'll tackle another meal and so on. By taking these smaller steps I'm instiling a structure where previously there was none.

For those of you working hard on your goals, whatever they may be, I wish you the best of luck!

Tuesday tempo report

Today was the start of my training week and the extra days of rest from the weekend appeared to pay dividends. I did my 10K tempo in a little over 48 minutes (4:52 K/pace) and felt amazing afterwards. These tempo runs will no doubt help prepare me for my next race, the Peterborough 1/2 marathon, but hopefully the weather will be a little warmer then it was today. However, the temperature at last years' Peterborough 1/2 was -30 with the wind chill factored in. The wind today was especially tough but thankfully Ken and I did a slightly different route than our normal one and we had the wind at our back on the way home.
In the afternoon I did about 20 minutes of core training.
Tomorrow will be a run of between 12 and 15K at a comfortable pace.

Well Rested

After having taken the last two days off from running, I ventured out this morning for a 10K run. I received a great email from a close friend who was concerned that I may be overtraining. I can't tell you how amazing it is to have great friends who are also experienced runners expressing their concern for my well being. I'm still very much a novice when it comes to running and those that know me best know that I'm someone who is not afraid of a challenge. Luckily I've managed to remain relatively injury free and I want to stay that way.

Today's run brought back all the memories of why I started to run in the first place. I ran because I LOVE to run. Even though the temperature was minus something, (when it gets this cold does it really matter what the exact temperature is?) I didn't feel it at all. I had my music on and a big smile on my face. I remembered all the great friends I've made since I started running. I was thinking about the amazing summer last year, which was by far the best summer of my life. I was thinking about the Learn to Run clinic which I helped instruct and wondered how those runners were doing.

Even though I still have my sights set on trying to qualify for Boston, I'm going to make sure that I have at least one run per week which is just for me and for fun.
Thanks Joanne!

Week 4 training report!

My next race: Peterborough 1/2 Marathon
Sunday February 25th


To sum up how I've felt this week, the best word I could come up with is "exhausted."
From this past Sunday (January 28th) to Friday (February 2nd) my total mileage was just over 90K.
This included 2 LSD's (24 and 25K), 1, 10K temp run, 8 sets of hill repeats and two runs of 12 and 15K.
By the time Friday came around I was physically and emotionally spent.
I took the past two days off from running and decided to ride my stationary bike for 60 minutes on Saturday and 90 minutes on Sunday. I also did some core work. My next scheduled run is a tempo on Tuesday but I may sneak out tomorrow for a light run of no more than 10K.
I've actually enjoyed the last few days as I needed to recover from 7 consecutive days of running.

I have decided not post my weight or eating "scale" anymore after having a great chat with one of my best friends. Instead I will focus more on my training and overall tips for healthy eating.

This week I will be running on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. I prefer this schedule than running for 7 consecutive days but I realize I must work around the fact that I watch my kids every other weekend.

I comend anyone who has braved the cold this past week. It has me dreaming of the spring and summer temperatures which for me can't get here fast enough.
Greg

My first online article!

I was recently asked to write monthly articles on fitness, nutrition and motivation for an online dating site called Single Parents Love Life. Here is my first article:


You set goals for your kids.
Now set a goal for your body.
By Greg D'Cruz, Single Dad and SPLL Member


The start of a new year brings the hope that this year will be better than the last one. And we know we have the power to make that happen! As someone who works in the fitness industry can attest to, this time of year the gyms are flooded with new members. Most, however, will be gone in a few months.

The reason is they neglected to write down or envision their goals. They had a desire but not a goal and there is a difference. A desire is the "want to" but a goal is a "plan." This plan usually has a time line attached to it;



For example, as a single parent you may want to improve your health (or stamina!!!) but what does that mean? A goal takes this one step further by defining itself. With Valentine's Day and even summer fast approaching, your goal could be to lose five pounds by a certain date. Now you have defined the goal!

Once a goal is defined, you need a plan to make this goal a reality. The plan needs to be realistic and something that fits into your current single parent lifestyle.

As a single Dad who shares custody of my two (amazing) boys, it seems that my life is broken into two separate entities; the time I'm alone and the time that I spend with my children. Single parents struggle with trying to be good role models for our children. Our kids learn by watching us and if they see we're committed to staying fit and in shape, they too will likely carry that lesson for the rest of their lives. Put another way, the best way to have healthy and fit children is for you to be healthy and fit.

When you make goals for yourself, envision what that goal will look like years down the road. Goals need to be important to you and something that you see yourself improving on from day to day, month to month or year to year. It could be improving on an existing activity or developing a new one but once you make a commitment to your goal and schedule it into your life, try your best not to deviate from that plan.

I believe in the importance of writing down daily goals. At the end of the day, take ten minutes to reflect on how the day went for you. Give yourself positive encouragement for what you accomplished, however small you may think it was. Then look forward to the next day and write down what you want to accomplish. At the end of each day you will be amazed at what you did and this will keep you motivated to keep improving.

Incorporate goal planning into everything you do in life and you will be amazed at what doors will open for you as a result!

My inspirational song!

To me, there's nothing more powerful than a great song when I'm running. No matter how tired I am, when I hear a particular song it seems to breath new life into my tired legs and I manage to keep going. I've adopted a Jackson Browne song as my own. It's a song that was featured in the movie Forrest Gump.

The song is called "Running on Empty" and for me it symbolizes the feeling that I get when I have to dig deep when I'm not at my strongest. Even though I'm using this as an inspiration for my running, in many ways it can be used for anything we do in life. There are times when we are not going to be at our physical, mental or emotional "best" and it is during these times that we have to find the inner strength to keep going on. Some people call it "will power" but whatever you call it try to remember that we all have to capability to push ourselves to the limit when we need to.

Here are the lyrics:

Looking out at the road rushing under my wheels
Looking back at the years gone by like so many summer fields
In sixty-five I was seventeen and running up one-o-one
I don't know where I'm running now, I'm just running on

Running on - running on empty
Running on - running blind
Running on - running into the sun
But I'm running behind

Gotta do what you can just to keep your love alive
Trying not to confuse it with what you do to survive
In sixty-nine I was twenty-one and I called the road my own
I don't know when that road turned onto the road I'm on

Running on - running on empty
Running on - running blind
Running on - running into the sun
But I'm running behind

Everyone I know, everywhere I go
People need some reason to believe
I don't know about anyone but me
If it takes all night, that'll be all right
If I can get you to smile before I leave

Looking out at the road rushing under my wheels
I don't know how to tell you all just how crazy this life feels
I look around for the friends that I used to turn to to pull me through
Looking into their eyes I see them running too

Running on - running on empty
Running on - running blind
Running on - running into the sun
But I'm running behind

Honey you really tempt me
You know the way you look so kind
I'd love to stick around but I'm running behind
You know I don't even know what I'm hoping to find
Running into the sun but I'm running behind

Week 3 training recap.

Last week's weight: 155
Today's weight: 153.5

Body Fat: 11.5%
Eating Scale: 6 out of 10

Total distance this week (January 20-28): 80K

Monday: Total day of rest. I decided not to work out today in preparation for my tempo run with Coach Ken on Tuesday. This was something that I am still getting used to because I love to do something physically active each day but I resisted the urge.

Tuesday: The day of rest and proper sleep the night before paid huge dividends as I had my best tempo run so far. I ended up running the 10K route in 48:22 which worked out to a 4:51 pace. When I factored in the warm up and cool down part of the tempo, my pace was around a 4:30 to 4:40 kilometer clip. I was definitely winded and pushing it for most of the way.

Wednesday: I did a comfortable 14 k run with an average pace of 5:43. It was nice and very necessary to take it slowly today as I was feeling a little sore from yesterdays’ tempo run.

Thursday: On one of the coldest days of the year (-25C with wind chill), I ventured out with my buddy Rob for 7 sets of hills. When we actually got to the hills it wasn’t too bad but I’m sure both of us were wondering why we decided to do this today. I did all 7 hills under a 5 minute K which was my goal.

Friday: This was supposed to be another day of rest but I decided to do a little bit of weight training on my stability ball as well as some abdominal work. I finished with about 30 minutes on the exercise bike.

Saturday: Saturday’s are one of my most favorite running days as I get to run in the place I’m most comfortable in (trails). I did 8K which seemed to feel more like 12K but the conditions were great.

Sunday: As I write this I just finished running 24K with an average pace of 5:30. This was a little faster than a usual long slow distance day but I was feeling good so I pushed it a little bit.

Eating overview: I’ve given myself a low score this week because I went out to eat twice. Even though I love the socialization part, I realize that it’s hard to make great choices when you go out to eat. I’ve been trying to be so focused on my training and this includes eating healthy at least 80% of the time. Thankfully my weight went down a little but psychologically I know I could have had a better eating week. When you realize that your goal can and will be affected by your eating choices you tend to want to focus harder on making sure that all aspects of your training are being fulfilled. Sadly, when you decide to go to a restaurant to eat, this control is taken away from you. In my case it sets up feeling of guilt but I’ve learned to do my best to not let it snowball into something bigger. As I tell my clients, you need to look forward not backwards so this is what I will do as well.

Week 2 re-cap!

The feedback I've gotten from those who read my site is that they like the updates I've been doing so I will continue to do so. I'm also going to start recording my ending weight and a recap of my eating for the past week. I want to run my races at 150 or lighter so this will help me keep on track and hopefully give you some insight into my own eating.

Last week's weight: 160
This week's Weight: 155

Eating Recap: This week I tried to decrease my carbs a little bit at dinner but I noticed that when I came home from the gym ( sometimes 9PM) my cravings for carbs increased. Because I run so early in the morning (6AM) I decided to eat some rice cakes and a few yogurts before going to bed. Before my run I always have 1/2 banana and a cup of tea. My post run meal is always a protein shake with 1/2 banana and about 1 cup of blueberries.
I snack on yogurt, fruit, cheese strings, carrots, zone perfect protein bars or cliff bars and cottage cheese.
My lunch is almost always the same. 1/2 carton of egg whites, some feta cheese and sometimes some turkey. I form this into an omelet and I serve it with 1/3 cup of oats with cinnamon, splenda and 1 tbsp. of natural peanut butter.
I would give my eating a score of 7 out of 10 this week (YES, NOBODY, including me is perfect (LOL)

Monday I rode the stationary bike for 90 minutes and did some core training.

Tuesday was supposed to be a tempo run but the sidewalks were frozen and snow covered which made this close to impossible. Still I managed a decent run with Coach Ken!

Wednesday was a nice slow 12K run with Theresa and Jane with a pace of about 5:40K.

Thursday was my hill training day and I did 6 hill repeats with a 3K warm up and cool down. I kept the hill repeats under 5K which was what I was hoping for. The hill training is becoming harder as I was very sore on the way home.

Friday was my 20K long slow run which I just finished. I kept it nice and slow which was relatively easy to do given the fact that my quads were still sore from the day before. I had a nice salt bath when I came back which helped.

Saturday will be a day off (whew) but I'll probably ride the stationary bike for about an hour.

Sunday: I'll aim for about a 10K slow run.

I'm really starting to enjoy this program because each day is a completely different "animal" and I'm learning to run smarter as a result.
Greg

What do you think about when you are running/working out?

My running friends know that I have the worst sense of direction out of anyone (right Rob?). The reasons for this is that I not only get lost along the route but I also get lost in "thought" when I'm running. I actually enjoy this part of running more than anything else as it allows me to escape and do some deep thinking while getting exercise.

When I go out for runs, especially the long ones (over 20K) like I will today I will be thinking about my life. What I've accomplished and what I need to accomplish. I'll think about the great friends I've met since I started running. I'll think about my kids and what lies ahead for them in the future. Sometimes I'll just sing silently to my music. Mostly, though I will have a smile on my face as I can't think of a better way to spend my free time.

Running beyond any other activity I've ever done gives me the ability to do this. I'll have plenty of time to do this as it will take me roughly 2 hours to run this distance. Some people who run say that they have never experienced the runners "high" but I get it almost every time I lace up my shoes. I think I can count on one hand the number of "bad" runs I've had. This pales in comparison to the hundreds of runs I've had since I started running in July of 2005. I actually feel sad for the people who say that for them, the best part of their run is when they are finished.

Whether your favorite activity is running, walking, cycling or weight training, I hope that you appreciate the fact that you are doing something both mentally and physically good for your mind, body and soul.
Greg

Top 5 reasons that you KNOW you have an addiction to running

My passion is without doubt running and I know there are many of you who feel the same way. I present to you the 5 top reasons that I know I am addicted to running:

5. After completing a run (no matter what distance) I'm already thinking about when and where my next run will be.

4. When I look at my internet "favorites" I notice that my running list is overflowing with links to running magazines, races and nutrition related to running.

3. I keep thinking about how I can involve running in EVERYTHING I do.

2. When looking for new songs for my mp3 player I try to find songs that are about 4-5 minutes in length which is the usual time for me to run 1KM.

1. I watched Forest Gump last Sunday but only until I had seen the running part of the movie. You know, where he runs for over 2 years straight. My only thought was, I wish I could do this. OH, and of course as soon as the movie was over I had to download Running on Empty by Jackson Browne (a VERY inspirational song for runners).
Greg

Grocery Shopping Tips

1. Don’t go shopping when you are hungry. If possible eat something before you go shopping or take a bottle of water with you to the grocery store. This will prevent buying unnecessary items on impulse.

2. Make a list AND a plan.
Decide what food you want to eat between now and the next time you go grocery shopping. If you grocery shop once per week then decide what you will eat for this week. Go through your cupboards and fridge and make a list of what you will need for the next week.

3. Shop around the perimeter of the grocery store first. Grocery stores strategically place items around the store. The healthier food is found around the outside and as you move towards the inside you find the canned/pre-packaged items. These have less nutritional value than the items found on the outside of the store.

4. Educate yourself on how to read food labels.
(typical food label will look like this)


Calories:
Fat:
Saturated Fat:
Trans Fat:
Cholesterol:
Sodium:
Carbohydrate:
Fibre:
Sugar:
Protein:

You have to remember that each food has different serving sizes and before deciding to purchase that particular food, ask yourself how much of that food do you consume at one time? Does “your” serving size match the serving size listed on the package?
When looking at the ingredients listed on the package, remember that items are always listed from highest to lowest.

5. Watch for hidden words or phrases. If an item listed on the ingredient list ends is “ose” you can be sure that it is a type of sugar. Other things to eliminate are Trans Fats, High Fructose Corn Syrup and oils such as coconut and palm kernel. In most cases, the less ingredients a product has, the better it is for you.

Week 1 training report

So, this is what Marathon training looks like!
I've finished most of my runs for the week (still have a trail run tomorrow and then a light run on Sunday) and I'm beginning to understand the kind of effort it will take for me to achieve my goal of Boston.

On Monday I took the day off from running and rode the stationary bike for 80 minutes.

Tuesday came my tempo run with Ken and we pushed it pretty hard (for me anyway) and finished doing the 10K at a sub 5 minute pace. At one point during the run I brought my heart rate down considerably and then raced up the final Kilometre. This was by far the hardest part of the run but once I was finished I felt amazing. There were times where I actually thought I was going to throw up but thankfully this didn't happen. I got some great tips from Ken about breathing which I will use on my subsequent runs.

Wednesdays are turning out to be one of my favorite running days as I got to run a nice easy 8.5K run with Theresa and Jane. This was a good time to catch up on some good conversations and also get a good run in at the same time. It was nice not going too fast for this one.
After the run I rode the stationary bike for 40 minutes and this helped get rid of the lactic acid that had accumulated from the run.

Thursday was my first attempt at hill training in months and Nancy and I did 5 sets of hills. By the end of this I was gassed. I can see how this will help when my marathon comes around. I tried to keep a consistent pace from hill 1 to 5 and when I checked my pace it was below a 5 minute Kilometre which was what I was hoping for. In the afternoon I did some core training and a little bit of weights. I haven't lifted weights in months and it felt a little strange at first. I don't want to put on any weight because I feel lighter on my feet at my current weight (155 pounds) and I know it has helped increase my speed.

Today Nancy and I ran 21K at a slow pace (5:45K) and I was feeling sore by the end. This is the longest I've run since my marathon in December but it felt good to get this done. What made the run fun was finishing at the Pickering Running Room. It feels so much like "home" to me when I go there. While there I was asked to do a nutrition talk for one of the learn to run clinics. I've done plenty of these and love doing them.

Although week 1 was a challenge, I'm looking forward to doing even better in the upcoming weeks and months ahead.

I want Boston!

There, I said it!

When I first started running about 1.5 years ago, I fell in love with Trail Running and while those around me talked about the Holy Grail of marathons (Boston) I turned the other way and focused on trail running. Don't get me wrong. I still love trail running and was proud of my accomplishments from last year but something happened in November of 2006 which changed my thought proccess.

While training for a December marathon last year there was a 10 Mile race in Whitby which I had to do as part of my training. I had never really pushed myself to run a "fast" race before because when you run trails it forces you to be a little more cautious and slower than on the roads. With the encouragement from my great running friends (Nancy, Theresa, Miriam and Ken) I decided to race this particular event. To my amazement I was able to run a 4:35KM pace for 10 miles (1:13). I was hoping to do it in 1:20 so this gave me plenty of confidence as I prepared for my upcoming marathon in December.

Then came my marathon in December. I again was hoping for between a 3:45 to 3:50 time but felt great along the way and ended up with a 3:39 finish.

My goals for this year were to complete a 50 mile race in May and then run a marathon in the fall (Scranton). After doing some serious thinking, however, I have decided to concentrate on improving my marathon time. I understand that this will be a huge undertaking but I'm willing to put in the time and effort to make this a reality.

I will need to run a 3:20 marathon time in order to qualify for Boston in 2008 and it will more than likely take me the whole year to prepare for this. Thankfully I have great runners who inspire me on a daily basis and I have already started to train for the Mississauga marathon in May. Instead of the 20+ races I did last year, I will focus my attention on some 5 and 10K races to improve my speed and do a few trail runs for "fun." My hope is to take off a few minutes from my personal best in Mississauga and then do the Scranton Marathon in October (http://www.steamtownmarathon.com/)


Tomorrow I start a 5 week hill training program as part of my marathon training. This will be something new to me so it should be interesting.
Wish me luck!

Finding your "passion"

It comes as no surprise to those that know me best (Nancy, Theresa, Miriam) that running is indeed my passion. When I'm not running I'm usually "thinking" about my next training run or researching the latest running magazines on the Internet. I've only recently discovered running about 1.5 years ago and still have much to learn about the sport. Thankfully this passion has not caused any major injuries (bumps on the head from trail running notwithstanding). As I learn more about this great sport I'm also getting wiser with my training. When you realize that what you love the most could be taken away in an instant it makes you appreciate it more. Unfortunately two of my best friends have been suffering from some injuries of their own and just now are beginning to return. These two women have far more running experience and expertise than I do and I've learned so much from them. Their injuries have made me understand that I don't have to go full-tilt with every run.

This week I begin my training schedule and I will actually have to train less than I have in the past. I'm also going to cut back considerably on the number of races this upcoming season and instead focus on roughly one per month (instead of the 25+ races I did last year). My goal races are a 50 Mile race in May and finishing a Marathon in 3:30 or better (probably at the Scranton Marathon in the fall).

I believe that it is very important for everyone to find their passion in life. This needs to be something that is important to you and something that you realize you cannot live without. It can drive you to complete things that you otherwise found unattainable. It can also have a trickle down effect into other areas of your life. My passion has improved both my personal and professional life. It has given me an opportunity to meet 3 of the best friends I could ever ask for. Your passion should be something that is rewarding and something that is a priority in your life. Some may call it selfish but it is something that only you will truly understand and you should never have to apologize for. It has taken me years to discover my passion and I firmly believe that it can happen to anyone at anytime. If you haven't found yours then I urge you to try different things and don't be afraid to fail. There is absolutely no way that I would have thought that my passion was running 2 years ago. I only wish that I would have found it sooner.