Race Report ~ Spartan Sprint North Vancouver

The more time that passes before I finish these race reports, the less likely I'll be able to remember which race was which... Just kidding, I've completed 4 races in the past 2 months, but 2 were road races and 2 were obstacle races, and they were all different distances. A pretty well rounded collection actually!

The Spartan Sprint on June 1 was my first Spartan Race of 2013. The "king" of obstacle course racing, Spartan is the original OCR organization and they've really set the bar for the various other mud and obstacle races that have appeared in the last few years. Definitely my favorite race series, Spartan races are all about strength, speed, agility, balance, grit, and in the longer Spartan distances, endurance. Competitors are fierce, well trained, determined, and adventurous.

Personally, I  thought the entire race was amazing. Package pick-up was the day before, so there was no messing around with line ups on race morning. Racers were divided into decent sized waves, so traffic was good getting to the race itself and into the starting corral. I raced in a group of 5, 3 women, 2 men, all of somewhat similar fitness level.

As for the course itself, it was typical Spartan, with one major unforeseen issue causing a number of last minute course adjustments: snow. June in Vancouver is usually warm, and the majority of snow has typically melted from local mountains by late May. But not this year. The course was essentially a bent figure 8, consisting of two loops which intersected in the middle. We started at the base of the "Mystery" chairlift, and followed one of the intermediate ski runs up to the top of the chairlift, and back down a different ski run almost to the start line, before veering off to the left and down to the lower half of the course.

The top half,or first loop, of the course (approximately 3k) was 100% covered in snow, about calf-deep, making for some interesting running! Obstacles faced in the first loop included over/under fences and barbed wire, pulling a 30lb cement block for about 40 feet, a sandbag carry up and down a hill, and even a little a bum-slide in the snow. We speed walked up the hill, ran down, and completed the first loop in decent time.

Loop 2 was where they had placed most of the obstacles, because it was snow-free. First up was the monkey bars, where I, far too excitedly, leaped out onto to the bars, my swinging legs following. In fact, my legs swung so far forward, my hands let go of the bars and I fell the 10 or so feet to the gravel below, landing entirely on my lower right arm. While I attended to the blood gushing from my arm, my teamates split my 30 burpee penalty (for failing to successfully complete the obstacle), and we continued on. Other obstacles in leg 2 included climbing up and over cargo nets, down and up through a steep muddy ravine, crawling through mud under barbed wire, up over walls, a javelin throw, a rope climb, traverse wall, tire toss, fire jump, and gladiator fight. There may have been a couple more that I've forgotten, too.

We kept up a good pace throughout the race. There were a few times the team stopped and waited while teammates completed burpee penalties or made it up hills, before finishing together as a group, in a time of 1 hour and 12 minutes. Could I have completed the race faster? Definitely. Am I happy with the time? Totally. I didn't go into the event with a goal to finish as fast as I could, I wanted to run it as a group and have fun. And that's what we did :)

The End of My Love-Hate Relationship with Running

At the end of 2012, I decided to make some huge changes to my physical health. While I've always considered myself healthy, I knew I could feel even better, so I made 2 major changes for 2013 in terms of diet (I now eat Paleo almost exclusively) and exercise. An active person for the most part, my love-hate relationship with running has gone on too long.

For years, I have run in spurts. I'd sign up for a race, train (usually not even close to enough), run, take some time off (long enough to lose all of my fitness), and repeat. The result? I never saw any significant improvements in my running speed because I was always starting from square one; I had no consistency. The other problem with this method? No maintenance; I was always building mileage. That meant that the runs were always hard because I was pushing my body to run further or faster than before. Plus my dietary habits were causing spikes in my blood sugar that would result in brutal lows during my runs, causing me to actually fear running. No more.

Starting in January I changed the way I was running. I ran for fitness, for fun, and for stress relief, not with the goal of a specific event or race. I set goals for weekly and monthly mileage, and for number of runs per week, and I made sure I hit them week after week after week. My goals were ambitious, but not so much that they were hard to attain. January's goals were to run 75km, and to be able to run 5k without walk breaks. February's goal was 100k. March was also 100k, but with a focus on speed during the week, and on the long slow distance run on the weekend. April's goal was 125k, and by then I knew I was ready to run a 10k race and beat my previous best time. I also registered for a half-marathon May 5th with the hope of setting a PR there too.

Paleo eating has been massively helpful too. I diet of low glycemic index foods, protein at every meal, and a ratio of 35/40/25 carbs/fat/protein, keeps my blood glucose steady all day, including during runs. And with a focus on what I put in my body and when, I have drastically decreased recovery time and eliminated my need to "carb load" before long runs. My energy level is stable, by appetite is strong, and my stress level has never been lower.

Overall, these changes, albeit small, have totally transformed the way I think about diet and exercise, especially about running. For the first time ever, I wake up in the morning excited about running. It's gone from being work to being entertainment, and I celebrate and enjoy every little improvement. Finally, I have found a way to run that I know I can stick with!!

Reflections on Boston and Family

Let's face it, I'm not keeping up with HAWMC this month. Today's entry has nothing to do with the prompt for the day, but this is where my head is at right now.

Whether I'm running myself, or a spectator, I love everything about racing. I love the training, the package pick-up fairs, the bibs and medals, the cheering and celebration, and, especially, the atmosphere. There is an air of accomplishment in racing and it doesn't matter if you're racing to place, for a PB, or simply to complete. Everyone is a winner.

Monday morning I woke up and immediately found a website that was broadcasting the Boston Marathon live. Not only is it a huge event, and the pinnacle of marathons in North America (because it's the only marathon that has qualifying times just to enter), but my sister was running it for the first time, and I wanted to watch her cross the finish line!

Flipping back and forth between a site that was updating runners times at every 5k mark, and the live broadcast, I was thrilled to see that she was well on her way to a PB and possibly even a sub-3:00 hour marathon!! But just after the two hours mark, minutes after the male winners crossed the finish line, I lost the feed on the site I was on, and couldn't get it back. 15 minutes later, still nothing, so I headed out for a 40 minute run of my own, knowing I'd be back home before she finished. When I returned, still no live race coverage. Refreshing the stats page every few minutes, I was thrilled to learn that my sister finished the marathon with a time of 2:57:37; a best for her, and an absolutely incredible race time. After bragging in a Facebook group about her awesome achievement, I went on with my day.

About an hour later I received a message from one of the group members I had been boasting to, stating, "Jen, I hope your sister is ok." There was a link attached and upon clicking it, I learned of the horrible aftermath that had occurred mere minutes prior. With my heart in my throat, I knew I had to find out if she was ok. But get this: I don't have a phone number for her. I didn't even know what hotel she was staying in. Why? Because we aren't close. In fact, we barely know each other.

Here's the deal, in mini version. I was adopted as an infant because my parents were teens. They split up, went on with their lives, married other people, and had more children. I grew up in a great home, with terrific parents. I always knew I was adopted, but I knew I had to meet my biological parents. Not because I was unhappy or felt like something was missing, but because I needed to know where I came from. Period. When I met my mother, I was 19. She was 36 with 12 and 14 year old sons. I didn't meet my father until I was 29. He had 4 children, 3 boys who were then 19, 16, and 14. and a 17 year old daughter.

The age difference between my siblings and I is pretty big, and it seemed even bigger when they were teens and I was an adult. When I met my father's children, I already had 3 kids of my own, the oldest of whom was 10. The whole situation was awkward and strange for everyone, and I don't think any of my siblings really understood what was going on, or why I had suddenly intruded into their lives. Is that reason enough to barely know them after so many years? No. As completely overwhelmed as I was trying to assimilate all the new members into some semblance of organization in my head, I should have tried harder to get to know them. I should have made a more concerted effort to find out who they were as individuals, and build relationships with each of them. But I haven't. And I regret it.

So here's what I learned from the Boston marathon bombing, in a nutshell: I love my family more than anything in the world. And life is too short, too precious, and too unpredictable; every day is a gift, and should be lived as if it's our last. My plans for today? Give my husband and each of my children a hug and tell them I love them. And call my sister.

Preliminary Racing 2013

Exercise plays such a critical role in diabetes management, that I try to lead my example, and teach my children (type 1 and not type 1) that exercise is a fun way to spend time together and a perfect way to keep our bodies strong and healthy. Because exercise is one of the MOST important parts of my life, I love sharing my enthusiasm for an active lifestyle with others, too. My favorite activities are running and cycling, but I also love snowshoeing, Bikram yoga, hiking, and walking. Anything outdoors is ideal, though it is extremely rainy in the fall and winter months where I live so when the rain stops, I take major advantage of it! I have big plans for 2013 year when it comes to exercise. BIG PLANS. Racing is calling my name, and it's long overdue that I started listening. 

2013 will be all about SPEED. Races confirmed for 2013 include...

Vancouver Sun Run, April 21st. I have run this race many times, but last year I skipped it and the year before I walked it with my mom. It is the largest 10 km road race in North America and is a total blast. With over 50,000 participants and live musical entertainment every kilometer, it is almost as much of a party as it is a race. I'm training hard for this one, as I'm hoping to shave 5 minutes off my Sun Run PR, set years ago.

BMO Vancouver Marathon, May 5th. Ran the half-marathon last year on their gorgeous new course, but was extremely disappointed with my result, which was more than 20 minutes slower than my BMO half-marathon PR. Going to give it another shot this year and finish with a result I'm proud of.

Spartan Sprint, May 11th. After the Warrior Dash last year, I knew I would be doing way more obstacle races. This one is a quick little 5km and is perfect for those new to obstacle racing. I'll be doing this with a huge group of Visalians, most of whom are cross-fitters and mega, mega fit. We'll see how well I keep up!

Tough Mudder, June 22nd & 23rd, Whistler. Next to the Cyclebetes National Relay (if it's back this year), this will be the highlight of my summer. I am SO excited about this one! A 10-12 mile course designed by British Special Forces, that combines running with military-style obstacles in icy cold water, mud, and hilly terrain. The same race runs two days and again I'll be racing with the Visalian crew.

There definitely will be more than the above to come this year.

New Year, New Goals

The advent of a new year is cleansing, in that it's the perfect opportunity for us to make new goals, set new challenges, and live life to its fullest. It's a time to discard practices that don't enhance our lives, in favor of those that do. Call them what you will; goals, resolutions, changes; the purpose behind the name remains the same: to improve our life.

I used to be one of the naysayers, not believing in resolutions. Until 5 years ago, when I decided to quit smoking on Jan 1st, 2008, after almost 20 years as a smoker. I've never slipped, never had a puff, never even been tempted in fact. Yes, the first few weeks were hell, but it was one of the most beneficial decisions I've ever made. In retrospect, I find it hard to comprehend the fact that I used to smoke; the idea of slowly and intentionally poisoning myself seems so absurd and foreign now. Ever since, I've been a full-on believer in resolutions. Why not? They work for me.

My 2013 resolutions are all health-related, pertain to nutrition and exercise, and will require a great deal of commitment, motivation, and dedication. Why the extreme, you may be asking? It's quite simple. I've been feeling like crap for too long. I've seen my doctor, has a gazillion different tests, and there is absolutely nothing physically wrong with me, which means the feeling of crappiness is self-induced and within my ability to change!

Nutrition-wise, I am giving up gluten and restricting other grains to a rare intake of corn and rice. I am limiting dairy to organic Greek yogurt and occasional cheese, completely eliminating all processed foods and sugar, and cutting out alcohol. And I'm upping my protein shakes back to two a day. Basically, I'll be eating whole, natural foods, in their original state.

In terms of exercise, I need to step it up. Waaaay up. The sporadic running I've been doing for the past 2 years is getting old; it's time to really commit. So Dec 28th, I kicked off a new 90 day challenge, in which my goal is to take 5 minutes off my 10km PR, set 6 or 7 years ago, and reduce my body fat by 5%. To train, I have committed to a 4-run per week schedule. Cross training will be once a week, with either snowshoeing or cycling, and I'll be doing 1 Bikram yoga class a week. I'm not doing any specific strength training program, but am doing daily Crossfit workouts which run about 15 minutes each. And to keep myself motivated, I'll be racing a lot this year, in road runs, obstacle course races, road cycling, and may even tackle a triathlon.

Officially a Warrior!

Yesterday I completed my first obstacle race, and wow did I ever have a blast! The 5.5km Warrior Dash is an obstacle race literally perched on the side of Mount Seymour, one of Vancouver's local ski mountains. Traversing up and down the rugged terrain, competitors battled the heat, the incline, and each other, while tackling a dozen obstacles along the way.

Group pic post race

Competing in a team of 4, with 3 truly awesome ladies, we donned neon clothing and arrived ready to tackle the mountain for our 10:00 am wave start. By the time we checked in, picked up our race kits, and checked our gear, the temperature was already nearing 25 degrees, but nothing was holding us back!

The first of many uphills...notice the magic
carpet lift behind us as we run up a ski run?

Up and down the mountain we zigzagged, oblivious to the burning in our legs and lungs, focussed only on the next obstacle and water station. Pulling ourselves over walls, wiggling under barbed wire, and climbing over cargo nets, no obstacle too high or too hard. 

Completed the last obstacle and the finish line is in sight!

Finally, after over 5km of running, we neared the final 2 obstacles - a couple of leaps through fire, a quick crawl through a mud pit, and we crossed the finish line to receive our finisher's medals and await our hose down.

Crossing the finish line after a terrific race!

What an incredible morning - I can't wait for the Super Spartan in September!!

Run, Bike, Crawl ~ Summer 2012 Events

With summer right around the corner and my 2nd 90 Day Challenge just underway, I have completely revamped my summer event schedule and added some new events to give my body an extra challenge!

Training started this week for a 122km cycling race Sept 8th, and my first full marathon Sept 30th. I'll also be competing in an obstacle race in early August and a half marathon in mid-August. Training updates will be posted from time to time, highlighting unique experiences and reflections on progress. Full race details below.

August
Warrior Dash, August 4th, North Van. My first obstacle race and I am so psyched!! This one is an entry level 5km trail run with a dozen obstacleS, ranging from climbing walls to fire jumping to crawling through barbed wire.

Sea Wheeze, August 11, Vancouver. This is Lululemon's first half-marathon event and it's taking place along the beaches of downtown Vancouver!

September
RBC GrandFondo Whistler, Sept 8th. An epic 122km road race along the Sea to Sky highway from downtown Vancouver to Whistler Village. 7000 cyclists of all abilities compete in this event!

Surrey International World Music Marathon, Sept 30th. My very first full marathon!

The Bigger Picture; Reflections on the First 90 Days

Today marks the last day of my first 90 day challenge, and I wanted to take this opportunity not only to document my success, but to reflect on how much my opinion about the company itself has evolved over the course of the 3 months.

When I began my challenge in March, I was excited to try something new. I had been feeling run down, tired, and burned out, for quite some time, and I knew something had to change. My brother and his wife had recently got involved with the Body by Vi 90 Day Challenge and had experienced some pretty awesome results, so I thought I'd give it a try. Starting on the most basic kit they offer, I drank one of their protein/nutritional shakes per day, instead of eating breakfast. Within a few days I could feel an increase in my energy level and a feeling like something was coming alive in my body. It's hard to describe, but it felt almost like my body was reacting at a cellular level; like parts of me that had been dormant for ages were suddenly waking up. As days passes, I felt better and better and noticed I was losing weight too! My clothes fit better and I felt incredible.

At the same time I started to notice that I could run easier. A LOT easier. I was running faster than before, over the same distance, but was less tired, both during and at the end. So I started pushing my body harder and harder to see what it could do. Halfway through the 90 days I ran a half-marathon and finished 14 minutes faster than the half I had run 10 months prior. My training hadn't changed at all, only my diet. In fact, I was careful not to change anything about my training because I wanted to see exactly how much this new nutritional program was helping me. I ran the same amount of days each week, and the same distances I had run the previous year leading up to the half marathon.

At this point I started to get really excited about this program, so I upgraded my personal kit, and I signed on to start promoting the challenge too. I've always been a big supporter of a healthy active lifestyle, so it was a natural step for me to start sharing the 90 Day Challenge with others. Through the month of May I experienced some pretty decent success. I made my initial little investment back in the first couple of weeks and at the end of the month I qualified for the company's BMW program, which means that they now pay for me monthly to drive a BMW. I can drive any model, black, silver, or green, new or used, leased or financed, and they will contribute $600 a month towards its cost.

All very exciting, yes, but I still didn't understood the true potential of this company, and their goals for the future, until recently. I didn't stop to think about why the 90 Day Challenge is the largest and fastest growing health platform in North America, or why the company is experiencing massive record setting growth when other companies are struggling to stay afloat in today's economy. I didn't see the bigger picture. I didn't understand their "why". Until now.

Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending a regional training event, at which numerous different individuals spoke about their success within the organization. One of the speakers was co-founder Blake Mallen, who spoke about the company's past, present, and future. At some point during his speech I experience a shift in perspective so monumental that it completely altered the way I view the entire program and my purpose within it.

For me now, the 90 Day Challenge is no longer just about weight loss, or nutrition, or athletic performance; it's about being part of a movement that can and will literally change the world as we know it. It's about helping people achieve their goals, live a long and healthy life, and be proud of who they are. It's about standing up to the fast food industry and giving them the finger; saying no thanks, we'll take it from here.

Most importantly, it is about changing society so that obesity rates start to decline for the first time ever; so certain health conditions, such as heart disease, some types of cancer, hypertension, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes, start to become less and less common. Because while many of us know that diet and lifestyle are not solely responsible for any medical condition, they play a huge role in the development of so many different diseases. It is in our power to change that, and this company not only wants to help us do just that, they are giving us to the tools to make it happen.

So what will the next 90 days bring? Stay tuned, it's going to be a wild ride!

For more information about the 90 Day Challenge, click here.

Biting the Bullet

Friday morning I road-ran a 5km time trial, just to see exactly what my current pace is. I didn't go full out by any means, but focused on keeping a strong and consistent pace. At the end of the run, I was pleased to discover that I've shaved 1:19 seconds per mile off my last road race pace.

The excitement led me to finally register for two road races in the near future. The first is the Vancouver Sun Run, the largest 10km road run in North America, attracting over 50,000 participants every year. It's one I've run at least a half dozen times in the past, and it's lots of fun. With a group that large, the energy is electric, and there's musical entertainment every kilometer to keep the runners pumped up. Athletes start in waves and are grouped by expected completion time, though the first kilometer is still more of a walk than a run due the sheer mass of bodies plugging along. It's an experience, that's for sure. The race is Sunday, April 15th, and info can be found here.

The second race is the BMO Vancouver Marathon on Sunday, May 6th, in which I have registered for the half-marathon. Again, a race I've run in past, this one twice, though 2012 brings a totally new, and much better, course. The previous course traveled through the downtown east-side (downtown Vancouver's most drug infested neighborhood) and included a long steep hill that could bring even the strongest runners to a walk. The revised course highlights some of the cities most beautiful sights, with almost half the course waterfront, and actually features a decrease in overall elevation. Info about this race can be found here.

I'll be taking lots of pictures en route, and will share my post race thoughts via Blood, Sweat & Carbs. Until then, let's keep running!

Training Update March 24

With only 6 weeks until the BMO Vancouver Marathon, my half-marathon training is finally taking off! After an awesomely productive week this week, I may be ready for the race after all. Still taking it one day at a time, and I'll wait a couple more weeks before registering, but right now it's looking good!

So how did this week shape up? I ran Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and snowboarded Wednesday, Saturday. Tomorrow will be another run day, or perhaps a well earned rest day. With the addition of this new nutritional supplement I've been taking, I can run longer, harder, and faster, without worrying about hypoglycemia. I can't even begin to describe how terrific it feels to be able to just go out and run.

As for my triathlon training, it's nonexistent at this point. If I'm going to be ready for the May long weekend race, I need to start my swim and bike training in early April.

For now, I'll just keep running!

Running & Low Blood Sugar

Currently I am training to run a half marathon in early May; well, that is the goal anyway. Over the past few days I have started to accept the fact that it just might not happen because I may not be ready in time. I HATE HATE HATE the idea of putting it off, but I ran a half last year totally unprepared, and promised myself I would never do that again.

Why is there a chance I won't be ready by May? It's not for lack of trying, or because of missing motivation. It's not even due to fact that I've been super busy lately. It's in part because of injury (I strained my lower back about 2 weeks ago and it has been a slow recovery), but mostly because of crappy blood sugar.

Running has become scary for me lately. It seems that on almost every run, my blood sugar bonks about 20-30 minutes in. I've tried adjusting my pre-run meal, but have seen little improvement. I've tried downing masses of juice immediately before going out, and while I'm sure my blood glucose rises pretty quick, it plummets even faster. The result? Shorter runs, and too many runs on the treadmill, where I can keep a bottle of dex tabs beside me at all times. Too bad that all the 30 minute treadmill runs in the world aren't going to help me run 21.2 kilometers on the road.

Frustration is mounting. I love running, but these lows come from out of nowhere. One minute I feel great, and the next I am shaking, dizzy, and unable to put one foot in front of the other. It sucks. So I am testing out a new (to me, not new to the market) nutritional supplement/protein powder that claims to do wonders for balancing blood sugar levels. It's low calorie, high protein, and is loaded with vitamins and minerals. I officially start taking it next week, when I get back from my mini spring break vacation, and will take it every day prior to training. But out of curiosity, I took some this afternoon and jumped onto the treadmill for 30 minutes. 15 minutes came and went, no low symptoms. 20 minutes, 25, and 30. Not only did I not feel even slightly low, I felt fabulous. I ran 0.2 miles per hour faster than I have been lately (not much, but hey, it's something) and I finished the half hour knowing I could have run another one. This supplement is looking good so far. The real test will start next week when I begin taking it daily.

Virtual 5km

It's back! Organized by Tara, over at Mommy's A Runner, the Virtual 5km is a fundraising and awareness initiative for JDRF. And it's super simple. Just register by clicking here, choose your distance, and run it anytime during the weekend of April 28th/29th. Registration fees are $15 for your first 5km, and $5 for each additional 5km. All money raised goes to JDRF in support of their mission to find a cure for Type 1 Diabetes. And if that's not motivation enough for you, there are some pretty awesome raffle prizes available to all who complete their 5km too.

Are you in? I know I am!

Sweatbetes ~ The Year at Glance

I have big plans this year when it comes to exercise. BIG PLANS. Racing is calling my name, and it's long overdue that I started listening.

Winter has been far too idle for me. I have spent countless hours sitting, and sitting, and sitting, and now I need to just get out there and start moving. This week marks the beginning of my half marathon training for the BMO Vancouver Marathon in May, which will kick off the series of road events I have planned for the summer. Here they are in a nutshell...

May
BMO Vancouver Marathon (half-marathon), Sunday May 6th. It's will be my 3rd time doing this race, though the course is totally new this year. Yay, no more super-long hill out of Stanley Park!
North Shore Spring Triathlon (sprint tri), Monday, May 21st. First time for this one. It's a 740m pool swim (20 lengths), 17.6km bike time trial, 5km trail & road run.

June
Tough Mudder, Saturday & Sunday, June 23rd & 24th, Whistler. Next to the Cyclebetes National Relay, this will be the highlight of my summer. I am SO excited about this one! A 10-12 mile course designed by British Special Forces, that combines running with military-style obstacles in icy cold water, mud, and hilly terrain. The same race runs both days, I haven't decided yet which day I'll do.

July
Valley First Granfondo Axel Merckx, July 8th, Penticton. 160km road race through the stunning Okanagan Valley.
RBC Kelowna Granfondo, July 14th, Kelowna. 115km road race from Kelowna to Vernon and back. This one is a maybe.

August
nothing planned at this time, perhaps another triathlon.

September
Cyclebetes National Relay, Sept 6th-9th (possibly 6th-13th), Vancouver to Calgary. My 3rd year in row riding with the BC Provincial Team. This year we ride 1005km over 4 days. I may ride the 2nd leg too, from Calgary to Winnipeg, a distance of 1345km. This event is the highlight of my year; the one I look forward to all summer, because it combines two things I am ultimately passionate about: diabetes awareness and cycling.
Surrey International World Music Marathon, Sept 30th. My very first full marathon!

What's Next?

It's been a month to the day since I returned home after riding across BC for the Cyclebetes National Relay. I've been keeping up with my exercise somewhat, mostly with running, but I feel like I need an extra motivator - I need a race or an event to train for and keep me focussed.

There are three different half marathons coming up during the Canadian Thanksgiving long weekend (Oct 8-10) and I've decided to run one of them, I just don't know which one! Two of them are on Sunday the 9th, and one is on the holiday Monday. The two Sunday races are the BMO Okanagan Marathon in Kelowna, and the GoodLife Fitness Marathon in Victoria. Both offer half marathon distances, both are within about 3 hours of my house and would require an overnight stay the night before. The Kelowna race I have done before. In fact, it was the first ever half marathon I ran. The course is pancake flat, and has some stunning scenery as you run from city center, along the waterfront of Lake Okanagan, to Summerhill winery and back. The weather should be cold but clear. The Victoria marathon, on the other hand, would be totally new to me. I don't know the course at all, but that can make it more fun. The weather is unpredictable in Victoria, however. It could be cool and clear, or it could be heavy rain, or anything in between...

Finally, the Monday race is the North Shore Half Marathon, which is basically in my back yard. It starts about a ten minute drive east of my house and follows the waterfront for 21.2 kilometers, ending about a ten minute drive west of my house. There is one long steep downhill, but otherwise it's flat. Again, weather is unpredictable in early October.

Registration for any of the races can be done up to 2 days prior to the race itself, so for now, I think I'll just keep training and see how I feel come race time!

Training Schedule Week of August 8th to 14th

Unbelievable that all of my training and hard work over the past few months is finally going to be put to the test. Beginning this Saturday, August 13th, I will be taking part in the Cyclebetes National Relay, in which I will hop on my bike and cycle from Vancouver to Calgary, a distance of 1045km, over 4 days.

This week's training schedule currently looks like this, but as usual it could change as the week progresses, especially considering I still need to prepare for a week away from home and work.

Monday ~ Cycle 1 hour, moderate

Tuesday ~ Run 60 minutes, pace

Wednesday ~ Cycle 3-4 hours, easy

Thursday ~ Cycle 2 hours, hills

Friday ~ Run 75 minutes, easy

Saturday ~ Cyclebetes begins! 

Sunday ~ Cyclebetes, day 2!

For more information on this incredible ride, visit: http://www.cyclebetes.com/national-relay-info.htm

Training Schedule Week of July 31st to August 6th

My incredible journey with Cyclebetes begins two weeks today. We will cycle from North Vancouver to Calgary, a distance of 1045km, over a period of 4 days, from August 13th to 16th. I am excited, anxious, and nervous all at once!!

As of now, this week's training will look something like this, but very well could change as the week progresses.

Sunday ~ Cycle 6 hours, moderate
Monday ~ Cycle 5-6 hours, easy
Tuesday ~ Run 40 minutes, pace
Wednesday ~ Cycle 2 hours, hills

Thursday ~ Grouse Grind (hiking)
Friday ~ Run 75 minutes, easy

Saturday ~ Cycling 1 hour, intense 

Training Schedule Week of July 11th to 17th

With just over 4 weeks until the Cyclebetes National Relay kicks off, I have upped my cycling time to ensure that I am ready for this amazing journey. This week's training will look something like this:

Monday ~ REST DAY

Tuesday ~ Run 35 minutes, pace / Cycling 30 minutes intense

Wednesday ~ Run 45 minutes, pace / Cycling 90 minutes, moderate

Thursday ~ Grouse Grind (hiking) / Cycling 60 minutes, moderate

Friday ~ Run 30 minutes, pace / Cycling 2 hours, easy

Saturday ~ Cycling 4 hours, easy

Sunday ~ Cycling 2.5 hours, vigorous 

Training Schedule Week of June 27th to July 3rd

Post half-marathon this week, so I'm forcing myself to take a bit of a much needed break. Hoping to squeeze in a hike somewhere over the long weekend too!

Monday ~ REST DAY

Tuesday ~ Trail walk 60 minutes, moderate

Wednesday ~ Yoga 60 minutes, easy

Thursday ~ Run 30 minutes, easy

Friday ~ Cycle 60 minutes, hills 

Saturday ~ Run 60 minutes, pace

Sunday ~ Cycle 4-5 hours, easy

Team Diabetes and the Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon Race Report

Sunday, June 26th, marked the 13th annual Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon, and my first half marathon in 6 years!! Yup, that's right, 6 years. Has it felt like 6 years? Not at all; at least not until the race started...

16 weeks ago I decided that it was high time I ran another road race, so I began training for a half marathon. But you know how it is - things get in the way, life gets busy, blah, blah, blah, and those missed training runs here and there suddenly start to really add up. This was the case for me this spring. I manage to do most of the short distance training; I usually ran at least 2 days per week, but some of the runs were on the treadmill (which I find doesn't prep the body for the wear and tear of the road in the same way that actually running on the road does) and others were short and sweet. Not to mention, I've been spending so much time training on my bike, that my running time has suffered as a result. Lately, if asked if I'd rather run or ride, 9 times out of 10, I'll choose the bike in a heartbeat.

So when Friday's race package pickup day arrived, I figured I'd run anyway, even though I wasn't really as prepared as I should have been. I had already paid the race fee, right? And I am in pretty good shape, so I honestly thought, what the heck? I'll take it easy, aim to finish the race with no time goal in mind, and set a baseline to improve on for next time. Then I went for far too long of a bike ride on Saturday, when I probably should have been sitting at home resting my legs for the 21.2km run that was to take place bright and early Sunday morning. And still, Sunday morning I woke up at 5am excited to run.

I have always been a solo runner. Over the years, I've tried various clinics and running groups, always to return to my preferred style of running alone, but for this race, my sister-in-law and I decided to run it together. We had never run together before, but seemed to both be equally unprepared and thought we could keep each other motivated, or at least moving towards the finish line. We arrived at the start a full hour early, which gave us lots of time to use the washroom, stretch, and take in the atmosphere. When the gun sounded, we started off at a comfortable pace, armed with a plan to run for 4 minutes/ walk for 1 minute, and repeat the intervals for as long as we could.


When we passed the 5km sign, and my watch said 34:00+ minutes, I knew it was going to be a long run, but we both felt good, so we stuck to the plan. The kilometer markers slowly crept behind us as we made our way out of the University of British Columbia campus and down the hill to the ocean. 8km, 10km, 12km, 13km, each uneventfully went by while we plugged along. Just after the 13km marker there was a slight uphill from Jericho beach and my legs started to feel the lack of distance and road running in my training. By the top of the hill, my upper quads were so sore, I had to stop briefly to stretch. 14km marked the "goo" station, where we quickly refueled and started off again. 15km, 16km, 17km passed. My legs were definitely sore, and my feet were swelling with the heat and the distance, but by this point we had 4km left to go! Easy peasy, right? Think again. 


For many inexperienced or first time half-marathon runners, 18km can bring the "wall" or the exhaustion phase. I wasn't quite there yet, but I was close, and we were about to tackle the toughest part of the run: the Burrard Street bridge. I can't count how many times I've run over this bridge in various races, but it's ALWAYS a struggle, even on a 10km race. Add that on this course it's near the end, when the legs simply don't have the energy left to go uphill anymore. A few supporters held up motivational signs as we neared the bridge, "Stop reading, keep running," "Your legs will forgive you," and my personal favorite, "Your feel hurt because you're kicking so much ass!" Hey, a little smile goes a long way when you're tired.


Earlier in the run, we had discussed walking the entire uphill portion of the bridge, then running the downhill section, but once we started the climb, we decided to run 2 minutes/walk 2 minutes. Before we knew it, the bridge was behind us, we were at the 19km mark, and the finish line was well within reach. The sidewalks were getting more crowded with supporters, some of which had run themselves and returned to the front lines to cheer on their fellow athletes, others there to support loved ones. It's amazing how a few words of encouragement, even from a complete stranger, can keep you going!


Finally Stanley Park, and the finish line, was within sight. We picked up our pace a little bit, even though my legs were screaming at me to stop. Then I heard one of the most encouraging things I had heard all morning, from a runner standing on the side of the road. "100 meters to go ladies!" he screamed, and all of my pain and exhaustion slipped away as I focused on the only thing that mattered: crossing the finish line.


All in all it was a successful race. My official "chip" time was 2:34:13, by far the slowest time I have ever had in a half marathon, and a full 40 minutes slower than my PB of 1:54:09 from 2004. But this race was different. For the first time ever, I hadn't gone in with any expectation or goal for time. I simply wanted to cross the finish line, and complete the race strong enough that I would want to run another one in the next 6 months.

So would I do it again? Definitely. But I think next time I'll train a lot more, rest the day before, and be ready to shave some serious minutes off that 2:34:13 chip time. Until then, I have other races to complete!

Training Schedule Week of June 20th to 26th

This week my training changes up a bit, as I am doing my long ride on Saturday so that I can run the Scotiabank 1/2 marathon Sunday morning. Friday I am accompanying my daughter's class on a field trip, and then working until 9:00pm, so it will be much needed rest day!

Monday ~ Run 45 minutes, pace

Tuesday ~ Cycle 60 minutes, moderate

Wednesday ~ Run 90 minutes, easy

Thursday ~ Hiking 5 hours, moderate, Cycle 60 minutes, easy

Friday ~ REST 

Saturday ~ Cycle 8 hours, moderate

Sunday ~ Half-marathon road race