poo

I think I’m falling into a little runners depression here- I’m just feeling so very upset about not being able to run. I think maybe part of the problem is that I’m not in bed, needing -round -the -clock -care sick, but rather up and around and generally going on about my normal life but just feeling so very very fatigued… so part of me says c’mon you gotta get movin’ you’ve done a measly 4.5 miles total this week, while the other part says it’s OK- give it more time… so, so much for my 6 miler… tomorrow is another day and hopefully a much healthier one.

Poo.

The road to nowhere…

Trying to stay positive here but freaking out on the inside as my training has been completely derailed, last week by Christmas festivities and this week by illness. I did 2 miles on the treadmill yesterday and it felt OK but I was at my limit. I’m feeling OK just weak-ish. I looked through my books and the most sensible advice I saw was to do 3-4 20-30 minute runs before getting back on a serious schedule. I would so like to get my six-miler in by the end of this training week which is Sunday- so I’m hopeful I can do another 2 miles today (Thursday), then maybe 3 or 3.5 on Friday, 2 on Saturday and 6 on Sunday with the understanding that I may have to take a couple of walk breaks on the long run. Anyone out there for to give me advice?!!! I’m trying to push myself to get on with things with out injuring myself and/or getting sicker…

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…

Just as I had predicted, this week has been a bit of a bust- there’s one more day in the training week and to date I have just 2 treadmill runs in, one cross training session (i hour of shoveling snow) and tomorrow it looks like another treadmill- and it is set to be a doozy- 6 miles- inside… oh boy. But really, lets be honest here- I went out walking in this winter wonder-mess today and really, honestly, who’s running outside?! I admit that I should have went for it earlier in the week because now it’s hardly walk-able, never mind run-able.

I alternate between feeling panicy that the 1/ 2 is coming up very soon and then patting myself on the back for doing as much as I have this week because, besides the weather, and it being Xmas, I also had 2 kids come down with the flu on Xmas day (it was a bit of a puke fest- but lo and behold everyone, and I’m talking MY side of the family, were still waiting very impatiently for their turkey dinner while I tried handing off a very feverish and snot smeared baby to the ol’man who tried his best to help out- God bless him)

There ain’t nothin’ like the holidays-  Ho. Ho. Ho.

decisions, decisions…

So after much deliberation I have decided that I will NOT run my long run in the -8 and snow weather today but rather run it on the (blech) treadmill instead. I have been humming and hawing, and on my way home from dropping the kids off at school I was checking out the sidewalks and most of them are not clean and pretty icy and I think it would be just too risky. This is Vancouver after all and I know my regular route would have been very snowy (except in front of the homes of the few keeners who shovel) So then I thought I would run down Main Street where surely the sidewalks would be clean but on futher inspection this morning it looks like about 50% of the sidewalk is clean and it would stink to fall down and hurt myself. Also, because my training has been interrupted by social and family commitments so much lately I don’t want to get out there just to find out it’s not runable and there goes my long run time because the kids get out at noon today.
I have to remind myself I am very fortunate to have a good quality treadmill which will surely save my butt in getting to my marathon goal- but alas it is not the same as getting outside.
I promised myself I would go out Sunday for my shorter run to try this whole running in the snow thing out so I don’t feel like I’m whimping out completely.

5 miler… in the snow!

I have always been a bit of a drama queen… I’m an opera singer ‘fer crying out loud!! So there is something about running in the snow (yes it snowed one whole centimeter here on Friday!)  that brought out the tough guy in me (cue Rocky theme song…cut to my chubby housewife self shuffling up 37th Ave with the odd flake floating by me…) It was my longest training run to date, 5 miles, and it felt great. My time indicates that I was going pretty slow (54:18) the sidewalks were pretty slick so I definitely was trying to be careful, but I didn’t feel like I was going slow- just steady.

I keep thinking I should maybe mix up my long run route- I have been using the same one- a loop from my house to the 37th Ave bikeway and back and I like that I can measure and compare how I am feeling at the same places along the way each time. Also, knowing that this time I had to get to Granville Street before looping back just felt so do-able somehow. So maybe I’ll stick with this particular route for now- until boredom sets in, which, knowing myself as well as I do is sure to hit sooner than later.

Something’s gotta give…

It’s all about choices right?  It’s a topic I have had come up countless times over my 16 year mothering career… finding the time to exercise. And it always come down to one thing, making the choice to just do it. Sure something’s gotta give… sometimes it’s the housework, sometimes it’s the cup of coffee and magazine article I’ve been dying to read and sometimes it’s sleep- but while it is true we can’t do everything- somethings are just way too important not to do. Like exercise. That’s what I have to keep trying to convince myself of anyways.

I hate playing the “I’ve got six kids” card… (OK well, sometimes I secretly enjoy playing that one…) but technically I don’t have time to do much except…mother (by that I am including all things mothering- housework,cooking, errands, kid duties etc.) My two huge extravagances at the moment are the treadmill I bought last year which got me in shape to run a 10K the year after #6 was born because with a newborn and 5 others there really really was no time to squeeze in exercise except when they were sleeping and I had the monitor on in case they needed me) and my second extravagance is my Friday babysitter which is allowing me to get out for a long run without having to coordinate everyone else’s schedule around it. The other reason  for the once a week babysitter was to get a grip on the housework and my life in general- well worth the money that the old man keeps reminding me we can’t spare… too bad, I’m digging in my heels!

So besides my Friday run, here are the ways I am getting exercise in on the other 5 days (I take one “rest” day) The community centre has childminding 3 mornings a week- the litle ones love it and I get to go to the gym. There is also the option to use the pool which I plan to do soon as some cross training. DVD’s, Every once in awhile I put on a yoga DVD- It’s not something I’ve been able to do long term (it gets boring fast) but when I’ve been desperate enough to get moving it does the trick. Getting the old man involved has been a good tactic- because I know he wants to get moving but just has trouble with the motivation part. I’ve tricked him in to “helping” me by pursuading him to come on a bike ride when the older boys are home to babysit. Walking. Never under estimate the power of a good walk- especially while pushing a stroller. I’m a total goal oriented person so having a destination (a particular shop for example) helps- I hoof it over there, do my shopping then hoof it back.   It’s much less stressful than wrangling kids into car seats and looking for parking. Bits and pieces, While I’ve never had the courgae to try one of those nifty playground workouts “workout while the kids play in front of a bunch of other Mums drinking coffee!!!!” I must say my kids are quite used to seeing me doing squats while washing dishes, leg lifts while dusting (I’m just joking, I don’t dust!!) and they’re always more then happy to get down on the floor with me when I get down to do some crunches.

The fact of the matter is, there will always be something else that needs doing.  Always. As I have said before it is more of a battle with my mind to keep going, or more importantly to to GET going. Get the mind in shape and the body will follow.

back in the saddle

So I’ve had a bit of a slump… 2 whole days off- now that I write it down it doesn’t seem like such a big deal but I’ve pretty much been fretting over it the whole 2 days- partially me just feeling a bit burnt out and partially life not allowing me any time to run. Last week was spot on perfect- I did everything on the schedule including a very exhilarating bike ride with the ol’ man (I haven’t been on a bike since the ’80’s!) We just rode around the cemetery for 30 minutes but it was so much fun!

Today I did 30 minutes on the treadmill but I am amazed at how much faster I can run- that’s something I never expected as I’m not too concerned with speed- but it’s very cool to be able to keep pushing that speed button higher and higher!

 

Tomorrow is Friday, time for… you guessed it, The Long Run. It’s my last week with 4 miles as “the long run” so I’ll try to appreciate how “easy” it should be!